Well ive scrapped my last idea of using batteries in a garage, now im building a wooden box and putting it in the spare room of my flat. I only plan on having one plant just to see how i get on with it. The box i plan on making 6ft tall and about 3ft wide and deep as i want quite a sizable plant. Run a DWC hydroponics system, in which ill change the water twice throughout the grow (once for veg, once for flowering) Now i cant decide what wattage bulb i want, im thinking 125w cfl as its only one plant, but i want it quite big so im thinking maybe 200w for a decent yield? Or possibly a 125w hanging from the top, and 2 35w hanging at the sides? Also will 3ft wide be big enough or too big for a single plant? (dont want it to be 5ft tall and burning it on the walls) Then my last question - will it be ample to have a small fan for an exhaust, and an open intake? Thanks,
250 HPS would be a nice place to start with the setup you are envisioning. I always try to stress not reinventing the wheel in your first grow though. Do some reading around here about lighting setups and plant training. In that case you are going to want to do something to even your canopy... top twice... use a screen, and a 250W hps and you will be happy with the plant you can grow.
I just searched about topping and that looks like a good idea. Am i right in thinking topping essentially makes the plant 'fatter' and less triangular shaped?
yea it lets you spread the canopy and fattens it out, if you wanna call it that... this way you can get your artificial light source closer to more tops. If you grow a plant out in its natural form and try to use a single bulb of modest wattage like you are describing, then you will find you end up with one decent cola and a bunch of useless secondary growth. a plant with 4 tops will do much better under these conditions because all 4 can be as close to the bulb as the single one would have been otherwise. If you want to just grow it out naturally for a first run and not do any training, then i would recomend using several 24 or 40W CFL bulbs positioned all around it rather than one 200W bulb over the top. You have to either bring your light to the tops by using several bulbs or bring your tops to the light by topping/training your plant. Look into using a screen as well. I believe its most often referred to as a SCROG around this forum.
I see, im starting to like the idea of having like 4 40w cfls - one in each corner of the room. Sounds abit better than one big HPS at the top. What do you think?
Just depends on how you are going to grow. Either will work. You'll get pretty good results with 4 or 5 40 Watters and could avoid training the plant on your first run. After one completed cycle you will have a better idea of how it all works. 250 hps and plant training is probably the more effective route in the end if you are comfortable with the training stuff. Even like 10 25w cfls would be fine to learn with. Keep the total over 200 real watts and you will like your results any way you go. ..From there you'll develop your own preference. The equipment is relatively inexpensive so just play around grow after grow
Cheers mate, think ill go with a HPS and train the plant if it even makes it that far without dying...
HPS - good choice. My tent 2x2x5.5h works perfectly with HPS, although I use 400W. My plants always produce, plentyful and powerful. You will not be sorry for your choice. Visit your plant every day even if just to lift the pot to see if it needs water, and you'll be fine. May the ganja spirits be with you, and GL. Oh! I also use a 195CFM vortex exhaust fan without problems.
250w hps shouldn't throw much heat. I use a 400w and without a fan I can keep it under a foot. With a fan, it's within inches. Of course every grow is different, point being that heat should be very manageable with minimal effort.
youll want a thermometer with a probe... put the probe just over the canopy and lower the light with the fans going until you hit somewhere between 80-85F (28-30C). The rule of thumb is just keep bulbs as close as possible without burning the plants. Its good to know exactly where you are at temp wise, because it will vary with ambient temps. This way you dont burn your plants on a hot day because you set up your light on a cold day. thermometer with a probe is grow equip essential. as is PH test solution.
You should scrog and fim/top, it would be perfect in a cabinet like that and it could also increase your yield. If your plant has problem when you're gonna grow you can take a look at this link. I shared it a couple of time because it helps me quite a lot. http://www.thenug.com/galleries/diagnose-your-sick-marijuana-plants
Depends on the strain if you top it cause if it's bag seed it is like super stressful to top or fim or anything that involves cutting the plant just pinch and twist it is virtually stressfree Why so serious????? He puts the bong to my mouth!! WHY SO SERIOUS???? LETS PUT A SMILE ON THAT FACE!!! *bongin* (cough cough)
Got a thermometer, ph tester, and water tester on my shopping list. Im thinking of having afghan skunk, this wouldnt be stressful to top would it?
yes. it's always stressful to top. but you can still do it to any strain basically. you might even consider a 400w light though, my experience with 250s they don't penetrate canopy well. always had to supplement. depending on your training of course.
I run 3 plants in a 3x3x6 scrog with a 400w veg and 1000w flower...topped my plants 3-5 times. Ended with 3/4 pound last grow and that was with the 400w from start to finish bout to be cheifin blizzys
Changed my mind once again. I spoke to this bloke in my local grow shop and hes talked me into having 5 plants in bio soil, rather than 1 plant in DWC. He claims 125w cfl for vegging 5 plants will be enough, sounds abit low to me though? Then flower under a 600w HPS
That would work because 5 in 2x2 is gonna be crouded if you vedge more than a couple of weeks. wait 5 in 2x2 will be crouded with no veg. I would get these lights and do 2 with 2 or 3 weeks vedge. Top and LST them till the second or third week of bloom. Twas Ever Thus!