[azrael]

Heading off to Wal-Mart soon and I'm trying to work around a mostly ~$150 budget. I already bought the soil and the nutes, but I'm still deciding on an effective setup. My space is roughly 3.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 ft here. I was thinking about doing a stealth PC case. What do you guys recommend as far as fans? Carbon scrubbers? Tape? etc?

[junior_grower]

trip to your local hydro stores for a used HPS. Used with reflector and bulb can be done for 150.

CFL bulbs. You should probably stick to the 27w daylight variety, but a 46w soft white won't hurt.

I can't help on most of the other questions. You're going to need fixtures for the lights, so figure about $8 to $10 on each of those, then just put the rest of your cash into some ventilation, you don't need anything crazy.

What's with all the stealthiness? Why a PC microgrow?

[wreck]

What junior said. I'm using CFL (flower and veg) because of my budget restraints, and I was even telling my wife, if I could start back over from day 1, I would have not spent so much on ferts and nutes (I didn't find icmag until I was starting to flower, DAMMIT!) and would have put that money in a reflector and bulb.

I started my first grow in a PC case, and it was pretty stealth, but I grew out of it really quickly (again, wish I'd of found icmag sooner). My construction of the PC case was also not that great - the lights were too close to the case and it was too hot. In my experience, the case just wasn't ideal.

[ISP_SmokeTrain]

For the space you have, consider buying a 250 watt MH and/or HPS setup. Look on Ebay for a used one, go with a name brand, stay away from cheap chinese knockoffs -> which can equal failure and/or a fire. Then later, if you decide to move up to a bigger light, the 250 watter will still be of use for starting plants and establishing clones. It pays to shop around, and think long term.

[LUDACRIS]

Originally Posted by azrael

Heading off to Wal-Mart soon and I'm trying to work around a mostly ~$150 budget. I already bought the soil and the nutes, but I'm still deciding on an effective setup. My space is roughly 3.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 ft here. I was thinking about doing a stealth PC case. What do you guys recommend as far as fans? Carbon scrubbers? Tape? etc?

Expect to spend up to $1000 for a descent set up for that size of space including materials and tools. The list can be never ending on the wallet and on the things you need to have a nice garden and maintaining it. Meaning you really do get what you pay for. I have a grow room the same floor size but with a 7ft roof space and have spent at least $1500 and you can grow on a cheap budget if reqd but what you put in you will get back. I had no idea how much it would end up costing me but in the end its all good money invested in quality materials that will last for many years to come so just be commited to the best and recieve the rewards and my costs included no labour as i did that myself.

(good luck)

[LUDACRIS]

Originally Posted by wreck

What junior said. I'm using CFL (flower and veg) because of my budget restraints, and I was even telling my wife, if I could start back over from day 1, I would have not spent so much on ferts and nutes (I didn't find icmag until I was starting to flower, DAMMIT!) and would have put that money in a reflector and bulb.

I started my first grow in a PC case, and it was pretty stealth, but I grew out of it really quickly (again, wish I'd of found icmag sooner). My construction of the PC case was also not that great - the lights were too close to the case and it was too hot. In my experience, the case just wasn't ideal.

Definatelly. P.C grows are not worth the hassle if you want a descent yeild.