What's new
  • Please note members who been with us for more than 10 years have been upgraded to "Veteran" status and will receive exclusive benefits. If you wish to find out more about this or support IcMag and get same benefits, check this thread here.
  • Important notice: ICMag's T.O.U. has been updated. Please review it here. For your convenience, it is also available in the main forum menu, under 'Quick Links"!

Grow gear - What have I missed?

BoredToDeath

New member
Hi!

I’m about to start my first grow ever in a few months and are in the process of planning everything out. I live in a country with rather harsh laws regarding anything drug related so I really want to cover all the bases. I’m right on the border to another country which is more liberal so I will be getting all my grow-stuff there as I don’t want to shop at the local grow shop since I fear the authorities might keep an eye on customers etc. Since its somewhat of an hassle to go to a different country, crossing borders etc I really don’t want to do that once I started the grow. Hence I need to buy everything i might need beforehand..of course I can shop at local hardware-stores but for more specific grow related items I need to gather all material before I start.

This is what I already got:

2x2x5 tent (60x60x140 cm), 3,8 sqft
75W of Screw In LEDs (Each bulb is 15 W, 2x6000K + 3x3000K) (19,8w/Sq.ft)
Exhaust-fan 100 mm with two speedsettings: 85/110 cfm (with a dimmer attached for speed control)
Carbon-filter
ONA gel


What I plan to get:

Extra carbon filter just in case
Clip-on fan for air-flow inside the tent
Intake fan(?)
Nutrients Grow/Bloom (BioGrow or Canna Terra)
CalMag
PH-Up and Down
PH test-kit
Soil + perlite
Some kind of pest-control

Have I missed anything crucial?

I’m planning on doing 1 plant fem. Northern Lights photoperiod in soil for my first grow, I heard it was a good strain for first-time growers. I was thinking of doing a passive intake but the intake-hole on my grow tent is the same size as the exhaust and also on the same side of the tent. Should I get some sort of fan for the intake?

Also, what kind of pest-control should I get? Its kinda hard to know before you even started the grow but since I don’t want to buy anything related to growing and then cross borders with it during an active grow I need a good “all-purpose” pest control if such a thing exists? :)



Any thoughts or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
 

SuperBadGrower

Active member
Sounds good so far! If you are in Europe where I think you are, here are some items that are reasonably priced, available, and effective.

Neem oil
BAC plant vitality plus (mite prevention)
Plant Vitality Pro (mite genocide)
Gnatrol WDG (fungus gnats, available from ebay USA)
Silica as a nutrient additive
Bayer Natria
Bioquant Eseq, maybe not a bad idea

Instead of a PH test kit I would get a pen from Aliexpress. People buy PH pens for all kinds of reasons like to test their piss. Measure EC (ppm is useless due to different conversion factors) and PH (get a PH pen with automatic temperature compensation). There are pens that do both

2x2 with 75w you won't need an intake fan. The only reason to use air extraction will be to use the carbon filter. Heat is no issue
What's useful is running some air duct through the circular opening in the bottom of your tent and covering it with micron filter or pantyhose. Keeps the light, dust and maybe some nasties out and lets air come in through the big opening anyway.

Maybe a taller tent if you can afford that. I understand the plan is to keep them low but one of the biggest pains in the ass (back) is to work in a tent of that annoying height. Especially if you're running some ghetto light setup. If you're gonna keep growing it might as well be taller.

Gotta say, at this wattage that whole plan is a big ass investment. I'd at least double the watts. Fuck the law. I doubt it's gonna matter whether you have 40 or 200g on you if they find your whole "drug lab", "production center," "grow operation" or whatever they will call it. No matter what anybody says about these SIL lights even 75 watts of the best leds in the world isn't gonna rock a 2x2 in 2019. If $ is an issue I would literally trade All the nutrients and invest that money in light, and use $1/L house & garden NPK. Light is what grows plants and fertilizer just facilitates it.
Just my 2 cents!
 

SuperBadGrower

Active member
Just to be clear, I'm not knocking those lights, they're good and you did a good job searching for a good light source instead of getting ripped off. I use 15w 4k 'bulbs' on clones. I would just use more power for flowering. The simplicity is such: 10 photons of the correct wavelength and 1 CO2 make a carbohydrate and those make the plant grow and express its potential. Fewer carbohydrates is less weight, less thc, oils, everything. Until you reach a light saturation of 1000 or >1200 ppfd depending on variety you aren't maxing out on those photons. These statements are based on empiric research that can be found online for cannabis and other plants. Of course, nobody has to be maxed out to grow great bud but, why not err on the side of "Killing it". Especially in such a limited room.

A $20 lumen meter from Aliexpress. Here you can see how to convert lux to ppfd. Lux is not a useless measurement and it can help you make intelligent decisions in the room.
A similarly priced infrared laser thermometer sourced from the same website will let you take accurate surface temperature readings of the leaves, soil, works on water too. It's also just useful in daily life.

Small hygrometers are essential to monitor your room's humidity in various places. I think you can guess where I get mine.:biggrin:
 

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
I'll double down on the ph meter , TDS meter, and hygrometer aka humidity meter. I would also suggest a taller tent if you can swing it. Even with the lights as far up as you can go in a tent, you tend to lose that top 6-12 inches of room. So a 5 foot tall tent with the lights all the way up leaves you just over/at 4 feet of plant room. I wouldn't sweat the nutrients as much if you are doing a good soil. I agree with SuperBad that the lights are really important, they provide the basis for photosynthesis to work. The nutrients facilitate that, but the best nutes in the world won't help if the plant isn't getting enough light to use them. That's not to say you can grow a plant with just lights, it requires nutrients, but a good soil should take you through an 8-10 week grow with minimal amendments. In soil you feed the biome, in hydro you feed the plant directly. If I can think of anything else I'll edit. High & welcome too! :bongsmi:
 

CannaRed

Cannabinerd
Plant pots, plant stakes, Velcro tape, microscope for Trichomes, measuring spoons, good scissors, HID or LED color correcting glasses.
Extraction fan depending on your environment.
A good microbe product.
A comfortable set up for trimming.
If secrecy is a main concern, do not skimp on the carbon filter. Get a nice one, not a cheapo Amazon filter. I made it that mistake, never again.
 

FJ2000

Active member
Rather then using a say 10-12” high pot can one use a 6” high, but wide tub to increase your airspace? Something to explore maybe. Every inch is going to count when you only have 5’. Maybe a SCROG net to keep any stretch under control and maximize yield. Genetics will be key, low stretch, low odor.
Can you mail order a better light for flower? What about those cheap LEDs like viperspectra or such? Or maybe a T5 HO, my 8 bulb 2’ fixture is almost 200 watts and I paid maybe 70 bucks at most, that’s with the bulbs.
 

Dave Coulier

Active member
Veteran
Rather then using a say 10-12” high pot can one use a 6” high, but wide tub to increase your airspace? Something to explore maybe. Every inch is going to count when you only have 5’. Maybe a SCROG net to keep any stretch under control and maximize yield. Genetics will be key, low stretch, low odor.
Can you mail order a better light for flower? What about those cheap LEDs like viperspectra or such? Or maybe a T5 HO, my 8 bulb 2’ fixture is almost 200 watts and I paid maybe 70 bucks at most, that’s with the bulbs.




I understand the need to have more overhead hence the 6 inch pots, but a taller pot is actually better for the roots. Perched water tables occupy less volume of the container if he uses a taller container, while a shorter container has more volume occupied by the same PWT. The taller container will have more airspace available versus a shorter wider container.



I do agree a scrog net is a great way for him to maximize his yield and keep plant height to a minimum.


OP, Id recommend a back up fan more than a backup filter, although, Id still recommend the back up filter too. Eventually your exhaust fan will fail, so it pays to have a back up fan.


Get a infrared themometer to help monitor fan leaf temps too. Keep it under 80F if you can.
 

NEED 4 SEED

Well-known member
Get a taller tent, if possible, like others said. 150W HPS and MH lamp for that area size is needed. There are ballasts that can do both types. I have a 60 by 60 cm tent for the fun over the winter time. My best yield with the 150W lamp was around 150 g. Last run I did with a CMH 315 W dimmed to 50-70% and it gave me barely 100...
 

BoredToDeath

New member
Thanks for all the help and input! Regarding the lights I have 2 light fixtures that can hold 6 lights each. For now I´m starting with using only one of them for a total of 75 watts. Should I need to up the watts its an easy fix.

Regarding the tent I really only have floorspace for this tent in my walk-in closet. So for now I´m sticking with this tent, I can always upgrade later..as mentioned before this is my first grow so kinda just getting my feet wet here. :)

I´m still planning for my trip to the growshop abroad but I´m trying to buy as much as possible at local stores. How important is it to buy special soil and nutrients at the grow-shop? Would I be OK getting a good soil and some tomato-nutrients (or other nutrients with the right NPK-value) at a local hardware store/flowershop? For example, this organic tomato-nutrient has NPK 3-1-5, I saw that Canna Terra Veg has NPK 3-1-4 so would this be a good easy-to-find and cheap alternative nutrient for veg? I´m not sure I understand the NPK-thing fully.. :) https://www.neudorff.co.uk/products/organic-tomato-feed.html
 

Sunshineinabag

Active member
Sounds good so far! If you are in Europe where I think you are, here are some items that are reasonably priced, available, and effective.

Neem oil
BAC plant vitality plus (mite prevention)
Plant Vitality Pro (mite genocide)
Gnatrol WDG (fungus gnats, available from ebay USA)
Silica as a nutrient additive
Bayer Natria
Bioquant Eseq, maybe not a bad idea

Instead of a PH test kit I would get a pen from Aliexpress. People buy PH pens for all kinds of reasons like to test their piss. Measure EC (ppm is useless due to different conversion factors) and PH (get a PH pen with automatic temperature compensation). There are pens that do both

2x2 with 75w you won't need an intake fan. The only reason to use air extraction will be to use the carbon filter. Heat is no issue
What's useful is running some air duct through the circular opening in the bottom of your tent and covering it with micron filter or pantyhose. Keeps the light, dust and maybe some nasties out and lets air come in through the big opening anyway.

Maybe a taller tent if you can afford that. I understand the plan is to keep them low but one of the biggest pains in the ass (back) is to work in a tent of that annoying height. Especially if you're running some ghetto light setup. If you're gonna keep growing it might as well be taller.

Gotta say, at this wattage that whole plan is a big ass investment. I'd at least double the watts. Fuck the law. I doubt it's gonna matter whether you have 40 or 200g on you if they find your whole "drug lab", "production center," "grow operation" or whatever they will call it. No matter what anybody says about these SIL lights even 75 watts of the best leds in the world isn't gonna rock a 2x2 in 2019. If $ is an issue I would literally trade All the nutrients and invest that money in light, and use $1/L house & garden NPK. Light is what grows plants and fertilizer just facilitates it.
Just my 2 cents!




Don't use need oil on flowering plants
This cultivar is a bioaccumulator just gotta be careful man!

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/neemgen.html#wildlife:dance013:
 

NEED 4 SEED

Well-known member
Regarding the tent I really only have floorspace for this tent in my walk-in closet. So for now I´m sticking with this tent, I can always upgrade later..

I´m still planning for my trip to the growshop abroad but I´m trying to buy as much as possible at local stores. How important is it to buy special soil and nutrients at the grow-shop? Would I be OK getting a good soil and some tomato-nutrients (or other nutrients with the right NPK-value) at a local hardware store/flowershop? For example, this organic tomato-nutrient has NPK 3-1-5, I saw that Canna Terra Veg has NPK 3-1-4 so would this be a good easy-to-find and cheap alternative nutrient for veg? I´m not sure I understand the NPK-thing fully.. :) https://www.neudorff.co.uk/products/organic-tomato-feed.html




I didn't mean floorspace but height. It's always better to be a bit flexible if phenos get taller than expected. Mine is 60x60x170cm. I have a table inside my tent where the starter pots are standing on so I don't have to work that much on my knees. If they get too tall I take the table out and put them on the floor. I also took the carbon filter and the fan outside of the tent and use them blowing instead of sucking to get even more headroom. For this small space it's definitely working. You just need to cut the dust filter around the carbon filter a bit shorter and put it inside the carbon filter's intake. Don't know much about your setup plans but this was my way to deal with height limitations in a comparable tent.
Regarding the plants, I would not rely on a single plant from seed. You may just loose a few weeks if it turns out to be a non growing mutant or male or hermie, which happens more than often. So just take 4-5 pots or six if you will and seeds and if regular seeds take the double to accomodate for the 50% males you cull. With more plants started you also may save vegetation time on that area size. More seeds also = less risk of sitting on shwag till next try = better chance to find outstanding phenos...etc...
 
Top