I want to grow 6 autos, I have a bedroom sized room to grow in and soon will have the seeds, soil, pots, fertilizers and such. My problem is that I am not seeing how to manage the lights, I assume I would need around 400 watts of HPS or 600 watts of CFL to grow these small autos but the price of the HPS or the CFLs (daylight and soft white combined) is going to take quite a while for me to produce, I am not finding anything cheaper than $400+. I keep reading CFL is cheap but you need so many, and have to have the two types (6500/1750), and the multiple fixtures to allow movement making it just about the same as HPS (minus the bill). I feel I can't figure out where I am wrong here, I understand the process but have limited knowledge on just how much money I should spend to harvest 6 1-2 ft autos. Now I would personally grow 3 but the deal is my mother gives me this room and in return I grow enough for me and my 2 brothers to smoke, in return for their financial assistance. Problem is they don't take this very seriously and could hold me back for months before shelling out. I hate to sit back and waste time when I am supplying dealers constantly with $20 a gram, my job isn't great and I lose connects every month it seems so its time to grow. Sorry if this is confusing but I have been searching all week and I need specific answers, the space, bill, smell etc. is a non issue but I have no clue what to do about lighting. The seeds and carbon scrubber are expensive enough, I feel I may still end up paying 20 a gram for my own crop . Not sure if I go cheap start a personal grow until my bros get serious (which is a no no to the house owner), or go all out, quit buying for a while and have them pay later. Thanks for any help.
Start growing with CFLs to fully appreciate the power of a HID. Go with whatever you care to, but my advice is talk is cheap, and if you stay in the planning stages too long, you'll just end up talking yourself in circles, or straight out of the idea. lol
Go with the 400w HPS. Get a magnetic ballast (S51). You don't need to spend the extra for a digi just to be cool. You will also be able to run a CMH bulb with the magnetic. Welcome To Advanced Technology Solutions ~ Lighting Divison At ~$50, these bulbs are cheaper than most of the 'grow' bulbs and offer a superior spectrum. Check out the site. Do not neglect ventilation, at least as important as the lights. Get growing. Wet
Get a cheap generic 400w or 600w ballast on eBay. Buy a cheap $40-60 bulb (see if you have any local "hydro" stores), and also buy a socket to hold the lamp. That is like $180, now all you need to do is build a structure to hold the lamp. Depending on the room temp, you may need to put a fan under the light to push the hot air around. If the light is too bright or you're having trouble completely blocking out light for night cycles you may need to get a tent which will also require an inline exhaust fan (around $100-150 for a generic 4x4 or 5x5 tent on eBay + $90 for the fan). You could easily get a 4x4 tent, 6" inline fan (you'll want around 300-400 cfm), a 400w ballast, cheap (brand new, do not buy used) lamp, and socket for $400. Only thing you'll need after that is a timer and some nutrients as well as seeds (or clones) plus pots and soil.
There are a few advantages of a digital ballast over a magnetic ballast, digital ballast run cooler and are more energy efficient then a magnetic ballast. Example a 1000 watt magnetic ballast may use around 1200 watts or a little more as where a digital ballast may use around 1100 watts. Heat is the biggest killer of electronics so the cooler you can run something the longer it will last and the more efficient it will run.
Watch craigslist for used equipment and make sure that when you look at it to power it up and let it run for about 15 minutes or so if the seller doesnt want to let you do that then walk away. I bought my ballast used over a year ago and it still works fine also some hydro shops do sell used equipment. I would not buy used bulbs. CFL lighting you would need 100 actual watts of light for the first plant and an additional 50 watts of light for each additional plant, CFL buds tend to come out more fluffy and less dense then compaired to buds grown under HID lighting. For HID lighting you can go with about 80 watts of light per plant. Also do some research into how to test and adjust Ph levels for your plants. Maintaining PH in a good range is really important to the over all health of a plant.
Deffintly go used, I got a 600 watt Hps with a new bulb(box confirms) with 2 ph meters 3 water pumps 1 ozone generator 2timers alot of power bars , books and such and more for 120$ delivered from 100+miles away
Can someone explain the difference between a ballast, bulb, socket, and fixture? Specifically the last two. I see a good deal on a ballast and bulb but not sure about the rest. I do need to start moving becuase I have read since 2002 and that was the same year the home was bought, never imagined she would be down but she came with the idea and since we all live in non personal/private apartments it's the perfect setup.
Can someone quickly let me know if this type of lighting will be of any assistance? [ame=http://www.amazon.com/17451-6-Outdoor-Halogen-Floodlight-6-Pack/dp/B000093L1Q]Amazon.com: GE 17451-6 90 Watt Outdoor Halogen 1-1/2+ Year Floodlight PAR38 Light Bulb, 6-Pack: Home Improvement[/ame] Was bought on a whim without me knowing, just wondering if these are useless and should be returned or if they can provide light for plants. EDIT: Nevermind, I searched and immediately sent them back, looks like its not the time for growing, no way we can all get together with 4-500 when only I am the only informed on the 'why' its necessary. (too many people want results NOW) Sucks but maybe if I am for september my grow room can be set if I work my ass off all summer and keep kissing ass for overpriced dime bags. I really regret not growing years ago when living situations were cheap as hell. (but so was the weed making growing pointless)
Halogen lighting is not good to use, it really doesnt provide enough of the right light spectrum plants need not to mention that they do generate alot of heat.
Higher wattage grow lights like HID lighting require a ballast to start up and power the bulb, socket is what the bulb screws into some of the higher wattage bulbs use a socket that is bigger then your standard household light bulb or standard CFL bulb socket. A light fixture can be anything from the vanity light around your bathroom mirror to a ceiling fan light, its what holds the bulb(s) in place, for growing their called light hood or reflector and spread the light out downward towards the plants.
Since: 1) Finances are a consideration AND 2) The goal is 6 1-2 ft autos at harvest AND 3) Your partners are flaking on you somewhat... Maybe go it alone at first, pare it back down to the three you want for personal, and something like this would easily do those plants at that size: Light [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Sun-System-Light-Fixture-900490/dp/B004RCURDC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307987360&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: Sun System HPS 150 Grow Light Fixture (900490) Includes Bulb: Patio, Lawn & Garden[/ame] Tent [ame=http://www.amazon.com/LED-Wholesalers-GYO1001-Reflective-Hydroponic/dp/B00283Q59M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307987568&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: LED Wholesalers GYO1001 62-Inch x 36-Inch x 20-Inch Mylar Reflective Hydroponic Grow Tent: Patio, Lawn & Garden[/ame] Fan [ame=http://www.amazon.com/HYDROFARM-ACDF4-Active-Inch--Line/dp/B0050C2SZI/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1307987665&sr=8-10]Amazon.com: HYDROFARM ACDF4 Active Air 4 Inch In-Line Fan 165 CFM: Kitchen & Dining[/ame] There's the biggies out of the way for about $250...None of it is the greatest stuff out there by any stretch, but it will grow you a couple plants that you'll have fun with. Just another option...
I know what you mean man, everyone wants instant results, with no knowledge so they buy fucking halogen lights and shit, then expect bud in a few weeks max, money isn't really an issue for me, I have everything I need and more I'm just not allowed to use it here(altho I have one bagseed sprout), I'm starting to partner with someone who's parents Said we can use the shed but I'm not so sure about it, I've got alot of shit to just throw in a shed with an idiot :$
What I would do is lay everything out to them, say okay, this is what we need and this is what it's going ti cost, this is how long it could take and here's the plan, not to insult any of them but tell them they don't know what there talking about and they can't really help other than with money unless they get serious and learn what there doing. For your 6 auto's I would get a 600 watt Hps , use it for veg and flower or if you could get a mh bulb for it for the month or so of veg then use Hps for flowering, shop around, I got my 600 watter for 100 bucks(with alot of shit, if you look and get a used one you'll find what you need
Sound good , if it's your first grow do it as cheep as you can and dont buy realy expensive seeds . good luck
Sheds generally aren't great environments. Way too hot during summer, way too cold during winter--even worse then because of the vast changes in heat. You can control the heat during summer by using intake and exhaust fans (make sure you calculate the square feet and using that number to find a minimum cfm). You'll need to insult it for winter too so the heat doesn't escape. You want the temps around 77-87 at all times. Granted the more indica dominant the plant is, the less that matters and if you're dealing with limited height (ie. under 7') you'll want to stick with hybrids and indicas...pure sativa will just grow too tall
Oh yeah, I know all that, but when a shed is all I've got it'll do, I'm probably going to run a co2 system so heat doesn't matter a much, and I have or plant currently and the leaves are damn near circles, so I'd say it's indicate dominant