Coming up set-up questions

[nasatech]

Hello there!

My first post in this forum!

I hope I post it in the right place and that you guys might be able to help me! I am planning on going semi-big, at least in my own measurments. I've grown once, ion a closet, without any high-tech equipment or such, but now I want to go bigger!

I am planning on buying a complete "package". Here is what I had in mind!

1 Dark Room II 240, 240 x 240 200cm.
4 Gavita Digistar 600w electronic ballast
4 Philips green power 600w lamps (dual spectrum)
4 Cooltubes 120mm/49cm
4 VK125 365m3/h fans
4 Phresh filters 500m3

Here ist is: http://www.professionalgrow.se/sv/secret-jardin-paket-dark-room-ii-240 (the page is in Swedish, but you get the idea).

I also think about investing in silencers for the fans because I am afraid to disturb my naighbors.

NOW.... here comes some questions...

1. Is this a good set-up? Any thoughts? If no, why.
2. The 2 carbon filters, will they remove the smell in the flowering stage? (this is extremely important!=)
3. That's about it I guess, but I am very welcome for sugestions and stuff like that.

Also I would like to know the most effective way to actually grow in there, should I use a hydro or an aero-system? Which one? I have no idea, last time I did this, I was growing in pots and wasn't after efficiensy, but this time my main priority is being efficient with a fast and big yield.

Please help me guys!

- Dimitri

 

[paladin420]

Hello!! Welcome.. That is a nice tight lookin system..If at any time you think you need something for security get it if you can (silencers),peace of mind alone makes it a good investment..Those filters 'should''be fine..Some of the chem strains will create a problem smell no matter what u do...And I will always advise Hydro over dirt for production...good luck....pal

 

[sneaky101]

I would suggest different types of hoods than thecooltube. In my opinion the cool tubes are great for a small space, but IMO you get better light distribution from an actual hood.

Go hydro if you think you can. It's a lot easier than I thought it was going to be Plus, I have almost 0 bugs now that there is no dirt. Oh, yeah, like paladin said, bigger yields too.

 

[nasatech]

Thanks for the advices! I certanly want as good a security as possible. Paladin, what do you mean by some chem strains? Any in particualar (not so smelly but still good) that you would recommend? Is it worth combining with other stuff like an ozon generator? do they use alot of energy??

I will most certantly not go for earth. But there is a bunch systems out there, and I just want one that'll do the rest of the setup justice. I guess I should ask about this in the hydro section..

Thanks again guys!

 

[paladin420]

you are welcome brudda..I ran a chem4xOG kush,that shit drew flies..I am runnin grindHouse's Chem cross Mob Boss and so far not nearly as stinky..Lots of choices on here for less stinky strains...As far as hydro NasaTech?? In your situation I would really read up on the vert/collaseum(sp) growers..Marlo,Megayields,Laylow..These guys and others are Blowin up the sq footage...good luck..pal

 

[nasatech]

Marlo had a nice thing there... I would need a first crop as fast as possible (for the morale, and the economy), so I feel that I will not be able o "experiment" with things that I have no idea about just yet... on the other hand... I will not have so many (any) mother plants in the beginning, since I am starting from the very scratch. so maybe I should do something that requires fewer plants for the first crop at least...

 

[nasatech]

Okay, after some consideration, I guess that I will _not_ go with the SoG methhod for the first crop, since I'll be limited to say 10 seeds. But later on I could save a mother to do that... how many cutlings would one need for a SoG the size of 62 square feet? I am guessing it'll be less than that though, since I'll need to be able to reach in and tend them as well...

If I still want to go hydro with the big plants, should I use som sort of separae pots with water in them or something? Any concrete examples?

 

[MIway]

u'v got 6's spec'd out, so that's more or less 9sq ft of canopy per lamp... 36sqft total growing area... w certain hoods you could get that to 12sqft each... 48sqft total. and 1 per sqft is a decent measure, though you can cram even more in there if you really flipped em small. i'd suggest 36~48 plants.

one way you could get around this is to do your seeds & grow em big enough to take up to 72 cuts off of the females you presex. then flip those moms for a first test crop under 1 or 2 lights... when those new cuts take off, pick the top 36 and flip those sog under the other 2 lights... taking new back up moms from the remaining cuts. this could get u up to speed a half crop earlier.

btw... why not just run 1k's...?

 

[ThePizzaMan]

If you only have 10 seeds, you are looking at 3-4 months until you can get a nice little grow going. If your first grow was in a closet, I would not recommend jumping straight to hydro. I would get your cloning and plant replication techniques down, and I would invest in a 4X4 tent, and start with coco. You may find with an 8X8 tent...it will just be sitting there, not being used to its potential for quite awhile.

As for your plans, I would upgrade to 4 1000s, get a whole bunch of coco and perlite, grow bags and do like 64 plants in 3 gallon pots. I would also skip buying this package deal and part out everything I needed online which will probably cheaper in the long run...and you will have more flexibility.

I would start with a Darkroom 120, 1000w, 6" fan, scrubber to match(needs to hang), coco, coco nutes, ph meter, ppm, meter, oscillating fans, ducting, grow bags(or pots), perlite,...and probably some more crap that I can't think if right now.

Once you are having consistent harvests...with 16 healthy clones every 2 months, than I would think of something a bit bigger..

Or if you are really stuck on what you want to do...at least get the 1000w lights and you will probably have to upgrade to an 8" fan hood combo.

I do not recommend hydro for beginner. Coco is where you want to be, right in the middle of soil and hydro. Perfect.

good luck either way.

 

[Granger2]

Nasatech,

I agree with ThePizzaMan about coco. You'll be surprised at the production, and it is far more forgiving than hydro. Use coco specific nutes. Canna seems foolproof. Make sure you have good tap water with chlorine removed, or use RO or mix them to get good water. You can probably get a water quality report from your water supplier. At least monthly, inoculate with something like Great White, Plant Success, or others with bacillis subtilis, mychorhyzal, and trichoderma.

I disagree about the 1000w lights. With 36 sq.ft., the 600s will give you 66.67w per sq ft., and that's plenty. Four 1000s would be 111w per sq ft. Diminishing returns, more energy, more heat. I'd probably upgrade to an 8" fan even with the 600s.

Read this thread https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=187029&highlight=days
If you follow SlowandEasy's instructions, with heat mat and thermostat [80 degrees F], soaking coco thoroughly and heavily, then aggressively squeezing out excess moisture, packing coco tightly around cutting, misting dome twice a day [not the cuttings), no more water till they root, you will be successful.
Use very low light. I use one 2' T-5 over a standard 11 x 22" tray with 1 layer of paper towels over the dome. 100% rooting for me.

The quickest way to your first harvest, would be to grow your seeds, and remove growing tips starting with 3rd set of true leaves, and again every 2nd set. This will cause many branches to form.

In 36 sq. ft. you can use as few as 24 plants in 3 gal air bags with proper pruning to promote a wide low canopy. You can stake or net them and have a solid canopy. This would be easier to accomplish with 36 plants. Rule of thumb is to have 4 growing tips/bud sites per sq. ft.

When your 10 plants have enough branches to take the cuttings you need for your 2nd crop + 1 mother+ at least one extra per strain. Take your cuttings. Don't skimp on what you need for the rooting method.

Then, right away, feed original plants heavily, and cut light cycle to 12/12. You will have just the 10 plants for the first crop, but you should get a LOT of bud. The 2nd crop should be ready for 12/12 when the 1st is done.

Do not fear pruning. Done properly, is does not hurt the plants. Have fun. -granger