Beginner growing for fun

[West Coast Vaper]

On 6/25/2020 at 6:09 AM, afternoon blazer said:

What up 420SA

Sorry. But this is going to be abit of a long 1.

Just out here tryna start a basic, budget, Covid-19, winter grow while confined to the spaces of my home.

So i tried growing once before. Failed. Had alot going on. Didnt try again until now. When we are on lock.

Anyway. Since i have not figured this shit out yet. I am going to be messing around with bag seeds until i get somewhat of a useable plant.

I am basically just trying to grow as a hobby. As something exciting to do while chilling at home.

Not expecting amazing yields. Or the best looking plant or anything like that.

I just want that rewarding feeling of growing my own plant from start to finish.

So anyway. It is winter. So abit of a challenge. 

I did manage to germinate in a shot glass and then paper towel. Roughly 36-40 hours.

Tap roots were about 12mm long.

 

Got my hands on some coco(R40)(cheap stuff-brick form). Rinsed it out. 

Got me a small bag of perlite(R20).(tons of videos and mixes i have seen have perlite. Never used it before.)

Added abit of bone meal(about R40)and root starter pebbles(lying around) to the coco and perlite. Just for a sprinkle of nutrients. Until i manage to get my hands on some easily accessible (walk-in-store) "cal-mag" / "cannabis growing soil" 

So after mixing them all together. I potted in some 1 liter lunch tins that looked cool and were R10 at a discount store close to home.(i did drill a bunch of holes for drainage.)

So i wanted to start with this coco mix( as alot of people say coco is the easiest for new growers to get started). And either transplant and keep the same mix. And add the cal-mag supplement needed for coco. 

Or 

Get a right kinda soil. And when ready to transplant. Use the soil.

You guys can advise.

 

So now since its cold as B#$%S  these days. I decided to get some cheap LEDs

20w each. 1670 lumens each. 6000k each. (from the same discount store - R100  for 3 lights. With fittings)

Lux meter reading below with the plants about 50mm away from soil

For the seedling stage and to just extend the daylight hours at the moment. I thought it would be a good idea to have those.

So the plan is . Keep the plants in the sun between 9am, bright and warm until 5pm, still considerably bright and warm.

And the rest of the time it could be under the 3 lights. 

I am still gona figure out how much of darkness to give them. 

You guys could advise on that aswell please.

I am starting with 5 bag seeds.

I am expecting to end with atleast 1 plant or 2 at most.

 

So potted the germinated seeds on Tuesday evening.

 

Really impatient. Hope i get something to grow. Bored as hell in these troubling times of ours.

Sorry about the long message. Lockdown is getting to me.

Please give me as much direction and opinion as you like. I am open to suggestions. Ask questions and for pics if needed.

Hey there @afternoon blazer. How did you set the light color on the light meter app? I'm a bit doff when it comes to shite like that. I have an LED strip that I was told is possibly 4000k and would like to check. Please buddy.

[afternoon blazer]

6 minutes ago, DamDave said:

Hey there @afternoon blazer. How did you set the light color on the light meter app? I'm a bit doff when it comes to shite like that. I have an LED strip that I was told is possibly 4000k and would like to check. Please buddy.

Howzit bro. App is from playstore. 

Nothing is settable.

Uses your front lense. 

And it gives u the readings bro

[afternoon blazer]

Just place the phone infront of the light. And it tells u what it is. U can press the pause logo to freeze the readings.

[afternoon blazer]

@DamDave did u see the new light readings i got? 

[afternoon blazer]

[Totemic]

Now you getting intensities that the plants can work with.

[West Coast Vaper]

Hey Bud, thanks. I downloaded the app when everyone was raving about it the first time you posted it. I just don't know what units to use to calibrate the 3000k, 6000k and 9000k colour calibration as I get a N/A reading.

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[afternoon blazer]

3 hours ago, DamDave said:

Hey Bud, thanks. I downloaded the app when everyone was raving about it the first time you posted it. I just don't know what units to use to calibrate the 3000k, 6000k and 9000k colour calibration as I get a N/A reading.

Sent from my DRA-LX5 using Tapatalk
 

Maybe try downloading a few. If data isint a problem. And try them.

 

But i have used this light meter outside aswell in the sun. And i do get readings too.

[The_StonedTrooper]

4 hours ago, DamDave said:

Hey Bud, thanks. I downloaded the app when everyone was raving about it the first time you posted it. I just don't know what units to use to calibrate the 3000k, 6000k and 9000k colour calibration as I get a N/A reading.

Sent from my DRA-LX5 using Tapatalk
 

Brother, I believe because your sensor on your phone doesn't have the colour temperature option, it wouldn't show you that reading unfortunately

Added, the phone probably has a basic one, just to shut the screen off when face is near for calls, and not the full blown with temps and such, it's often then not even that case on the mid range Samsung too, I'm surprised we even get that option on our phones, it's crazy.

Edited July 25, 2020 by StickyD420
Added

[West Coast Vaper]

Brother, I believe because your sensor on your phone doesn't have the colour temperature option, it wouldn't show you that reading unfortunately
Added, the phone probably has a basic one, just to shut the screen off when face is near for calls, and not the full blown with temps and such, it's often then not even that case on the mid range Samsung too, I'm surprised we even get that option on our phones, it's crazy.

Aaah, thanks Bud.

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[TheUltimateNoob]

Maybe try downloading a few. If data isint a problem. And try them.

 

But i have used this light meter outside aswell in the sun. And i do get readings too.

There's one that MIGRO on YouTube downloaded, tested and compared to his Apogee Quantum sensor...

He also gives some correction factors in the end for different types of led if I remember correctly, as well as for colour temp and he gives a conversion factor to get approx PAR.

 

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[West Coast Vaper]

There's one that MIGRO on YouTube downloaded, tested and compared to his Apogee Quantum sensor... He also gives some correction factors in the end for different types of led if I remember correctly, as well as for colour temp and he gives a conversion factor to get approx PAR.
 
Sent from my POCOPHONE F1 using Tapatalk
 
 
 

I found one for photography that has a white balance option that works within reason. Called, wait for it, Light Meter by WBphoto.

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[TheUltimateNoob]

I found one for photography that has a white balance option that works within reason. Called, wait for it, Light Meter by WBphoto.

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The creativity in that name though... Damn

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[The_StonedTrooper]

3 hours ago, TheUltimateNoob said:

There's one that MIGRO on YouTube downloaded, tested and compared to his Apogee Quantum sensor...

He also gives some correction factors in the end for different types of led if I remember correctly, as well as for colour temp and he gives a conversion factor to get approx PAR

I've used this, and to honest, even with the correction factor and such, it seems way off what I've seen with Apogee. 

Even the app above, was giving me funky results yesterday. 

Picture is reading at canopy of the GSC, which is 300mm from my light. I find that impossible.