The ultimate Newb humbly asks for help for first grow ever...

[stonedar]

yeah I'd get a clip on spot light from lowes and some 23w CFLs

if you get some Y-2 bulb adaptors you can make a nice 4 bulb CFL set up that can hang in the tent. get 2 65k CFLs and 2 27k CFLs

does that make sense at all?


the Y-adaptor this lets you put 2 bulbs in one socket you have seen them

 

[stonedar]

 

[stonedar]

one of these. take the reflector part off. it just unscrews and stick a 2 bulb thing in it.
or you can put 3 adaptors in it and uses 4 bulbs

 

[_Dude]

About light footprints, I think most people here give estimates that are too small. I easily get pretty good bud in a 5x5 area with a 1000w HPS, for example, but most people in grow forums say 4x4. That's fine if all you have is 4x4, but why limit yourself if you have the space? Not everyone grows in a closet. IMO, 1000w=4x4 to 5x5. I have less experience with 600w, but I'd rather go over than under. An underdeveloped plant never hurt anyone. So I'd go 4x4 with a 600w.

Wow thanks so much everyone, will invest in a HD then, anyone rec a shop online for lights?

PlantLightingHydroponics.com has the best combination of selection and prices I know of. Shop around before you buy, a lot of hydro sellers will rip you off blind if you let them.

You can get air-cooled hoods for 80 bucks + shipping at PLH. I haven't tried them, bought Super Sun 2s the last few times, but I'm going for the 80 dollar one next time.

Keep in mind, if you're buying a blower, you don't HAVE to lowball. You can buy a blower that will cool a 1000w, and use it on your 400 or 600 or whatever, and if you upgrade your light, you don't have to upgrade your fan. Same goes for 6" duct over 4" duct. I wouldn't use anything smaller than 6" on a 600, though you could probably do okay with 4" on a 600.

The 495 CFM blowers at PLH (80 bucks + shipping I think) keep the tops of the hoods on my 1ks at room temp.

If you feel like you are going to overfeed, then recite your new mantra "Less is more."

QFT.

And last, but def not least, always pH your water LAST.

Because nutes will usually drop pH. They're probably not going to be the same pH as your water, at any rate.

I'm gonna go against the current here and say you should stick to your guns and go with your hydro setup. DWC is very easy, and very efficient for a small space grow.

I don't like DWC much, but I have to agree with that. If you're doing a small grow, it makes sense. It's when you have to start buying air pumps for lots of containers, and worrying about chilling a large reservoir that it starts getting stupid IMO.

On the other hand, if I was starting even a closet grow from scratch, I'd do Ebb & Flow over DWC.

 

[HopefulNewb]

lol not at all but I can translate it in a sec... I'll also need to go to home depot or some store and get ducting...

sigh... ok main body work done.... just have to wait to get now...

 

[HopefulNewb]

dude yeah I'm going soil-less mix first time just because basically adding water and K.I.S.S for me seems to work at least first time, I'll def try dwc in future could be fun, but let's see if I can even make the most basic grow, grow.... lol



Stonedar I get what you're saying, how long till I turn on main light in tent ?


thanks stonedar

cool I read last two responses under this, Ill get that setup, doesn't look expensive and I will hang it right between the two so no stretching and both should get it...

 

[stonedar]

yeah there are alot of lighting options for starting the seeds and the start of veg, nothing you gotta handle now.

any cheapo floro lights in home depot will work. just make sure you get 6500k bulbs or better yet a mix of 1 6500 one 2700k floro bulbs

 

[stonedar]

if get floros that can cover all the plants you start well I would turn on the 400w after 2 or 3 weeks

the floros keep the plants cool, keep them close to the plants they will start with no stretch that way.

 

[HopefulNewb]

To everyone, I still feel like I'm jumping in deep end for first time, but I have some great lifeguards here and I really appreciate everyone's help. I can't even express it with these smilies. I have a few more little things to pick up, from gardening shears ect... but let's hope I get to ask you guys more questions in future like "umm how should I cut now? cure now?" <3

Just waiting next two weeks now for stuff to arrive, so until then I'm going to focus on health and dream about another healing source in the near future.

Much love.
(very)hopefulnewb

 

[stonedar]

I'll get my camera tommorrow and treat you to some really really horrible photography of my drop light, and maybe a plant or 2. I don't have much going that would impress anyone. my biggest plant atm is in maybe 3rd week of flower.

way too late now I suppose, but... the radiant is huge, lol. it'll work fine. in fact that's the trend right now, everyone wants the biggest reflector they can get. it will work fine.

 

[CANNATOPIA]

Good Luck with your 1st Grow friend.

 

[_Dude]

if I was to guess maybe $70-80 a month

You can get good estimates/predictions of your bills with a bit of math. The unknowns are the pumps and fans, I don't know how to estimate those. But lights are easy:

Kw * H * D * P = C
Kw=kilowatts of your light; 1000w=1Kw, 600w=.6Kw, etc.
H= hours per day it's on
D= days in the billing cycle
P= price per kilowatt hour (.12 where I live - it's on your light bill)
C= light bill

Example:
1000w light on 12 hours a day for 30 days at .10 per kilowatt hour
1 * 12 * 30 * .10 = 36 bucks

I think that's right. Cannastats has a calculator for this, too.

 

[_Dude]

And just so you know, you don't HAVE to flush. It's one of those things "everybody" does, but you just don't have to do it. You mentioned wanting clean or chem-free bud so you'll probably want to, I'm just sayin. I don't. I want to stuff them with food right up until slaughter, lol.

 

[HopefulNewb]

nutes/pots and such got here, everything else will be soon, really excited to start this.

Some new questions...

#1 - Will PH go down after I add maxibloom because my tap is off the charts I do have some ph down, from gen hydro, but worried I could run out of it.

#2 - I've read a lot, but I'm thinking of just adding them straight into the pots, concerns or worries on doing that?

#3 - I have two 120w equiv (30w) 2100k cpl's, use those real close or just put my big light that also has a bulb with blue spectrum from start 24/7 ?

thx, almost ready to get started.