Actually I know the guy that owns our local grow shop and he most likely would loan me one but it happened on the 4th of July weekend and they were closed so I really had no choice it sucked. Wow 100 degrees

man those are excellent temps for that type of weather(hence the air conditioner). 78 is good you can actually go up as high as 85 but it seems most growers go for that 75 area so you are good as long as that humidity stays down but sounds like you have that in a good spot.
The MH will put out more heat that an hps. The MH keeps the nodes closer which makes more bud sites. Sometimes a plant is just predetermined to stretch,I seem to get one tall and one shorter or on my first Fast Buds GSC grow I got one short and two really tall plants two finished at 63 and one should have gone 75 but I pulled it a little early at about 68 days. Shorter plants that are filled with buds do just as well as as bigger plants just for the fact that they are compact and full of buds. Look at some of the grow comps or bud of the month pics a lot of those are shorter plant that snap branches.
I have heard good things about roots organic soil are you using their product line of nutes I didn't check to see if you listed it in your introduction for the journal. There is a good nutrient line from Green Planet called MediOne and it is a one part grow nutrient they are reasonably priced and work great. I used their new three part on the Blueberry's and used only half strength and they did well. My next grow I have the rest of the ammendments like the massive, W8,Finisher and I will use SM90.Check them out for the heck of it.
http://greenplanetnutrients.com/ I studied and researched quite a bit and it was fun but all that went out the door and it was on hands growing that really did it. I hear ya on putting all of your cash into it and yeah the pressure is on but you can't panick too much then it can make it a not so fun hobby. I am currently out of smoke so that's why this was so important to have this come out. I don't blame you on panicking but I bet that out door will do well for you plus it is a good comparison and something you include in the journal. Wow I must be the mouthiest person around here I always write books it seems lol.. Have a good day bro

