Kompressor

If you spend anytime amongst Cannabis smokers as a Cannabis grower you will note the amazing amount of misinformation there is amongst non growers regarding the cultivation of our favourite 'erb. This is the first version of a thread that we hope will be useful to the new grower and advanced grower alike. Hopefully it will answer those questions that get asked and answered again and again thus putting much of the aforementioned misinformation to bed. It's been a long time coming and it is far from complete, we will continue to improve and update the Grow FAQ as time progresses. Remember, this is your forum, so all contributions will be welcomed.

Part I - Legal Considerations

Part II - Grow Room Design and Setup

- Choosing Space
- Electrical
- Lighting
- Ventilation
- Hydro vs Dirt

Part III - General Cannabis Care

- Sureshot's quick Step by Step Guide

Part IV - Seeds, Germination and the Seedling Growth Stage

Part V - The Vegetative Growth Stage

- Growth Styles

Part VI - Flowering Growth Stage

Part VII - Harvesting and Curing

Part VIII - Continuing Your Crop, Breeding and Propogation

Part IX - Problem Solving

Part X - Fine Tuning

Part XI - Extras

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

Where can I get information concerning the law on Cannabis and how can I protect myself?

The issue/situation is constantly changing around the world so it is best to remain informed of the current laws in a general sense:

- Common Sense For Drug Policy - Campaigners to increase awareness and availability of correct information.
- The Media Awareness Project - Latest news regarding Cannabis
- Drug Policy Alliance - News concerning drugs policy
- Your (US) Constitutional Rights - A walk through some of your basic rights
- WOD Clock - How much has been spent on War On Drugs this year?
- Don't Talk to the Police: Video by law professor - A very good explanation by a Law Professor about why to NEVER talk to the police
- NORML - Find A Lawyer - US based resource list to help you find a pot friendly legal representative, listed by state
- Flex Your Rights - Protect your civil rights (US) in the event of being searched by the police
- State By State Laws - State by state legal round up by NORML
- Busted? (UK) - This page gives information that will be useful for anyone who is busted in the UK
- Canadian Marijuana Laws - Comprehensive guide regarding marijuana in Canada
- European Marijuana Laws - Cannabis and marijuana laws and law enforcement procedures in Europe

What about relating to using a computer (the Internet, Digital Photography)?

- Proxy Site List - A list of sites supplying lists of proxy servers
- Proxy List - Proxies listed by speed and type
- Yahooka can host images directly via attachments

How can I go about staying safe?

- We Be High - Worldwide Marijuana Travel Guide, Marijuana Prices, Spots & Legalization Status
- Seeds by Mail - Tips for safely buying marijuana seeds online

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

.:Grow Room Design and Setup:.

-Your indoor grow space needs to meet some general needs and a series of further needs depending on individual factors such as stealth.

-Your first considerations should of course be to how much space do I need to grow the amount of marijuana I need for personal consumption?

-Once you have decided that, initial thinking should be into security and the safety of those around you.
Anyone who shares the grow space with you should be aware of what you are doing and equally aware of the feasible risks. As we have highlighted in section 1 of the faq cultivating the herb is illegal across much of the world.

-You should consider the power supply to your grow space. A single standard wall socket should not have multi-plug after multi-plug attached. Be safe and check that your circuit is adequate for your needs and you have enough convenient outlets. Be sure when locating power in a grow space that they are safe from any possible leakages, water and grow rooms go hand in hand. Water and electricity, well, not such a good mix.

-Ventilation is a big issue that many people overlook when they start to grow. HID lamps produce a lot of heat and will need a lot of air movement to keep them cool. Putting a 400w in a wardrobe will need more than a desk/pc fan or two. You will need to consider where from/how you will bring cool/fresh air into the grow space and also how/where you will exhaust hot/used air to.

-These intakes and exhausts also lead to the issue of noise, fans themselves make a degree of noise when working (though inline fans are getting quieter and quieter) and exhaust and inlet points will also make a noise of rushing air.

-You will also need to think about light escaping from your grow space at these points as well as light getting IN to your grow space from these point if you are running a virtual dark period when it is light outside (lights on at night keeps heat and bills down).

-The exhaust also brings in the issue of odour. Good odour control on your exhaust will be invaluable to most growers. Carbon filters are generally the most efficient way to remove odour from an exhaust but ozone generators are another common method, though there are cheaper more DIY methods.

-Further issues include access for watering and tinkering, surface covering reflectivity and access to consumables (in particular water).

-The rest of the FAQ should point you in the right direction as to what you need in regards to all these issues.

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

How dangerous is wiring and all that stuff? How can I minimise the chance of frying?


Home Electrical Safety Tips

Here are some checks you can make in your home today to ensure electrical safety:

Outlets

-Check for outlets that have loose-fitting plugs, which can overheat and lead to fire.
-Replace any missing or broken wall plates.

Cords

-Make sure cords are in good condition?not frayed or cracked.
-Make sure they are placed out of traffic areas.
-Cords should never be nailed or stapled to the wall, baseboard or to another object. To fix a wire use the correct fastener for the size and shape of wire you are using. Or use tape.
-Do not place cords under carpets or rugs or rest any furniture on them.

Extension Cords

-Check to see that cords are not overloaded.
-Extension cords should only be used on a temporary basis; they are not intended as permanent household wiring.

Plugs

-Make sure your plugs fit your outlets.
-Never remove the ground pin (the third prong) to make a three-prong fit a two-conductor outlet; this could lead to an electrical shock.

NEVER FORCE A PLUG INTO AN OUTLET IF IT DOESN'T FIT.

-Plugs should fit securely into outlets.
-Avoid overloading outlets with too many appliances.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)

-GFCIs can help prevent electrocution.
-They should be used in any area where water and electricity may come into contact.
-When a GFCI senses current leakage in an electrical circuit, it assumes a ground fault has occurred.
-It then interrupts power fast enough to help prevent serious injury from electrical shock.
-Test GFCIs according to the manufacturer's instructions monthly and after major electrical storms to make sure they are working properly.
-Replace all GFCIs that are not working properly, but never replace a GFCI with a standard non-GFCI outlet or circuit breaker.
-Do not use an appliance or device that trips a GFCI on a nonGFCI-protected circuit; instead, take the appliance to authorized repair center to be checked for faulty wiring or replace it.

Light Bulbs

-Check the wattage of all bulbs in light fixtures to make sure they are the correct wattage for the size of the fixture.
-Replace bulbs that have higher wattage than recommended; if you don't know the correct wattage, check with the manufacturer of the fixture.
-Make sure bulbs are screwed in securely; loose bulbs may overheat.

Circuit Breakers/Fuses

-Circuit breakers and fuses should be the correct size current rating for their circuit.
-If you do not know the correct size, have an electrician identify and label the size to be used.
-Always replace a fuse with the correctly specified size fuse.

Water and Electricity Don't Mix

-Don't leave plugged-in appliances where they might fall in contact with water.
-If a plugged-in appliance falls into water, NEVER reach in to pull it out?even if it's turned off.
-First turn off the power source at the panel board and then unplug the appliance.
-If you have an appliance that has gotten wet, don't use it until it has been checked by a qualified repair person.
-In a growroom, ideally all the water is below waist height, all wiring/electronics are above waist height.

Appliances

-If an appliance repeatedly blows a fuse, trips a circuit breaker or if it has given you a shock, unplug it and have it repaired or replaced.

Space Heaters

-Space heaters are meant to supply supplemental heat.
-Keep space heaters at least 3 ft. away from any combustible materials such as bedding, clothing, draperies, furniture and rugs.
-Do not use space heaters with extension cords; plug directly into an outlet on a relatively unburdened circuit.

Wiring

-Unless you are qualified and experienced in electrical work, consider hiring a licensed electrician for electrical repairs, maintenance and installations.
-If you elect to perform such work, make sure you follow these safety basics:
-Never work on or around 'hot' lines.
-Always de-energize lines and equipment by disconnecting from the power source at the circuit breakers or fuses. Don't forget to test every conductor before you make contact with it.
-Never use the ground wire as the neutral or circuit-carrying conductor.
-The ground wire is not designed to carry current continuously, but briefly under an abnormal condition.
-The neutral wire is designed as a current carrier and can carry as much current as the hot wire.
-Use a strip gauge on devices to strip the proper length of insulation from wires.
-Too little risks the screw tightening on plastic insulation; too much leaves bare wires that can cause a dangerous contact.
-When using wire connectors, be sure the insulation on the wires is completely covered by the wire connector.


Why is it so important to work safely with or near electricity?

-The electrical current in regular businesses and homes has enough power to cause death by electrocution.
-Even changing a light bulb without unplugging the lamp can be hazardous because coming in contact with the "hot" or live part of the socket could kill a person.


What kinds of injuries result from electrical currents?

There are four main types of injuries:
- Electrocution (fatal);
- Electric shock;
- Burns;
- Falls.

-These injuries can happen in various ways:
-Direct contact with the electrical energy.
-When the electricity arcs (jumps) through a gas (such as air) to a person who is grounded (that would provide an alternative route to the ground for the electricity).
-Thermal burns including flash burns from heat generated by an electric arc, and flame burns from materials that catch on fire from heating or ignition by electrical currents.
-High voltage contact burns can burn internal tissues while leaving only very small injuries on the outside of the skin.
-Muscle contractions, or a startle reaction, can cause a person to fall from a ladder, scaffold or aerial bucket. The fall can cause serious injuries.


What are some general safety tips for working with or near electricity?

- Inspect tools, power cords, and electrical fittings for damage or wear prior to each use.
- Repair or replace damaged equipment immediately.
- Always tape cords to walls or floors when necessary.
- Nails and staples can damage cords causing fire and shock hazards.
- Use cords or equipment that is rated for the level of amperage or wattage that you are using.
- Always use the correct size fuse. Replacing a fuse with one of a larger size can cause excessive currents in the wiring and possibly start a fire.
- Be aware that unusually warm or hot outlets may be a sign that unsafe wiring conditions exists.
- Unplug any cords to these outlets and do not use until a qualified electrician has checked the wiring.
- Install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) as they will interrupt the electrical circuit before a current sufficient to cause death or serious injury occurs.
- Make sure that exposed receptacle boxes are made of non-conductive materials.
- Know where the breakers and boxes are located in case of an emergency.
- Label all circuit breakers and fuse boxes clearly. Each switch should be positively identified as to which outlet or appliance it is for.
- Do not use outlets or cords that have exposed wiring.
- Do not block access to circuit breakers or fuse boxes.
- Do not touch a person or electrical apparatus in the event of an electrical accident.
- Always disconnect the current first.


What are some tips for working with power cords?

- Keep power cords clear of tools during use.
- Suspend power cords over aisles or work areas to eliminate stumbling or tripping hazards.
- Do not use light duty power cords.
- Do not tie power cords in tight knots. Knots can cause short circuits and shocks. Loop the cords or use a twist lock plug.
- Have any cord that feels more than comfortably warm checked by an electrician.


How do I wire a ballast?

WARNING: The following procedure deals with potentially hazardous electrical components. Misuse of these components can result in severe shock and injury. Basic electrical knowledge is recommended to build a ballast. Procedures are carried out at your own risk.

-Building your own ballast is a good way to save some dough. Ballast parts can be obtained at most electrical stores. It's a good idea to call around and find the best prices for parts. There can be quite a bit of variation in price from store to store. You'll probably need to buy a proper reflector at a hydro store, or build one yourself.
-There are two types of HID (High Intensity Discharge) lamps that are used for growing. Metal Halide (MH) and High Pressure Sodium (HPS). Generally MH lamps are used to grow the plants to the desired size and HPS are used to flower them, although either one can do the other's job with similar results.
-HID Ballasts become very hot when operating. Therefore it is important to have a vented box, and components that are rated for high heat.
-The gauge of the wire (thickness) should be 14AWG, don't use anything thinner. 600volt rating is recommended. Always use wire with a ground (the green wire)
-The minimum wire temperature rating should be 90º C, use 105º C if you can find it and the ballast connections should be made within a separate component box attached to the main ballast box. You can also not have a box, but I recommend one to protect the ballast from water and dust.
-Your wire connectors should be rated for Aluminum/Aluminum and Aluminum/Copper connections. I use Marrette ACS #63 (brown) Using wire connectors rated for copper only can be hazardous.
-For grow lights, you'll usually want a remote ballast, meaning a wire runs from the ballast to the lamp socket, instead of the lamp socket being connected straight to the ballast box.

Building your own HPS

-HPS ballasts have 3 parts. A transformer, an ignitor and a capacitor. The capacitor has two contacts sticking up from it, the ignitor has three wires coming out of it, and the transformer is a big heavy lump of iron with 7 or 8 wires coming out of it.
-Your lamp socket should have a white wire and a black wire
-The cable that you use to connect the ballast to the outlet and the lamp should have a black, white and green wire.



-Connections are shown as black circles; wires that simply cross are not connections.
-First, you should measure out 12 to 15 feet of wire and connect the mogul socket / component box assembly to it. Black to black, white to white and the green to the ground screw.
-The colours in the diagram may not be universal, save for the white black and green for positive negative and ground. Usually the wires are also marked in writing with a number or word stating where they are connected. Usually, the colours will be the same as the diagram though.

-The wires coming from the transformer should be the following:
--- Two yellow wires marked "common" or "com"
--- A red wire, with a metal tab at the end marked "cap"
--- A brown wire marked "ign"

-There will usually be three or four wires for your line in. The red and black one is for 120 volt, which is likely what you will be using in a North American home. There may also be wires for 208, 240, 277 and 347 volts. They are almost always marked for the voltage. Select the voltage that the outlet you'll be plugging it into and cap off the other wires if they haven't been capped already.
-The ignitor will have 3 wires marked one two and three. They are usually red yellow and brown respectively.

-The connections are as follows:
--- Connect your negative (black) line in to the transformer wire marked with the voltage of choice.
--- Connect your positive line in to one of the yellow transformer marked 'common', it doesn't matter which one.

NOTE ON NEXT STEP: using a rubber or wood handled instrument with a metal tip, touch both poles of the capacitor at one with the metal end to make certain there is no charge in it. It can give you a very bad shock if charged.

--- Connect the transformer wire with the metal clip at the end to one of the capacitor poles, again, it doesn't matter which one. There should also be a loose red wire marked 'cap' connect this to the other capacitor pole.
--- Take the red ignitor wire marked 'one' , the loose capacitor wire and the black wire from the socket (i.e.: the black wire that runs to the socket's wire) and connect all three together
--- Take the leftover yellow 'common' wire, the yellow ignitor wire marked 'two' and the white socket wire (i.e.: the white wire that runs to the socket's wire) and connect all three of them together.
--- Take the brown wire marked 'ign' from the transformer and connect it to the remaining ignitor wire marked 'three'

-For your grounds the green wire that runs from your lamp to the ballast should be attached to the ground screw in the socket box and to the ground screw on the component box attached to the main ballast box. The wire that runs from the outlet to the ballast should be grounded at the same screw in the component box on the ballast and then connected to the ground screw in a 3 prong plug.
-Check all your connections are secure and the ballast should be ready to go.

Building your own MH

-A Metal Halide ballast contains Just two parts. The Capacitor and the Transformer, they are a bit easier to set up compared to an HPS ballast.
-Again, you'll want to make sure the capacitor is not carrying a charge by touching both contacts at the same time with the metal tip of a wood or rubber handled object.

-The transformer should have 6 or 7 wires coming out of it:
--- Two yellow wires marked 'common'
--- Three or Four different coloured wires, marked with various voltages
--- A red wire marked 'cap'

-There should also be a separate red wire marked 'lamp' with a clip on the end. This may or may not already be attached to the capacitor, if not, attach it now to either of the poles.

-Connections are as follows:
--- Connect the black wire from your line in to the wire marked with the voltage of your choice (North American Homes use 120 volt current in the standard outlets, the 120 volt wire is usually black and red) Cap the unused one off, if they're not already.
--- Connect the white wire from your line in to either of the yellow wire marked 'common'.
--- Connect the red wire marked cap to the remaining pole of the capacitor.
--- Connect the other capacitor wire to the black wire running to the socket.
--- Connect the remaining yellow "common" wire to the white wire running to the socket.
--- Connect the ground wire that runs from the socket to the ballast at the ground screw of your socket box assembly and to the ground screw of the component box attached to the main ballast box
--- Connect the ground wire from your line to the same screw on the ballast box.

-Check all your connections, screw in your bulb and the light should come on.
-Connections in the diagram are shown as black circles; wires that just cross are not connected.



General Ballast Building - Non Electrical

-Most ballasts used for a single grow lamp are enclosed in a box, and have the lamp connected via a 12 -15 foot wire.

-Stuff you'll need:
--- Machine screws and matching washers. I use 8-32 screws (the numbers represent the threads and width) Get em at any hardware store, the # is always on the box or bin they are in.
--- 2 rectangular or octagon componant boxes and lids like these...



- Stress relief connectors - I can?t find a pic, but they fit into a knockout hole. You want the type that fits in one side, and has a threaded ring that screws on. Their purpose is to hold a wire in place so it cannot be pulled out. Don?t just tie a knot in the wire like I've seen some people do, that's just ghetto.
- You?ll also need some steel strapping to secure the capacitor and ignitor.



I prefer the rectangular ones for one attached to the ballast. For the one attached to the lamp, get an octagon for a vertical lamp and a rectangle for a horizontal lamp.

There are several options of ballast box, the only big difference in them all is the work required to put them together. Boxes from a hydroponics store will already have holes in them to accommodate screws bolts and nuts that are used to secure the components inside the box. They are also vented, and often have a carrying handle. You can also buy a box from the electrical store, but they require you to drill holes and pop out the knockout holes to vent them. The cost is not much different, so the hydro store ones are probably your best bet. The only disadvantage of them is that some tend to vibrate a little more, which can result in a loud ballast. Look for boxes that have a larger number of screws and no 'loose' spots.

A ballast will always come with a mounting bracket. This is pretty simple to install, and it comes with instructions to do so anyways. Once you have that on, you?ll want to mount the transformer to the bottom of the box. Line up the holes in the bottom of the box (or drill them if needed) with the holes in the transformer bracket. Put a washer on each side, and bolt them on with your machine screws.

There should be two finger sized holes on the front of a 'dro store box, or several holes that need punching out on a regular electrical box. Pull all ballast wires except for the one that connects to the capacitor through the threaded ring of your stress relief connector, then through the hole in the box. Knock out one of the holes in the bottom of your rectangle or octagon ox, and pull the wires through that, finally, pull the wires through the other piece of the stress relief connector, and screw the connector together. Now tighten the screw on the connector to hold the wires in place.

Confused? Here's another MS paint diagram.



Tighten down he screw to hold all the wires you pulled through in place.

Now, strip about 5 inches off your line in and lamp out wires. Knock out two more of the tabs on the sides of the box, and use stress relief connectors in the same manner, to hold your in/out wires in place.

Now all you have to do is make the connections specified for your MH or HPS lamp, put the cover on and youre done. with the actual ballast.

For the lamp, its quite simple if you have a mogul socket cap:



Just pop out the hole out of the bottom of your rectangle/octagon box and attach it to the socket.

Most sockets however do not come with a cap, and these caps can be VERY hard to find in a store (you can order them online) so its possible you will have todrill two holes in the octagon box, and mount the socket that way. Be sure the socket is centered.



Now, youll want to screw a small peice of metal bar ( 3/4" wide and 1/8" thick is perfect) across the top of the octagon box. Find the direct centre of the box (the bar should cross it) and drill a equivilent to the size of the eyelet you bought the bar. Now, take the eyelet and thread it through the hole, and put a nut on the end to make sure it doesn't go anywhere.

Now, your socket is done, and can easily be hung.

Wiring the plug

This is really easy. All you need to buy is a three prong plug end, availiable at any hardware store. Get one of a little better quality, as the rewally cheap ones are a pain to work with.

I'll assume you can figure out how it attatches. so all you need to know is:

Black wire to the brass screw, white wire to the silver scre and green wire to the green screw. Make sure none of the wires are touching inside, and the wire insulation is right up against the screw. Close it up tight, and your power cord is ready.


Can I convert a security light into a grow light?

Convert a Security Light Ballast into a Remote Ballast - Small HID lamps with non remote ballasts can be converted but some knowledge of electricity and its magic is helpful, this is not neccesarily recommended for the non electrically minded


What is Rectification?

Rectification is the deposit of vapor of the cathode material from one end of the tube to the other electrode. This weakens one electrode causing it to attain higher operating temperatures and reduce service life.

The use of lamps at the end of their serviceable life can cause rectification in the ballast circuit. This has been known to cause a burn out within the ballast box or at the wiring connection point.


What is an Electronic Ballast?

Electronic ballasts (sometimes called digital ballasts) are fairly new to the scene, they work with electronic circuits rather than the traditional core and coil technology. The debate is still raging as to the supposed benefits and disadvantages.

Theoretically the benefits should include:

- Greater efficiency
- Lower starting requirements
- Lower weight, noise and heat generation.

some questions about digital light systems

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

What do the terms lumens, PAR, kelvin etc mean? Do you have some basic background to lighting terms?

SO WHAT'S UP WITH THE SUN THEN?

When setting up an indoor grow two of the most important elements are quality and quantity of useable light that the plants receive.

Plants have the rare ability to manufacture their own food, this process is called photosynthesis. The main substance in this production, chlorophyll, uses light energy to convert carbon dioxide from the air and water and nutrients from the ground into food sugar. When these elements abound in a perfect environment, the production of food is limited only by factors that effect photosynthesis, namely the intensity, colour and duration of the daily light the plant receives.

Plants mostly use the same light spectrum as we do in that they too primarily are affected by the VISIBLE spectrum of light (there are theories surrounding the part UV plays in growth but more on that later).

The Visible Spectrum of light can be seen below...measured in "nanometres."



The next image shows the same spectrum but measured in Kelvin?s and marked with common light sources and the spectrum they produce.



Although plants react in some way to all forms of visible lights certain parts of the spectrum have the most efficient and important roles.



As you can see from the above diagram, chlorophyll activity is at it's greatest in the blue and red parts of the spectrum (5,500 Kelvin to 6,500 Kelvin and around 2,500 Kelvin respectively).

Cool (blue) light is most pronounced during the summer months when the sun is highest in the sky. It is responsible for vegetative growth.

Warm (red) light, such as when the sun is lower in the sky during the fall harvest months, is responsible for triggering reproduction in cannabis in the form of male or/and female flowers.

Bringing your grow indoors allows the grower to control these factors, these seasons if you like. Indoor gardeners must attempt to mimic these natural tones, summer and encroaching winter, blue and red, to maximise their gardens potential. This can be done in two ways, control of the plants lighting schedule AND the correct choice of light source.

Some terminology: For a more comprehensive look, check out Lighting 101

Watts - This is a measure of the POWER needed to produce the light and is NOT in anyway a measure of the actual light, obviously though it serves as a good rough guide.

Lumen - "The unit of luminous flux in the International System" {Source : OG Glossary}. This is a measure of the actual light produced by the lamp. This is also the measure (along with Watts) you will hear most in lighting issues, it is not technically a measure of the light useable by the plant to photosynthesise (PAR - see below), but as it is assumed that the grower is using a light with an appropriate spectrum PAR is not often useful on a general level.

Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR Watts) - A measure of the light energy available to the plant for photosynthesis (i.e. the amount of light in the correct spectrum) that the lamp produces.

Kelvin - A measure of the colour spectrum of the light.


What is a horticultural lighting system made up of? What is a contact relay?

PUTTING THE SUN IN A WARDROBE

Light Innards

All the bulbs discussed above are made up of both a bulb (or tube) and a ballast. The ballast effectively steps up domestic power in order to power the demands of your lights without burning anything down, they basically consist of a transformer, capacitor and in some cases an ignitor (see the electrical issues section of the FAQ for more information regarding the internal make up of a ballast).

Horticultural ballasts tend to be "remote" from the lamp and encased in a vented case for safety.



In Fluorescent tubes this ballast is usually found in the fixture (Compact Fluorescents are a different matter, as these are primarily used in domestic light sockets the ballasts have to be built into the bulb itself).

This is similar in many low W HPS and MH lights.

It is however desirable to have the ability to separate bulb and ballast for heat reasons and this "remote" ballast layout is usually the preferred one for HID grow light setups:



This layout is used to enable the grower to remove the ballast from the direct growing space (or at least to a better position e.g. high or cooled) as it is another source of heat apart from the bulb.

Ballasts run HOT! Hot enough in some cases to give a nasty burn. DO NOT handle a ballast that is running (unless you got ya oven gloves on!!).

When running high wattage HID lighting with a timer you will also need a contact relay, this has two plugs, one of which plugs in through the timer and the other straight to a socket, the timer therefore only has to turn on the contact relay (rather than a fucking great big ballast) which in turn starts up the ballast.

If you keep getting home to your lights on (or off) when they shouldn't be, buy one. This one cost less than £30 (or two decent timers, lol). You can also get timers with these relays built in for conveniance.



Notice the different gauge of the wires going to timer and full draw.




How much light do I need?

By Lumens

Indoors, 2000 lumens (about 20W) per sq. ft. is about as low as you can go indoors. Under this mark, plant growth will slow, and internode/stem length will increase as the plants s t r e t c h for the light. More adjusting, more work, grr.

I tend to think that an optimum level is about 3,500 - 5,000 lumens per square foot of grow space.

This means that a 400W HPS pitching out 50,000 lumens will cover about 10 foot square optimally (@ 5,000 lumen per square foot). This is the equivalent of around 40 Watts per square foot.

You often hear 30 - 50 w per square foot touted as a rough rule of thumb, I think it's most however efficient to be at the lower end of this and could point to grower after grower who get great results from this amount of light, though could equally point to those who would go to the upper end of this as their optimum. Not all is simple already you'll note!

For note though, I run my flowering at 35w per square foot unless it's a particularly high demand Sativa.

As a further note, there is a general tendency amongst growers that there is "no such thing as too much light".

This is bullshit. Go over the top and regardless of whether you have your heat under control you will bleach your plants.

By Growing Space

As lighting intensity drops as you move further from the bulb any lamp has a limited maximum distance from the plant. After this distance growth will be below optimum. An approximate guide would be:

250 watt - 2' x 2'
400 watt - 3' x 3'
600 watt - 3.5' x 3.5'
1000 watt - 4' x 4'

This of course assumes a square shaped grow space. If you are working with different shaped rooms, say for example a rectangle, it may be worth working with a combination of lamps.

For example a 2 foot by 4.5 foot room may be better lit by 2 x 250w rather than a single 400w.


What light should I use?

LET THERE BE LIGHT

There are basically three commonly accepted types of lights that can be used to grow marijuana (beyond the sun of course but then i did say INDOOR growing).

1) Fluorescent Tubes & Compact Fluorescents (CF) (commonly known as energy saving bulbs);

2) Metal Halide (MH) - High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamp;

3) High Pressure Sodium (HPS) - High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamp.

Before discussing the advantages and disadvantages of these lights it's worth examining the genmeral terminology of lighting. Check the Lighting Basics question for this.

Fluorescents

Fluorescent tubes and CF bulbs are incredibly useful and cheap lights that can be used to good effect both in the seedling stage and vegetative stage of plant growth. They work by passing an electric current through a mixture of gases in order to make them glow, this glow is the light. Be sure to select a tube with a useful K (Kelvin) rating (see above) and these lights can be used very effectively; there are however some fairly straightforward drawbacks to the light they produce.

1) The lumens per watt rating of a fluorescent light is rarely a touch on the equivalent MH/HPS.

40w of flo light is around 3000 lumens, or 30,000 lumens per 400W, now your average MH 400W will produce 36,000 lumens and an HPS 45,000 lumens.

2) The lights intensity is substantially less than MH/HPS and penetrates less distance into the canopy. For this reason Fluoro's are best kept as close to the growing tips of your plants as possible, this has its own problem... more adjusting!

There are though arguments FOR the use of flo's in certain situations.

Fluorescent tubes and CF's (which are a little hotter but not much) run comparatively cool against MH/HPS meaning that they can be utilised in situations where space is tight and/or ventilation is poor. The disadvantages must still be kept in mind and plants grown under fluoro's should be kept low (to make up for low light intensity) unless there is substantial side lighting as an addition to the main top lighting. The ability to side light is indeed a further advantage to fluoro use.

Flo's are also extremely useful for cloning and seedlings. MH/HPS can be too intense for these early stages of growth as the plants cannot absorb water fast enough (developing root system) to equalise the amount being lost through transpiration through the plants foliage (or at least that's my way - if you do use MH/HPS for your seeders/clones keep the lights a decent decent away particularly for clones).

Most people however seem to argue for using flo's on a cost basis, these people, in my humble opinion are misinformed and/or short sighted....

Buying flo's for cost is a short termist point of view.

Long term a small HPS will soon save more money over a fluoro (even when you chuck in the cost of ventilation).

For the amount of useable light produced fluoro?s are less efficient, hence you need to use MORE wattage to get the same amount of useable light, this leads to larger electricity bills ongoing. Beyond this a fluorescent tube works at peak intensity for a relatively short life span (it may still look as bright....but it ain't (get your slr out and check)) when compared to the equivalent HPS. More bulb changes = more cash.

Beyond this the extra yield given from HPS will more than make up the INITIAL cost differential.

And don't forget the daily light adjustments that need to be made with fluoro?s to keep the distances optimum, more adjusting = more time, and time not spent fucking around with chains, when it comes right down to it, is worth something.

NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG, I LIKE fluoro?s and there are definitely places where they are useful (indeed sometimes more useful than HID - I myself veg under fluoro to 6 - 8 inches) like small space high heat grows but to use fluoro because of a perceived cost saving is a false economy.

So yeah, flo's...

Passable but limited.

Available everywhere and locally, cheap up front, good for clones and seeders and available in a wide range of spectrums.

Your vegetative growth will be fine unless the flo's are too far away (or of too little intensity) in which case the plant will stretch but during flowering buds tend to be a little airy. The initial stretch phase of flowering can be a real pig as you will be moving the lights so often to match the pace of the s t r e t c h.

High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lamps

The most commonly (and best) used lamps in this category are MH and HPS lamps, these individual lamps have best use purposes but HID lights in general have several advantages (and indeed disadvantages) over fluorescent lamps and tubes.

HID lighting is generally accepted as a better light for growing cannabis for a several reasons:

- Deeper penetration (oo err ladies);
- Higher lumen rating per watt;
- Better suited light spectrums.

It does however pose problems, namely a higher temperature and hence the requirement for MUCH more substantial ventilation.

Metal Halide (MH)

MH lamps are largely recognised for their performance during vegetative growth, they produce a light in the blue spectrum which is known to be influential in stem and leaf growth. They work by passing an electrical current into a tube inside of them which is made of quartz and further enclosed in a glass layer, inside the quartz tube is a mixture of mercury, argon, and various (guess what) metal halides (for example sodium iodide). The charge passed through this induces both a visible light and an invisible (UV) one.



(Useable) Lamps come in ranges from 100 to 1,000W and produce between 9,000 to over 120,000 lumens of light. This light is largely around the 4,000 Kelvin mark but if you shop around you can buy bulbs with a more efficient rating around 5,000K.

Because of this "blue" light range MH lamps are best used during vegetative growth, they can however be effective in flowering too though not as effective as HPS. HOWEVER, due to the added invisible light from the UV produced resin production MAY be greater under an MH lamp, this is UNPROVEN however.

More on MH Vs HPS below.

High Pressure Sodium (HPS)

The HPS lamp is often regarded as the best all round lamp to have. Not as effective as the MH in vegetative growth, more effective in flowering and generally a higher par and lumen output per W than MH. HPS lamps work in a similar way to MH lamps except the inner tube is ceramic rather than quartz (withstands higher temperature) and this tube is filled with Sodium, Mercury and sealed with Xenon gas.



HPS lamps come in ranges from 70 to 1,000W and produce upto 145,000 lumens. They produce light in a redder spectrum (2,200K) that is very efficient for flowering. These lamps do not emit any UV light.

Some newer HPS (son Agro) have an extra coil to produce a small amount of blue light these bulbs are available in 250, 400 and 100W and, for example, the 400W bulb would be 430W, these bulbs can be used in a standard HPS lamp holder and ballast.

This allows HPS users to reap the benefits of MH (tighter internodal space, stronger stems etc.) without giving up the benefits of HPS.

HPS Vs MH

The HPS Vs MH argument continually rages.

It is clear that MH has added benefits in vegetative growth and HPS has added benefits in flowering, what is unclear however is how these benefits weigh up in choosing an overall lamp, I would say that given the option to exclusively use one lamp for the entire cycle I would go for the HPS and use HPS son agro bulbs mostly due to them being generally more efficient lumen wise than MH.

Note : You must remember that HPS and MH bulbs use different ballasts, you cannot plug an HPS into MH ballast or vice versa, or at least not without spectacular effects!

DO NOT USE......

Incandescent (normal household) bulbs - they produce too little useable light and emit too much heat in doing so.

Halogen bulbs - Again, too little useable light, too much heat.

Mercury Vapour bulbs - Now MV bulbs have a larger amount of useable light but like incandescent and Halogen they emit far too much heat for each lumen of useable light.

Candles - *laughs*

Blacklights - Wrong spectrum, no power, everything you heard at the pub IS WRONG. *chuckles*

Further Issues

So, that's a bit about light. What it is, how it works and what you need. Obviously using indoor lighting brings about related issues...

1) Heat and ventilation -

HID lighting rigs (lamp AND ballast) produce quite a lot of heat whilst running. If you touch a warmed up HID lamp with your bare hands you will burn immediately, even remote ballasts are difficult to handle with bare hands when they have a load going through them.

The heat from the lamps can be combated using a variety of cooled hoods which can be bought or made.

It is advisable to have thought about ventilation (intake, exhaust and circulation) before planning your grow and buying your light. There is no point having a flash 1000W lamp that burns all your plants.

I'm quoting myself here but:

"DON?T SKIMP ON FANS AND VENTILATION. So many new growers spend ridiculous money on lights and skimp on fans which at a later date burn out unexpectedly and leave your whole crop sweltering in the heat."

2) Hanging Your Lights -

Your lights are going to need adjustment fairly often as the plants grow.

Most people use a simple chain system but I find it to be a pain and very messy and so invested in a set of the below, they work fantastically well. Working much like seat belt rollers they allow you to set a height, tighten a wingnut and from then on your lights will only travel up, just push them up and the cable is all stored on the roller, fucking great, no more struggling with chains ever again.

3) Safety -

Safety is everything, don't let your grow kill ya!

Fire and smoke alarms should be installed near the entrance to your grow and all care should be taken with all the water used in your garden.

Mount ballasts off the floor.

Run your room for a few days/weeks supervised before leaving it for too long.


Should I add side lighting?

Adding fluorescent side lighting is definately useful in your grow. This side lighting, though low intensity, will allow lower budsites to develop. The low intensity and low heat also allows the grower to get this side lighting right in amongst the foliage.


What is a flip flop relay?

Well I've posted about this before, but I thought i'd bring it up again seeing that this forum has exploded in popularity since SS became a mod (good show man).

Flip flop works on the principle that in flowering, your lamps are on a 12/12 cycle. It's a good money saving idea, and reduces th number of independant circuits needed by half. This also reduces the possibility of blowing breakers when lamps come on.

A flip flop timer can be purchased as an assembled unit (which is what I use) or as a component that attatches to a standard timer. It is like the contact relay that SS mentioned in the Light FAQ, only it is called a double-throw relay or timer. This means instead of turning the power on or off, poweris diverted from one bulb to another every 12 hours. This relay goes between the ballast and the bulbs, instead of between the outlet and the ballast. The ballast itself runs 24 hours a day.

This means two lamps can be run off one ballast and one timer, the only disadvantage is youll need two seperate light-tight bud chambers.





What is the correct distance for the plants from the bulb?

If you place your hand at any given distance with the back of your hand to the bulb, is the heat on you hand uncomfortable after a minute or so? If so your plants will find it uncomfortable too.

Even if heat is controlled by air cooling or whatever means too many lumens can bleach the leaves- this chart shows some figures for sodium bulbs.


This chart shows some figures for metal halide bulbs.



How can I make best use of my light? What is a good reflector for the walls of my grow room?

What is Mylar and how can I use it?
Can I use Aluminium Foil?
Can I use mirrors for reflectivity?

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

Ventilation Issues

Why is ventilation so important?

Ventilation is almost as important as lighting.

Plants have the rare ability to manufacture their own food, this process is called photosynthesis. The main substance in this production, chlorophyll, uses light energy to convert carbon dioxide from the air and water and nutrients from the ground into food sugar. When these elements abound in a perfect environment, the production of food is limited only by factors that effect photosynthesis, in this case the AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE RECEIVED.

A good ventilation system will allow your plants to always have a fresh supply of CO2 whilst removing the waste gases that are unproductive to the plant.

Ventilation is also an important factor in keeping the temperature of your grow room within an efficient growing range.

A further factor that makes ventilation so important is humidity. High humidity can lead to bud rot in high density strains and good air movement within the room will reduce this.

Indoors good ventilation should go hand in hand with odour control if stealth is an issue at all. One thing which will advertise a grow is the good dank smell of the plants flowering. A variety of ventilation related odour control systems are discussed below.


How do I measure temperature correctly?

In order to correctly gauge the temperature of your grow space you must first have an understanding of the heat produced within your grow space.

There are two pertinent temperatures in your grow space, the air temperature and the radiant temperature.

Air Temperature

Air temperature is fairly self explanatory, it is the measurement of the heat content of the air or to be more scientific "the ambient temperature indicated by a thermometer exposed to the air but sheltered from direct solar radiation".

Air temperature is measured by a standard mercury bulb thermometer and is generally the temperature people are talking about when they talk about keeping your grow space at a regular 75 to 80 degrees.

You must be careful when measuring air temperature to avoid the measurement being falsified by the presence of radiant heat. To do this make sure your thermometer is placed out of direct light where the bulb cannot be heated by the warming radiant energy.

It is best to place your thermometer on the wall of your grow room at about about the level plants are growing at, exposed to the same air as the plants themselves. Be sure to cover the bulb with something to keep out radiant energy.

Radiant Temperature

Radiant temperature in the case of growing is the heat that is mentioned above as "direct solar radiation". In a general sense however radiant heat is the result of the fact that all objects lose heat through radiation to objects of a lower temperature. The sun's radiation is a good example. A person immediately senses the radiation when walking out of the cool shade and into the sunlight.

Simply speaking, because the lamp is hotter than the plants foliage, heat will transfer from the lamp to the foliage, this transfer is essentially independent of air temperature.

This is why thermometers should be covered when measuring temperature.

Plants can take a much higher radiant temperature than air temperature and this can be gauged using the simply hand test. Place you hand slightly above the tops of your plants and if after a few minutes the heat from the lamp becomes uncomfortable, then it probably is for your plants too.

This is only a very loose rule of thumb but given our favourite plants variety of natural growth environments I'd say it would do for 99.9% of growers out there.


What should I consider when planning the ventilation for may space?

1) The size of your space. Multiple the length x the height x the depth to get the Cubic space of your grow space. This can be done in feet or metres but most work in feet.

2) Whether your ventilation is needed to cool the space or simply to replace depleted CO2 levels.

3) Hot air naturally rises and cool air naturally sinks.

4) Air needs to both be exhausted and intaked, air in, air out.

5) Moving air creates noise, both the fan noise and the air moving.


What is CFM and how does it help me work out how much ventilation I need?

CFM stands for Cubic Feet per Minute and is the amount of air a fan will shift in that time. Every good fan will have a rating of this kind. Let's say you have a fan with a rating of 200 CFM; this fan will exchange the air in a 200 Cubic Foot room once per minute or the air in a 100 Cubic Foot room once every 30 seconds.

In order to lower temperatures in a room with a large HID you will need to exchange the air in your space about 3 times every minute.

Multiple the length x the height x the depth to get the Cubic space of your grow space.

Example

Grow room spec:

4 foot wide, 5 foot deep and 5 foot high

= 100 Cubic Foot.

To lower temperature with say a 1,000w HID you'll need to exchange air 3 times a minute so a fan with a CFM rating of around 300 CFM will be required. If dealing with above average temperatures it may be worth exchange air up to 5 times a minute.


How much ventilation do I need?

Simply work out the Cubic Footage of your grow space and multiply this by the number of time per minute you wish to exchange the air in the space (3 recommended) to get the CFM rating of the appropriate ventilation.

Work out the cubic space of the space and buy fans with the appropriate cfm ratings in order to get the right amount of air moving in and out of the grow space.

A catch all formula I saw once for working out the amount of cfm you need is which doesn't take into account the space size but does consider the different heat levels of different wattage lamps is:

(3.2 x watts) / (Grow Room Temperature F - Cool Intake Air Temperature F) = CFM

So, if you have 1,000 watts, want 80 degrees in your grow space and the ambient air temperature is 70 then:

(3.2 x 1,000) / (80 - 70) = 320 cfm

Considering this alongside the example in the question regarding CFM (above) where the room size was 100 cubic foot and a 300 cubic foot fan was required to exchange air three times a minute, you can see how the two methods can be used alongside each other to spec out your ventilation very comprehensively.

Example

Room size = 3 x 4 x 5 = 60 Cubic Foot
Lamp Wattage = 600
Required grow temp = 80
Summer ambient temp = 75
Winter ambient temp = 70
Summer Tolerance
(3.2 x 600) / (80 - 75) = 384 cfm

Winter Tolerance
(3.2 x 600) / (80 - 70) = 192 cfm

Space Consideration
60 cubic foot room, exchange air 3 times, 60 x 3 = 180 cfm.

In this example the summer tolerance may be a little high but given the choice of a 4 inch, 6 inch and 8 inch inline fan it may still be worth going for the middle of three (example mid end stats below) to give you some potential for temperature control (using a variable speed control) and/or expansion.

Example Fan Stats

Vortex 4 inch Inline Fan 172 CFM
Vortex 6 inch Inline Fan 392 CFM
Vortex 8 inch Inline Fan 747 CFM
Elicent AXC100B 4 inch Fan 152 CFM
Elicent AXC150B 6 inch Fan 309 CFM
Elicent AXC200B 8 inch Fan 636 CFM


What type of fans are available?

Growing plants requires ventilation, especially when running HID lighting.

To get a decent result, you'll need an exhaust fan.

This FAQ will discuss types of fans, how to set them up and also have a section on odour control.

For your exhaust, you should have at least 150 or so CFM per 1000W of HID light

Section 1 - Types of Exhaust Fans

There are several types of fans you can use, all with pro's and cons. Here are the four main types

Bathroom Fans



Bathroom fans usually blow between 50CFM to a little over 100CFM. They work on the same principal as the squirrel cage fans (see below) but are not made to the same quality or power. They are OK for a small grow with one 400W lamp or so, but not much else. They also aren't designed to have ducting mounted on the intake, so using them with vented reflectors* or carbon filters? is out of the question. They can also be quite noisy for the amount of air they push. They're certainly not optimal, but they are cheap.

Pros: Cheap
Cons: Everything else

Air Booster Fans



Air boosters were designed to be installed in home H-VAC ducts to boost airflow to rooms that are far away from the furnace, and have poor airflow. They can push up to 200 CFM, and are fairly quiet. They were designed to operate within a duct, so using them with vented reflectors easy to do, you can also use them with smaller carbon filters. They are very inexpensive. They'll do the job for most single lamp grows.

Pros:Cheap, Installs in a Duct, relatively quiet
Cons: Not all that powerful, CFM ratings are questionable

'Squirrel Cage' Blowers



These fans have been used in , H-VAC systems for years. They are powerful fans that suck air in from one or both sides and blow it out an opening. Some disadvantages are that it can be a pain to attach inflow ducts to the side inlets, unless you enclose the whole fan in a box or ventilation 'room' so again, vented reflectors and carbon filters can be troublesome to use with squirrel cage fans. They also produce quite a bit of vibration, and are relatively loud. They do however produce the most CFM per dollar you spend, so they are very economical.

Pros: Powerful, reasonably priced
Cons: Loud, cumbersome to attach accessories.

Centrifugal In Line Duct Fans



These fans are the top of the line. Specifically designed for hydroponic applications, they are powerful, quiet, and unlike the previous fans, are speed adjustable. Carbon filters were specifically designed to work with these fans, so they'll usually fit perfectly. Ducting is also easily connected to them. The only disadvantage, which you've probably guessed by now, is that they are somewhat expensive. In my opinion however, they are well worth it, and most come with a 5 year warranty. You'll usually want to have duct on both ends of the fan to muffle the sound. Although they produce almost no vibration, 435 CFM rushing through a 6" hole will make some noise.

Pros: Quiet, Powerful, Easy to set up, speed controllable.
Cons: Somewhat Pricey

* Vented reflectors are reflectors which a duct can be attached to vent heat directly from the source
? Carbon filters are a large perforated cylinder filled with activated carbon, and usually have a prefilter as well. They are by far the most effective way of eliminating odours in your exhaust.


What types of odour neutralisers are available?

One thing about growing our favourite plant that can be a real pain is the stink.

There are several options here, from something as simple as an air freshener to things like carbon filters and electronic ozonators.

Here are the basics:

Air Fresheners


This is quite a large category in itself. An air freshener can be as simple as the pine tree hanging from your rear view mirror to a digital dispenser that can be custom programmed.

They all do pretty much the same thing, and that's mask the odour. Many of the auto-dispensers have things like ozium that neutralize odor. I find one of the most effective is tour simple Glade Scented Oil. It does a pretty good job for a small, or even a larger grow, and is dirt cheap and available in many scents.

Auto-dispensers can be hard to find outside of a hydro store, or ripping one off from a public toilet (which I do not encourage) Try calling Orkin Pest control, as autodispensers for air freshener / insecticide are often distributed in bathrooms by them.

Regardless of your odor control system, you should always have some air fresheners around anyways.

Pros:Cheap, pleasant smell

Cons: Generally just masks odour.

Ozone Generation





Ultraviolet and Corona Discharge Ozonators pictured respectively

Ozone is fairly effective at neutralizing odours. It works by attaching on to the odour molecule and causing it to drop to the ground or wall. Because ozone is heavier than air, it tends to fall towards the floor. O3 generators create Ozone from either an ultraviolet bulb(s) or by corona discharge, Corona discharge is arcing electricity, the electricity arcing through the air splits oxygen molecules, the free oxygen atom joins up with an O2 molecule to form 03, ozone. Ozone has a half life of around 30 minutes.

Unfortunately ozone is toxic, so IMO they should not be left on for long periods unless they are the type that fits into your exhaust vent. With the exhaust type ozonators, you should have at least 10 feet of space between the ozonator and the vent that your exhaust comes out of, this is to allow the ozone to react with the odour particles.

If there is a strong smell of ozone this may well be hazardous to health if not vented externally. Less than 50 parts per billion is considered harmless, over 200 ppb is considered hazardous. You can buy ozone test badges. If the concentration is too high a timer should be used so the generator is only on for a fraction of the time. It should not be off for more than 30 minutes as the ozone will all dissipate in this time.

UV ozonators using a frequency of 185nm (approx) do not produce nitric acid as a by-product like corona discharge ozonators do. Thus it is best to only use corona discharge ozone generators in the exhaust.

Ozonators help with the smell quite a bit, but the smell is usually still pretty noticeable.

Pros: Units are Small, easy to install in ducts. Relatively effective for small grows. Low maintenance.

Cons: Expensive, not very effective for a large grow or stinky strain. Ozone is toxic.

Carbon Filters



Carbon filters are by far the most effective odour control system out there. They consist of a large, double walled cylinder, filled with activated carbon pellets around the outside. They also usually have an outer prefilter that extends the life of the filter by preventing dust and particulate matter from getting into it. Exhaust form a carbon filtered grow is odourless. Carbon filters need replacing every 1 - 1½ years or maybe longer with a good quality of carbon particle.

DIY Micro Carbon Filter; Cheap, Easy and Quick. - Another DIY Carbon Filter

Pros: The most effective option in odour control, They don't produce any other odour

Cons: Expensive, fairly large and bulky, Need replacing more often than an ozonator.

Negative Ion Generators



I've never tried them myself. They work on a similar principle as ozone - the negative ions attach to odour molecules and cause them to become non airborne. However any feedback I've heard about them concerning eliminating grow odours is that they are absolutely fucking useless. In addition to that, they are even more expensive than Carbon Filters or Ozonators. Don't bother with them.

Pros: Sleek, modern design. Conversation piece

Cons: everything else.


This design was taken from some posts on OG and CW, it's basically a bucket filled with gel and odour neutralising agent with a PC fan blowing air through it.

I have used this to completely hide the smell from a couple of 2 plant grows, and recently it did pretty well with a grow of 6 Bubblegums. I even used it while drying to mask the smells from that.


Can I build my own odour neutralising device?

What you will need is:

-Some hanging basket Gel - used to keep moisture in the baskets, it's a silica gel type stuff that can absorb a lot of water, most garden centres sell it.
- Some ONA [Odor Neutralizing Agent] - I bought this from a local cleaning supply company, about £8 for a litre that has done 3 grows now.
- A bucket and lid
- A PC fan





Next cut a whole in the lid to fit the fan and bolt it in place.





Drill some holes around the top of the bucket. These will allow air into or out of the bucket depending which way you power the fan.

Add the gel and add water until it can't take any more, then add a cupful of the ONA and you are ready for action.



For my small growbox I connected the bucket to the outlet using some lemonade bottles so it filtered the air on the way out.

In my larger growbox I just put the bucket into the growroom and let it do it's thing in there.

Editors note: It may also be worth adding this to your existing inline exhaust system, though some experimentation with the size of the intake holes (into the bucket) may be required.




Should I heat my grow room?

It may be necessary in a very cold winter to heat your grow space but this can be difficult and hazardous.

Anything that blows hot air is a bad idea due to it's affects on humidity and the possibility of heavily drying foliage.

It may be advisable to raise the temperature of the ambient space rather than the space within the grow room or even add another bulb. Another possibility may be turning down your ventilation from a few times a minute to every minute of less as well as a better insulated a grow space.

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

What mediums can I use?

Soil recipes - Dirt

Soil less

Hydroponic

Mediums - Detailed thread of different mediums, their explanations, and people's personal opinions.


Which medium is better? - Dirt or Hydro?


What kind of simple Hydroponics setups are there?

Simple Hydro Systems - A few simple hydro systems to get you thinking


Ebb & Flow Vs Drip Hydro?

E&F Vs Drip - Which system should you choose

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

.:General Plant Care:.

This section looks at some general issues relating to plant care and the conditions your Canna will need to thrive.

Do you have any general growing tips or advice?

- Over watering is as harmful as underwatering as it means a lack of oxygen in the soil, extreme cases can lead to root rot and ultimately the death of your plant. Early signs include wilting leaves and yellowing of older, lower foliage.

- In an indoor garden ventilation is as important as lighting, a well ventilated room gives a good supply of CO2 to your plants and keeps heat down.

- Stay one step ahead of your plants when it comes to pot size to make sure they have adequate room to lay a good strong root system.

- Keep your growing space neat and well organised, trailing wires, empty nutrient containers etc etc are all accidents waiting to happen, keep it clean.

- Canna loves consistancy, try to give a stable environment to your plants. This includes watering and feeding schedules, light cycle and all environmental factors.

- Be prepared. If you're getting supplies too late lots of problems can occur, for example getting soil at the last minute may mean they get root bound. If you have all your supplies when you begin it makes things much easier, for you and your plants.

- You can use as little as 30 watts for mothers and clones, you may wish to go higher, say 40-60watts (cool whites) but really there is no need. The mothers themselves, you don't want them to be in really intense light... it's better if they stretch because it makes for better clone material, but different strains may require slightly different conditions.

- If you can be bothered, for best results, grow the clones in 2 litre pots until half way through flowering,and then pot them up to 5 litre pots... it helps retain root/plant health and reduces yellowing leaves toward the end of flowering, so that you may have few or no yellow leaves at the end, unlike plants which become root bound. If the roots do become rootbound, well they become starved of air, and ph problems may occur.

- With fert, one way used a lot in the southern hemisphere and in the UK is to mix the soil for the cycle til the next pot change . So at potting up add the fert directly to the soil (mixed in)... a handful (into 5 litre pots), organic fert is good, such as worm castings,guano or compost...or other organic fert products. That way,theres no need to apply other ferts for the whole cycle, just water. When you pot up half way through flowering, add more fert to the new soil (mixed in). For your first few times, use less fert until you are confident. It's easy to see if they are deprived of fert...(pale growth), and if that occurs, it's as simple as watering with a soluble fert product to add the xtra required nutrients.

- Should you find your plants stretch or grow too tall, you can either prune them, or bend/tie them down (lst)...or get a strain which grows shorter...or just vege the clones for a lot less time...and after a couple of cycles your system will be well tweaked.

- One of the main keys that is too often overlooked is ventilation. Your plants breathe too so you wanna be giving them constant fresh air to maximise growth (unless you are adding additional CO2).

- Chamomile is a great anti-fungal. Spray indoor seedlings with cold chamomile tea to stop "damping off".

- Yahooka is a great but humble source for all you growing needs.


What is Photosynthesis?

The Basics

Photosynthesis is the process that converts the energy in sunlight to chemical forms of energy that can be used by biological systems.

More Detail

Photosynthesis converts the suns energy into sugars which cellular respiration converts into Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), the fuel of basically all living things. In plants this process is controlled by the actions of the plant pigment Chlorophyll.

The overall process of phtosynthesis can be written as:

6H2O + 6CO2 -> C6H12O6 + 6O2

Or

Six molecules of water plus six molecules of carbon dioxide produce one molecule of sugar plus six molecules of oxygen.


What factors affect the rate at which my plant can process energy?

There are several factors that will affect the rate at which plants can process energy:

Light Levels

Light is the most important ecological factor affecting plant growth. As a general rule as light level increases photosynthesis will increase.

From a situation with no light as the level of light increases the rate of photosynthesis will increase first until it reaches the light compensation point (LCP) which is the level of light intensity at which as much energy is generated by photosynthesis as is used through respiration. As light levels increase over this point the rate of photosynthesis also increase until it reaches a peak level known as the light saturation point (LSP). Beyond this point there are no further increases in photosynthesis with increases of light level. The LCP and LSP will vary according to plant species but also environmental factors such as CO2 levels and nutrience levels.

Temperature

Cannabis is best grown between 75 and 85 degrees though it can survive and grow at temperatures both above and below this. At the optimum temperature for growth (dependent on plant species) photosynthesis will increase above and below this temperature the rate of photosynthesis will fall.

Water

Water is a raw material for photosynthesis and essential to maintain cell and leaf turgor (the rigidity of a plant that is due to the pressure of the cell contents against the cell walls). Any moisture deficiencies to the plant will result in the dehydration of cells and leaves wilting; these effects will slow the rate of photosynthesis.

CO2 Concentration

As a general rule increasing CO2 levels will increase the rate of photosynthesis where other factors allow it (ie there is enough light). This follows a similar pattern to light whereby a maximum is reached and beyond this there is no gain in photosynthesis. This peak amount will vary from species to species and is oft argued over in relation to our humble Canna.

General Factors

As you can see these factors are largely related and work together, for example, without the necessary light levels, increasing CO2 may have little affect.


What temperature and humidity is best for my Grow?

General ranges are 65-85 F and 40-60% humidity.


What light spectrum is best for my plants?

Lighting issues are covered earlier inthe FAQ.

Please click the link below:

Light spectrum and other lighting issues


What is Ph?

Ph Resource - pH is a measurement of a solution's (in our case generally a nutrient solution) acidity or alkalinity, scientifically speaking it is measure of the relative concentration of positive hydrogen ions within the solution. 7 is considered neutral (distilled water), below 7 is acidic (vinegar) and above 7 is alkaline (ammonia based detergents) which is sometimes called base.


How can I manage Ph?

Growing hydroponically pH will need to be regularly checked and adjusted, in soil this is less of an issue because of the natural pH buffer offered by a good dirt based medium.

When testing for pH a Digi pH meter is a must, you can mess around with the drip drop color match bullshit which is too time consuming and inaccurate. $60 meter at the grow shop is worth every penny.

pH can be raised and lowered with solution sold at a grow store for hydro ponics. Don't use the pH solution for aquariums. In soil this can be used of alternatively a little lime can be added to your soil mix to counter the acidifying affect of nutrients.

Soil plants are happy in afair range of pH but aiming for 6-6.5 is a good bet.

Hydro likes a little lower pH than soil ~5.5-6.3.

Managing pH in hydro can be much more challenging, the addition of nutrients will greatly change the pH in your sytem, as such nutrient solution sitting in a res will need to be checked and adjusted regularly.

Below is a chart detailing nutrient uptake rates through a scale of pH, as you can see there is a narrower band in water cultures where nutrient uptake of all needed nutrients is maximised than there is in soil:




What size pot should I use for my plants?

Pot Size #1
Pot Size #2
Hydro-Net


What is "photoperiod"?

Generally, cannabis starts to flower when the day length begins to decrease, in other words, seeds germinate in spring, veg through summer (lots of hours of sun) and then as winter approaches the amount of sunlight decreases and this triggers the cannabis plant to begin flowering. Photoperiodism it's called.

Photoperiod literally translates into "the time length of daylight". Photoperiodism is generally regarded as detecting the changes in the lengths of daylight and/or night to respond appropriately according to the season.


How often should I water my plants?

Watering - A discussion on plant watering, how often and how much


Can I automatically water my plants?

There are several options you could take for automating irrigation. You could set up a primitive gravity fed system,where a resevoir of water is suspended up high and the water just drips via hoses onto each plant until the water is used up. Obviously,as the water goes down,water pressure is reduced so less water will flow. To achieve good water flow/drip, on each 'hose' a miniture plastic tap will serve this purpose, or irrigation adapter for such purpose. A constant 'drip' will keep the soil moist for weeks if your resevoir is large enough and the medium suitable. If a constant drip rate is maintained for extended periods, a more free draining medium should be used. Soil with the addition of perlite/vermiculite will serve that purpose, just be sure the soil never becomes water logged.Fertiliser can be diluted directly into the water for full automation, or alternativly, the fertiliser is just mixed into the soil prior to planting. Supplementary feeds may help too later in the cycle.

If you use some sort of 'drip system' you will want to have a tray under the pots to catch any water which goes through the pot,or have a medium which retains moisture such that 'pooling' does not occur in the trays. Some people even feed the water into the tray as opposed to the soil, so the water is 'drawn up' into the soil. One could easily, also, if directly feeding trays, rig up a switch, where by once the water level in the tray was at a set level the swicth would turn off the water pump. Laps tops? lol

Another alternative is to use 'wicks', which is bassically a piece of rope(cotton etc/not nylon/plastic) which goes up through the bottom of the pot and into the soil...the rope hangs down outside the pot(bottom), and this will sit in some water,which could consist of just a 'water tray'...so you could fill the tray with water(easy) and leave it for a few days...a primitive system could consist of ice cream containers filled with water...one per pot....with the lid on and hole in top so the rope hangs down into the water and the pot sits on the ice cream container or similar. The water is drawn up into the rope and keeps the soil moist. Experimenting with different sized ropes,soil mediums, is best to achieve exact moisture content of soil,observation. Tupaware containers would be good for multiple plants in one container. Or in the case of many plants, large rectangular bin with lid.

An alternative to that sort of wick is a hydroponic wick, a small pot like pourous basket, filled with expanded clay or similar. This wick would sit through a hole in the base of a pot(5-7litre) which was fill with soil, and only the wick portion would be submerged in the water, - permently, or periodically via flood and drain....or passive non circulateing heavily oygenated water, or oygenated/heated water, and pump, and or timer for cycles. Either way, this type of wick with the right soil mix/medium would be an excellent way to automate organic soil growing.

Or useing the wick system, the pots themselves sit on top of some sort of hydroponic guttering...the wicks go into the water(guttering).... and you either have a 'flood and drain' system which is on a timer,so the water 'floods and drains'(timer)...or you simply have the water pumping through all the time. The wicks will draw up moisture and keep the soil 'moist'. With these systems, you will need a resevoir bin(trash pale/light proof) or similar with a water pump immersed in the water. Size of bin will allow for longer or shorter times betweens 'fills'. It is possible to keep plants irrigated like this for weeks or even months, hands free. The resevoir pumps water 'up' to the guttering,or bin/s which are slighly angled, and gravity returns it,via drain hoses,through veturi valve(for even more o2) to oxygen enriched resevoir bin which is heated to the appropriate temperature(20C) and full of air stones(over kill) via air pump. Change water now and then.

With 'flood and drain' systems, the advantage is that the soil is allowed to dry out a little between 'waterings',for oxygen uptake, thats where irrigation 'cycles' come in, a bit more hand on.

But it is acceptable to have the soil moist all the time(continuous flow),or 'wet/moist' as long as it is 'free draining'(porous) and doesn't become water logged,and has more spaces in the medium for air exchange with the roots. How much water is drawn up into the soil via the wicks is going to depend on how big the rope is, in diametre and also length,and type of material(hemp/cotton),and how far the rope/wick is submerged in the water,aswell as the composistion of the soil you will be useing. If useing hydroponic wicks, how deep they are submerged in the water will also effect how well they transfer water to the soil above, sitting on the lid of what ever container/guttering you use. It maybe helpful, when useing hydro wicks and expanded clay, to have an inch or two in the base of the pot itself, also filled withe expanded clay, to help draw up water to the meium above.

You can easily set up a pot and one wick and observe how moist the soil becomes,-over hours, check it. If you choose to use this type of system,where the wick is always in the water,make sure you use some perlite or other material(expanded clay etc) in the soil to aid 'oxygenation' of the roots since the soil will never dry out until the resevoir is depleted.

Now another alternative is this. You have resevoir bin,with water pump inside,which is connected to a digital timer. You set the timer to come on once per day for a certain amount of minutes, or even hours. The water pump hose, is split...and via micro tubing, each pot recieves a certain amount of water. Now with irrigation,it is essential,when splitting the tube, to make sure that the tubes are all the same length so you get equal water pressure for each plant,and thus the same amount of water.

You can buy the 'adapters' to split the micro tubbing at any decent garden center. So from the water pump, you have one hose...now say you have 16 plants....you would split the main hose into two...then split that into 4,then 8,then 16...so you have 16 equal lengths of hose which go to each of the 16 plants, so if all the hose is equal, theoretically all the plants recieve the same amount of water.

The point is this....if you used more than 16 plants, doing it this way, the next amount to use would be 32 plants/hoses....then 64, so you always split the hoses in two so you maintain equal water pressure through out. On the end of each hose,you have an 'irrigation nossle',,,just a piece of plastic which plugs into the hose so as to disperse the water evenly in the pot.

Each hose is then staked to each plant and water will be delivered to your plants in as much a quantity as you wish.

The trick is the timer...it takes tweaking. How long you leave the water pump on for per day, will be dependant on the type of soil,the size of the plants,temperature,t ype of water pump...you get my drift...just observe. So you set it all up....put the pump on for 5 minutes and see if the pots get enough water....if its enough thats the ticket, if you think they didn't get enough, increase the amount to 7 minutes and so on....once per day.

Now of course....from the seedling stage, or clones,they will use little water, so initially you may have the water pump come on for only a few minutes per day...once you know approximatly how long for seedlings, sticking with that cycle will do for at least a couple of weeks.

Of course, as the plants grow,they will need more water. So you will have to adjust the water pump timer periodically so as to give them more water. But if you merely need to be absent from your babies for up to a week or so,it will be easy to just leave them for that time on a particualar 'irrigation cycle'...cause their water requirments will increase only slighty per week.

There are specialist irrigation timers on the market...and they can be set up in such a way, so that for week one, the timer comes on for 5 minutes say...then by week 2, it comes on for 7 minutes per day....then week 3 for 10 minutes and so on,so the system allows for the fact that the water needs of the plants increases as they grow. If you know intimatly the growth habits of your plants, you can plant clones and come back 8 weeks later and harvest with no other input. It seems far easier a task though to simply utilise wicks,and either have flood and drain or contantly submereged wicks with circulateing water via troughs,pipes, bins.

But I bet you just wanna leave them for a few days or a week or so, so it will be easy for you to set up an 'easy system'. If you wanna leave them for just a few days at a time, you could easily just use wicks and a container filled with water that the pots sit on.

There are products called self watering pots, you could also look into those.


What the hell are people talking about when they say they water with Tea?

Tea - Not a nice cup of Rosie, but if you're making one, one sugar please.
Brewing/Making Tea - Still not a nice cup of Rosie


What is the Lucas formula?

Lucas Formula - Nutrient management


What are worm castings and how are they used?

Worm Castings - Detailed look


I've heard wood ash is good for plants, true?

Wood Ash - Wood ash can be a good source of Calcium as well as other nutrients (lots of K and a fair but of P), though it should be used with some care as it is very alkaline.


I've been using Miracle grow but everyone says I shouldn't, what's up with that?

Miracle Gro - PLEASE NOTE THIS LINK IS SOMEWHAT SENSATIONALIST

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

Do you have a Step by Step guide to growing?

Sometimes we are all a little guilty of perpetuating the myth that Cannabis is hard to grow. We use horrible language, real newbie scaring terms, lumen this, effective light that, ppm this, ec that, germinate this, top that, organic this, chemical that, medium this, ph that, cloning this, crossing that.

I mean fewkin' hell.

Some basic knowledge is always required of course but it's really not THAT hard with a reference guide like the internet available to you 24 hours a day.

Anything you do, it's been done before.

And someone probably took photo's.

I must admit to owning a ph tester, or several. I'm a toyer, for sure. But I always end up returning to a few good basic principles. You can make this as complicated as you like (even in dirt) and get amazing results, and yes everyone has there few little tricks which will work wonders for grows (done properly) but by the same extent it's possible to get a far superior smoke to almost anything you will ever buy just by chucking a seed in a pot, watering it, providing it with a good source of correct spectrum light, loving and nurturing it.

Yes, of course there are pitfalls, but none that are complex or beyond the abilities or average joe or the beyond the supply capability of the nearest hydro store and B&Q (B&Q..... it's a place like Home Depot ).

I see so many people saying it's too complicated, it's too expensive, it's too this, it's too that. It ain't. Or at least it doesn't have to be. The only sacrifice you really have to make is half an hour a day.

Not that anyone could spend that little time with their ladies!

But yeah, this particular example was a little cap nod to the smokers who thought growing was too difficult for their pot addled minds...

I have a dream....

Grow on.

Step 1

First thing to do (assuming your grow space is set up and you have your seeds) is to go to the garden centre and pick up supplies for your grow. In this case:

Starter pots - Square plastic starter pots or alternatively paper cups with holes pushed in the bottom.

Tomato pots - These are really cheap and a good size for small plants.

Drip Trays - To fit the above pots. This will save your nice white grow room floor getting too dirty and will allow you to water your plants from below.

Unfertilised soil - any brand will do just be sure to check that there is no continuous feeding factor and that the ph is reasonably neutral. Don't be too fussy, we're growing WEED.

Fertiliser and soil additions - Now this is where you can get complicated if you like.

The easy way would be to buy a fairly level natural fertiliser (7-7-7 N-P-K is a good rating) that can be added to your water to make a tea, this can then be added when you water the plant.

A slightly more complicated way is to mix your own fertiliser which can either be added to the soil when potting on or added to water to make a tea.

I tend to use the latter though I do added some worm casing to regular potting soil on most occasions.

I tend to use guano combinations to make my feeding tea. 13-8-2 seabird guano during veg and 0-13-0 (with small amounts of additional veg fert) Indonesian bat guano with additional rock phosphate for flowering. There are all sorts of fertilisers and schedules you can go with though and that's a topic in itself that will be covered later.

Perlite - This is an indispensable supply that you must mix with your soil when planting. This is an entirely neutral substance that is used purely to increase drainage in your soil.

Step 2

So, you're home with all your goodies, your seeds and supplies, now it's time for the spending (not fun) to stop and the growing (fun) to begin.

At this stage you'll want to mix a little bit of soil, 40% perlite and 60% soil and place this into your starter pots. Pack this soil gently with your fingers (not to tight) and give it a small watering (so the soil is damp). I do this before I put in a seed and then leave it for 24 or so hours so that the soil has settled and when I plant the seed it will remain where I plant it and not drop 1/2 an inch when the soil is first watered.

This is however a step that can be missed out and just something I do for consistency.

Step 3

The first really good bit.

Planting a seed.

Make a small hole 3/4 of an inch deep in the surface of your soil in each of your prepared pots and into each place a seed. Cover this seed over with soil and VERY GENTLY tap this down. Water sparingly so the soil is moist but aerated and not sodden.

I keep my newly planted seeds and their new homes on a heating mat to keep the soil warm but this is only necessary if you live in a climate where ambient temperatures are low.

Simple.

Now some will say you should germinate using a paper towel before planting a seed but I say bollocks to that, the only advantage of paper towels is that it's easier to avoid overwatering and you can check visually on the progress of germination.

Some will also say that you should soak you seeds for 24 hours before planting them to seperate the good from the bad (the good sink and the bad float) but again I say bollocks. Nature doesn't provide cups of water, it provides soil. If it's good enough for nature, the greatest power that there is, it's good enough for me.

What I DO do is to keep my seeds stored in a cool dark place (a box in the fridge) so that when they are planted and get watered it's equivalent of a spring shower after winter.



Step 4

After 48-72 hours all that are going to germinate are likely to have popped their heads above the soil. Those that don't in this time period can be kept a while but I write them off after a week. If it doesn't germ in a week I don't want to grow it anyway.



For the next week or two these babies are in their seedling stage and are pretty delicate.

Ther crucial things to look out for during these stages is overwatering, heat and fertilising too soon. Your plant does not need to be drowned and the soil should be slightly moist no more, conversely your seedling cannot hold much too much water so you do not want them transpiring (water exchange through foliage) too much, to avoid this keep them under flo's and avoid undue heat.



At this stage (and all stages) you should have some air exchange around the seeders to start strengthening the stems and to maximise the CO2 available to them.

Turn on those fans brah but only gently, too much air movement will increase the rate of transpiration (water loss) in the plant and soil.

Use 18, 20 or 24 hours of light.

I like to keep seedlings under fluorescent lighting until it is 8 to 10 inches tall. This is about the maximum effective penetration of fluorescent lights. Flo's provide a gentler less hot light source that can be positioned closer to seedlings than a HID.



Step 5

Once the plants are several inches tall and have developed their first true leaf set (the first round leaves are seed shell leaves and are there to allow the plant to get enough energy to begin to form proper leaves) it is probably time to pot them up. When mixing this soil I again go with 50% perlite but in addition to my regular soil I add 10% worm casings and a small handful of guano mix.

If you are using paper cups this pot can be simply cut off and thrown away and the entire root ball and soil planted into your prepared larger tomato pots, if you are using plastic starter pots, squeeze them gentle to loosed the soil inside before tipping them into your hand and potting them on.

I plant up early and before the seedlings roots fill the entire grow space they are given, this is to avoid stress and allow natural root development. Seedlings develop a root system with a strong and deep tap root (cuttings usually have a shallower root system), this tap root needs room to grow.



Step 6

The first feed.

I generally don't feed plants for the first 28 days (which in this case is the entire veg cycle) and when I do it is with a gentle guano tea (see above). I personally keep my feeding schedules fairly low providing a low stength guano tea every week after the first four and until the last 2 or 3, some people feed more, some less, strain to strain will need different amounts to grow optimally but you only learn that over time and through experience. There is NO right feeding schedule.

Step 6a

Training and/or topping.

Whilst in this veg stage it can be worth training your plant to grow lower by tieing it down or topping it. I personally prefer low stress methods and hence tend to opt for tieing my plants rather than topping.





Sexing your plants.

Now you can do this waiting for preflowers (in veg or early flower) to develop (see this thread) or you can take a cutting and flower that, for a beginner the first is probably the one to take. Either way, remove the males unless you want to make seeds.

Once you've sexed your plants you can ditch the males and continue training the females or put them into flower. This depends on how long veg time you want and big you want your plants to be.

I've vegged from as little 28 days from seed to as much as 100 days from seed.



Step 6c

Gathering your next crop.

Before flowering your plants it is worth taking several cuttings off your best females in order to keep your genetic line and to guarantee that in your next round you will only have females.

I take cuttings using Oasis (sponge like material available from florists, normally used for flower arrangements) and the way to do it is a thread in itself but briefly:



1) Water mother plant thoroughly;
2)Pre soak Oasis blocks and make 3/4 inch deep holes in them using the centre (ink) piece of a biro;
2) Cut off the branch (an hour or so after watering mum) above last growing nodes (so that the branch will be replaced) ensuring that there will be a growing node under the ground and another (or two) above the ground;
3) Re make this cut but at a 45 degree angle;
4) Scarate the end of the cutting (place the end between the scissor blades and run it up and down almost as if you were peeling it);
5) Optionally add a little rooting hormone into the hole in the Oasis cube and insert your cutting.
6) Place these cuttings in a saucer of water and replace water every 24 hours. Keep these saucers on a heating mat and under and moisture dome with some air flow.
7) When rooted place cuttings, Oasis cube and all, into a soil filled pot.



Step 7

Moving to flowering.

When your plant is the size and width that you want it to be when you begin flowering (remember plants will double in height during flowering) you simply switch the lighting pattern to 12 hours on and 12 hours off (a few use 10 on and 14 hours off).

Whilst there is some truth that a Cannabis plant isn't sexually mature until it's internodal growth is showing alternate phyllotaxy (branching is no longer opposite) most strains have enough non tropical genes in them to allow them to be forced to maturity at a much younger age than nature would prescribe. Equally, many many strains show preflowers whilst retaining opposite phyllotaxy far far earlier than they show alternate phyllotaxy, hell, alternate phyllotaxy isn't even something people generally talk about unless they grow tropical sativas that need a maturation period.

And since we don't want big plants, we're going to force these babies.

Before flowering is commenced it is worth giving one last veg strength feeding to ensure good solid stem growth through the initial s t r e t c h phase in flowering (2 to 3 weeks)



After this feed switch to a more flowering orientated fert (see above) or else you could slow the flowering process down and lessen the final possible yield.

For the first 10 days to two weeks the plants will s t r e t c h upwards faster than at any other stage in growth and if you are using flouro's it is here that you will have to really work at keeping your lights as close as possible without actually touching the plants.

After this initial stretch buds will begin to form and fatten.











The last two weeks are the key in putting on weight but during these final two weeks it is worth giving your plants nothing to eat but plain water in order to flush any chemicals out of them in the run up to harvest. You should see them begin to eat the nutrience stored inside themselves, seeing the leaves turn to yellow.

Step 8

Pre harvest.

In the last week before harvest keep a close eye on the trichomes of your bud and when the majority have changed from transulcent to white (and maybe a few to amber) you know your bud is ready to be cut.

As this time approaches (a couple of days before the cut) I place my plants in a slightly shaded area of the garden to allow for extra resin growth and remove most of the fan leaves to make manicuring easier.

As mentioned above, I also only water at this stage, no food.

Step 9

Harvest and manicure.

The day before harvest don't water your plant, that way you will not have quite so much moisture in it.

When harvest comes try to harvest in the morning (after dark period) to maximise THC content of the resin.

Chop the plants buds of and remove the majority of leaf material (which can be saved for the bubble bags to make hash if they are nice and resiney) using sharp scissors. No explanation is needed really of this process at it is self explanatory. The first time you do it it is also fun, after that, well, it becomes a chore.







Check out a thread called Phallic for some pictures of a manicure in progress.

Step 10

Drying and curing.

Hang your manicured bud out to dry in a temperate and dark space with plenty of air movement (but not air blowing directly onto the buds as this will dry them too fast and produce a crispy bud) for 3 - 7 days until they are dry, a good rule of thumb is testing to see if the stems break. If they crack rather than bend then they are almost certainly dry enough.

At this stage the buds are OK to smoke but will taste and perform a lot better if cured for a couple of weeks.

To do this place the bud in mason jars with the lids closed for two weeks. During this two weeks remove the lid from the jar every day (twice a day preferably) to exchange the air, it is wise for the first week to actually remove the bud and repack it too to make sure there are no wet patches. If there is any sign of moisture remove the bud and re dry.



Step 11

Roll a phatty and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

.:Seeds, Germination and the Seedling Growth Stage:.

Where can I get seeds?

Seed Bank Reviews - Obviously subject to change

seedfinder.eu - The info here is straight from the breeder's catalogues but it's a useful resource


Can I grow seeds from my bought weed?

If the seeds are yellow/green they probably won't germinate since they obviously havn't ripened enough. But you could try,some of them may sprout.

If the herb you got the seeds from is very good, the seeds from that could also be very good, about 50% of them any way, cause the female which you now smoke was good, so her genes will be good....what the male(stud) was like is any ones guess.

As far as seeds from bags go I'd actually probably RATHER grow something out of Mexican brick than from a bag of locally indoor grown AAA.

Simple enough reasoning, Mexibrick is outdoors Sativa grown in large outdoor plots, not separated from males and is hence pollinated. It is then roughly cut and dried and not cured before being pressed and shipped. It is the process of growing, harvesting and shipping that makes this weed bad... NOT the FINE Mexican genetics.

Whereas...

Local indoor grown AAA SHOULDN'T have ANY seeds, if it does it's not likely to be through accidentally pollination from another male (commercial croppers don't grow from seed, clones all the way), so rather it is likely to be a strain that hermied out slightly at some point. Now this COULD be down to some stress but is liable to be purely genetic, easyherm strains are not something I truly want in my grow room.

Obviously this doesn't always hold true as there are so many variables, in the first mexibrick scenario for example the male could have been a low potency ditch weed runt.


How can I store my seeds?

Seed Storage - Somewhere cool and dry


How do I get my seeds to start germinating?

Germinate in soil
Germinate in cheesecloth/tissue


What temperature should I be germinating my seeds at?

Temperatures should be over 80f but less than 90f. Some like to use a heated propagator to keep soil moist when germing in soil, other use the tops of computer monitors (for example) when germinating in a zip lock bag with a cheese cloth.


Where can I get a heating mat?

Heating mats are expensive but cheap heated propagators are available at most garden centres. Alternatively, heating mats can be bought from stores that sell lizards and reptiles as pets.


Why do seedlings roots grow down and growing tip grow up and does it matter therefore which way round I plant my seed?

From germination roots grow downwards and shoots grow upwards. A germinating seed can be turned upside down several times and the root will still start to bend downwards. This behaviour is an example of a tropism, a movement triggered by a stimulus.

The tropism that affects root growth is Geotropism. This is the affect gravity has on the plant, making roots grow downwards.

"It is not the soil’s humidity that causes the direction of the root, since the root will grow downwards and the shoot will grow upwards even if the plant is placed in an earth-filled tube where the upper part is moist and the lower is dry. If the plant is put into a water-filled tube the lower part of which is exposed to light while the upper is darkened, the direction of growth will still not change: a proof that it is independent of light." (A. de Candolle, 1834/38)

A. Knight (1806)showed that the direction of root growth is controlled by gravity. Seedlings were fixed on a vertically standing wheel that was turning around its axis causing a centrifugal force. At a fast rotation grew all roots outwards (in the direction of the centrifugal force), at a low rotation did they grow in an angle of about 45° (the result of both centrifugal force and gravity).

Knight thought at first that the root tips where pulled downwards by their own weight, but this assumption was soon refuted, since the downward movement occurs also when the weight of the root tips was compensated for by an opposite weight (Johnson, 1828).

A. B. Franck introduced the term geotropism in 1868 and distinguished three types:

- Positive geotropism (roots growing downwards with gravity)
- Negative geotropism (shoots growing upwards against gravity)
- Transversal geotropism (sidewards growth)

Annoted from: Hamburg University Biology Department

As we can see from the above, root growth is stimulated by Geotropism and initial shoot growth by negative geotropism rather than just phototropism, so no, it doesn't REALLY matter which way round the seed goes though it is beneficial to align it right just to save it energy bending.


How much light does my seedling need?

Flouro's are extremely useful for cloning and seedlings. MH/HPS can be too intense for these early stages of growth as the plants cannot absorb water fast enough (developing root system) to equalise the amount being lost through transpiration through the plants foliage (or at least that's my way - if you do use MH/HPS for your seeders/clones keep the lights a decent distance away, particularly for clones).


My seedlings have s t r e t c h e d, HELP?

If your seedlings have stretched you can always pot them into a deeper pot and bury them deep, almost up to the first set of seed leaves, new roots may begin to form from this buried section of the meristem.

If that's not possible, stake it gently.

You can also do something preventative, put a small fan in with them, not really strong, just enough to move them a little, this will help thicken the stem.


When should I pot up my seedlings?

The sooner the better..the bigger the better.. once the roots are showing..


How do I pot my seedlings up?

Transfer the root ball into a larger pot and fill in the spaces.


Should I fertilise my seedlings?

Unless the soil is poor in nutrients, a young seedling growing in a large pot doesn't require any fertilizing for the first few weeks of it's life.

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

.:Vegetative Growth Stage:.

This section looks at the issues surrounding vegetative growth and growing those plants big and strong.

What is vegetative growth?

- Veg Growth - Explanation of what the vegetative growth part of the Cannabis life cycle is


How much light, water, and nutrients should I use at this stage?

- Veg Growth - Concise look at what to do while vegging
- Growing Tips - Top 10 Tips to Growing Marijuana Indoors


What is Low Stress Training?

- LST - A short pictorial showing a method of training your plants
- How to LST - Step by step guide to Low Stress Training


What is topping and pruning?






Why do people pinch stems?

- Stem Pinching - Some light stem abuse

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

What is ScrOG?

- ScrOG - Screen of Green


What is a good ScrOG strain?

- ScrOG Strain - Subjective...


What is SOG?

- SOG - A Sea of Green definition


Any pictrures to compare the two [ScrOG & SOG]?

- ScrOG and SOG - A short pictorial comparison of the two techniques

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

.:Flowering Growth Stage:.

What photperiod should I use for flowering?

- Photoperiod - 12/12 ligh/day is the standard


How can I tell the sex of my plants?

- Sexing - Cannabis plant sex examples (note for text WIP, add male image from Sticky: Are my plants male or female ? - YaHooka Forums


What is opposite/alternate phyllotaxy?

- The way that nodes grow on a plant stem.


Should I remove fan leaves during flowering?

- Fan Leaves - To cut or not to cut


Can I control flowering stretch?

- Fertiliser - Using your feeding schedule to help control stretch


Should I fertiliser my plants right through to harvest?

- Flushing - Nope


How dark does the dark period of my flowering schedule need to be?

- Darkness - As dark as a full moonlit night, darkness is leaf and flower production time


What sort of yield can I expect from my space?
- Yield and Space - A hard things to guess at but VERY commonly asked


My female plant is growing balls, what's going on?

- Hermaphrodite - How to recognise a plant that is going hermi

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

.:Harvesting and Curing:.

This section looks at harvesting and curing, make your bud taste GOOOOD.

When should I harvest?

- Harvest Timing - When to harvest for best effect and yield


How do I harvest and cure?

- Harvest Method #1 - An example of a method harvesting method
- Harvesting Pics - Two stage trim
- Drying/Curing - Good things come to those who wait


I thought manicuring was for beauty parlours, what's it got to do with weed?

- Manicuring - How to trim your bud nicely


How can I store my bud?

- Storing Bud - Don't want it moulding and going to waste do we


What's a trichome?

- Trichome 101 - Detailed explanation with visuals


What gets me high in Cannabis and can my harvest/cure effect this?

- THC and CBDs - Information regarding the active ingredients in Cannabis


How much dry bud will I get from this wet harvest?

- Wet to Dry - As your bud dries it loses moisture... and weight.
- Outdoor Harvesting chart - Detailed Outdoor visual

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

.:Continuing Your Crop, Breeding and Propogation:.

How do I select and care for a mother plant?

- Mother Plants - Selection and care


How can I control the size of my mother plant, do I have to trim roots?

- Mother Plants - Controlling size


How do I clone (posh word for take a cutting)?

- General Cloning (and mums) - General cloning and mother advice
- General Cloning Advice - How to clone, with pics
- Oasis Cloning - How to clone in Oasis
- Air-Layering - A technique that allows you to clone ON the mother plant to ensure healthy rooting


How do I start to breed a strain?

- Breeding - In-depth post on breeding


What are Filial Groups (F1, F2 etc)?

- Filial Groups are generational groups. F1 would be children of the mother, F2 grandchildren, F3 great-grandchildren, etc...


How can I pollenate a small section of my plant?

- How #1 - A few pictures and explanations


What is Grafting?

- Grafting #1 - Grafting information

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

.:Problem Solving:.

This section covers some common plant and grow problems.

I think my plant my have a nutrient disorder, how do I know what it is and what to do?

- Nutrient Disorder Solver - Simple guide to what is wrong with your plants
- Nutrient Disorder Solver Chart - Illustrated guide to what is wrong with your plants


My plants look pretty tatty, what could be wrong with them?

- Plant Abuse Problems & Solutions - They might be a weed but they can only take so much!


My plant has gone hermi, what can I do?

- Hermi Advice - What to do if your femme grows balls


How do I keep my plants pest free?

- Pest Free Without Harsh Chemicals - Only you should be consuming your plants


Spider mites are ravaging my plants, help?

- Spidermites - Detailed post regarding these little critters


Ew, I have this gray stuff growing on my plants?

- Gray Mold - The cold and damp encourages mold


Ew, why is my soil/hydroponics going green?

- Algae in soil - Can be a problem when the soil is too moist
- Algae in 'Ponics - Keep your hydro setup running smoothly


I've been using Miracle grow but everyone says I shouldn't, what's up with that?

- Miracle Grow - So you like it?

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

.:Fine Tuning:.

Does additional CO2 benefit a grow?

- CO2 - It does but it has to be thought about as more than an addition, other factors need to be right to make it efficient


Is UV a good or bad thing for my grow?

- UV - Some UV discussion


Is there any science to back up the UV theory that it promotes resin content?

- UV and Resin - Full spectrum and sticky icky

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Kompressor

.:Extras:.

Can you actually grow marijuana trees?

- How to make MJ Trees - Learn how to make big, strong Cannabis Trees


Do any other plants look like pot?

- Look Alikes - Quite a few in fact


Temperatures at night are getting quite cold, any ideas?

- Outdoor Temperature - The cold may not be an instant killer but it will really slow growth in most cases


So where does Hemp stand in all this Cannabis malarky?

- Everything about Hemp - The Demonized Seed


How do I convert English to Metric?

- ConvertMe - A good online weights and measure converter.


Is there a downloadable version of this FAQ?

- Cannabis Grow Bible - 435 Page PDF guide on growing marijuana by Greg Green.




Special Thanks - With deep gratitude to all that have helped create this FAQ

- DanDaWeedman
- Farmergiles
- Kosh
- McGyver(BB)
- Sharecropper
- SmokeSomeDoja
- Sureshot

__________________
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. -H. Bergson

Bearsy

Thank you! This is awesome!

__________________

Cerpin Taxt

Bloody brilliant! Excellent work getting all of this up, I'm sure it was no easy task!

I only hope this thread is still up by the time I decide to finally grow...

__________________
Step Back. Evaluate. Recognize.

"All memory is really a form of regurgitation of undigested experience."
-Alan Watts