Dabu
Well-Known Member
First time ever growing... I have like 200 schwag seeds from a couple years ago that I found in one of my drawers. Once April came around, I decided to try my complete newb luck (never done this before, nor had friends who have grown).
I put 12 seeds between damp paper cloths, 4 germinated. I lost one but was able to transplant 3 healthy ones. I put them in plastic party cups filled with soil and put them under a crappy 13 watt cfl (equivalent of 60 watt bulb). They started growing up and up, and I left my place for like 24 hrs and forgot to leave it on while I was gone.
I switched to a 30 watt cfl (125 watt equivalent) and it puts out 2050 lumens, but I had it in a normal house lamp, which went every which way. I just got bought one of those portable luminare things
Now I have 3 healthy-but stringy seedlings about 1-3 inches high each, with buds and primary leaves, secondaries look like they're coming in, however the stem is thin as hell.
Either way, I got a real 8 1/2 reflective clamp reflector light for my 30 watt (2060 lumen) cfl. I have it set up really nice (I think) but I am interested in switching to either a 70 watt hps or a 150 watt hps (both are about $21 at this farming equipment store).
I am beginning to learn about high pressure sodium lamps, and from what I understand, hps systems require at least a ballast and fixture, and I am wondering what the best place is to get a ballast (and the other requirements) that will hold your normal small-medium hps light.
Also note that I'm not ready to upgrade to a 400 or 1000 watt hps, but anything around the 150 - 200 watt range is doable, considering it won't use much more power than a few incandescent light bulbs.
Second question involves the stringy seedlings I now have. Given adequate cfl light and nutrients, will they ever bulk up? Or would you suggest transplanting them up to their necks, thus protecting the stem? There's a good 2-3 inches of just thin stem that seems pointless right now. The weather's warming up and I could take them out in the sun, but I think they're too fragile and would get blown away by the wind.
I put 12 seeds between damp paper cloths, 4 germinated. I lost one but was able to transplant 3 healthy ones. I put them in plastic party cups filled with soil and put them under a crappy 13 watt cfl (equivalent of 60 watt bulb). They started growing up and up, and I left my place for like 24 hrs and forgot to leave it on while I was gone.
I switched to a 30 watt cfl (125 watt equivalent) and it puts out 2050 lumens, but I had it in a normal house lamp, which went every which way. I just got bought one of those portable luminare things
Now I have 3 healthy-but stringy seedlings about 1-3 inches high each, with buds and primary leaves, secondaries look like they're coming in, however the stem is thin as hell.
Either way, I got a real 8 1/2 reflective clamp reflector light for my 30 watt (2060 lumen) cfl. I have it set up really nice (I think) but I am interested in switching to either a 70 watt hps or a 150 watt hps (both are about $21 at this farming equipment store).
I am beginning to learn about high pressure sodium lamps, and from what I understand, hps systems require at least a ballast and fixture, and I am wondering what the best place is to get a ballast (and the other requirements) that will hold your normal small-medium hps light.
Also note that I'm not ready to upgrade to a 400 or 1000 watt hps, but anything around the 150 - 200 watt range is doable, considering it won't use much more power than a few incandescent light bulbs.
Second question involves the stringy seedlings I now have. Given adequate cfl light and nutrients, will they ever bulk up? Or would you suggest transplanting them up to their necks, thus protecting the stem? There's a good 2-3 inches of just thin stem that seems pointless right now. The weather's warming up and I could take them out in the sun, but I think they're too fragile and would get blown away by the wind.
