So, after lurking around here for a while I made the plunge into growing. While I'd love to have a fully equipped grow with the best of everything well, I can't afford it presently, that and I was curious just how much all of it matters. So, I've picked up the following
3X TD and 1ABB $80
Ipower MH/HPS 600w light set $170
4x 5 gallon black buckets $20
4X 6" net pot lids $20
EcoPlus 1 35lpm air pump + black tubing $40
4x large air stones $12
Bag of Hydroton $20
PH Perfect Sensigrow 1L A+B $27
Root Riot cubes $12
Shot glass sized measuring cup $5
So, with seeds I'm at roughly $400, I could have went cheaper and just used CFLs, but it didn't seem worth the trade off, and with a decent ph and ec meter costing as much as a second light I passed on that. I'll likely add a second HPS later in the grow once the plants grow too large for one lamp to cover.
I'm using RO water and plan to grow without ph and ec/ppm measurements to see what a poor newbie can do by just using the ph perfect nutrients and quality seeds, I'll add all of the proper equipment later, but it gives a good baseline of how much difference you have between a newbie using a bare minimum and an amazing grower like SB.
Saturday night I popped all the seeds into Root Riot cubes and placed them in a plastic container on top of my stove(pilot light) with a little water for humidity. By Sunday morning I could see the seeds had all cracked open. On Monday night I had growth sprouting from the top of the cubes, by the time I got home from work Tuesday I had roots popping out the bottom of the cubes, which is amazing to me, someone who has never grown anything.
View attachment 154594View attachment 154595View attachment 154596View attachment 154597
Once I got home and found I had roots showing I threw together my DWC setup and placed them in the pots. Then had a bit of paranoia, I was certain everyone was going to know I was growing. I spent the next couple hours making certain that not even a sliver of light was getting out the window. Then I turned my attention to the air pump, it seemed like the loudest thing ever, I was once again certain everyone would know. Finally settling on hanging the pump from the ceiling to keep it isolated. Once I calmed down, I realized after pointing a box fan at the closet to keep air circulating and keep the light cool I couldn't really hear the pump.
View attachment 154599View attachment 154600View attachment 154601View attachment 154602View attachment 154603View attachment 154604
Wednesday night I came home to find they now had leaves!
View attachment 154608View attachment 154607View attachment 154606View attachment 154605
Thursday I woke up to the sound of the air pump, that normally can't be heard from my bedroom. I walked down to my grow room to find the main air line had came off of the air pump, I had a few moments of panic, but all seems to be well. Thursday night, not only did they have leaves, but they were like twice as tall.
View attachment 154610View attachment 154611View attachment 154612View attachment 154613
And now, about an hour ago, the second set of leaves appears to be growing nicely
View attachment 154614View attachment 154615View attachment 154617View attachment 154618
I'm not certain what day to really call this, this is their 4th day in the pots and 6th day since I popped the seeds in the cubes.
I'm sure I'll need any help you guys can provide throughout the grow.
Oh, I almost forgot. I'm presently using 4 gallons in the reservoirs, with 15ml each of Sensigrow A and B, more or less the recommended 1ml/L dosage for seedlings.
Any suggestions for the most important additives from AN to use in addition to the base nutrients?
Thanks for taking the time to check out my grow!
3X TD and 1ABB $80
Ipower MH/HPS 600w light set $170
4x 5 gallon black buckets $20
4X 6" net pot lids $20
EcoPlus 1 35lpm air pump + black tubing $40
4x large air stones $12
Bag of Hydroton $20
PH Perfect Sensigrow 1L A+B $27
Root Riot cubes $12
Shot glass sized measuring cup $5
So, with seeds I'm at roughly $400, I could have went cheaper and just used CFLs, but it didn't seem worth the trade off, and with a decent ph and ec meter costing as much as a second light I passed on that. I'll likely add a second HPS later in the grow once the plants grow too large for one lamp to cover.
I'm using RO water and plan to grow without ph and ec/ppm measurements to see what a poor newbie can do by just using the ph perfect nutrients and quality seeds, I'll add all of the proper equipment later, but it gives a good baseline of how much difference you have between a newbie using a bare minimum and an amazing grower like SB.
Saturday night I popped all the seeds into Root Riot cubes and placed them in a plastic container on top of my stove(pilot light) with a little water for humidity. By Sunday morning I could see the seeds had all cracked open. On Monday night I had growth sprouting from the top of the cubes, by the time I got home from work Tuesday I had roots popping out the bottom of the cubes, which is amazing to me, someone who has never grown anything.
View attachment 154594View attachment 154595View attachment 154596View attachment 154597
Once I got home and found I had roots showing I threw together my DWC setup and placed them in the pots. Then had a bit of paranoia, I was certain everyone was going to know I was growing. I spent the next couple hours making certain that not even a sliver of light was getting out the window. Then I turned my attention to the air pump, it seemed like the loudest thing ever, I was once again certain everyone would know. Finally settling on hanging the pump from the ceiling to keep it isolated. Once I calmed down, I realized after pointing a box fan at the closet to keep air circulating and keep the light cool I couldn't really hear the pump.
View attachment 154599View attachment 154600View attachment 154601View attachment 154602View attachment 154603View attachment 154604
Wednesday night I came home to find they now had leaves!
View attachment 154608View attachment 154607View attachment 154606View attachment 154605
Thursday I woke up to the sound of the air pump, that normally can't be heard from my bedroom. I walked down to my grow room to find the main air line had came off of the air pump, I had a few moments of panic, but all seems to be well. Thursday night, not only did they have leaves, but they were like twice as tall.
View attachment 154610View attachment 154611View attachment 154612View attachment 154613
And now, about an hour ago, the second set of leaves appears to be growing nicely
View attachment 154614View attachment 154615View attachment 154617View attachment 154618
I'm not certain what day to really call this, this is their 4th day in the pots and 6th day since I popped the seeds in the cubes.
I'm sure I'll need any help you guys can provide throughout the grow.
Oh, I almost forgot. I'm presently using 4 gallons in the reservoirs, with 15ml each of Sensigrow A and B, more or less the recommended 1ml/L dosage for seedlings.
Any suggestions for the most important additives from AN to use in addition to the base nutrients?
Thanks for taking the time to check out my grow!
Last edited:
