New Grower

[JJP]

Hello Everyone! I have just recently joined and am in the process of getting my card and will be my own caregiver along with one other patient. So I will have a 24 plant maximum which is much better than just the 12. I've been doing a lot of reading, watching videos and just plain research on growing. I've decided on using the Bubble Tote Method with the Hydroton clay pebbles. I have at the absolute most $2500.00 to spend on said room but if I can cut costs without it being a detrimate to my crop that is highly favorable. I guess I just need a little more info from you friendly folks to help me get this thing going. I'll be building a room in the basement and need it to be big enough for 24 plants but space is at a minimum so I guess what's the average size I should make this room? I'm going to use the HPS/MH convertible lights but am I better off getting 2 600's for flowering or 1 1000 and an exra 600/1000 for veg room? I know for optimum crop it would be 1k down the line but money is an object so I'm turning to you for help because you all have been there done that and can help a newbie such as myself. So please any advice on the above, equip, grow techniques and such would be greatly appreciated!

 

Peace,

 

J

[AmishRnot4ganja]

Hello Everyone! I have just recently joined and am in the process of getting my card and will be my own caregiver along with one other patient. So I will have a 24 plant maximum which is much better than just the 12. I've been doing a lot of reading, watching videos and just plain research on growing. I've decided on using the Bubble Tote Method with the Hydroton clay pebbles. I have at the absolute most $2500.00 to spend on said room but if I can cut costs without it being a detrimate to my crop that is highly favorable. I guess I just need a little more info from you friendly folks to help me get this thing going. I'll be building a room in the basement and need it to be big enough for 24 plants but space is at a minimum so I guess what's the average size I should make this room? I'm going to use the HPS/MH convertible lights but am I better off getting 2 600's for flowering or 1 1000 and an exra 600/1000 for veg room? I know for optimum crop it would be 1k down the line but money is an object so I'm turning to you for help because you all have been there done that and can help a newbie such as myself. So please any advice on the above, equip, grow techniques and such would be greatly appreciated!

 

Peace,

 

J

 

 

I have a 5.5 X 10 flowering room with 2 air-cooled 600 watters. I flower 8 plants at a time and get results that please me. The 600 watters can be close to the canopy due to the air cooling. I veg in a 6 X 10 tarp enclosed area under 3 400 watt lamps. I have started using ceramic MH lamps in the 400 watt units. Works great.

[boroboro]

In my last grow set-up I had 2x1000W HPS in a 5x8 foot flowering room, and 1 400W over the clones and vegging plants. That 400W was a bit too small to keep enough plants vegging to keep the flower room full. So, I had a 5:1 ratio between flowering light watts and veg light watts, and didn't have enough light in veg. I'm aiming at a 3:1 ratio of flower:veg lights for my current grow space.

 

That 5x8 flowering room with 2k in HPS lighting was more than enough to keep 4 patients supplied. I found my best use of plant numbers to happen with vegging the plants out to about 2 foot bushes before they went in the flowering room. Usually less than 15 plants in flower, 20 or so in clone and veg. stages.

 

I hope someone chimes in here who has used T5 or T8 florescent lights in veg, or another non-HID lighting solution. I don't think the veg. plants need a whole lot of light, but with my single 400W it was hard to light enough floor space to hold all the plants.

 

To save on money, build your own stuff whenever possible. I've built rooms out of 2x2 lumber and black-and-white poly, built ballasts from kits, used cheap squirrel cage fans instead of the grow store's inline fans. Don't spend the whole $2500 on your initial setup -- you'll probably need something else soon after you start growing...

 

 

I would prioritize your budget and efforts toward (in order):

1. Flower room light
2. Flower room environment / airflow / cooling / sealing / odor control
3. Acquiring proper seeds / plants / clones
4. Clone / Veg. room environment
5. Learn to grow and listen to your plants

One big mistake I made early on was skimping a bit on room sealing and odor control. That suddenly became much more important when the Diesel was 6 weeks into flower and a Sheriff's Deputy was standing in my doorway, with the plants just a few feet underneath the floor.

[wolfgama]

Welcome!!...You have come to right forum!!...Low budget is how we all start!!....Been doing Bubble Straight Out Of The Gate!!...Lots of Used Eqipment on Craigs!!..Plus there was a forum on here used equip. Congrat's for jumping in to your first grow!!... ...Read And Ask!!...Peace!!

[tooldini]

Keep in mind the odor that some of these plants can put off My idea was to gut out a computer case and grow a small lowryder in the living room and NO one would notice LOL. I did not know that one 7" tall plant could smell like 3 dead skunks on a hot road. I use a small cabinet know with a carbon filter and the odor is way down almost non existant till the lights come on then you can smell a little bit of something. Don't forget smell for stealthyness, I live in the country so neighbors won't be a problem but many live in subdivisions and cities were neighbors are close and more nosey.

[The Digital Nomad]

Start smaller - a new grower like yourself trying to cram as many plants into a first grow will onluy find mites, and powdery mildew ruining the crop. Smaller crop, you will get to know plants by inspecting them on a very regular basis. Your estimate of 2 - 600watters for the flower room is way off - you can at best fit 3-4 plants flowering under each light, as they get bushy. Grow for quality, not quanity.

 

-DN

[1337Gr33n]

welcome to the forums! I have to be off to work, but DON'T FORGET TO INVEST IN GREAT FANS!

[treehugger]

Start smaller - a new grower like yourself trying to cram as many plants into a first grow will only find mites, and powdery mildew ruining the crop. Smaller crop, you will get to know plants by inspecting them on a very regular basis. Your estimate of 2 - 600watters for the flower room is way off - you can at best fit 3-4 plants flowering under each light, as they get bushy. Grow for quality, not quanity.

 

-DN

 

the best kind of advice...

[treehugger]

In my last grow set-up I had 2x1000W HPS in a 5x8 foot flowering room, and 1 400W over the clones and vegging plants. That 400W was a bit too small to keep enough plants vegging to keep the flower room full. So, I had a 5:1 ratio between flowering light watts and veg light watts, and didn't have enough light in veg. I'm aiming at a 3:1 ratio of flower:veg lights for my current grow space.

 

That 5x8 flowering room with 2k in HPS lighting was more than enough to keep 4 patients supplied. I found my best use of plant numbers to happen with vegging the plants out to about 2 foot bushes before they went in the flowering room. Usually less than 15 plants in flower, 20 or so in clone and veg. stages.

 

I hope someone chimes in here who has used T5 or T8 florescent lights in veg, or another non-HID lighting solution. I don't think the veg. plants need a whole lot of light, but with my single 400W it was hard to light enough floor space to hold all the plants.

 

To save on money, build your own stuff whenever possible. I've built rooms out of 2x2 lumber and black-and-white poly, built ballasts from kits, used cheap squirrel cage fans instead of the grow store's inline fans. Don't spend the whole $2500 on your initial setup -- you'll probably need something else soon after you start growing...

 

I would prioritize your budget and efforts toward (in order):

1. Flower room light
2. Flower room environment / airflow / cooling / sealing / odor control
3. Acquiring proper seeds / plants / clones
4. Clone / Veg. room environment
5. Learn to grow and listen to your plants

One big mistake I made early on was skimping a bit on room sealing and odor control. That suddenly became much more important when the Diesel was 6 weeks into flower and a Sheriff's Deputy was standing in my doorway, with the plants just a few feet underneath the floor.

 

We work with a sometimes dangerous combination of conditions in our trade that put us at risk for electrocution, burns and trips and falls. Taking shortcuts and cutting corners can come back to bite you in the posterior in the worst possible way. Don't budget out safety.