Beginner in need of tips to get the ball rolling

600w can handle a 3x3 area perfectly....can also handle a 4x4

lights should be no closer than 18 inches

you can use hps for the whole thing

you will need a carbon filter when the plant enters flowering stage

what or what?

i use tackboard covered in mylar....ziptied to my frame and duct taped off

 

^word. You can also use flat white paint or panda plastic instead of mylar. Much easier to work with than mylar IMO. Also, you can get your lights closer than that if you have a cool tube or aircooled hood. The rule of thumb is that if you hold your hand under the light and it feels hot to your hand, it's too hot for your plants.

 

Metal Halide is better for veg and HPS for flowering

You are not supposed to push air into the tent....you are supposed to suck air OUT of the tent

1 fan is fine

ph test kit from general hydroponics

advanced nutrients

fox farm ocean forest.....or you can make your own soil

 

Check out the following:
BOOK: The Cannabis Grow Bible by Greg Green
Videos: Jorge Cervantes Grow DVD's (You can find them on youtube)

The following is great for a first grow for anyone

SOIL:
Fox Farm Ocean Forest

NUTRIENTS:
Advanced Nutrients Line (can be expensive)
Fox Farm Line(budget friendly)

NOTE: If you are growing outdoors the following information you do not need to read.
INDOOR GROWERS

Exhaust Fan:
Each fan has a rating that tells you how many cubic feet of air per minute (CFM) it will move. When dealing with above average temperatures you will want your fan to exchange the grow room air 3-5 times in one minute, so for a room that is 40 cubic feet, a fan that is capable of moving 120-200 cfm (cubic feet per minute) is recommended. If you only want to replace depleted levels of co2 and are growing in a closet using fluorescents, one room change per five minutes (divide room size by 5) will be adequate.

So depending on the size of the room you will need a fan to actually REMOVE the air....not just let it naturally vent

Lighting
HID - Metal Halid (Veg stage)/ High Pressure Sodium(flowering stage)
and/or
CFL - Compact Flourescent (Cheaper but nowhere near as efficient)

Grow Room/Tent
You can search "Amazon.com" for grow tents.
Depending on your needs you can get a small tent 2x2', but if you ever plan on growing more plants i would suggest going with a 4'x4' tent just so you have the space. Also a 600w MH/HPS kit would be more than efficient in there

If you plan on growing in a closet always line the walls with mylar and ventilation is necessary

YOUR BEST BET IS TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE GROW JOURNALS ON THESE FORUMS AND PICK UP TIPS AS YOU GO ALONG
>>>>>>> Outdoor Grow Journals
>>>>>>> Indoor Grow Journals

 

here is an example of my tent.....

outside<<<<<fan in tent<<<<<light<<<<<filter

 

^ word. It works better if you are pulling air through ducting vs pushing air through it. If you don't have a carbon filter hooked up to your light exhaust and you are using this to cool your light (with an aircooled hood or a cool tube):
-you want to pull air from your tent through your ac hood/cool tube, out of the tent, and out the window

if you have a C filter like Ice does, it goes:

(from your tent) Cfilter<light<fan<exhaust out the window

think of the little "<" as ducting.

If you don't have an AC hood/cool tube and just have a carbon filter (you are just using the fan for odor control and exhaust) you could definitely put the fan outside the tent by the window, and have it connected by ducting to your C filter in the tent. Both my fan and filter are outside of my closet. It's more efficient to suck air through your C filter (vs pushing air thru it like mine does) but I have space limitations so that's how it is. But your fan def does not have to be in your tent. It can be a little confusing at first, that's ok. HTH

 

You want to exhaust air out the window.

carbon filter--->light--->fan--->window---->outside

This way the stinky air in the room gets pulled thru the carbon filter, then thru the light to cool it, then out the window.