Newbie Grow Light Help Request

[painless puffer]

I use ocean forest or roots organic cut with a good amount of big chunky perlite. Have done many side by sides with many mediums. Roots O and ocean forest are both good for me!

I use a very light feeding of revive and grow big in veg. Bust mostly 6.4 water for 6-8 weeks as they dry. Then start feeding the hungry bitches tiger bloom and open sesame, beastie bloom, cha ching, and mollases the last 4 weeks of flower including most of the flush! 10 strains on a perpetual cycle so I hand feed each one based on what the plant is telling me to feed or not feed etc! They love it and reward me well!

So i dont see any difference in performance from ocean forest to roots organic?

 

[Pompey_Monkey]

For 3 plants, 1000w is major overkill. Rule of thumb is 100w per plant, so a 400 is good for 4 good sized plants. Personally I have 2-600's and a 400 for blooming, but for someone on their first grow I recommend keeping it smaller at first, less to go wrong. And remember, big 1k's throw tons of heat, so ventilation is very necessary. Particularly in a smaller area, although I don't know what size of an area you're growing in. If you're thinking closet grow, then 1000w will make that closet 150-170 degrees (unless you have a giant walk in closet, but I consider those grow rooms). One way or another if you plan on having a good sized grow you'll need a filter and blower. You can get away with a grow or two without one with a smaller light, but eventually you're gonna need a filter or your home is going to smell like pot. Not like smoking a joint pot, like a field of PPPPOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTT!!

As for being a light smoker, that'll change It's like owning a vineyard. If you make wine, you drink more wine. It doesn't make them alcoholics. You taste it and test it, and start to become 'kind of' immune to it, or at least more tolerant to the effects. I smoke with friends and watch them become destroyed and just stare at the tv and drool, meanwhile I'm cooking and running around doing my normal things. My eyes don't even get red anymore!!

LOL! - That's addiction!

I'm all for it!

 

[tokerofdakill]

Toughgirl i cant help but laugh when i read ur comment about being a light smoker..lol but that is so true.. i have a ? maybe u can help..setting up a space with a 600 watt digital from htg.going to build box inside of closet with 20 amp gfi.. box will be 4x3.5 and can go as high as needed was thinking 6 ft? as of now closet is around 68 deg f. ..thinking odor is gunna be an issue so what would be best to go with a vortex can? first run is gunna be for seed only going to run 20 auto's and breed em.. as a newbie to indoors , dont wanna mess this up..have done very well outside in the past..also wanna make sure this cab is large enuff to grow out regular strain also..

 

[ToughGirl]

Toughgirl i cant help but laugh when i read ur comment about being a light smoker..lol but that is so true.. i have a ? maybe u can help..setting up a space with a 600 watt digital from htg.going to build box inside of closet with 20 amp gfi.. box will be 4x3.5 and can go as high as needed was thinking 6 ft? as of now closet is around 68 deg f. ..thinking odor is gunna be an issue so what would be best to go with a vortex can? first run is gunna be for seed only going to run 20 auto's and breed em.. as a newbie to indoors , dont wanna mess this up..have done very well outside in the past..also wanna make sure this cab is large enuff to grow out regular strain also..

I'd go a foot higher, to 7'. And here's why: The light itself is about a foot tall, so if you can get it directly on the 6' ceiling (which you won't, there's always a few inches between the ceiling and light) the most you'll get is 4' of plant height, since you need a foot between the plants and the light. I have lots of plants that top out over 5'. So if you can go 7' on the ceiling, I suggest it.

As for exhaust, I don't have any experience with those can blowers. My rooms combined are 25' long X 10'wide, I use those big 8" squirrel cage blowers with the big carbon filters. Those little fans won't move the kind of air that I need.

If you have any other questions, you're more than welcome to pm me

 

[gabjaz]

When I first started growing, I had no idea that there were many hydroshop garden centers in my city. Go to google maps and see if you have some in your area.

Do you want to grow with HID's or CFL's? HID's are way better than CFLs if you have the room and proper ventilation. If you have a smaller space, than a CFL setup may be the option for you. What I recommend is that you go to the Grow Rooms and Design forum and just read and see what best suits your needs. Everyone is going to give you different advice...but go with what you need.

BTW, how big is your grow area?

Thank You has hashit.. We do have a hydroshop near us! What a surprise! Can't wait to go check it out...

I'm still in the planning stages. I'm pretty sure I'm going to follow ToughGirl's advise about the HID's. My hubby thinks that a 600 watt bulb is the way to go, I think a 400 watt would probably be just fine.

Maybe, one of each 400 and 600..... Would it work keeping the 400 as a back up for growth stage? The 400 would be better for flowering right?

Peace

 

[gabjaz]

For 3 plants, 1000w is major overkill. Rule of thumb is 100w per plant, so a 400 is good for 4 good sized plants. Personally I have 2-600's and a 400 for blooming, but for someone on their first grow I recommend keeping it smaller at first, less to go wrong. And remember, big 1k's throw tons of heat, so ventilation is very necessary. Particularly in a smaller area, although I don't know what size of an area you're growing in. If you're thinking closet grow, then 1000w will make that closet 150-170 degrees (unless you have a giant walk in closet, but I consider those grow rooms). One way or another if you plan on having a good sized grow you'll need a filter and blower. You can get away with a grow or two without one with a smaller light, but eventually you're gonna need a filter or your home is going to smell like pot. Not like smoking a joint pot, like a field of PPPPOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTT!!

As for being a light smoker, that'll change It's like owning a vineyard. If you make wine, you drink more wine. It doesn't make them alcoholics. You taste it and test it, and start to become 'kind of' immune to it, or at least more tolerant to the effects. I smoke with friends and watch them become destroyed and just stare at the tv and drool, meanwhile I'm cooking and running around doing my normal things. My eyes don't even get red anymore!!

I just placed my order from HTG:

~600 Watt Digital Electronic High Output Remote Ballast
~Digital Electronic Ultimate 600 watt HPD & MH Grow lights, plus one extra of each
~Sunsoaker Reflector
~Dual Outlet Digital Timer w/battery back up
~Sunrise Hi-Low Reflector Hanger

~10 Northern Lights X Cinderella 99 joey weed beans

My husband talked me into going with the 600 watt bulbs. My grow room is approx. 12 X 12.

Now I need to figure out how to set up my grow space.. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[indicameds]

Im glad you went with HTG. I got me lumatek ballest through them and my aircooled hood. Dudes real cool and always willing to work with you on anything and quick to respond. Good luck on you venture, it seems that your off an the right track..

 

[Jnugg]

I just placed my order from HTG:

~600 Watt Digital Electronic High Output Remote Ballast
~Digital Electronic Ultimate 600 watt HPD & MH Grow lights, plus one extra of each
~Sunsoaker Reflector
~Dual Outlet Digital Timer w/battery back up
~Sunrise Hi-Low Reflector Hanger

~10 Northern Lights X Cinderella 99 joey weed beans

My husband talked me into going with the 600 watt bulbs. My grow room is approx. 12 X 12.

Now I need to figure out how to set up my grow space.. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Your room is 12' x 12' (144 square feet).

Clarify please,you bought one 600w ballast 2x 600w HPS bulbs and 2x 600w MH bulbs?

Minimal rule of thumb is to provide 50w per square foot of growspace.As far as lumens per square foot you should look at providing at least 6,000 lumens per square foot but 7,000-10,000 lumens per square foot is ideal.

The smallest area a 600w HPS should be hung over would be a 3' x 3' (9sq.feet) area,the largest area a single 600w HPS should be hung over would be a 3' x 4' (12 sq.feet) area.

600/9 = 66.66w/sq.foot
90,000/9 = 10,000 lumens/sq.foot

600/12 = 50w/sq.foot
90,000/12 = 7,500 lumens/sq.foot

You can easily light an area that is between 9 and 12 square feet,but I wouldn't recommend going bigger then 12 square feet.

What do you plan to do about ventlilation and odor control?Did you buy an exhuast fan yet?Do you plan on air-cooling your light?

Your going to need an exhuast fan to exhuast hot stale Co2 depleted air out of the growspace while bringing in cool,fresh,Co2 laden air.Minimal rule of thumb is to have 3 air-exchanges per minute...more if you're battling temps,pulling through/exhuasting into a carbon filter,air-cooling the light and ventilating the growspace with one fan.

3' x 3' x 6' = 54 cubic feet/total volume

Get back to me on what you are planning to do about that.




Many people are pulling 1 lb. per 600w HPS which equals out to 0.746 grams/watt.As a begginer try and aim for 0.5-.6 grams per watt (300-360 grams).

 

[gabjaz]

New to growing

New to growing

I just want to grow enough for personal use and to share with friends. So I'm thinking to trying to germinate 4 seeds. I think I'll be lucky to get 2 or 3 plants out of that and then maybe 1 or two females.

The grow area will be 3 X3 or 3 X 4. I didn't think that I would need any extra ventilation, as the room is large (12X12) compared with the grow area. The room is heated and cooled by central air. I have one overhead fan and was thinking that I could set up another fan if needed. Also, on nice days I would open the window for fresh air.

As far as the smell is concerned. My grow area is not on the main living level and I took note of the strain that I will be planting. It is suppose to be a low odor plant.

Thanks for your help...

Peace

 

[Jnugg]

The grow area will be 3 X3 or 3 X 4. I didn't think that I would need any extra ventilation, as the room is large (12X12) compared with the grow area. The room is heated and cooled by central air. I have one overhead fan and was thinking that I could set up another fan if needed. Also, on nice days I would open the window for fresh air.

You're still going to need an exhuast fan for ventilation!No if's ands or buts....YOU WILL NEED A FAN FOR VENTILATION/AIR-EXCHANGE,PERIOD.

Take it from someone who has been growing for 15 years.

As far as the smell is concerned. My grow area is not on the main living level and I took note of the strain that I will be planting. It is suppose to be a low odor plant.

I still urge you to use a carbon filter or other means of deodorization,and I am sure everyone else will tell you the same.

 

[gabjaz]

Hi ToughGirl,

Just wanted to give you a big Thank You and an update.... You helped me out when I was looking for a light back in November... Well, I just finished up my grow and now have my goodies in jars curing! I have made hash and cannabutter!! And I think it's some good shit!

Thanks for your help when I didn't know where to take my first step....

Peace, Gabs