Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible

breaker box. Each fuse or breaker switch controls an electrical circuit in the home. The fuse or breaker switch will be rated for 15, 20, 25, 30, or 40-amp service. Circuits are considered overloaded when more than 80 percent of the amps are being used. (See: “Overload Chart” on page 212). The fuse will have its amp rating printed on its face, and the breaker switch will have its amp rating printed on the switch or on the breaker box. To find out which outlets are controlled by a fuse or breaker switch, remove the fuse or turn the breaker switch off. Test each and every outlet in the home to see which ones do not work. All the outlets that do not work are on the same circuit. All outlets that work are on another circuit. When you have found a circuit that has few or no lights, radios, TVs, stereos, etc., plugged into it, look at the circuits’ amp rating. If it is rated for 15 amps, you can plug one 1000-watt HID into it. A leeway of 5.5 amps is there to cover any power surges. If the circuit is rated for 20 or more amps, it may be used for the 1000-watt HID and a few other low-amp appliances. To find out how many amps are drawn by each appliance, add up the number of total watts they use, and divide by 120.
    Never put a larger fuse in the fuse box than it is rated for. The fuse is the weakest link in the circuit. If a 20-amp fuse is placed into a 15-amp circuit, the fuse is able to conduct more electricity than the wiring. This causes wires to burn rather than the fuse. An overloaded circuit may result in a house fire.
    Use an extension cord that is at least 14-gauge wire or heavier if the plug will not reach the outlet desired. Thick 14-gauge extension cord is more difficult to find and may have to be constructed. Smaller 16- or 18-gauge cord will not conduct adequate electricity and will heat up, straining the entire system. Cut the 14-gauge extension cord to the exact length. The further electricity travels, the weaker it gets and the more heat it produces, which also strains the system.
    Step Five: Always use a three-prong grounded plug. If your home is not equipped with working three-prong grounded outlets, buy a three-prong grounded plug and outlet adapter. Attach the ground wire to a grounded ferrous metal object like a grounded metal pipe or heavy copper wire driven into the earth to form a ground, and screw the ground into the plug-in face. You will be working with water under and around the HID system. Water conducts electricity about as well as the human body.
    Step Six: Once the proper circuit is selected, the socket and hood are mounted overhead, and the ballast is in place (but not plugged in), screw the HID bulb finger-tight into the socket. Make sure the bulb is secured in the socket tightly, but not too tight, and make certain there is a good connection. When secure, wipe off all smudges on the bulb to increase brightness.

A bulb hanging crookedly under a reflective hood causes light to be reflected unevenly, which creates “hot spots” and “cold spots” of light in the garden.
    Step Seven: Plug the three-prong plug into the timer that is in the OFF position. Plug the timer into the grounded outlet, set the timer at the desired photoperiod, and turn the timer on. Shazam! The ballast will hum; the lamp will flicker and slowly warm up, reaching full brilliance in about five minutes.

This garden is filled with happy plants under an air-cooled lighting system that not only ventilates, but keeps the room cooler. The Imaps are suspended from yo-yo’s and are easily adjusted as the canopy height rises.

Chapter TEN
SOIL & CONTAINERS

This plant is growing in sandy soil 30 feet (10 m) below sea level in Amsterdam.

This cutaway drawing shows how the roots penetrate the soil. Note: There must be enough air trapped in the soil to allow biological activity and absorption of nutrients.

This pH Chart shows the Safe Zone for soil gardens is between 5.8 and 6.8.

Introduction
    Soil is made up of many mineral particles mixed together with living and dead organic matter that incorporates air and water. Three basic factors contribute to the cannabis root’s ability to grow in a soil: texture, pH, and nutrient content.
    Soil texture is governed by the size and physical makeup of the mineral particles. Proper soil texture is required for adequate root penetration, water, and oxygen retention and drainage as well as many other complex chemical processes.
    Clay or adobe soil is made up of very small, flat