So since joining I have heard nothing but bad reviews in the ag's cfl lighting system. That it is just not worthy of our favorite herb. I personally don't know what to think. As of now I'm growing 8 plants under a single one bulb ag hood. I have two in the ag and 4 in one soil container and 2 in another soil container. All sharing the reflective light of my single cfl. Yes one 23watt cfl. It is my first grow, so please do not think I consider myself eloquent in this field. My setup is an 18gallon sterilite tub completely wrapped inside with tinfoil including the lid. I figured it's a cheap Mylar alternative and doubles as an extremely effective heatsink material which Mylar in my opinion does not. Now I am not sure what my plants should look like by now. They have been growing(since germinated) for about 8 days now on the stock ag 17/7 cycle. The temp is a steady 83-88f. I haven't checked the ph once I use distilled water with the ag liquid nuts premixed in. Each plant is roughly 2-4" tall with thick stems. All have developed there sprout leaves and at least the first two true leaves although two have developed almost an entire set of seven true leaves(one is in ag one is in soil). Also I used a seedling soil mix from lowes. I am not particularly worried it was all bagseed and i am simply doing an initial test run through. I am doing the most Spartan budget grow possible. I did lose two already(I had 10) but neither to the system both were mutants. As to sat they began growing oddly happen female hairs from the tips of there first tie leaves. Anyways does anybody think I am nuts/ need to be smacked? Lol please I revel in criticism because the only non contructive criticism is the kind that's never shared. My next grow when I move will be nirvanashop bubbleicious usin the cfl and a 150hps light setup. Anyone know anything about that strain?
Please chime in on my grow technique
- Thread starter DieLawn
- Start date
DieLawn: if you're growing under a single lamp hood it sounds like you have an Aerogarden-3. I bought one for my wife to keep her in culinary herbs after I commandeered her seven holes unit for my favorite herb but I've never tried growing M/J in the A/G-3. The seven holes unit has a bigger reservoir and more light capability if you elect to purchase an upgrade kit. The standard hood with the two round CFL's that came with my seven holes model and arm/light stand just wasn't quite enough for me. The upgrade kit has a taller arm/light stand, (24 "), and a hood that accommodates three higher intensity flat CFL's. I usually start my seeds under the two lamp hood but when they get into vegging, after about a month, I install the upgrade kit and place mirrors around it to reflect light down to the lower portions of the plants. The result has been buds right down to the planting deck.
Recently, someone suggested using Mylar and at about the same time I found out that A/G was selling reflective Mylar skirts for the same purpose. I thought they were too expensive and restrictive so I glued Mylar to plastic florescent fixture lenses I cut down to size and mounted them where the mirrors had been and it seems to have done just as well. Now I don't have the weight of the mirrors to contend with.
I passed on using A/G's nutes as I was uncomfortable with exactly how much to use and elected to go with Technaflora's "Recipe for success." It takes a lot of the guess work out of feeding and it's been great. I do check pH daily and I change my nutes weekly. I was using distilled water but I'm having good luck now with a supermarket brand of filtered water that includes a reverse osmosis process and it seems to do just as well.
I believe the 17/7 light cycle is the one used by the A/G-3. I'm using a remote timer on my seven holes models and with the urging of my instructor I recently started with a schedule of 20/4 and I reduce the light by one hour each week and so far the results have been fabulous. The only problem I've had so far is that I've had to do a lot of pruning because my ladies are trying to out grow my A/G's. I'm only growing two plants in each of my seven holes A/G's and I can't imagine how that would work out in the little A/G-3, especially since the arm/light stand only goes up twelve inches in the A/G-3. I'd be interested to hear how your grow develops as it's tricky enough in the bigger seven holes model. I don't think you're nuts but I do think you're going to have a very different set of problems to deal with in a few weeks. Good luck.
Recently, someone suggested using Mylar and at about the same time I found out that A/G was selling reflective Mylar skirts for the same purpose. I thought they were too expensive and restrictive so I glued Mylar to plastic florescent fixture lenses I cut down to size and mounted them where the mirrors had been and it seems to have done just as well. Now I don't have the weight of the mirrors to contend with.
I passed on using A/G's nutes as I was uncomfortable with exactly how much to use and elected to go with Technaflora's "Recipe for success." It takes a lot of the guess work out of feeding and it's been great. I do check pH daily and I change my nutes weekly. I was using distilled water but I'm having good luck now with a supermarket brand of filtered water that includes a reverse osmosis process and it seems to do just as well.
I believe the 17/7 light cycle is the one used by the A/G-3. I'm using a remote timer on my seven holes models and with the urging of my instructor I recently started with a schedule of 20/4 and I reduce the light by one hour each week and so far the results have been fabulous. The only problem I've had so far is that I've had to do a lot of pruning because my ladies are trying to out grow my A/G's. I'm only growing two plants in each of my seven holes A/G's and I can't imagine how that would work out in the little A/G-3, especially since the arm/light stand only goes up twelve inches in the A/G-3. I'd be interested to hear how your grow develops as it's tricky enough in the bigger seven holes model. I don't think you're nuts but I do think you're going to have a very different set of problems to deal with in a few weeks. Good luck.
Hsa, I would like to thank you yet again lol. You have helped me in every post I have created and it's nice to have Jedi master to run to lol. But yes I know they will outgrow the ag. I will be throng them into flowering at about week 3 1/2. I know it early but I am not particularly worried about yield just making sure they will grow trough all cycles.