So I'll be growing indoors, and I need some help planning my set up on a budget so I can get started on the right foot. FYI: All I want is a few plants for personal use. Let's go with a $500 budget. I thought about going with a grow tent simply because it's a lot lighter and MUCH cheaper than a heavy ass cabinet, and I definitely want to use CFL's to cut back on energy costs and heat emission. Ideally, I think I'd like to automate everything (feeding, lights, etc.). Other than a tent, lights, ventilation, grow medium, what else would I need, and what are some cheap options for ventilation and such?
Thermometer/Hygrometer , rope ratchets , planters , Perlite , inline fan , carbon filter ,duct , fan speed controller, Nutrients , timer to turn lights on/off , power strip , extension cord , seeds/plants , couple 6 " fans to circulate air inside tent , CFLs suck for growing , instead get a full spectrum LED light All these can be had at reasonable prices on ebay
I warn you about starting with cfls I also was trying to accomplish a low budget grow much like you are and I did some research and came across cfls as being the cheapest way to get the job done... i started off buying 4 40w 6700k cfls for about 12 bucks each on amazon little did i know i would have to have atleast 4 more to even produce a bud worth smoking for the amount of plants i was trying to grow (4 plants) i was kinda bummed but it wasn't going to set me back. after dropping around 120 dollars on cfls and the connecter to screw them in to i realized 8 cfls produce way to much heat with how small my grow space was. i finished the grow but the buds were so unhealthy i just used them to make edibles.
i recently got a cheap led system made by viparspectra (450 watt version) for 150 dollars on amazon. i spent 30 more dollars than i did on all the cfls but i easily doubled my yield also my plants were much more happy and my grow tent cooled down a ton
Also a way to save money on ventilation is using the fans from a computer to push air in and out of the grow room there are some videos on youtube about how to rewire the fans to a wall charger
There's a brand called MEIZHI on eBay. They sell a 450w panel for 109$ last I checked. Same one I'm using in my grow this is how much I got mine for when it was on sale lol Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
if your concerned about energy efficiency and cost then you'd wanna go with LED's. they're the best bro and they don't heat up like the alternatives not to mention their life span is vastly superior to every other option.
2x mars 300 led grow lights. $138 2PCS Mars 300W LED Grow Light Panel Full Spectrum Hydro Indoor Plant Veg Flower | eBay 3x3 grow tent $63 600D 32x32x63" 100% Reflective Mylar Hydroponics Indoor Grow Tent Non Toxic Room | eBay 6 bucket DWC system $99 (only use 4 buckets, Make 1 into a cloning machine with a new top and neoprene cups.) HTG Supply - Bubble Brothers 6 Pot DWC System General Hydroponics Flora series performance pack $35 General Hydroponics: GH FloraSeries Performance Pack [hf-GH1447] - Nutrients & Supplements - Gardening & Hydroponics Store - Horticulture Source Hanna Instruments combo ppm/ph meter $150 Combo pH/Conductivity/TDS Tester (Low Range) - HI98129 - Hanna Instruments 6" inline fan for exhaust $37 Suncourt Inductor 6 in. Corded In-Line Duct Fan-DB206C - The Home Depot Tough to come in under $500 but you may also need 6" flex duct and a carbon filter.
they obviously are not ideal but nothing cheap is ideal he is looking for a rather cheap setup and id rather him run a shitty pc fan then no fan at all and with a small grow space it works well enough to keep the tent cool and filled with fresh air especially with a LED light since they stay cool
What small grow space ? he is buying a tent and needs a proper inline exhaust fan and a carbon filter NOT a POS computer fan
Search "440 cfm carbon filter" on amazon. GC won't let me link amazon. The first result is the 6" centrifugal 440 cfm powermaxx fan with speed controller and carbon filter for $139. That's the best choice for the price you'll likely find for cooling. You'll be able to run it super slow if you duct it to the outside and only run the two mars300's I linked. All the way turned down on the speed controller will likely be high enough. If it's hot where you live in the summer time you can ramp it up and suck your bong hits right out of your room. It's fun to watch... hehe
I know that's what he needs and I wouldn't personally settle for anything less but if he doesn't have anything he needs to grow and he only has a 500 dollar budget he is going to need to get cheap and innovative to stay in that budget. I wouldn't use a pc fan but I know people that do and they still harvest and are satisfied with the buds they grow with their setup I will admit their grow is much smaller than he wants
The $37 inline fan I linked from homedepot would be better than a computer fan. It plugs right into a 120volt outlet and fits right in tent's built in exhaust vent sockets. I took a cheap fan I had laying around and stuffed it in the tent's top vent hole and it keeps my 4x4 veg tent cool on low speed. Perfect tight fit too. I think mine is a 10" fan. I just attached a 6" duct to the output of the tent with tape. The 770 actual watts of platinum led's I have in my 4x4 bud tent require something a little more powerful to keep cool. I'm using the apollo version of that 440cfm fan everyone has with a speed controller. I run it about 3/4 speed even in winter.