This is my first time growing indoors in any form. I’m needing some advice on how to start seeds in my 4x4 grow tent . What does the temperature, humidity and light schedule need to be. I’ll appreciate any help I can get.
Lots of different ways to do it. Recommend seeing ILGM grow guides. Sections on the topic are worth reading,
I use a shallow container with some water and a little hydrogen peroxide. Drop the seeds in. Put in paper bag and set on top of satellite / cable box - is the perfect temp. Let soak up to 24 hours. Then I put seeds on wet paper towel between two plates and return it to cable box. When the tap root is 1/2" I put it in starter pot filled with good starter mix tap root down. Water mix to moisten.
before covering the seed head
Under a 64W veg light dimmed to 50%. A couple of purple kush.
10 days later
Changed out small tray cover for 7" tall standard 20" tray cover
Great to maintain temp & humidity (70 - 75 degrees, humidity also around 70%)
You don’t need a lot of light at this stage. First two week lights 24/0 , then 18/6
Light intensity and height are important. Like I said you don’t need a lot of light to start seeds or during early veg. However, it needs to be set at proper height to avoid excess stretching of the seedling. You are growing a strong cannabis plant not a pole bean.
What do you have for lights?
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I have a 1000 watt TMlapy sunlike led and I have a 3000watt TMlapy sunlike led with a adjustable dimmer on the veg and bloom controls. Also thank you for going into detail on your previous post, I really appreciate it. I can use all the help I can get.
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I checked out the 1000W on amazon and found the 3000 on a different site. Their watt draw is 95 and 260 respectively. Total is 355 which gives you 22 watts drawn per sq ft. Even though they have samsung 301B diodes, the two lights will be underpowered to flower a full 4x4 tent.
The 1000 will be good to get the seeds started and the first week or two. You will have to play with the settings and height to see how if affects the plants. You will want to add the 3000 at some point. Again, get a feel for the veg & bloom settings and height. You will end up having both switches on.
The two lights should do a good job for you if you use both of them on 1/2 the tent (2x4). The number of plants in this space can vary greatly. Some growers can successfully grow 6-8 plants in a 2x4 space. They are kept small by training and limited veg time and smaller grow pots. Other will grow only one or two in the same size space. Just different styles and approaches. It all works once you figure it out. And, that is the fun part.
Here I was thinking the 3000watt was too much for the 4x4 because it said with the bloom and veg both on at 100% it had a 6.6’ x7.9’ coverage. That was why I bought the 1000watt for the 4x4 because it said it’s coverage was 4’x4.5. Thank god I got to talk to you where you know about this stuff. I have grown outdoors for 18 years. But I have never grown a single plant inside. The only thing I know about indoor is its a whole different animal than growing outdoors. I’m going to use the tent to get the plants started then I’m going to transfer them to a 20x20 grow room. For the 20x20 grow room I have 9 3000watt tmlapy sunlike led. Now I know that won’t work. How many 3000w tmlapy lights will I need for a 20x20 room? Or what size of a room will 9 3000watt tmlapy lights run? Also how do figure how grow lights will run a certain square footage? That will be handy to know.Sorry for all the questions, I’m a newbie as you can tell. Thank you for your knowledge and your patience.
I wish retailers would be more upfront. And when it comes to quantum board knock offs from China, it is taken to a whole new level. It was not that long ago I struggled with buying a light when I wanted to try growing for the first time. I did a lot of Best Of Searches. What I ended by buying is adequate but twice the cost of what a more efficient HLG, Budget LED, even Spider Farmer or Mars Hydro would be. Within a year I built a light to add additional power. I am no way an expert in this area but I read a lot of posts about lights and what is recommended. And, for example I was not familiar with the brand / model you have so I looked it up. Just to see what it is and see if it will do what you want it to do.
I am a recreational grower. What you are wanting to do is beyond what I am comfortable advising. Let me tag @dbrn32 the resident guru on lights. Also @PharmerBob has built many lights and a wealth of information.
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The light you have doesn’t seem to be terrible, just not quite as good as they try to say it is. Would probably do a reasonable job of vegging a 4x4 per fixture on 18 hour schedule. But flowering would be tall feat on 12 hour schedule.
They say your light is 260 watts using lm301b. The most trusted names in horticulture lighting using top bins of same led, and they advertise their 260 watt fixtures to flower around a 2x4’ space.
I should have done more research before I bought so many of them. I bought one and it seemed really bright with veg&bloom both at 100% so I bought more.But I’m a newbie at indoors. I don’t know a thing about lights as you can tell . Would 6 3000w tmlapy lights be enough for a 10x10 grow tent? Thank you for sharing your indoor knowledge .
I would figure about 8-10 square feet of canopy per fixture for good results.
Okay, thank you. What kind of lights do you recommend?
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I build all of my own using different led modules. Horticulture lighting group is extremely popular, but there are several other great led companies out there.
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