I'm setting up a grow room I have two 4x8 trays and two 600 watt lights in a XXL hood with a8" cool tube. I have two light rails I was going to put 1 light per tray on the light rail but now I'm starting to think I should have two lights per tray so four total. Any suggestions or advice? I was going to do hydro but now I'm thinking of doing something like 25 5gallon smart pots per tray filled with soil. I need advice fast since I already have the babys growing! Thanks
Hey jdub, i'm not a guru by any means but I have been studying growing for a while and have a nice medical grow going at the moment. 4x8 is 32 sq ft, so 600 watts divided by 32 is about 18 watts per sq feet. Most growers look for 50+ watts per sq feet. For instance I use a 5x5 tent with a 1000w and it works great even though only 40 watts per sq feet but it could be 1600w if the heat could be kept down. But only 18 watts per sq feet, i think might cut down the potential of the plants defiantly.
Hi jdub. You're going to need 2 600w lights over each table. I have 1 4x8 table with 2 1000w over it and it's perfect and i also have the 8" xxxl magnum hoods. Check out my grow journal, it's pretty much the setup you're looking for. Here's the link: http://forum.grasscity.com/indoor-grow-journals/1187623-sensi-seeds-super-skunk-coco-grow.html And I like to think of myself as a guru but you never stop learning no matter how long you do this. My grow journal will speak for itself Try to take advice from the right people that can prove it because there are newbs out there that think they know it all but still grow in PC box's lmfao!
Thanks allot smokie and sir! Have any if you had experience with light rails? I have two 6foot rails. Is that going to help at all or should i just have 2 lights per tray on the light rails or just don't use them at all?
I wouldn't even use them at all. Just run two 600's or even better two 1000's per 4x8 table If you looked at my journal I just have two stationary 1000's and you can see the results I'm getting. The more intense the light, the better. I've never tried light rails, never had to so I can't say anything about using those but just helping you out from my own experience. Light rails are more for covering a large area without increasing electricity use like adding more lights but if you don't mind the higher electric bill you'll get better results. All just how you want to do things really.
Bags? If you mean the pots I use 5gal Root Pouches. Smart Pots are also great pots too. Either or will work the same and I have 19 on a 4x8. It takes some pruning techniques and a trellis to fit that many on a 4x8 and still get good light penetration so look up defoliating and lollipopping when you switch to flower. You could also go with 3gal pots and fit more on the table but I like the 5's, you get a Lil more room for roots which equal bigger plants
That's what i ment pots lol. And ya i think I'm leaning for 5 gallons. The guy at the hydro store i was talkin to said he had 24 on his tray in 7 gallon i thought that was a lot but idk. And i had great results last summer with 4 25gallon pots. I put mine out way late like the beginning of July and still got a huge harvest for how late it was. But i was going to ask since I've never done them indoor is there a big difference in the result from the smart pots compared to just normal plastic ones?
I literally squeezed 19 on my table in 5's so I don't think he really fit 24 7's. You don't really want the pots touching either, give them a little space for growth. The smart pots or root pouches are definitely better, they auto-prune the roots, allow more oxygen to the roots and trust me spend the extra on them, it's worth it.
No. I don't like soil. I run just straight coco. My next grow I will do 70% Coco 30% Perlite. The reason I like Coco is because it's impossible to over-water, it allows more oxygen, holds more water and is more considered hydroponics than a soil or soiless medium. In other words, it's great stuff and I won't use any other medium. I have tried DWC systems, Recirculating Drip Systems, Ebb and Grow systems and Coco performs just as well. If I don't use coco on my next run I may try an under-current DWC system. I like to change things up and I have a friend with an under current and it's an awesome setup!
Thanks for the advice . Ya I'm still in the air about it. I gotta figure it out fast tho cuz these babys are almost ready for veg