Howdy guys and gals,
I've been a lurker on this site for years and this is my first post. I have gotten tons of info from this site but after reading for hours on here and other forums I am stumped on my next step.
I recently moved and had to get rid of my half of a smallish medical grow. It was air-cooled with 12,000w in flower on an 8 and 4 flip and ~4,000w of t5's. I knew moving meant no more growing in a warehouse but my new location is a medical state thank god and I got my card as soon as I got here.
My new grow room is 8'6"x10' with a sloped ceiling starting at 9'6" and ends at 8'. I decided on a 5x5 Gorilla tent with the 1' extension and I still have a 2x3 agromax and some blackstar led's to veg with for now. I am going to do a scrog with chicken wire in flower. I am growing in 100% coco and handwater. I plan on using blumats once I transplant into 1gallon bags with the plants on the ground or possibly in a tray a foot or so off the ground. I have a 7,000btu minisplit for the room and only one inlet or outlet for outside air at the moment. Also, currently I only have 15amps to the room but I am adding two 20amp 120v circuits this week.
My dilemma is I cant decide the lighting. It looked like most forum threads say one 1,000w with a big hood like the magnum xxxl and only some said two 600's. I have some old gear, two 400w lumateks, three 1,000 xtrasun magnetics, Sunshine Systems 300w led and a few 4, 6, and 8" inline fans. I don't have any hoods or bulbs though so I'm at a decision point with what to do. I've spent many hours for the past few weeks deciding on the rest of my setup but this part seems the hardest.. there are too many choices. I figure my choices are:
(1) 1,000w digital ballast w/ a magnum xxxl 8"?
(2) 600w digital ballast w/ two medium sized air cooled hoods 8"?
(2) 400w lumateks air cooled and maybe the 300w led
I considered a double ended setup but I don't think I have the headroom and figured I should stick with what I know at least for this first round in a smaller space.
While researching ballast, hoods, bulbs, etc. I also looked at a few led's and the price seems to be getting closer and closer to HIDs. I figure I am going to spend at least $200 on a hood and ~$150 on a quality ballast. Times two for both of those if I get a 600w setup. Or only have to buy two medium sized hoods for my 400s and take the risk with my dated led. Or get a couple Mars II 1200 LEDs... I don't know, two many combinations. What do you guys think? HID, led, one or two hoods..? Sorry for the long first post, just trying to fill in all the background info.
I've been a lurker on this site for years and this is my first post. I have gotten tons of info from this site but after reading for hours on here and other forums I am stumped on my next step.
I recently moved and had to get rid of my half of a smallish medical grow. It was air-cooled with 12,000w in flower on an 8 and 4 flip and ~4,000w of t5's. I knew moving meant no more growing in a warehouse but my new location is a medical state thank god and I got my card as soon as I got here.
My new grow room is 8'6"x10' with a sloped ceiling starting at 9'6" and ends at 8'. I decided on a 5x5 Gorilla tent with the 1' extension and I still have a 2x3 agromax and some blackstar led's to veg with for now. I am going to do a scrog with chicken wire in flower. I am growing in 100% coco and handwater. I plan on using blumats once I transplant into 1gallon bags with the plants on the ground or possibly in a tray a foot or so off the ground. I have a 7,000btu minisplit for the room and only one inlet or outlet for outside air at the moment. Also, currently I only have 15amps to the room but I am adding two 20amp 120v circuits this week.
My dilemma is I cant decide the lighting. It looked like most forum threads say one 1,000w with a big hood like the magnum xxxl and only some said two 600's. I have some old gear, two 400w lumateks, three 1,000 xtrasun magnetics, Sunshine Systems 300w led and a few 4, 6, and 8" inline fans. I don't have any hoods or bulbs though so I'm at a decision point with what to do. I've spent many hours for the past few weeks deciding on the rest of my setup but this part seems the hardest.. there are too many choices. I figure my choices are:
(1) 1,000w digital ballast w/ a magnum xxxl 8"?
(2) 600w digital ballast w/ two medium sized air cooled hoods 8"?
(2) 400w lumateks air cooled and maybe the 300w led
I considered a double ended setup but I don't think I have the headroom and figured I should stick with what I know at least for this first round in a smaller space.
While researching ballast, hoods, bulbs, etc. I also looked at a few led's and the price seems to be getting closer and closer to HIDs. I figure I am going to spend at least $200 on a hood and ~$150 on a quality ballast. Times two for both of those if I get a 600w setup. Or only have to buy two medium sized hoods for my 400s and take the risk with my dated led. Or get a couple Mars II 1200 LEDs... I don't know, two many combinations. What do you guys think? HID, led, one or two hoods..? Sorry for the long first post, just trying to fill in all the background info.