Whats up guys? I'm kind of new to this forum, so I thought I would spark up a thread to see what yalls favorite lighting kit/set up is, It seems so hard to just pick a kit, being as I dont know much about them and I'm super cautious before I use a sufficient amount of money. So anyways, lets see your opinons! Here are a couple that I'm torn between. High Performance Grower 400W - Grow Light Package ( on a different site for $100 less) Ehydroponics - Galaxy 250/400 Watt EconoWing Package SUN HUT 2'X4' 400 WATT GROW TENT PACKAGE The last one is my favorite simply because of the tent and the timer. I just read in the grow bible that if you release CO2 to your plants at certain times it can up to triple your yield so that pumps me up, and the tent already has reflectors in it. Anyways, tell me what you guys think! Soon to start my first grow of Northern Lights!
Hello IgnitetheDank and welcome to GC forums. Let me start off by saying, it will be much cheaper for you to buy your equipment off either ebay(my personal favorite) or Amazon. If you have to spend money on one thing, spend it on lighting. This is where you will get the most bang for your buck. I use a 600w digital ballast with MH/HPS bulbs for vegetative/flowering respectively. Here is what I use and I love! New Apollo 400W 600W 1000W Watt HPS MH Grow Light System Set Kit Digital Ballast | eBay Also how many plants do you plan on growing? How long do you plan on vegging? What medium are you using(soil vs hydro)?
okay, I didnt know if amazon would just have the cheap knock offs basically because I dont know the good brands. so I'll definitely look that up. yeah lighting is going to be the only thing I'll be spending good money on so I'm going to do as much research as I can before buying. I plan on growing 2-4 plants, and sorry I'm not 100% sure about vegging, Grow bible says 1-5 months, so I was going to sort of play it by ear but I'm going to be on 18/6 up until pre flowering I think. and I was going to use Miracle Gro but was quickly advised to get some Fox farm ocean soil so I'm going to go with that! Thanks for the input duckfest!
It seems to me that you have your priorities in order and are well informed. Both ebay and Amazon sell quality equipment at wholesale prices. Some information to help give you an idea on what to expect. I sprouted seeds in MG Seed Starter(probably not the best) under a rack of T5 florescent. From seed to 3rd set of true leaves in 2 weeks. From third set of true leaves to a 2.5 ft tall plant in one month under 600w MH in Fox Farm OF(added a little bit of Dolomite lime due to Cal-Mag problems). Produced 3.3 ounces off two plants combined in 8-10 weeks under a 600w HPS in Fox Farm OF using a compost tea for nutrients once a week.
Damn, beautiful man! Thanks for the advice. That is a lot faster than I was expecting. So basically the longer you keep them in the veg stage the more yield you will produce? still a bit confused on that. Tomorrow I'm going to search amazon for a nice lighting package then I'll post the link on here to make sure everything is all good on it! Would you reccomend a package with a grow tent in it? At first I wasnt planning on using a tent but it seems like it could be a pretty good idea, not sure if it would make too much of a difference. My main thing I want to put in there is a timer that I can use with CO2 to produce bigger yields! Anyways, thanks so much your input really helped in making a decision. Also, where are you at in Texas? I'm in Dallas, any good shops around here that carry lighting kits? I looked up some stores but they all seem to be in Austin or Houston
CO2 is expensive.. I just spray with seltzer water and add a couple cap culls of hydrogen peroxide to my water every now and then. C02 equipment can get down right crazy expensive! They do have the bags that you pop open and leave in the tent I think they release c02 for like a month or more 20$.
Haha man just wait if you truly love science and watching beautiful plants grow it never ends... I used to spend to much money on B.S. now I spend too much on equipment! It's so addicting.. Mainly because you get what you put in back from the girls if you treat them right! I'm always in a hurry to get home from work and check on them!
First things first genetics Nirvana is an excellent source, second quality lights! It's fine to start off with 400 watts I just wanted to warn you your going to wish you got a 600 for a little more once you see how much they love just the 400!
Yeah I started off looking for 400w but I ended up purchasing this one off amazon: Amazon.com: Purple Apollo brand 600w Watt Digital Dimmable Ballast Hydroponic Grow Light System with Gull Wing Reflector and Metal Halide(MH) and High Pressure Sodium(HPS) Light Bulbs, Cord + Rope Ratchet Hanger: Patio, Lawn & Garden Hope it is a good package! It's soo much cheaper than I was planning on spending though, I still need to get a fan as well though!
My favorite lighting setup is the one I'm running now. 1000w, 2 600w, 2 400w covering an area of about 6x8 feet. It's very bright. You can get cancer in there. It takes an a/c and 4 can fans to cool it. There is ductwork all over the place. You can stand under them and get a tan, or skin cancer probaby. The shit's real. It makes plants grow a lot of heavy buds. Yes. 3000 watts. Not including the veg area. Life is good.
Fuck yeah! :-D I feel the same way but I'm not quite as heavy on the wattage as you! I still have to wear sunglasses long sleeves and about to start wearing a bandanna over my face... I had a lot of work to do in my main room last weekend and I got a damn sunburn on my cheeks! 1000 watts in my big room 400 in my small room with 1 big flowering female. Duct work 1 custome vent to the attic with 250cfm 6" inline fan (this ain't no bathroom vent!) 250cfm 6" inline fan on the 600watt hortilux. Just put in a industrial strength 20" fan in the corner pointed up at the vent and one more 10" fan on the wall blowing out of the tent! Heat control is a real MOFO!
Thanks for the compliment man. The longer you keep your plants in veg the taller they will get which will mean more nodes for the bud to grow from. I have no experience with CO2. I run outside air into my grow room with a inline fan. I also have no experience with tents so that is something that someone else would have to help you out on. I use a shop called Ultimate Hydroponics in Houston off Beltway 8 on the NorthWest side. This is where i buy my soil and some other little things. I googled Hydro shops in Dallas and got some results you should go check those out.
That will defiantly get the job done get a digital thermometer to keep in the room! Without a cool tube you really need to make sure it isn't going to cook your girls! I saw a cool tube hood on amazon for like 50$, it's an option if you find the temps are getting out of control.
Xeno is right about the lighting. I also use Nirvana Seed Shop and have nothing but good things to say about them. I have ordered three times from them. Every single time i have been amazed at the genetic quality.
My man! Nirvana for life! I haven't had a seed not pop within 48 hours yet! You can really tell the genetics are top notch, and G.D. Is the shipping fast!
Will check some hydro shops in Dallas, I looked up a couple but they were much more expensive than amazon. I'll probably buy a cool tube just to be on the safe side, or could I just get a fan? thanks for the advice! And yeah I chose nirvana on my first try, and was extremely surprised on how fast it shipped, they also have reward points for buying things and doing surveys which is pretty cool too! I think I'll be sticking with nirvana for most of my growing days unless theres a certain strain that I want to grow that they dont have!