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Am I paying too much?

n00b_farmer

New member
I am spending a little over $1000 in supplies. This includes:
4x4x7 Tent
6x24 Phresh Filter
Reflector
Fan Speed Controller
Soil
Temperature Activated Outlet
Hurricane 435 CFM 6" Inline fan
Thermometer/Hygrometer
Nutes
1000w Lumatek Ballast
1000w Hortilux HPS Bulb
1000w Hortilux MH Bulb
Timer
........
Etc...

My question is, as my first grow will I be able to grow enough bud to sell and make some profit? Or is this not possible to do in such a small tent with the equipment I have? Any input is appreciated.

PS.. About 1 pound would be enough to make my money back and a little profit (Plus some for myself :dance013:)
 

Mikenite69

Well-known member
Veteran
Noob farmer not for nothing but I see u getting a warning by the mods because we aren't supposed to be talking abou selling weed and profits and really for your first post asking something like this looks like a red flag just saying....

I would really tread lightly because u might get the ban hammer for not following Tou.
 

n00b_farmer

New member
Rephrased question

Rephrased question

I am spending a little over $1000 in supplies. This includes:
4x4x7 Tent
6x24 Phresh Filter
Reflector
Fan Speed Controller
Soil
Temperature Activated Outlet
Hurricane 435 CFM 6" Inline fan
Thermometer/Hygrometer
Nutes
1000w Lumatek Ballast
1000w Hortilux HPS Bulb
1000w Hortilux MH Bulb
Timer
........
Etc...

My question is, as my first grow will I be able to yield close to a pound of quality bud? Is this even possible? Any input is appreciated.

Rephrased question, sorry for the rule infraction fellas!!!! I was not aware.
 

LSWM

Active member
Veteran
Noob farmer not for nothing but I see u getting a warning by the mods because we aren't supposed to be talking abou selling weed and profits and really for your first post asking something like this looks like a red flag just saying....

I would really tread lightly because u might get the ban hammer for not following Tou.

Ummm... I think you need to read the TOU again. It doesn't say anything about selling weed or profit. It specifically says no illegal postings, or soliciting/offering to buy/sell on the forum.
 

LSWM

Active member
Veteran
1 lb from a first grow is certainly possible, but I would probably go with some cheaper equipment if I were you. I can score a 1000w switchable magnetic ballast + bulb + cord/mogul socket for ~$150 locally. SunSystem Harvest Pro is the model. You don't really need both MH and HPS bulbs, nor do you need to go for the Hortilux, especially for your first grow. I am running mostly magnetic ballasts and cheap UltraSun bulbs and have 6400 watts flowering currently.

A 1k ballast costs ~$100 a month to run 12/12 @ $0.26 a kw, so you'll want to factor that in as well. Don't get sucked into the nutrient game. Any two part base will do just fine, or you can go KISS and run Maxibloom from seed to harvest. Simpler is better, especially when starting out.

I would plan on having a run or two where your initial investment isn't completely covered. You will certainly make it back in no time, and as your skills develop you will have larger harvests from that same initial investment again and again. I started with $200, a hand me down 600 watt HPS, and a 2x4 tent in a closet. Now I'm rocking 6400 watts across 6 trays.
 

n00b_farmer

New member
I am spending a little over $1000 in supplies. This includes:
4x4x7 Tent
6x24 Phresh Filter
Reflector
Fan Speed Controller
Soil
Temperature Activated Outlet
Hurricane 435 CFM 6" Inline fan
Thermometer/Hygrometer
Nutes
1000w Lumatek Ballast
1000w Hortilux HPS Bulb
1000w Hortilux MH Bulb
Timer
........
Etc...

My question is, as my first grow will I be able to grow enough bud to sell and make some profit? Or is this not possible to do in such a small tent with the equipment I have? Any input is appreciated.

PS.. About 1 pound would be enough to make my money back and a little profit (Plus some for myself :dance013:)

1 lb from a first grow is certainly possible, but I would probably go with some cheaper equipment if I were you. I can score a 1000w switchable magnetic ballast + bulb + cord/mogul socket for ~$150 locally. SunSystem Harvest Pro is the model. You don't really need both MH and HPS bulbs, nor do you need to go for the Hortilux, especially for your first grow. I am running mostly magnetic ballasts and cheap UltraSun bulbs and have 6400 watts flowering currently.

A 1k ballast costs ~$100 a month to run 12/12 @ $0.26 a kw, so you'll want to factor that in as well. Don't get sucked into the nutrient game. Any two part base will do just fine, or you can go KISS and run Maxibloom from seed to harvest. Simpler is better, especially when starting out.

I would plan on having a run or two where your initial investment isn't completely covered. You will certainly make it back in no time, and as your skills develop you will have larger harvests from that same initial investment again and again. I started with $200, a hand me down 600 watt HPS, and a 2x4 tent in a closet. Now I'm rocking 6400 watts across 6 trays.

I was considering going with cheaper equipment, however I don't wanna complete a few grows and upgrade. I'm more of a buy once use forever kind of guy
 

LSWM

Active member
Veteran
I was considering going with cheaper equipment, however I don't wanna complete a few grows and upgrade. I'm more of a buy once use forever kind of guy

Something to think about is that the bulbs will need to be replaced anyways. Cheaper bulbs have a serious advantage if your yields aren't up there yet.

Also, if you plan on expanding at all, it's not like that equipment will go to waste if you upgrade later. Maybe you use it for a veg tent and the new equipment goes to a new flower.

In my experience the cheaper equipment gets the job done just fine. When growing plants you always have to look at the limiting factor, and I can almost guarantee that will be your skills and not the equipment. As I said, I run mostly mag ballasts and cheap bulbs and I'm running 6k, so "upgrade in the future" was never something I really did. In fact I bought a lumatek ballast for my first ballast purchase and if I could do it again I'd probably go with the magnetics.
 
I would agree with most of what has been said here, except I would stick with a digi ballast. With most digital ballasts you can lower the output and change the bulb to 400 or 600 watt if you choose, can be handy.

Horti's are a waste on first grow, bulbs are an ongoing expense, replace every 2-3 grows.

not sure what you would use the temp outlet for?

If you are buying local ask your hydro store for a better discount like 20%, I would stay away from cheep Chinese hoods, get a sunsystem or hydrofarm.

same on nutes, maxi grow-bloom or dyna-gro work great all by themselves, optimizing environment will yield far more than terpnbignmassivenstickybud will.
 

n00b_farmer

New member
not sure what you would use the temp outlet for?

The temp outlet will kick on my inline fan when the temp in my tent raises above a specified temperature.

I am using fox farm nutes and soil (Nutes: Fox Farm Trio Soil: Ocean Forest)
 

Mikenite69

Well-known member
Veteran
If you say so.

If you say so.

Ummm... I think you need to read the TOU again. It doesn't say anything about selling weed or profit. It specifically says no illegal postings, or soliciting/offering to buy/sell on the forum.

Basically all I was telling him for being a new person and talking about selling weed to make back his initial investment for first post will most likely not be recieved well.

Plus I was just trying to help him out because that of borderline of a tou violation. Just was trying to let him know be careful what you say

Plus not only that I am sure there are pigs and narcs on this site I don't think talking about selling weed to recoup investment is the best idea to say.

Maybe if he owned a dispo or something like that but don't think so by the setup he is gonna be running. Plus thought you guys in medi states can't sell weed you have to take "donations""

So op if my post came off wrong my apologies I was just trying to look out for the new guy and be careful of the questions you ask that was all.

Anyways I run a 1k in a 4x4 with 6" fan and with a phat filter. I don't have any issues in the winter with temps.

I am also able to pull over a pound out of that tent with a 1lk with either 9 or 6 plants. I still use a switchable magnetic ballast with a metal halide for veg and a Ushio hps bulb for flower


Here is a break down of what I spent. 20 bucks ducting, 4x4 tent 100.00, 1k switchable ballast magnetic with shit reflector with metal halide bulb 200. Phat filter and fan 250.00 and better aircooled reflector 70 bucks also oh ya and Ushio hps bulb 75 bucks.


So that's roughly 600 bucks and I have recouped that 10x over already.
 

Snow Crash

Active member
Veteran
You are not getting ripped off at that price. I think it's a pretty fair deal for the listed equipment.

The High Temperature shutoff you could probably do without. Also, depending on what "reflector" you are talking about could add $30 or $230 to the order - so brand and model are kind of important to price match.

Lumatek ballasts are whatever... I wouldn't buy one with their history of failure/return-rate but I do wonder if the quality is any different now that Hydrofarm dropped them and Sunlight Supply picked them back up (new chinese MFG from what I understand).

Digital ballasts operate on high frequency (60,000 to 120,000 Hz) while Hortilux bulbs operate on low frequency (50-60 Hz aka square wave). The ~90,000 cycles per second in a high frequency ballast create a lot of harmonic distortion in the arc tube of low frequency bulbs and will wreck that Hortilux super quick. If you go with a high-frequency ballast then you need to choose a proper bulb. Digilux bulbs have an equally amazing energy distribution but may not last the 1 year on their warranty (which if you think about it, kind of gets you a new bulb every few months for free). The Ushio Hi-Lux 1000w Opti-red HPS bulbs are where its at when it comes to durability, lumen maintenance, and performance in high frequency systems.

If you were REALLY looking to not need to buy a new light for a while then you should look seriously into the Gavita Double Ended fixture. While these do require 2.5-3 feet from the bulb to the canopy (taller tent) they offer the absolute best value and return on your investment, which, let's be honest, is significant at $500 for the unit.

If you're going with soil, then you do not need nutrients. Soil IS nutrients! What you need to be looking into are beneficial bacteria and compost teas. If you'd like to grow with bottled nutrients then drop the soil and go with Coco or Peat if you want a similar sort of drain to waste setup.

Do your homework. No sense in being in a race car if you have no idea how to drive a stick shift. The absolute most valuable, most important, most indispensable, piece of equipment in a grow room is knowledge. Buy a book, download more books. You're here on this forum asking questions, so you know that you need more knowledge. Take that $20 you'd drop on Taco Bell this month and put it to good use. Here's one suggestion.

If you need a quote or anything just follow the links and put an order together, save it for review, and I'll see what I can do.
 
I am spending a little over $1000 in supplies. This includes:
4x4x7 Tent
6x24 Phresh Filter
Reflector
Fan Speed Controller
Soil
Temperature Activated Outlet
Hurricane 435 CFM 6" Inline fan
Thermometer/Hygrometer
Nutes
1000w Lumatek Ballast
1000w Hortilux HPS Bulb
1000w Hortilux MH Bulb
Timer
........
Etc...

My question is, as my first grow will I be able to grow enough bud to sell and make some profit? Or is this not possible to do in such a small tent with the equipment I have? Any input is appreciated.

PS.. About 1 pound would be enough to make my money back and a little profit (Plus some for myself :dance013:)

might be able to but i wouldnt count on it, it might take a couple grows unless you know the strain and know how to train properly and all of that.
 

ThePizzaMan

Active member
Veteran
Are you growing from seed or from clone? Growing from seed is going to take you much longer than growing from a clone. Not to mention the clone only strains are probably more likely to give you something your potential customers are going to want to smoke. Seeds are like the lottery...or bubba gumps box of chocolates...na mean?

I also think that you should get a 5x5 tent...as if you want to fit a 4x4 tray in there...you can do so. $1000 is a fair price for all of that. You just need to grow a qp of decent smoke to make your money back.

Electronic ballast def. I recommend phantom..solistek....hydrofarm...as they all have good warranties. My phantom is amazing...and I am super happy with it. Don't get a quantum what ever you do.

I would also not go soil. Its dumb heavy..its messy...

Go coco...with any coco nutrient with supplements and you will be super happy. You are probably going to grow in pots....you do not need to go big here....1 - 2 gallon max ...veg the shit out of your plants for like 2 months.....and you should have no problem pulling a pound. Make sure not to overwater...and if you are popping seeds..remember that you may get a lot of males....so it is best to plant like 20 or so seeds cause half of them could be males.

Good luck!

TpM
 

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