Thoughts on my planned setup

[GandalfsPipe]

First time grower here & have been scrounging this forum for the last few days picking up insights, opinions, techniques, etc from numerous threads.

I'm now at the point where I am ready to buy all of the needed equipment & along the mantra of "measure twice, cut once" wanted to ensure I wasn't making any major mistakes like a first time grower is capable of

Let me know your thoughts on my outfit below & any suggestions. I want an all-in-one light because I'm going to be doing 2-3 plants MAX. Tent will be in my basement and won't be venting outside, but want a quiet, odorless setup so the wife allows me to continue to grow!

Also, do I need to "pump" air in the bottom vent or is passive good enough since I'll be pulling the hot air out the top.

Thanks in advance!

-Marshydro 1680D Grow Tent (27.5"x27.5"x5')
-Ventech 4" inline fan & Ventech carbon filter
-VIPARSPECTRA Reflector-Series 600W LED
OR
-MarsHydro Mars600 LED
OR
-Galaxyhydro 600W LED
First Time Grower, Long Time Toker

 

[beast88]

Just purchased a marshydro300 LED grow light. I am happy with the product, and is more powerful then i had thought

 

[fanleaf]

Sounds pretty fair although if you go with the Mars light you get a discount for being a member here. Check out Smoke Sara's Mars hydro thread here. Chime in there and they will help you with the discount code.
The other bit of advice I would give is that even though your going with a carbon scrubber/filter if not venting outside you will probably still smell your house up at least some. The strain/s you choose to grow will play a major factor in that. I grew AK47 and it could have gone through 2 scrubbers back to back and still would have stunk it up lol.
What are you doing as far as hydro, soil, soiless, nutes, water type, pot type and size?

Mars-Hydro LED Grow Light Discussion

 

[GandalfsPipe]

Thanks for the heads up on the Mars lights - money talks right? As for smell, really my motivation is that the wife doesn't think a family of skunks moved in overnight
So far - soil & three 3-gallon Smart Pots I thought would be a good setup. Agree/disagree? Bump up to 5-gallon? Will the above lights support 3 plants?

 

[fanleaf]

Thanks for the heads up on the Mars lights - money talks right? As for smell, really my motivation is that the wife doesn't think a family of skunks moved in overnight
So far - soil & three 3-gallon Smart Pots I thought would be a good setup. Agree/disagree? Bump up to 5-gallon? Will the above lights support 3 plants?

In a tent that size yes, that light would be fine for 3 plants. Since your in a fairly small tent I would say the 3 gallon pots would be fine. If you were in like a 4x4 or 5x5 tent I would say go with 5 gallon so they can really grow out ya know?

You have 5 square feet of grow area and a 600w Mars will run an actual of about 265 watts from the wall so that will give you 50 watts per square foot. That's plenty.

 

[GandalfsPipe]

I thought I read somewhere that 50W/sq ft was the minimum you wanted? Or was it the 'ideal'?

Either way 3-gallons will do just fine - now time for the fun part.....researching seeds/strains! Will wait till tomorrow to see if anyone else has any strong opinions & pull the trigger on all of this.

 

[fanleaf]

50wpsf is considered optimal for LED panels. Minimal would be 35 or so.
I'm going to rep you up man. I have like 378 rep power so this should bump you up a few bars lol.

 

[GandalfsPipe]

Appreciate it! I will be making a grow journal for my first grow for sure because I know there will be certain things I need input on.

 

[fanleaf]

Appreciate it! I will be making a grow journal for my first grow for sure because I know there will be certain things I need input on.

Be sure to send me a link. I would enjoy checking in from time to time.

 

[Ohlforum]

My first post! Also pretty much a indoor newb, chronic puffer since the 70's. I've had some outdoor/stealth success but am gearing up for an indoor experiment. I have purchased the Vibraspectra 600W LED light and a Milliard grow tent, 36X36X72. I live in London Ontario Canada. We are supposedly soon going from criminal to some sort of government controlled legalization. Here, nature allows us to grow outdoors from about May 24 until late October. My plan was to start some auto flower soon, in the tent, and then let it finish up outside when spring hits around the end of May. I figure, that if I time it right, it will head outside just before it starts to stink. (Wife lol). Heating costs big $$$ up here in Canada, if you're foolish. If I need to blow hot, albeit stinky air out the window during winter, I'm a fool. I'd to re-circulate room air through a carbon filter but need to research their efficiency. Then I could satisfy my requirements and play around, year-round. So, my main concern is adequate ventilation for 1-2, 3'-4' plants. I understand temperature and humidity. Controlling them economically, proper airflow, mould control, CO2 levels etc., is a work in progress. I'm hoping to find the answers on this forum, before I start. Since you and I have, or are considering, a similar set up we might do well to collaborate. I'm starting out with 2 White Widow, auto flower, feminized. Let me know how you're making out, I'll do the same. Good Luck!


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[Ohlforum]

My first post! Also pretty much a indoor newb, chronic puffer since the 70's. I've had some outdoor/stealth success but am gearing up for an indoor experiment. I have purchased the Vibraspectra 600W LED light and a Milliard grow tent, 36X36X72. I live in London Ontario Canada. We are supposedly soon going from criminal to some sort of government controlled legalization. Here, nature allows us to grow outdoors from about May 24 until late October. My plan was to start some auto flower soon, in the tent, and then let it finish up outside when spring hits around the end of May. I figure, that if I time it right, it will head outside just before it starts to stink. (Wife lol). Heating costs big $$$ up here in Canada, if you're foolish. If I need to blow hot, albeit stinky air out the window during winter, I'm a fool. I'd to re-circulate room air through a carbon filter but need to research their efficiency. Then I could satisfy my requirements and play around, year-round. So, my main concern is adequate ventilation for 1-2, 3'-4' plants. I understand temperature and humidity. Controlling them economically, proper airflow, mould control, CO2 levels etc., is a work in progress. I'm hoping to find the answers on this forum, before I start. Since you and I have, or are considering, a similar set up we might do well to collaborate. I'm starting out with 2 White Widow, auto flower, feminized. Let me know how you're making out, I'll do the same. Good Luck!


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Just clicked your link to to the Vibraspectra light. It's now $100.00 off on Amazon, which is $100.00 less than I paid last week, on Amazon. Nice, eh !?!



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[GandalfsPipe]

I liked that one the best, just worried i might need an additonal light for flowering.

What kind of soil are you going to be using & have you researched seeds?

Glad to have someone sharing in the struggle!

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[Rider509]

If my experience is indicative of space required, your tent will be good for three very crowded plants. I have three White Widow Autos in flower now and have done everything possible to keep them compact. Even so, with the Smart Pots sitting side by side and almost touching, the scrogged canopy spans the full 2'x4' space I've allowed them. Three WWs will definitely fill your tent! If you can go bigger I'd strongly suggest the Mars Hydro 100x100cm tent as it's only a $30US difference.

 

[GandalfsPipe]

If my experience is indicative of space required, your tent will be good for three very crowded plants. I have three White Widow Autos in flower now and have done everything possible to keep them compact. Even so, with the Smart Pots sitting side by side and almost touching, the scrogged canopy spans the full 2'x4' space I've allowed them. Three WWs will definitely fill your tent! If you can go bigger I'd strongly suggest the Mars Hydro 100x100cm tent as it's only a $30US difference.

Might have more to do with WW than anything else - she's a VERY healthy grower. Appreciate the input.

What kind of growing medium are you using? Nutrients?

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[Rider509]

The WW is in FFOF with FF nutes, the Gold Leaf is in RDWC.

 

[dr.h00k]

For the most part Vipar gets good/great reviews on most of their various models that I've seen...that 600 should suffice for for both veg and flower in your proposed tent...just bear in mind height above seedlings and mature girlz...I've got a couple 450's I'll be werkin' with this spring...the 100 bucks off is for the Zon.com...Zon.ca still stands at 289 and it's sold prime, so quick delivery is assured...good value I believe...drop a link here when you get a journal up and running...cheerz...h00k...

 

[Ohlforum]

I liked that one the best, just worried i might need an additonal light for flowering.

What kind of soil are you going to be using & have you researched seeds?

Glad to have someone sharing in the struggle!

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Hey,
My Vibraspectra has two switches, one for veg and one for bloom. Both can run at once but I don't now if that's a benefit or not. It appears dimmer in bloom setting, but we can't see the whole light spectrum. It had good reviews and appears to be well made.
I'll be using Pro-mix, mixed 4:1 with composted sheep manure. The same as I used outside. It worked well in 12" flowerpots, outside. I put 2" of coarse gravel in the bottom, for weight and drainage. I fertilized weekly with plain old Miracle-Gro, but will be researching that more, this season. I don't want giants, I want short and fat. If this tent/light works, and I can grow 2-3 small crops over 12 months, I'm happy. My neighbours seem mind their own business but you never know. Last summer, I had to tie the tops down and hang plastic flowers on them for camouflage. Now, I'll be pruning/feming when they're in the tent.
I've used Crop King and Rare Earth seeds. White Widow and Green Crack, feminized. Every single one germinated and grew, with one exception. I tried germinating some in little peat pellets. Bad plan, they barely sprouted and then all rotted brown.
For this year, I was planning on starting White Widow auto/fem inside in the tent, then putting it outside to flower. Hoping for a late spring first harvest, since I don't want to wait until November.
How about you? Tent only, start to finish? What are your ventilation plans?


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[GandalfsPipe]

Tent only - don't have the outdoors space you seem to have! Ventilation is a concern for me. I'm going to have the carbon filter inside the tent and have a 4" ventech pulling through it. I will see how that goes & maybe put a second filter on the outflow of the fan.

Good to have a seed recommendation, I will check them out today. Should have fan/filter/light/ratchet ropes all come today so I will be busy this weekend! Will post a pic once it's setup.

Should I germinate and grow in the same soil or something different for germinating?

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[Jchron08]

I would get two 300w instead of one 600w. Two Mars 300w will work great for 2-3 plants for both veg and flower. I am talking from experience


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[Jchron08]

I would also suggest getting a 6" fan with a speed control and using a reducer to get to a 4" filter. The price difference isn't all that great and you will have more options present and future.


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