Mars Hydro has a 14% off sale to celebrate their 14th anniversary (Aug 14-27.)  (The code for this, MARSHYDRO14TH, seems to give the same discount as the discount code from this website, CCFC.)

Here's what I've got planned/purchased so far in regards to equipment and supplies:

Mars Hydro 4x4 Grow Tent
Mars Hydro FC-E4800 BridgeLux 480W Smart Grow System LED Grow Light
AC Infinity Air Filtration PRO Kit 6"
Mars Hydro Drip Irrigation Kit 5-Gallon Bucket Watering System

Vivosun 10"x 20.75" Seedling Heat Mat and Digital Thermostat Combo Set
Ferry Morse Jiffy Windowsill Greenhouse
Vivosun 1-gallon grow bags, fabric pots with self-adhesion sides for transplanting
AC Infinity Heavy Duty Fabric Pots, 5-gallon
Royal Gold Tupur coco fiber based soilless medium

Tap water (not tested but from reading online is likely 195 ppm water hardness)
Distilled water from local stores when needed (such as for seeds/seedlings)
Mars Hydro pH and TDS meters
- Apera Instruments pH Calibration Solution Kit with holder, storage soaking solution.
- General Hydroponics (GH) pH Control Kit
Jack's Nutrients - The City Limits kit (meant for tap water)
RAW Yucca Plant Supplement wetting agent
GH: RapidStart, Armor Si, Diamond Nectar
Epsom salt
H2O2

Considering a DIY drainage system similar to the one detailed on this website...

I still need:
- a clip-on/oscillating fan or two
- outlet timer(s)
- pest control sticky and/or other
- trellis/plant support stakes
- harvesting/curing/storing stuff

Anything else anyone can think of?

Equipment/Supply update:

I couldn't get GH Diamond Nectar so I chose RAW Humic Acid instead.  RAW is the brand that makes the Yucca I got.

I've gotten a 16" oscillating pedestal fan and two 6" clip-on fans (non-oscillating), outlet timer, sticky trap paper, bungie trellis, plastic pot elevators that I plan to use with DrainAway drain trays, which are made to be used with 3/4" PVC pipe and fittings, which I also have purchased.  I have a small water pump to agitate the reservoir (instead of airstone setup.)  I have pruning snips and grafting tape.

If anyone is interested, I've written down each item purchased along with the cost including tax, the place of purchase, etc, and can post it.  Might be a good example of a truly from-scratch setup purchase list and cost.  (Total so far is $1683.22.  I'm sure it could've been done more economically but I don't mind spending a bit more for convenience.) Hopefully, the only stuff to purchase still is stuff for curing like the humidity packs and mini hydrometers. 

Also, maybe cal/mag supplement; I can't tell if it's needed with Jack's Nutrients.  I have a question on the forum about that...

Seeds arrived today!

GERMINATION

(Hour 0) - At 1315 on 8/21/2023, I dropped the scuffed (220 grit sandpaper tube) into warm distilled water.

(Hour 5) - At 1815, two of the four seeds sunk.

(Hour 7) - At 2015, third sunk, fourth mostly floating but can be pushed down easily.  I don't want to wait further, so I placed each seed between moist paper towel in sealed container.  Distilled water poured in another container that has the jiffy pots.

GERMINATION (continued)

(Hour 25) - At 1415 on 8/22, one of the four seeds had a tap root.

(Hour 45) - At 1015 on 8/23, two of the four seeds showed a tap root.

(Hour 70) - At 1115 on 8/24, still only two seeds with tap root.  I planted all four in jiffy pellets, hydrated with distilled H20, in the windowsill plastic domed tray recommended on this website, on the heated seedling mat.  Light turned on, dimmed to lowest setting and pulled to top of tent.

I'm using the Coco For Cannabis website as my main growing guide, with adjustments based on other stuff I've read and what I ended up getting for my setup. The Coco For Cannabis website's germination guide lists 4 stages: Imbibition (the seeds soak up water), Respiration (anaerobic to aerobic), Orientation (gravity and light), Photosynthesis (cotyledons begin using light to produce energy.)

On 8/21/2023:
[Using a VIVOSUN seedling heat map with thermometer control set to 85 degree F (probe just above the mat) on a cardboard box in the dark grow tent.]

GERMINATION
Glass Of Water - Imbibition
Hour 0 - 1315 - I used a small tube of 220 grit sandpaper to gently scuff the seeds then plopped them in a small jar of warm distilled water.
Hour 5 -1815 - 2 of the 4 seeds had sunk.

Paper Towel - Respiration
Hour 7 - 2015 - 3 of the 4 seeds had sunk and the 4th was close. I placed each seed in it's own folded piece of paper towel, moistened with the distilled water, in a covered container. I started hydrating four peat pellets with distilled water.
Hour 25 - 1415, 8/22 - 1 of the 4 seeds show tap root
Hour 45 - 1015, 8/23 - 2 of the 4 seeds show tap root

Peat Pellet - Orientation
Hour 70 - 1115, 8/24 - still 2 of 4 seeds show no tap root. I planted all 4 in jiffy pellets hydrated with distilled water in plastic domed tray which is on the seedling heat mat. I turned on the grow light set to the lowest intensity and pulled up to the top of the tent. (I'm only expecting the two with tap roots to be viable but just in case I planted the other two as well.)

*------ The above is not new but summarized differently.  The following is an update. ------*

Peat Pellet - Photosynthesis
Hour 102 - 1915, 8/25 - cotyledon on both but one of the two still has seed casing
Hour 120 (start of Day 6) - 1315, 8/26 - took off seed casing easily; lowered light. Seedlings still under dome, on heat mat.

SEEDLING
Day 6 -> I mixed up first batch of nutrients/supplements today.

---> I made a 10x stock solution of Jack's Nutrients Clone by dissolving 31.55 grams of 15-6-17 into a gallon of distilled water. (Also, 10x stock solutions of the other aspects of Jack's Nutrients tap water nutrient schedule using The City Limits Nutrient Kit and Epsom salt.)
---> I measured EC of tap water and it was 440. According to Jack's Nutrients nutrition schedule and their website, I'm to add the tap water EC with the target EC when making adjustments. For the Clone 15-6-17, the target EC is 1.1, so hope is mixed solution will measure at about 1500 EC.

Per Coco for Cannabis website, mixed the following:
Step 1 - Filled a gallon container with tap water and took out 1.6 cups (10%, which is what I'll replace using the 10x stock solution of Clone 15-6-17.)
Step 2 - Added 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) Armor Si silicon additive and waited at least an hour.
Step 3 - Added 1.6 cups of the 10x Clone stock solution.
Step 4 - Added 1/8 tsp of Humic Acid.
Step 5 - Added 1/64 tsp of Yucca.
Then, measure EC and adjust. Result was 1300, left as-is.
Then, measure pH and adjust. Used color-changing solution for now and result was ~6.5-7; added pH Down and eventually result was ~5.5.
Step 6 - Added 1/4 tsp (1.25 mL) RapidStart.
Step 7 - Added 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) H2O2.

I fertigated the jiffy pellets the night of Day 6. First set of true leaves were showing. Seedling kept on heating mat under dome. Changed lighting from 24/0 to 18/6 with off from ~0100 to 0700. [I will make start of each day now ~0700 instead of 1315.]

Day 7 --> I got new pH meter. The Vivosun cheap one did not seem reliable and I didn't end up using it so I ordered the Apera PH20 which was delivered today. I calibrated it and rechecked the nutrient mixture I made yesterday and adjusted pH until at 6.2. I tested the EC and the result was 1404; I retested tap water and the result was 488.

The jiffy pellets were still quite damp so I took the humidity dome off and turned on some small fans and turned up the intensity of the light slightly. I'll put the humidity dome back on this evening.

My plan is to wait until roots are showing. then transplant jiffy pellet into Solo cup with holes cut into it with the Tupur coco coir mix prefertigated with the seedling nutrient mix. Then, after 3 nodes, transplant that into the 1-gallon fabric pots, signaling the end of the seedling stage, theoretically around the end of week 2 (today being the end of week 1.)

Then, after the plant at least doubles in size, from 3 to 6-7 nodes, transplant into final containers (5-gallon fabric pots.) Wait at least 24 hours to ensure happy plants post-transplant, then start training. I plan to use Mainlining method, which I've never done; previously, I've only done LST. (...I'm nervous!)

1900 on 8/27/2023 (Day 7) - jiffy pellet no longer saturated and plastic tray dry so I fertigated bottom portion of pellets and put humidity dome back on plastic tray.

END OF 1st WEEK FROM SEED (for plant 1)

Here's how they looked this morning.  I put the thermometer/hygrometer in the domed plastic greenhouse; I'm surprised the humidity didn't get above 66%.  After checking the pH of the nutrient mixture (6.3), I fertigated again by wetting the sides and bottom of the jiffy pellets.  I replaced the humidity dome and will see how today goes.  I'm hoping to see roots emerging by tonight or tomorrow morning.

SEEDLINGS
Day 8 - 8/28/2023
---- In the evening, no significant change (next two pics); I added some tap water to the inside of the dome in hopes of increasing humidity. Also, lowered the temperature of the seedling heat mat (but doubt that will change much because the thermometer shows high temp of 95-97 but mat setting only at 90.

SEEDLING

Day 9 - 8/29/2023

This morning I started seeing roots emerging from one of the peat pellets so this afternoon I started potting the seedlings in solo cups. I turned my back and had headphones on and when I went back to where I'd transplanted, one of the cats I live with had dug around in the Tupur where I had set the solo cups while I got the tent ready. One of the seedlings was gone! I found the pellet buried in the Tupur. The other solo cup wasn't touched fortunately. So, I started out with 4 seeds. Two didn't germinate. One of the two that did died from cat. Now, just one left. 😢

So, I've decided to keep going with the one seedling and in a couple of days I'll try to germinate three more. If those are successful then I'll have four plants in my 4x4 tent. When I switch from veg to flower, one of the plants will be two weeks or so ahead of the other ones; that will end up being an interesting experiment/comparison.

Also, I was trying to set up an auto-drain kind of system with 3/4" pipe from drain trays but it was frustrating me, having to elevate the plants and get the piping right, so I'm just going to have the risers with a tray underneath to catch run-off. I'll either scoot the trays out to dump or use a wet vac. I've included pictures showing the one remaining seedling:

Day 10 / Day 1 (Wednesday, 8/30/2023) - See pics of the remaining seedling. / Soaked 3 seeds and they all sank.  Switched to damp paper towels.  Out of town/friend managed.

Day 11 / Day 2 (8/31) - seedling fertigated morning and evening / paper towels kept damp and in the dark, on the seedling heat mat.  Out of town/friend managed.

(Friday, 9/1) - back in town

- seedling (Day 12) -> looks like maybe 3rd node beginning?  I will likely transplant into 1-gallon pot this evening.

- germination (Day 3) -> only 2 of the 3 seeds popped.  Seed casing already off one and almost off the other.  Planted in peat pellets and put in humidity dome on the seedling heat mat.  I'm guessing will be officially a seedling (with obvious cotyledons) by tomorrow.

end of the day on 9/1/2023, fertigated seedling and will likely pot in 1-gallon pot tomorrow; added distilled water to the humidity domed tray with the two seeds-almost seedlings.