First I'd like to thank Nebula Haze and Sirius Foreside for a fantastic website for marijuana growers. I've learned so much from you and your members and I greatly appreciate it.
I'm a first time grower in the newly legalized state of MA. I started a DWC top fed system on Feb. 1 in my basement. I followed your guide and ordered everything from Amazon. I have a 4X4X7 Apollo grow tent, Hydro Crunch Reflector, 600w IPower MH light, 600 W Digilux HPS light, and GH Flora Trio Nutes, Cal-Mag and HydroGuard and the other recommended accessories.
I ordered my seeds from Sensible Seeds. I got all Auto Fems of Northern Lights, White Widow, Super Skunk and Amnesia Haze. They sent me 5 Black Thai bonus seeds that were no good.
My basement is dry (40% humidity) and cold (55 degrees) so I put an oil filled radiator and humidifier in my tent to try to maintain 70% humidity and 75 degree temp. Here are some things I learned that may be of interest to other new growers in basements:
If you want to do DWC top fed bubbleponics, be careful when buying your 10 gal tote. There are many varieties of totes that do not conform to the Sterilize tote that Nebulla recommends. The 10 gal Sterilize tote is 13" tall, 14" wide and 21" long. These dimensions work well with the water pump distribution system Nebulla recommends. Other totes may be too shallow to work well.
You could really use two people to set-up the 4x4x7 tent. Make sure you assemble the upper support rails so they overhang the rails beneath. I would duct tape them so they stay centered and in place.
Tar paper or some other absorbent material wouldn't be a bad idea to put under your tent between the basement floor.
Try to locate your tent near an electric outlet. A good, grounded 6 outlet power strip should be within reach of the tent.
When you cut holes in the lid of your tote, don't trace the top of your net pots. If you do, they will fall through. They need to be a bit smaller. A sharp razor knife is best for cutting the holes.
When you insert the water tubes into your net pots, about half-way up, wrap some black electric tape on the tube inside the pot so it won't pull out.
Use a drill to drill 3/8" holes in the tub just under the lid to insert the tubes for the pump and air stones and power cord for the pump.
If your basement is as cold and dry as mine, you'll need a humidifier and possibly a heater until you put your grow light on. I bought an Aircare D46 720 4 Speed Tower Style Evaporative Humidifier ($61.00 Amazon). It is tall and doesn't take up much space in the tent and has two side tanks that hold 2 gals of water. If you want to save money, hang 2 or 3 soaking wet bath towels from the overhead rails.
I have 2 small fans circulating air. One is attached to the side of the tent, pointed down at the plants to disturb them a bit. The other one is on the floor of the tent pointed straight up to push the heat out through the top vents in the tent. I control the heat by setting the fans at different speeds and adjusting the openings and flaps on the tent. I don't think I'll ever need the exhaust fan and ducts.
I would not use the mini spray nozzles you sometimes get for the water pump distribution tubes. The holes are so fine I'm afraid they may clog.
When you connect your pump tubing to your net pots, leave plenty of slack so when you pull the lid off during weekly water changes, there's enough room to look inside the tub without pulling everything apart.
When you change the water, try to make sure the new water is at the same temp, so it doesn't shock the roots. Always check the PH after you add the nutes.
Buy 2 5 gal buckets. One for the new water and one for the old water. The battery operated drain pump Nebulla recommends works like a charm.
I found that 5.8 is the best PH for my system. For fun I check the PH of the water when I remove it from the tub each week. It has been about 6.5. Maybe because the nutes have been used up?
I have been driven crazy by yellow leaves. I was really glad when Nebulla posted the latest newsletter about yellow leaves. I have found that when yellow leaves appear it means I need to change the water. This way I can be sure the PH and the nutes are where they should be. This seems to work well to correct the problem.
I just started LST in the Week 2 of my grow. I have found that lead fishing weights and twist ties work great. You can move them easily as needed. I attached a pic.
Lastly for now, as a new grower, I have found it very interesting to see how the different strains grow. Northern Lights is growing like a champ, while the other strains, White Widow and Super Skunk are about a week behind. Amnesia Haze is pulling up the rear about 2 weeks behind Northern Lights. I suppose they all react to heat, light, humidity, PH and nutes differently,
Best of luck to all of the other new growers, especially the ones in the basement!
I'm a first time grower in the newly legalized state of MA. I started a DWC top fed system on Feb. 1 in my basement. I followed your guide and ordered everything from Amazon. I have a 4X4X7 Apollo grow tent, Hydro Crunch Reflector, 600w IPower MH light, 600 W Digilux HPS light, and GH Flora Trio Nutes, Cal-Mag and HydroGuard and the other recommended accessories.
I ordered my seeds from Sensible Seeds. I got all Auto Fems of Northern Lights, White Widow, Super Skunk and Amnesia Haze. They sent me 5 Black Thai bonus seeds that were no good.
My basement is dry (40% humidity) and cold (55 degrees) so I put an oil filled radiator and humidifier in my tent to try to maintain 70% humidity and 75 degree temp. Here are some things I learned that may be of interest to other new growers in basements:
If you want to do DWC top fed bubbleponics, be careful when buying your 10 gal tote. There are many varieties of totes that do not conform to the Sterilize tote that Nebulla recommends. The 10 gal Sterilize tote is 13" tall, 14" wide and 21" long. These dimensions work well with the water pump distribution system Nebulla recommends. Other totes may be too shallow to work well.
You could really use two people to set-up the 4x4x7 tent. Make sure you assemble the upper support rails so they overhang the rails beneath. I would duct tape them so they stay centered and in place.
Tar paper or some other absorbent material wouldn't be a bad idea to put under your tent between the basement floor.
Try to locate your tent near an electric outlet. A good, grounded 6 outlet power strip should be within reach of the tent.
When you cut holes in the lid of your tote, don't trace the top of your net pots. If you do, they will fall through. They need to be a bit smaller. A sharp razor knife is best for cutting the holes.
When you insert the water tubes into your net pots, about half-way up, wrap some black electric tape on the tube inside the pot so it won't pull out.
Use a drill to drill 3/8" holes in the tub just under the lid to insert the tubes for the pump and air stones and power cord for the pump.
If your basement is as cold and dry as mine, you'll need a humidifier and possibly a heater until you put your grow light on. I bought an Aircare D46 720 4 Speed Tower Style Evaporative Humidifier ($61.00 Amazon). It is tall and doesn't take up much space in the tent and has two side tanks that hold 2 gals of water. If you want to save money, hang 2 or 3 soaking wet bath towels from the overhead rails.
I have 2 small fans circulating air. One is attached to the side of the tent, pointed down at the plants to disturb them a bit. The other one is on the floor of the tent pointed straight up to push the heat out through the top vents in the tent. I control the heat by setting the fans at different speeds and adjusting the openings and flaps on the tent. I don't think I'll ever need the exhaust fan and ducts.
I would not use the mini spray nozzles you sometimes get for the water pump distribution tubes. The holes are so fine I'm afraid they may clog.
When you connect your pump tubing to your net pots, leave plenty of slack so when you pull the lid off during weekly water changes, there's enough room to look inside the tub without pulling everything apart.
When you change the water, try to make sure the new water is at the same temp, so it doesn't shock the roots. Always check the PH after you add the nutes.
Buy 2 5 gal buckets. One for the new water and one for the old water. The battery operated drain pump Nebulla recommends works like a charm.
I found that 5.8 is the best PH for my system. For fun I check the PH of the water when I remove it from the tub each week. It has been about 6.5. Maybe because the nutes have been used up?
I have been driven crazy by yellow leaves. I was really glad when Nebulla posted the latest newsletter about yellow leaves. I have found that when yellow leaves appear it means I need to change the water. This way I can be sure the PH and the nutes are where they should be. This seems to work well to correct the problem.
I just started LST in the Week 2 of my grow. I have found that lead fishing weights and twist ties work great. You can move them easily as needed. I attached a pic.
Lastly for now, as a new grower, I have found it very interesting to see how the different strains grow. Northern Lights is growing like a champ, while the other strains, White Widow and Super Skunk are about a week behind. Amnesia Haze is pulling up the rear about 2 weeks behind Northern Lights. I suppose they all react to heat, light, humidity, PH and nutes differently,
Best of luck to all of the other new growers, especially the ones in the basement!
