First time grow, Soil or Hydro?

Discussion in 'First Time Marijuana Growers' started by minutemade, Sep 9, 2008.

  1. #1 minutemade, Sep 9, 2008
    Hey wassup guys I'm new here and I'm planning my first grow as seeds are on its way so I can get going as soon as possible. I have an unused closet outside on the patio, the size is approximately 3.5' by 2.5 ft by well the top goes up pretty high, up to about 12 feet. I was wondering with this size, would you guys recommend me doing a soil or a hydro grow (rumples bubble bucket)? I can do whichever and money is not too big of an issue.

    How would you guys go about setting up this cloest? I can build a small closet inthere and go 3' by 2' and have a shelf about 1 feet up and then another shelf maybe 2 feet up...and this is where my decision on the soil or hydro would play because of the size I'm limited with and since many of you guys have experience with growth, output, maximizing yield I'd figure someone would know how to approach this.


    Thanks for anyone who can provide me with any suggestions
     
  2. #2 llama, Sep 9, 2008
    Scince this is your first grow, i would go with soil, it is easier to deal with, and you still can get GREAT results.

    As far as the closet goes, why build a closet within a closet? i would just use it just how it is. Put white paint or something up on all the walls, hang your light and go to town. i wouldnt plant more than 5 plants in that space, cause only 2 or 3 will live and be female, and they will need space.
     
  3. #3 mels, Sep 9, 2008
    I agree with everything llama said apart from I would go with hydro! A DWC system is so easy to use and you know exactly whats in the water at anytime so you will always know why something is wrong.
     
  4. #4 minutemade, Sep 9, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 9, 2008
    Well if I went with Soil I should get how many pots to put in my grow area and how big according to my size?

    Same question with hydro because from Rumple Bucket he uses a 5 gallon container and I think 3 of those will take up a lot of the space.

    The only reason I was making another closet inside the closet is because the closet is outside on my patio and things can crawl in there, cold air will just flow in as its about to be fall.. where as if i make a closet i can prevent 90% of bugs and things crawling and have a lot more control in regards to ventilation, humidity, etc.

    On top of that I can create a lower shelf inside the closet which can act as a nursery for vege plants while the top shelf will be flowering.. and just in case something happens god forbid, i can easily transfer my closet somewhere else
    Not to mention I can easily control the smell through a carbon filter inside the closet itself.. otherwise its just gonna smell the whole place up and I live in an apt..
     
  5. #5 minutemade, Sep 10, 2008
  6. #6 mels, Sep 10, 2008
    You will need 12 of each of those bulbs so you get the correct spec for both veg and flower but I just use all 2700k and its fine. You will need a bare minimum of 8 but an ideal number would be 12. As you need 100 actual watts. This being the smaller number. But there is no reason you cant get the 42s and have just 7 or 8.
     
  7. #7 minutemade, Sep 10, 2008
    12?? are you sure man.. How many plants would that be for??. Thats 1200 watts.. I was planning on having 2-3 or 4 plants going at once, maybe even 5.
    I was reading on these forums and it said that it should just be 100w per plant.. and the the CFLs 100w equivalent is the same.. yes/no??
     
  8. #8 FlikFlak, Sep 10, 2008
    they are 100watt equelevant . The actual wattage is 26watt . So if you want 3 plants 12 would be ideal .
     
  9. #9 mels, Sep 10, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 10, 2008
    Flick is 100% correct. The forum states 100 actual watts per plant not incandesant equivelant. The lights would only be using 312 watts.
     
  10. #10 minutemade, Sep 10, 2008
    so I'm guessing just screw the CFL's and just get a HPS and a Metal Halide instead of buying 24 bulbs. What do you guys use to grow.. and how many plants + how big is your grow room?
     
  11. #11 FlikFlak, Sep 11, 2008
    yeah go for a HPS instead of CFL . if you are going to burn 300 watts CFL you could go with a 250watt HPS and to what i belive get a better result . You would get a bigger lumen output for sure . and get a reflector too .
     
  12. #12 mels, Sep 11, 2008
    Yeah go HPS if you can, I'm doing a 400 watt CFL grow as a sort of experiment. Check my journal.
     
  13. #13 minutemade, Sep 12, 2008
    only 250watts? I was planning on growing 4 at once in a DWC.. in one of those big rubbermaid storage things
    something like this
    http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/p...c=24&jssCart=3f11ed542fe7298f5856c9fcc3ba3594
    so only 250watts is required? Or should i just go for the 400?

    I'm finding ones on ebay going for around $120 for a 400 watt hps system with ballast and reflectors..

    how does the above sound? i'm gonna purchase it asap as soon as i get some more responses because guess what i got . MY SEEDS TODAY!
    I'm so happy
     
  14. #14 Loner Stoner, Sep 23, 2008
    Wait....

    You can stick with the CFL lights for your vegetative growth.
    You typically want to use the HPS for the flowering. I wouldn't use it for veg.

    CFL (most) emmit the same light spectrum as Metal Hallides which are optimal for vegetative growth... blue and white light is what you need.

    For flower red light is key.
     
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