If you were going to set up a total newbie to indoor growing

Basic Growing Info
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What methods would you recommend for them?

I’ve talked to another experienced grower about this and it’s a bit confounding so I figured I’d find out what OG thinks or if they’ve done this before.

I was thinking:

  1. A tent - no need to worry about light/air sealing a custom enclosure
  2. Hempy Buckets - hard to overwater, low watering maintenance overall so that they can just focus on the lighting, ventilation, and humidity - also cheap to test run on.
  3. Solstrips, pre-built - probably a Sol Sheet so that just the driver has to be plugged in and everything hung.
  4. Regular old carbon filter/fan exhaust setup with a passive intake.
  5. Pre-mixed bottled or powder form nutes (maxigro/bloom) they can just follow the directions to the letter so they don’t have to EC, and possibly just get a PH correction kit using test strips for low overhead.

Forgive me if this topic has been covered, I searched but didn’t find anything for a “new grower’s kit”.

Have a fantastic day OG!

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I like it. Sounds pretty bullet proof to me!:+1: My grows with perilite hempy buckets and maxibloom were so easy, I really don’t know why I don’t use them all the time.

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Depending on the climate a dehumidifier or an humidifier, a rotating fan, air cooler or heater, termomether and hygrometer, Advanced Nutrients pH Perfect to avoid measuring it and problems with that, a lot of patience, avoiding panicking, reading all OG FAQ :smiley:…

These are advices from another noob … :grin:

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Buy once, cry once.

Though I didn’t take that advice when I bought another tent. I’ll have to replace it soon cause the light leaks are everywhere, and the zipper sucks.

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I would consider becoming an organic soil grower. I believe the taste & quality of the buds is highest when grown in soil with 100% organic medium and fertilizer.

It’s a fairly easy, simple way to grow. You can buy a pre-made soil like Roots Organics 707 and it will work the first time, it’s well-aerated and you can’t overwater it. You don’t have to think about pH or EC.

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The way you’re intending to grow is what I recommend to newbies. It’s what I still use, because I like to keep it simple above all else with as few moving parts or variables as possible.

I recommend DynaGro if you have hard water, Maxi Series if you have softer water. Both are 1-part, but MaxiBloom has 3x the Calcium that DynaGro does. You can get away with just using MaxiBloom, and I certainly have had success, but MaxiGrow will grow larger plants faster from the extra N. The only additive you need is Silica and a rooting hormone. Everything else is extraneous, though I do like Ful-Power and Floralicious Plus (I use a similar product called Jump Start) as foliars. For feeds I try to keep it salts-only. I don’t use any microbial/fungal products.

Hempy buckets are awesome. I still use them. Go bigger than what you think you’ll need. A 5 gallon hempy bucket can yield 1/2lb+ if you’re doing it right. I recommend using a hole 3" from the bottom in larger hempies instead of 2". Put perlite in the bottom 4" and 50/50 coco/perlite on top. That mix is pH stable essentially “out of the bag”. Trust me, I’ve tried EVERYTHING in a hempy. I like rockwool croutons too, but they are pricey.

All that being said, I DO NOT recommend LED. That’ll ruffle some feathers 'round here, but stick to CMH or HPS for flowering. LED is fine for vegetative tent lighting. I have been there, done that with LED and the results were ALWAYS subpar. I bought a top of the line ($1000) LED a few years back and sold it after 1 cycle to a friend for $200 as a veg light, if that tells you anything.

If you have any questions about the KISS method of growing feel free to inbox me. I taught myself to grow from the old KISS threads on icmag and I’d be happy to share any insight I’ve gained over the years. 1 tip I can give you is run your pH closer to 6.2 than 5.8. I shoot for 6.0 and the plants all love it.

I don’t check EC, I just use the pH test drops. All the dudes who use digital pens have a story about how off it was because they didn’t calibrate it. pH drops are slightly less accurate but never need calibration. After a while you only occasionally check pH, you’ll be able to read your plants if the pH gets out of wack. My yearly water supply is pretty stable, some places it changes seasonally so the same inputs generally get the same pH.

One of the problems with new growers is that there’s 1000 ways to skin a cat, everyone thinks their method is the best, and it’s just a general overload of information. I am happy to cut through the nonsense so you can be successful your first time, and even more successful after that.

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What brand name are u having issues with ?

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This is the tent…cheapest one I found, with some decent reviews. But at night time it’s like a christmas tree…i had to seal off my windows.

I’ve also got this which I’ve been using for drying. This one is a keeper! I’m using it for drying, and will be using it to start off my seeds when not in use. I’m on the hunt for another 5x5 as i like the extra space incase I need to get in there.

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I went with the vivosun ones at that price point. Had to use some black silicone and close off some pin prick light leaks. Plus their connectors are not plastic like some available. For the price point I am happy. But these are just basic grow tents

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Sounds exactly like what I am doing over here with OniTenshu taking it slow with a small grow while building confidence for a bigger grow for a 2nd round then he’ll be all on his own.

I think more should be encouraged to do this to help the more inexperienced ones going step by step and only discuss something as it comes up…virtual grow partner sharing in a process vastly reducing stress levels :wink:

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IMO a new grower should start in soil as suggested by @Muleskinner in a water only type system , no ph meters, no ec meters, no chemicals to adjust ph up or down , no pumps to worry about , a decent light is one recommendation I’d suggest . Does one need a tent? iv been growing for 2.5 years now I don’t have one yet. So much money can be wrapped up in this and that that when the first grow goes to shit a newbie can get very discouraged right off the start. KISS is my method and learn the small details and expand from there is what I’d recommend

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Sounds good to me. I personally don’t think a carb filter is necessary with smaller grows. Also depends on the strain. Apollo tents are a decent cheap option. Keeping epsom salt and Cal nitrate is 15$ well spent. Everyone saying to stay away from hempy haven’t grown with them I assume. By far easiest method imo. If you use perlite won’t have issues with bugs. pH is nearly as forgiving as soil. Much less watering, no pumps and even with soil you should check pH.

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I think this is great for a start for a large audience. I think you leave a larger following feeling lost at this point. Consider this as a lump sum and you have to get all of this just to start.

Lol all the heat nah gimme led’s much easier to deal with all the issues if we aren’t also contributing to global warming. If you need the heat fine.

But someone who just got a packet of seeds and is wondering where to go next…you guys want all this?

How about we get him in a cup of potting soil and under a lamp near a window? How about we get a cabinet and stick a seed tray in there while he figures out the financing for all that crap that he mostly won’t even need for the first 30 days.

I love the way you think for the most part…but if I tell you I already priced worms at 35 dollars though…why would you link me an option was 55? smh

Edit note: I am an ass and didn’t check who said this…it shows here because I mistakenly called out tinytuttle when it was someone else. Check first. sorry.

Nope well depends on the strain and not until 2 months in for sure.

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Not sure what’s referred here but iv gained all my knowledge for the most part through books and other OG members here as far a worms I literally started with a coffee cups worth of worms that I’d gotten for free through an worm exchange so no money there if one looks long enough and puts forth effort things can be had for cheap imo.

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I’m considering indoor growing during winter. I’d go micro and this looks interesting to me: https://www.homebox.net/en/product/a-q30/

Tiny tent, 30x30x60cm, 50€. Diagonal should just be enough to get a Solstrip in. I’d use soil and bottled fertilizer I already have. Throw in a hygro/ thermometer and I could start at around 100€ and see if I like it. Can always go bigger and fancier later.

Just my thoughts as a newbie. :smiley:

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good point about tents, if you house has closets or any open corner somewhere you’re good to go. I grew for a long time in closets. If you need odor control the tent & carbon filter are a must.

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my bad facepalm it was actually @cannabissequoia

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so in the end I got both of you to look at this thread :tongue: any comments?

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@Olbrannon I don’t need the heat from HID lights. I like to keep things cooler if possible, around 70. The heat is just a side effect to be dealt with. It is nice in the winter, I suppose. Helps heat the house. I knew the LED comment would ruffle feathers. If you want excellent flower, CMH or HPS is the way, the truth, and the light, pun intended. Regular metal halide is better than LED but less efficient than CMH or HPS., and the bulbs don’t last as long.

Maybe one day LED will match HID lighting, but that day ain’t here yet, and the results I had with LED were extremely disappointing. My $1000 unit with Cree 10w diodes didn’t even match a 250 HPS.

A couple lights is a thimble of water in the ocean with respect to global warming. A single 600 will supply all the man’s needs and plenty more.

Point is, if you want good results, use HID lighting. If you’re OK with airy, low-cannabinoid, sparse-trichome-coverage flowers, by all means use LED.

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And I believe I can get the same if not superior product with the right spread of leds it’s a matter of matching PAR and saturation levels.

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