Growing can be difficult, we know that. So we’ve created an easy to understand guide to help you create a highly efficient environment for your plants to allow for bigger and better yields. This guide is relevant for growers of all proficiency, novice or expert, you can do it too!
Rockwool Cubes
Rockwool cubes are small cubes of basalt and chalk that can be used for both cuttings and seedlings. They are used for germinating and work because of their internal structure that has a large water capacity. This allows much needed vital oxygen to provide a perfect environment to the vulnerable root system of a young plant.
Grodan are a Premier brand of Rockwool and they have won multiple awards such as the KIWA Dutch award for quality and the European Eco Label award.
Grow Tent
Providing your plants with a near perfect growing environment is essential; and a grow tent is the best way to do that, they’re incredibly easy to put together and maintain a controlled environment that removes the worry of pests and outside manipulation.
Century Grow systems Bloomroom grow tents are the perfect option for first time growers and are heavily supported by experts.
pH Meter
The pH of your nutrient solution and grow medium is absolutely vital during plant growth. If the pH levels aren’t maintained within the correct range (5.5-6.5, the ‘sweet spot’ is 5.8) your plants will struggle to uptake nutrients in the correct amounts. pH can be life or death, so we recommend a pH meter to allow you to adjust the pH as needed. An EC meter is also recommended to maintain the recommended strength of your nutrient solution for each stage of growing. Early veg/seedling (0.4) Mid-Late Veg (0.5-1.3) Early flowering (1.4-1.8) Mid–Late Flower (1.8-2.4). The general tip is to not exceed a value of 1200 PPM ( parts per million) (2.4 EC)
We recommend browsing for the best pH and EC meters that suit your needs. Bear in mind for quality meters you may have to pay more. Meters from sites such as Amazon and Ebay will work but they will break after a few uses. Or they will calibrate upon using the provided buffers, to then give wild readings when applying!
Lighting
Light is the food for your plants, they use it to photosynthesize. Finding the right light for your plants can be confusing, but usually a 400w Duel Spectrum HPS will do the trick for both Veg and Flower stages and you can increase to a 600w if you wish. If you’d like a different light for each stage you can use a 200w CFL bulb for veg and, traditionally, a 600 to 1000w HPS bulb for flowering. HPS bulbs require the use of a ballast, which you can get as digital or magnetic.
Sunmaster is a widely used and highly respected brand of light and you can expect a light that is long lasting and works exceptionally.
Timer
Timers are ideal to avoid the stress of having to manually turn your lights on and off. You can set the time, plug in your light and go! The timer will also automatically turn the lights back on at your selected time.
Plug and Grow timers are recommended as they are easy to use and have a mechanical timer function which avoids any digital errors.
Fans
Fans are another essential when creating the perfect environment for any plant. Plants need lots of carbon dioxide to be able to respire which aids in growth, without this airflow your plants will really struggle. Aside from CO2 , correct ventilation maintains the correct temperatures which is essential. Adding a fan is ideal for ventilation and creating a good stable airflow for your plants to breathe in
Red Scorpion are an excellent and trusted brand for both in-line fans and extractor fans.
Be sure when purchasing your fans that you select an intake fan which is larger in size than your outtake for proper airflow.
Ducting
Your growing environment must have at least two ventilation holes; one for bringing in fresh, clean air and another for expelling stale air. Ducting is necessary for providing a pathway for that air to be expelled and allows it to pass through a carbon filter
Black ducting is recommended to ensure no light is accidentally pushed into your environment when it is not needed.
Carbon Filter
If you want to keep your environment clean and odor free whilst also giving your plants the most optimal airflow. They are a perfect solution to keeping the air within your tent pure and clean. You must match the size of your carbon filter to the SAME size of your extraction fan eg; 4 inch extraction fan/4 inch carbon filter, this maintains correct air pressure.
RhinoPro are a highly recommended brand for long lasting filters.
Hygrometer
Above all else, maintaining the environment once it is set up its the most important factor to a successful grow, and using a hygrometer for measuring the temperature and humidity allows you to be in control of your plants productivity. Keep your plants happy!
Any brand of hygrometer will serve the purpose, we just recommend you purchase one that seems reliable and one that is easy for you to use!
Humidifiers
Few people realize the importance of maintaining the humidity of your environment. Correct humidity allows for easier and quicker photosynthesis, why not provide the optimal conditions?
Anything that adds humidity to your room can be used for this. As long as it has a dial that you can scale up or down if you need to. Remember to use your hygrometer to measure the humidity and adjust the humidifier as needed.
Author: Hydroponify
We know all things hydroponics.