I have decided I hate having to look for quality bud (where I am at it is impossibleplus or at least I can't seem to find any). I would like to start growing strictly for personal use. The problem is I have some serious issues to over come and I would like to know if it is even possible to grow in my situation and if so what should my set up be. With my job I have to travel up to 3-4 days at a time so I need a system that can be left alone for that amount of time. So I originally looked at the Accelerated Technologies Stanley 336 http://www.actechwi.com/Stanley-336-Ultimate-Grow-Box-p/stn-ult.htm However I asked on this board if anyone had experience with these and received a big goose egg for responses. I continued my research and considered the Bloom Box http://www.bcnorthernlights.com/the-bloombox and I even looked that the SuperCloset. However, everyone said most of these options were just overpriced and you could DIY and save money. I just don't have time to do this. Then I considered a Grow Tent - Secret Jardin but have no idea what components to go with it. I then thought about the whole soild vs hydro and my brain melted. So can someone help me out a bit. The next problem is I want this to be Super Stealth I live in a town house and sure don't want the neighbors to know. Should I even take on this endeavor? Edit: Budget is flexible
You could do an all organic setup that way you won't have to worry about feeding nutes while your away then you can set up a drip water system with your lights on a timer. Really anything can go wrong when you're not there but if you're set on doing this then that's what I would do. And as long as nobody is going in your house when you're not there and you have a carbon filter you'll be okay. But things CAN go wrong. The last thing you want is your exhaust/carbon filter breaking or something when you're 7 weeks into flower and you're not there especially in a townhouse.
I know anything can go wrong. Your idea seems solid I just don't know what I need. hence that is why I mainly looked at "turn key" system.
I have to 2nd that advice on growing organic. Growing organic is the best and most simplest way to grow. You just add water, thats it. If you have to leave for a few days, just make sure you give them a good amount of water just before you leave. When you get back, as long as your pot is big enough compared to the size of your plant, then she should be at the point where she may be getting ready to be watered again. I think I would save your money instead of buying that grow box. They want $3225 for that thing. You can purchase a lot of grow equipment for that amount of money. I would think about how much bud you want to produce. Don't even waste your time with CFL, florescent, or LED lighting. It isn't even worth your time to mess with those types of lightings if you want to produce a decent yield. If you want to be a small closet grower, then invest in a 400 watt HPS. A 400 watt MH light is a great light for vegging. For flowering if you think you need something like four plants, then I would think about getting something bigger like a 600 or 1000 watt HPS. But again, that totally depends on what you want to yield. I started off with a 250 watt MH/HPS myself and ended up just selling it later on and taking a loss on it. I would get a 400 or 600 and then just match a tent with either one that you pick. Just make sure to stay above 50 watts per square foot. IE 32 x 32 for the 400 or a 40 by 40 for a 600. For the $3000 that this growbox costs which you picked out, you could have yourself a couple grow tents, and lights, and still have a lot of money left over yet. Otherwise something else that the guy above commented on was carbon filters. Make sure you get a good carbon filter. Don't get a cheap offbrand filter from ebay or any other cheap store. Make sure you get a decent filter made either by CAN or Phresh. A Phresh filter will run you around $160, but keeping your whole house from smelling like a garden is priceless. .
Hydro will be too high maintenance. You need to check pH every other day at a bare minimum. Soil is easier and more forgiving. I just built an automatic waterer for when I travel. Just a bucket with a spigot attached, then a garden hose and a timer for watering the lawn. I put a cap with a small hole (1/8") in it on the end of the hose. This gives a flow rate of about 1/2 gal./min. I can set the timer for what ever days I want the water on, and set the length of the watering in one minute increments.
thats what I was afraid of. Thats why I considered the accelerated tech with the automatic pH adjustment. I saw someone's organic grow but the list of ingredients seems extensive and the amount of soil seemed very large but maybe it is do able.