Super Budget 2 Plant Grow Container

[kaivorth]

Hello guys! What do you think of this budget grow build so far? Been learning a lot on this forum lately. I want to do this right, however I don't have a lot of money so here we gooo...

2'x2'x3' Grow Tent. Cheap $50 unit off eBay. I want good reflective walls.

GalaxyHydro
There's 3 different models, which one should I get? About $120.


How does all of this look for 2 plants? I'll use a house fan on low to get air in. I thought about a bucket build but I wanted 2 plants not just 1, and I also wanted to buy just 1 LED light.

I thought about stacking 2 large white storage totes, but to get white ones will cost me $60 off containerstore.com

 

[ShiggityFlip]

You can get two Marshydro 300 (130w actual) LEDs for 62 dollars each on a well known auction site. That would be better than the one galaxy for the same cost.

 

[kaivorth]

You can get two Marshydro 300 (130w actual) LEDs for 62 dollars each on a well known auction site. That would be better than the one galaxy for the same cost.

Oh really? Are they really better though? If I get 2 Marshydro 300's I might do 1 for each plant in their own bucket builds. That sound better?

 

[ShiggityFlip]

I would go with a tent. Extra air volume to make it easier to cool. Also easier to tend the plant in a tent. Tow of them in a tent with two plants sounds pretty darn good. With two lights you can spread them out until you have the same intensity between them as under them because they will add together. That will also be an advantage.

Each of those marshydros has about the equivalent output to the galaxyhydro light.

 

[kaivorth]

I would go with a tent. Extra air volume to make it easier to cool. Also easier to tend the plant in a tent. Tow of them in a tent with two plants sounds pretty darn good. With two lights you can spread them out until you have the same intensity between them as under them because they will add together. That will also be an advantage.

Each of those marshydros has about the equivalent output to the galaxyhydro light.

I live in VT so cooling is NEVER an issue LOL. I might still stick with the tent and 2 MarsHydros...Hmmm

 

[ShiggityFlip]

Yes I would. In a bucket grow its hard to look at your plants. You have to pull them out all the time and possibly damage them or the root system. A heavy set of buds can pull the plant sideways and break roots. With a tent you just open the sides and stare at the beauty. Picking off leaves is very easy and providing air circulation is as well. Tent is where it's at. Bucket seems cool but ends up being a pain in the butt.

 

[kaivorth]

Yes I would. In a bucket grow its hard to look at your plants. You have to pull them out all the time and possibly damage them or the root system. A heavy set of buds can pull the plant sideways and break roots. With a tent you just open the sides and stare at the beauty. Picking off leaves is very easy and providing air circulation is as well. Tent is where it's at. Bucket seems cool but ends up being a pain in the butt.

My other idea was to take some 2" thick rigid insulation and essentially make a box. However, I have no idea how to support the MarsHydro lights I want to use. I would notch the insulation together, and paint the inside white. Any ideas? If I did it this way it'd be nice so I can insulate it, and still not break the bank.

 

[kaivorth]

Being in New England it seems like LED setups aren't really worth pursuing if the room we're growing in is always cold.

I'm thinking a standard grow box with a single 400w High Yield Bulb will heat + give great yields for 1-2 plants. Does this sound reasonable? I will put this setup in my basement. Stays reasonably cool all year round.

 

[ShiggityFlip]

You will do well with a 400 but a 600 is just a tiny bit more cost and a much nicer overall footprint. I have two of them in my flower room.

 

[kaivorth]

You will do well with a 400 but a 600 is just a tiny bit more cost and a much nicer overall footprint. I have two of them in my flower room.

The 400w kit on amazon is $120 and 600w kit is like $172, and 1000w is $200. When you dim your lights, does power usage go down as well?

 

[ShiggityFlip]

The 400w kit on amazon is $120 and 600w kit is like $172, and 1000w is $200. When you dim your lights, does power usage go down as well?

Yes absolutely. You could take a 600 or 1000 and dim it to the power of a 400 to save on electricity and heat.
As long as you have a dimmable ballast of course.

 

[kaivorth]

Yes absolutely. You could take a 600 or 1000 and dim it to the power of a 400 to save on electricity and heat.
As long as you have a dimmable ballast of course.

Perfect! Now what is a common cheap way to heat your grow box at night when the lights aren't on?

 

[ShiggityFlip]

Where is it located? Mine goes down to about 65 degrees at
Night.

 

[kaivorth]

Where is it located? Mine goes down to about 65 degrees at
Night.

I'm thinking the basement because parents will sometimes come over. The grow area needs to be hidden. The bathroom is currently 56 degrees, and there is a trap door to the basement, and in the basement is currently 48 degrees. With a 600W light in a grow tent I'm sure it will be plenty warm, but when the lights are off it will for sure get cold pretty quick.

 

[ShiggityFlip]

The trick for me has always been to run a veg area on 18/6 with light on when flowering is off. Same cost to run as a heater but get growing area for veg plants.

 

[kaivorth]

The trick for me has always been to run a veg area on 18/6 with light on when flowering is off. Same cost to run as a heater but get growing area for veg plants.

Could you elaborate on what that means? So you're proposing I make 2 grow areas?

 

[ShiggityFlip]

Yes right next to each other. One to throw off heat during the day, one at night. You can either run one flower and one veg, or you can flower both at opposite 12/12 periods, just staggering the harvests a month.

 

[TokinElf]

you could add some kind of ceramic stones or such on the floor,, they should absorb some heat,, retain it,, and help keep things warmer when lights go out,, but not sure how much of a difference it would make

 

[MRXC]

My exhaust off my veg room goas true my electrical and ballast space and enters the cooltube in the flowering room and than out of the box that way the tube is alway warm at around 29 degrees keeping the flower room at 22 degrees at night time

 

[kaivorth]

Yes right next to each other. One to throw off heat during the day, one at night. You can either run one flower and one veg, or you can flower both at opposite 12/12 periods, just staggering the harvests a month.

Holy batman, that is actually not a bad idea.. I would need 2 grow boxes then correct? That's where it gets expensive for me.