Pre planning for 2nd (hopefully better than first) grow

HI,

I want to make a journal starting from the planning stage.

So I’m going to be preparing for a good beginner grow.
My mother in law is coming to stay with us until early June and the wife doesn’t want me growing pot while she’s here. So ill probably start seedlings in late May.

my first grow i used seeds from a local supplier- i couldnt wrangle in the PH and the soil ended up getting too acidic and my plant died in week 8 or so of flowering. Still strung her up and is drying currently. Ill probably make some oil outta it.

Last time i used some various general purpose garden fertilizers and soils, no PH monitoring, and no humidity. my plant eventually ended up not having any more leaves, not drinking water, not fattening. i cut it down 1 week early before bugs/mold came.

Since then I purchased a ph meter, tds meter, 1 gallon fabric pots, 3 gallon plastic pots, Pro-mix HP, Fox Farm Ocean forest, dolomitic lime, perlite, GH flora series performance pack, PH up + down, cal mag. and still reading TONS ever since i started interest in this last November. So much contradicting information on the internet. Makes my head spin. Someone always swears by something that nobody else has success in or can replicate.

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The climate of my room listed below has been established to be accurate from my first grow that just ended for me. i made my own personal diary journal and am not going to share.

Strain; 3 seeds total… from platinum mix-pack. Still trying to decide what to start with, Gold Leaf, Purple Haze or Silver Haze. Any suggestions? I also have some pineapple express seeds from a local supplier. Still trying to decide.
Soil in pots, Hydroponic, or Coco: Pots: Germinate + veg in 1 gallon fabric pot, transplant to 3 gallon plastic pot before flowering.
System type? One 3gallon pot in FFOF mixed with extra perlite and dolomitic lime, two 3 gallon pots with pro-mix HP mixed with extra perlite and dolomitic lime. (to compare)
PH of runoff or solution in reservoir? Nutrients going in purposefully ranging from 5.5 to 6.5 ( ill sometimes do low, sometimes high), RO water going in at close to 6.0 between feedings (comes out of the tap at 6.0-6.2).
What is strength of nutrient mix? EC, or TDS: I don’t know yet until my TDS meter arrives, following GH Flora series performance pack ml/gallon ratios including CaliMagic (because using RO water). All at ratios recommended by GH on their drain to waste flora series feed schedule. Water only on FFOF one until week 4 or 5.
Indoor or Outdoor: indoor
Light system, size? Platinum LED P150, (apparently replaces a 250W HPS/MH) plus two 100W CFL bulbs side lighting. 6500K for Veg 16/8, 2700k for flower. 12/12
Temps; Day, Night 28C lights on, 17C when all lights off- the CFL’s put out more heat than the LED.
Humidity; Day, Night : I have seen anywhere between 15-40% day or night, usually hovers around 30-35% though.
Ventilation system; Yes, No, Size, yes, 88CFM exhaust sucking through a DIY carbon filter located on top of closet wall. 72CFM air intake fan bottom of closet wall. Closet is a 54cubic foot space. (replaces air in closet slightly over once per minute after taking into account the carbon filters resistance)
AC, Humidifier, De-humidifier, :No
Co2; Yes, No: No

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Soil questions: 1) for FFOF and Pro-mix HP I should use water and nutrient PH 5.5-6.5 for both correct? Both are considered soilless mediums I think

  1. For FFOF and Pro-mix HP. I see conflicting reports on when to water. Do I water when the top 2-3” are dry? Or should I feel the bottom through the drainage holes? Sometimes its dry on the top layer of soil but still damp at the bottom of the pot when I stick my finger through the drainage holes. Ive been waiting until the bottom is fairly dry as well as the top.

  2. After adding lime, IF my soil PH becomes too alkaline, should I add some aluminum sulphate to acidify the soil back to the proper range? Or will my waterings/feedings do it for me?

Hi, I am glad your starting a grow journal I will keep an eye out for your next posts. Someone with more experience than myself will come along and answer your questions. My interest is the Trichomes I am collecting information on how much the Trichomes change over the flush period. How many have turned amber when you start to flush and how many are amber after the flush. If you could collect that information I would be grateful. thanks .

Take care.

David.