Ive read so many different ways of doing everything. I have a couple questions for now. I have yet to buy anything as I want to get a list of what to get first. This will be my first grow. Ive decided on a GL80, and Nirvana Autoflower short ryders as Ive seen many say for a newbie there a great way to start. I have yet to decide on lighting. I like the idea of LED as cost efficent. But also found this local ***Grow Light*** moving must sell!! I can spend up to $350 on lighting. Is the seller of the craigslist link lying about only $20 a month on electric to run that light? I would like to grow 5 plants at a time. But if reccomended will start with 1 or 2. For filter I havent decided but have heard good things about this one New MTN Hydroponic 4" Inline Duct Fan Carbon Filter Kit | eBay Opinions on this would be nice also, would like to save some cash if possible but if its what will work then thats what ill go with. Ill start with those questions. I appreciate any responses and will continue reading and learning. thanks
First, 1000W is a killer-zilla light. Unless you need to grow a shit-ton of weed for chronic ailments, I would recommend any beginning grower start with a 400W setup, or if a bit more yield is needed, better still a 600W. Yields vary wildly between growing styles and strains, but the good old gold standard of 1/2 gram per watt of light per month of bloom time is the practical place to start. And, rather than defining the number of plants to grow, design your grow area first. Unless you've got an unfinished basement just screaming for a remodel and custom buildout, you probably have well defined space restrictions. Get a good feel for available length, width and height. Don't over-look access space - trying to reach the back of a 4X4 or 5X5 grow pod in a corner can be VERY frustrating. Then figure out your grow style - a couple of huge plants with long veg time, or more plants and shorter veg time to fill the same area. Your ad has a good price, but that setup is "backwards" from what most growers use. It's a metal halide ballast with sodium conversion bulbs, which lose about 10% efficiency of the high pressure sodium lumens output. Going this direction is not as efficient as starting with a high pressure sodium ballast and metal halide conversion bulbs. Negligible loss to the metal halide, and 100% efficiency for the HPS. $20 a month is questionable for a 1000W setup as well, that's one kilowatt hour of electricity for every hour in use. Check your bill for Kwh rates, multiply X 30 days X 20 hours per day (20 hours is needed for autoflowers from start/veg through bloom/finish). I don't recognize the GL80 strain name, if it is not an auto-flower, don't mix it with the shorts. Standard photoperiod strains MUST have 12 hours of darkness to bloom; auto's produce more bud under a 20 hour light period. The carbon filter you listed is under-powered for a 1000 W light. If you have to scrimp, scrimp on lights but not filters & fans!!!! If I were you I'd keep shopping. Find a good hydro store & visit during the day when they are not busy. Most employees are friendly and knowledgeable, enjoy the conversation, and will make some good recommendations. Just leave your wallet at home until you have completed your shopping list. Personally, I'd rather pay more, buy locally, develop the relationship and support my local business, but internet deals are cheaper. But beware, many times internet deals are cheaper because the equipment is cheap Chinese shit. Hope this helps you with your start. Keep reading, get your grow area well defined, then fill in the equipment to fit your needs. Then, and this is the most important... go do it!!!! Bestaluck to ya.
Getting a list together is pretty easy its really not that much. To figure out energy costs you need to know the price per kilowatt hour you are charged. Thats on your power bill. It varies by area. But say you were pulling 400 watts in my area its .12 cents per kilowatt hour so to run that light 24 hours a day for 30 days would cost me about 30 dollars per month. Heres a online Calculator to figure it out. You would be suprised at how much power your average household items use. A Xbox 360 can use close to 400 watts through in a tv 200, and a home theater system your using over 1000 watts to just play a game. Costs Calculator Heres a place to get a fan carbon filter combo. http://www.htgsupply.com/Category-Fan-&-Filter-Combos.asp Get you some pots and soil off that same website You will need a tent, some surge protectors, some kind of fan. To assemble that fan you will need ducting. Then get you some nutrients, order some seeds. Youll need some ph up and down and a ph tester. Duct tape, zipties, and a watering container. Im sure I am missing a few things but thats the bulk of it and most of it is all easy to get. Check out your local hydro store. If you live in a big city then you most likely have more then one. They tend not to advertise really more of a word of mouth thing but everyhting you ever needed except the seeds are there. If you live in a small place its worth the 1-2 hour drive to get to one. Everything there can be used for any growing but its all cannabis based.
Thanks a bunch for a well detailed response! I will keep reading and visit some local places. Thanks again
Amazon.com also has everything you need to. If your a Amazon prime member 2nd day air for free if not usually orders over 100 is free shipping. Best of all no stinking sales tax.