hi, im very new here, have never tried to grow before and i dont know much, for my first grow i want to grow 2-3 plants preferably autoflowering, can you tell me which type i should grow. i also decided that i will grow using hydroponics, either the dripping method or the bubbling method. i dont know any thing regards lighting! can you guys tell me everything i need, bulbs - holders - reflectors. i want to keep it as cheap as possible. also im in the uk!
2 x 250w 8U RED & BLUE CFL LAMP KIT + REFLECTOR + YOYO on eBay, also Hydroponics, Plants Seeds Bulbs, Garden Plants, Home Garden (end time 17-Jun-09 20:30:20 BST) would this be of any use to me? would it be enough for 2-3 plants?
If you are trying to keep it cheap and are growing around 2-3 plants some lighting options are CFLs with about 60 watts per plant or go with a 250 hps but then other expenses need to be considered.
i cant get my hands on a 6400k or blue! so can i use a 2700k for the whole grow? also can i use lots of smaller wattages of bulbs to make it up to the coeerect amount, e.g. 3 or 4 20w cfl's per plant?
That looks like the sort of thing you want. Actually more than enough for 2 plants. Not quite for 3. But a lot of cash for a couple of CFLs. I would be happier putting that to a 400W ballast and a 400W MH and a HPS.
ok, thanks again. this will be my first grow and it has to be super stealthly, so the HPS or MH might not be the best of ideas because they will need more cooling through fans and vents. ill figure something out!
i have those lights dude. you can see many pics in my journal (link at my sig). theyre okay, i can get mine to about 1 inch away from plants aslong as the day isnt really hot. i would suggest soil for your first time, not hydro. it seems far easier to kill plants in hydro if you arent experienced. good luck.. if you have the space to deal with the heat then a 400hps is probably the better option.my plants are within 4 inches of the light when its raised to its highest degree, so a HPS isnt an option and these lights are the better choice for me.
I could not agree more. Hydro is far less forgiving if you mess up and you will, trust me. Regardless of whether you are growing autos or regular strains, mistakes will be made and any experienced grower here will tell you that. I would not suggest autos for a first grow either, simply b/c you are missing complete pieces to the grow experience puzzle in growing autos. That is one of my problems w/ female seeds, it skips a complete process in gaining good grow experience by eliminating male plants which is something important if you get the itch and want to start breeding. I would go with some bag seeds and soil for my first couple grows, learn how to dial in your watering & feeding, how to troubleshoot problems, and gain some experience on the difference in how a female and male plant grow. Get some clones going and then you have gained soem experience and not had to waste money on over priced seeds. just a suggestion. less
thanks for this info, always best to hear from an experienced grower! ill use your advice and go for it and see how it works out.