Watt Hps Hydroponics Grow Light
Growing Marijuana Indoors: An Overview
This how-to guide will teach you about each step in the process of growing your first marijuana plant indoors. From seeds and nutrients to lighting and hydroponic systems, this guide is a basic overview for the novice indoor marijuana grower.
Seeds
For your first grow operation I recommend you seeds that are easy to obtain, such as those found in your own bud. Once you get some experience growing you may want to consider buying cannabis seeds. There are many types of marijuana seeds out there and many different strains. There are feminized seeds which yield only female plants, and there are low-rider dwarf plants that flower automatically. There are many varieties of Sativa, Indica, and hybrid (containing genetics from both Indica and Sativa strains). Sativa and sativa-dominant strains tend to give the user more of a head high as opposed to a body high; whereas Indica-dominant strains tend to give you that couch-lock stoney high. Step 2 Growing Method
There are many methods of growing cannabis but we will only talk using soil here, as this is a beginners tutorial. Hydroponic growing will be a topic of a future tutorial.
Growing in soil is also the method suggested by the Cannabis Chef when the marijuana will be used in foods. Soil will provide the most natural flavor for cannabis and is best for cooking.
Germinate Seeds
It is extremely helpful to germinate the seeds before starting an indoor soil grow operation. To germinate the seeds, simply place them in a folded dampened paper towel and leave over night. Check the seeds, if the sprout has begun to break through the husk of the seed then it is ready. If not, re-dampen the paper towel and continue this process until the seed germinates. If the sprout does not break through within five or so days, it is most likely a dud. Toss, and start again.
Prepare the Space
You will need a space to grow your plants. Where ever you chose to grow, make sure you prepare the space properly. I suggest lining the floor with trash bags or plastic drop sheets to prevent water damage. It is also a good idea to line or paint the walls with a white material. This will help reflect light back at the plants. If this is not an option you may use aluminum foil. Make sure the dull side of the foil is facing outwards towards the plants. Aluminum foil is not a great choice however it is better than nothing.
Choose and Install a Light
The Cannabis Chef suggests staying away from florescent light bulbs, but if you must always use a CFL (compact florescent light) and at least 100 watts for one plant. Your plant will most likely grow, however you will also likely be disappointed in your crops. We suggest using between 250-400 Watt HPS (High Pressure sodium) or HID MH (high-intensity discharge metal halide) lights. You will want to mount the lights in a way that allows you to move them up as the plant grows. For safety we suggest using a reflector on the light, and a fan in the space you are using. Not only will the fan prevent it from getting to warm in the space it will also help to circulate oxygen to the plants.
Setting up the Plants
For each plant you are growing you will need one 3-5 gallon bucket. You can find these at Home Depot or almost any department store. You could also find a great deal at amazon.com. Make sure you poke about 5 small holes in the bottom of the bucket to allow excess water to drain. You may use the lid of the bucket as a water catcher by placing it underneath the bucket.
Next, fill each bucket with soil, leaving about 4 inches at the top. We suggest using organic potting soil. Test the soils PH using a PH Meter. The soil should be somewhere between 6.0 and 7.0. Remember adding nutrients will increase the acidity of the soil. There are PH balancing kits available to help achieve the perfect balance. This is important for a healthy plant.
Using your finger, push a small whole about quarter to a half inch deep into the soil in the center of the bucket. Know place the seed or clone in and cover with soil. The soil should be packed firmly but not so dense that the sprout will not be able to push through.
The Light Routine
We recommend using 16 hours of light and 8 hours of dark for the first two weeks. After the first two weeks you may increase the amount of light by one hour each day until you are using between 18 and 24 hours of light in a 24 hour period. After the plants reach desired height (probably around 12 depending on the strain) you may decrease the lighting to just 12 hours on and 12 hours off. This will trigger the flowering cycle of the plant. This is the time the buds will begin to form. This is also the time where you must remove any male plants. Male plants can be detected by their pollen sacs. These are small pod-like plant structures which will fertilize the female plants (causing seeds and less potency!). So be sure to remove the males as soon as can spot them.
The Nutrient Routine
For the first two weeks after germination we suggest using only water to feed the plants. For the next two weeks slowly increase the nutrient solution to the suggested amount. This will help prevent against burning or shocking the plants. During the vegetative stage we suggest using N-P-K (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) ratio of about 30-15-15. For the flowering stage use a 15-30-30 ratio. This is only what we recommend, and every strain will do better using a different regiment. If you bought your seeds from a legitimate source it may come with documentation with a N-P-K suggestion.
Harvesting
Harvesting is a huge topic that involves many things including drying, curing, trimming and more. Here we will only get into knowing when to harvest. Look forward to future material about the harvesting process. You will want to harvest the cannabis plants when the trichomes (small hair-like glands found on the marijuana buds) are an amber color. Use a magnifying glass to examine the buds. When around 90% of the trichomes are amber in color, it is time to harvest!
About the Author
For more information see Jorge Cervantes Ultimate Grow and for cooking info see Cannabutter.
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 6 pcs 600W watt SUPER HPS HYDROPONICS GROW LIGHTS BULBs US $139.99 |  1000w Watt HID Hydroponic Plant Set HPS Grow Light Kit US $227.95 |  HPS 150 Watt Grow Light Fixture White Hydroponic US $29.99 |
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 | Hydroponic Full Spectrum High Power CFL Compact Fluorescent Fluorescent 125W Day Grow Light 5500K 125W Sale Price: $24.99  |
DescriptionThese CFL Grow lights are 125 watt models with 5500K day light temperature color balanced which will increased output in the red spectrum which promotes flowering & budding in plants. |
 | Sunmaster Super High Output Hps Bulbs - 1000 Watts List Price: |
DescriptionSunmaster 1000 watt high pressure sodium super high output lamp. Manufactured to compete with EYE Hortilux brand hps lamps. This Sunmaster lamp wins in both number of lumens and the amount of increased blue output. |
 | Eye Hortilux Lamp Super HPS Enhanced Spectrum Bulb - 430 Watts List Price: |
DescriptionExtend the growing season to 365 days a year with Eye Hortilux grow lamps. Choose Eye Hortilux lamps to raise your lighting system to a new level of performance, optimizing spectral energy levels that promote vigorous plant growth... |
 | New Digilux DX1000 HPS 1000W Digital Grow Light Bulb Sodium Hydroponics Quality Sale Price: $67.99 |
DescriptionDigilux Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium bulbs are favored by growers because of the wide color spectrum and efficiency. They are engineered for use in digital ballasts and feature enhanced red and orange spectrums (HPS) blue spectrums (MH), better color uniformity, longer bulb life, and less lumen depreciation... |
 | 600w HPS Harvest Pro Elite Ballast Sun System Sale Price: $157.21 |
DescriptionExclusive, two part ballast enclosure is the coolest running light system in the industry. The ballast core is in one compartment while the capacitor & ignitor are in the other. This protects these critical components from the heat of the ballast... |
 | Hydrofarm FLCDG125D 125-Watt Compact Fluorescent Grow Light System with Dew Guard List Price: |
DescriptionHydrofarm FLCDG125D 125 Watt Fluorowing Compact Fluorescent System with Dew Guard Hydrofarm FLCDG125D 125 Watt Fluorowing Compact Fluorescent System with Dew Guard Features: Full daylight spectrum incandescent grow bulbs Compact reflector Includes RFDG dew guard Includes hanging hardware 125 watt |
 | Sunshine Systems LEDGP45 GlowPanel 28 Watt 45 LED Grow Light List Price: |
DescriptionGlowPanel45The GlowPanel 45 uses the latest in LED technology to provide your plants with the perfect blend of light suitable for all stages of growth. From seed to flower to fruit. More than four times the output of the original GlowPanel, the GlowPanel 45 uses only 28 Watts of power and surpasses the output of a 250 Watt HPS... |
 | Hydrofarm FLT24 2-Foot Four Tube T5 Fluorescent Grow Light System List Price: |
DescriptionLight Bulb:(4)26w T5 Mini Bi-Pin Linear Fluor, Size:2 Ft T5 Fluorescent commercial light system. Hydrofarm's newest T5 system delivers performance, flexibility and high lumen output in any growing environment... |
 | Ultra Sun HPS 1000 List Price: |
DescriptionThese high-output super HPS lamps are specifically engineered for plant growth. Their spectrum and output rival lamps that are three times the price. Full color retail packaging. One year warranty. |
 | Hydrofarm SBSYST Cooling Fan System for Plants List Price: |
DescriptionCooling fan system for Sunburst™ Reflectors |
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