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The Fluorescent Grow Challange...

5 Day Update # 6

Here's the progress thus far one month in at 5 day intervals:

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I'm using T5s, but I've been keeping them 12+ inches away up to this point so I don't burn the little guys or have the soil dry out too fast. It won't be too much longer and I'll move the light down a bit and make them really happy :)

Indy :onfire:
 
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Do you see what I see??? I see a cluster of baby buds! Best switch my ferts im using in a week or so. Also uppotted to a 2 liter soda bottle because the little plants outgrew the tiny pot they were in. So excited today when I saw the buds

Crap I forgot the quarter! Will get a quarter pic in a little
 
Hate to hassle, but will this contest be on during Aussie winter and/or next year during America's winter?
I seriously want in next time around!!
 
Well, I'm officially out. :(

I had 11 seeds sprout and pop up with the 2 baby leaves, and that's where they stayed....and stayed.

I kept thinking they weren't warm enough, so I put them right in front of the pellet stove glass. That seemed like a good spot....until the pellet stove got turned up and it baked all except one.

I've been trying to baby that one along, and it finally gave up the ghost yeaterday. Never even got a true leaf. Sorry, guys...

The rest of them here are looking really nice. Gitguy's got buds already? WOW! Mine never even got out of the sprout stage.
 
salsalady said:
Well, I'm officially out. :(

I had 11 seeds sprout and pop up with the 2 baby leaves, and that's where they stayed....and stayed.

I kept thinking they weren't warm enough, so I put them right in front of the pellet stove glass. That seemed like a good spot....until the pellet stove got turned up and it baked all except one.

I've been trying to baby that one along, and it finally gave up the ghost yeaterday. Never even got a true leaf. Sorry, guys...

The rest of them here are looking really nice. Gitguy's got buds already? WOW! Mine never even got out of the sprout stage.
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Well that sucks Ann but you are not out of this as I still hope to see your input and comments on this. It will also help others who have similar circumstances as you for heating when gearing up their own seedlings for spring. As much as this was a contest is was meant to be a teaching tread on using florescent lighting as the stable element and various other techneques for growing medium, heating, humidity and fertilizers and see the results side by side. So far we have all seen the results of germination with over heating (Pepper Guru), keeping them to close to wood stove as a heat source (Salsalady) I even fried my remaining extra seedlings in the rockwool having them to close to the lights. We have seen that the ones under the T5 lights are out pacing the T8 lighted ones. All of this is extremely helpful for all of us when we contemplate where we invest our money for our grow setups to counter each of our unique grow areas.
 
Sorry to hear that S.L. well I supposed ya learned something from this... 2 people out from temp issues. That's what this was all about anyway, trial and error. I set this box up in the early fall, and was growing a few, and knew they would get too big. I figured it would be a good lesson for all those following this thread. So how many people are still in?

Anyway mine are growing like weeds, I don't see any flowers yet, but I'm sure there not far behind...

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onefowl1 said:
So all following this thread do not have to keep going back and checking can we all post each time we add pics what florescent system we are using. I think I am starting to see a pattern with the T5 seedlings out growing the T8 ones quickly.
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Is there some way to pin a list of the grow setups for each participant, i.e., lighting, HO's vs standard, hydro, etc., to the start of this thread; as a kind of legend? That way, for example, if one is considering CFL's with Hydro, one could scroll through for that participant's posts.

Also, has anyone attempted to determine their DLI for their fluorescent configuration or grow area?

It would seem this information would be an aid for those of us following along, as a comparison to our own fluorescent setups and for future considerations.
 
Geez Tupperware, those things are monsters! I'm going to repot mine tomorrow into 2.78L (or something like that) pots with miracle grow Orchid mix with some of that Zoom! fertilizer mixed in and see if they'll take off a little bit. The T8 bulbs definitely keep them growing slow, but so far they're not looking leggy. I guess for a $20 setup including the 2 bulbs they make for decent seed starting if you're not in a rush to get them huge, but they really don't seem to grow any faster than the seeds I started on my windowsill last year, just a little more compact.
 
Update :)

Heres my plants...not official "seeds" of the contest but started on the same day! Orange Manzano, T Scorp Red, and Yellow 7 Pot...Update for day 30 i think?!?! lol

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And heres the lights they are growing under...moved them back under these T5's....2of thesefixtures side by side daisy chained together :)

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to be continued...
 
I re-potted my plants into 2.7L containers today. I used Miracle Grow African Violet potting mix and worked in some of that Zoom! organic fertilizer. They should have plenty of room for their roots to take off now. I potted one into a much shallower container (same diameter though) to see how much the depth of the roots would affect the plant size. The soil that I grow my peppers in outside is extremely rocky, which I'm sure restricts root development. I'm thinking about growing a lot of plants in 5 gallon containers next year to see how the yields compare to my in-ground plants of the same varieties.
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Stopped into the local hydro shop today to check out lights. My choice was a 200w cfl at 120$ or a 24" flouro t5 for 40... So, while getting rung in for the t5, I asked if she had any nutrient samples, she grabs a box and says try these out. Anyone use Grotek? Its a 4 pack of 250ml each of heavy bud, bud fuel, vita max and solo tek. Just checking before I try them out on my challenge plants.
 
ta2edfreak said:
Stopped into the local hydro shop today to check out lights. My choice was a 200w cfl at 120$ or a 24" flouro t5 for 40... So, while getting rung in for the t5, I asked if she had any nutrient samples, she grabs a box and says try these out. Anyone use Grotek? Its a 4 pack of 250ml each of heavy bud, bud fuel, vita max and solo tek. Just checking before I try them out on my challenge plants.
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I haven't heard of it before....
 
ta2edfreak said:
Stopped into the local hydro shop today to check out lights. My choice was a 200w cfl at 120$ or a 24" flouro t5 for 40... So, while getting rung in for the t5, I asked if she had any nutrient samples, she grabs a box and says try these out. Anyone use Grotek? Its a 4 pack of 250ml each of heavy bud, bud fuel, vita max and solo tek. Just checking before I try them out on my challenge plants.
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"That's a "Horse of a Different Color".....those nutes are geared up for "other" crops. If your growing your peppers in a soil medium I'd recommend using "Fish Emulsion, Liquid Kelp, and Epsom salts" sparingly and diluted. Not much is needed at all when the plants are still in the vital seedling stage.........less is more, avoid burning your seedlings with an "overdose" of chemicals............. :eek:

Greg
 
Fair enough, thanks. On a side note, I took the top off my seedlings and managed to burn a couple with the cfl, sigh. Not bad and I'm sure they will recover but it will slow the grow down. SL sorry to hear about yours, I get worried when I leave mine on the radiator too long and that doesnt get above 80 or so.
 
Thanks! I'm curious to see what S.S.'s look like, his look to be growing faster than mine. Maybe he's using more nitrogen and I'll get peppers first? We'll see... to be continued

Indy
 
Update #7 I believe. My plants are coming along really well. They seem to have liked the transplant and have not been shocked by it at all. Can't wait to see some peppers on this thing!

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Just got back from the coast, and I'm loaded with flowers... wife is still out at the condo and has the camera,, so mo pics til tomorrow morn. They seem to be growing at quite a fast pace now...
 
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