Very new, newer than that actually, and need a little advice

[Giantsfan24]

I'm looking for a little advice on how to proceed with my growing ambitions.

I'm a prescription holder in NorCal and am looking to grow for personal consumption. I don't use a great deal of product but would like to grow as a hobby as well as for personal needs.
I need to be a little stealthy as I have a child in my home and don't want him to know I've got plants in the house.
My thought was to get something like a "Primo Grow Box" with their LED setup but the more I research the more I get a little confused on which direction to go.
I definitely don't need a medium grow op just a small one that produces an ounce or two per cycle. If I got to a quarter pound, cool but not necessary.
Also, I was considering going to soil as I haven't ever grown indoors but did grow outdoors in my youth. I'm familiar with that and it seems like hydro, aero or bubble ponics all demand daily care. I'd love to LST/SOG..that looks like so much fun.
I've gone through the "Hydro Grow LED" thread created by "Cammie" and that was very interesting to me. HID doesn't seem like the direction I want to go due to the heat and power issues.
CFL's could be a way to go but I can pull off an LED light so why not go that direction if they are better than CFL's.
Carbon filter setup seems like a good idea as well.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a grow system based on the above parameters? What size box should I be considering? I was thinking the Primo would probably suffice or should I go slightly larger? The location of the box would be in my garage.

I have a thought for a/c if I need it and would purchase a 4" thermostatic heating fan if I needed that as well.

I also have a little money to spend so although my setup will be small, I want to build it out of quality components. My budget could be $800 to $1000.

I know this is lengthy but I truly am clueless here and could use some help.

I spent most of today perusing the threads here and it's a very friendly place. I'm glad I registered here.
Thanks in advance for any advice. Please forgive me if I'm posting this in the wrong place and direct me appropriately.

 

[XxUpInSmokExX]

personally, i would not purchase a grow box when you could build your own to whatever specs you want for way cheaper.

as to lst,scrog....the plants get really bushy when doing this and take up alot of space
if you have the plants to close together, fan leaves from one will block sun from penetrating the other plant

if your wanting to do a single plant then you could maybe do 2ftx2ftx5ft tall box which would be super stealth

but then you have to go buy seeds or clones whenever that plant is done

i would recommend at least 2 plants at once so you can have one thats almost ready for harvest then one thats halfway there so it doesnt seem like your waiting forever for your finished product

your answers solely depend on what your trying to achieve with your grow

also from what ive seen of leds, i would stick with cfls, your small budget prevents you from getting a quality led that is actually worth while, the cheaper ones are just not that good yet

 

[endive]

The route I took, by no means the "right" or "correct" way, just the way I chose (or the way that chose me)...

• Budget, but non-toxic 3'x2' tent (good for 2 - 3 plants): $85 ebay (I'd go with a 4'x2', in hindsight)
  
• Hydroponics Hut or Goth Hydro 180W to 250W LED: $250 (I also spent an additional $230 on 2 earlier 90W LEDs)
  
• Fan & Filter combo: $95
  
• Small oscillating fan: $16
  
• Aero/DWC/bubble/ponics: $150
  
• Supplemental CFLs (lamps + fixtures $68
  
• Timers: $45
  
• Heavy gauge cords & power strips: $60

On the first grow, I went soilless in pots and I'm estimating about 3-4oz of manicured meds (estimate, as the harvested plant is drying and the other is still blooming).

Sure I could have DIY'd some stuff and saved $$$, but bottom line for me is a simple set up, easy maintenance, and a respectable return on my investment. From what I've done so far on half a harvest, the set-up has already paid for itself.

 

[Marley15]

Hi Giantsfan, welcome to

Setting up a grow area is extremely fun but can also be a bit overwhelming. I highly advise you to read through lots and lots of grow journals on all the different sites out there (420 is the best though so I'm sure you'll find your way back here).

I was in a similar situation as your's a few months back as I just recently got my setup up and running. The big 3 things you need to think of are grow area (cab/tent), lighting (hid, led, cfl, etc) and ventilation (exhaust, intake, filter).

My suggestions for you would be to get a grow tent, or make your own grow box..both are relatively cheap, just depends how handy you are. There are tons of grow tents on amazon or ebay, I'm sure you can find some suggestions as to good products if you look around..I have mine setup in my closet so unfortunately I can't help you there.

Lighting is the next important thing. LED's are def the new thing, but be aware there are lots of crap products out there, a whole lot. There are a few journals here on 420 with LED users, I highly suggest you check them out. LED's are going to be the most expensive option, so being on a budget might make it difficult to get a good product. CFL's on the other hand are very affordable..HID's lie somewhere in between.

For ventilation you will need a fan for exhaust, usually people use high powered inline fans. These have enough CFM's to run with a carbon filter and keep the temps and smell down in your grow room.

After you get your room dialed in, you can then figure out how you want to grow..hydro/soil. There are many good journals here showing all sorts of methods, find something that looks appealing to you and run with it. Hope this helped just a little bit.



Marley

 

[XxUpInSmokExX]

or instead of spending $85 on a tent, you could buy the materials (drywall, insulation, and 2x4s) for whatever size room you decide to build....since its going to be in a garage the thick walls with insulation would be easier to maintain a consistent temperature as to using a tent, its not going to keep warm if its cold outside it will also be cold in the tent or vice vers if its hot.....

and for the money, cfls would be a better approach than leds dollar for dollar,
you could buy A $250 LED but for almost 1/4 the money you could get the same if not better results with cfls....because for 250 thats only one light, lets say 8 cfls cost 80 bucks...you will light from 8 different places compared to one stationary led...more light coverage/better penetration = more/better finished product

 

[Giantsfan24]

Thank you all for the responses. I am very encouraged by them and appreciate the time it took to comment.

I'm thinking that xx is right, I'm pretty handy and could build my own box. A tent isn't really an option as I don't believe they are stealthy enough for my needs.

I went to a hydro store last week and got a quote of about $550 for CFL's and everything I need save the box.

I'm thinking of building a box of 1/4" plywood with a 2x2 frame 3' x 3' x 3.5' tall. It would be very cheap to build it and I could make it look like a primitive storage dresser with casters and fake drawers. Yes I could try to find a dresser in the dimensions I want but it would just be easier to build one, stain it and could probably do it in a couple of hours.

Question: I was going to caulk all the joints and then tape them prior to mylar insulation. Could the box being this airtight be a detriment to the plants? There will be an intake and exhaust system.

Thanks for the recommendation on the CFL's. It's tough to determine what works better from the research but you all have been consistent in that recommendation, thanks for that clarity.

Question: What are the best CFL's on the market? The hydro guy recommended 125w for veg and 200w for flowering. What about side lighting?

The guy at the hydro store recommended 200watters one for veg and another for flowering totally about $145 with the fixture. I was thinking of adding two more lights for a total of 600watts if I have the room. If not, then at least two lights.

Endive - where did you find the fan/filter combo? I've seen some carbon filters and figured I build an inline fan exhaust with a filter attached.

I'm very concerned about smell during flowering and want to keep it to zero or very light at worst. Any suggestions there?

I don't want to scrimp to the point of not getting quality components but building the box seems the best option for the dimensions I need. I'm willing to spend a little more to get quality components.

I've cruised around other boards and this is by far the best...thank you all, again, for your assistance. It means a lot.

 

[XxUpInSmokExX]

the caulking is a great idea, if you have exhaust and intake than there will be no issues
and if your worried about smell too, then definately go with an air tight home made box with insulation...ive never used a tent but i dont see it helping to hide the smell much if any at all
also the airtight box will be better with temp control and have a decreased chance of pests

as to cfls, the wattage is only the intensity of the light....what you want to look at is the spectrum of the bulbs....which for veg you need 5000k-6500k, and for flowering use 2700k...use as many watts as you think you need, the more the better

side lighting- instead of getting a few higher wattage cfls, you can get more cfls of lower wattage to better cover all angles of the plant so instead of having nice tight nugs on the top and airy/fluffier buds on the lower section of the plant....the buds will be equally developed and nice and tight all over

 

[Giantsfan24]

the caulking is a great idea, if you have exhaust and intake than there will be no issues
and if your worried about smell too, then definately go with an air tight home made box with insulation...ive never used a tent but i dont see it helping to hide the smell much if any at all
also the airtight box will be better with temp control and have a decreased chance of pests

as to cfls, the wattage is only the intensity of the light....what you want to look at is the spectrum of the bulbs....which for veg you need 5000k-6500k, and for flowering use 2700k...use as many watts as you think you need, the more the better

side lighting- instead of getting a few higher wattage cfls, you can get more cfls of lower wattage to better cover all angles of the plant so instead of having nice tight nugs on the top and airy/fluffier buds on the lower section of the plant....the buds will be equally developed and nice and tight all over

Sweet advice..that seems to be the consensus. I'm glad I came here..my idea of what my box should be has completely changed in the last few days.

 

[kfswantoon]

Hey GiantsFan. Congrats on your new grow. Grow cabinet design is about like home design or writing music. It's an art and there are no end to ideas. I have one completed grow and I can tell you this: Cfl's are okay, just don't overspend on them. As far as I know they are all about the same quality. The 27 watt bulbs are the cheapest per watt. Use 6500k for vegging and 2700k for flowering. If you're going with fluorescent consider a T5 fixture. The efficiency of T5 bulbs is almost as good as 250 or 400 watt HID lighting. My next investment in growing will be a T5 fixture. Also I think that light leaks will become a problem before air leaks will if you have your fans on the exhaust side only. You'll have to construct a light baffle for intake and/or exhaust, so building a box may be the way to go that way you can incorporate the baffles into the design. Shop around for stuff like light sockets. You can nickel and dime yourself to death buying stuff at Home Depot like light sockets as they are way overpriced. And oh yea..no matter what you do, by the time your're done with your first grow your ideas will have changed even more. This hobby just takes experience. Good luck!

 

[Giantsfan24]

Hey GiantsFan. Congrats on your new grow. Grow cabinet design is about like home design or writing music. It's an art and there are no end to ideas. I have one completed grow and I can tell you this: Cfl's are okay, just don't overspend on them. As far as I know they are all about the same quality. The 27 watt bulbs are the cheapest per watt. Use 6500k for vegging and 2700k for flowering. If you're going with fluorescent consider a T5 fixture. The efficiency of T5 bulbs is almost as good as 250 or 400 watt HID lighting. My next investment in growing will be a T5 fixture. Also I think that light leaks will become a problem before air leaks will if you have your fans on the exhaust side only. You'll have to construct a light baffle for intake and/or exhaust, so building a box may be the way to go that way you can incorporate the baffles into the design. Shop around for stuff like light sockets. You can nickel and dime yourself to death buying stuff at Home Depot like light sockets as they are way overpriced. And oh yea..no matter what you do, by the time your're done with your first grow your ideas will have changed even more. This hobby just takes experience. Good luck!

Wow..that is good information. So you think a t5 fixture would be better than CFL's??

I was just looking at one online and they aren't out of my budget range. There is one that is perfect for the size of my box...

Could you cite some sources that talk about them vs. CFL's?

Thanks for the tip, I appreciate it!

 

[kfswantoon]

No I honestly can't cite any sources. There doesn't seem to be much talk about them. I think maybe because they are about the same price as an HID system, sometimes more, so most people will just go with an HID system. Certainly there must be something on this site about it. The built in reflectors and housing assembly seem more convenient than using cfl lighting. Because of that and a couple of other reasons they interest me so I thought I would mention it, but be aware that I don't have any experience with them. Oh yea... the 4ft. T5 bulbs are a good bit more efficient than the 2ft. bulbs, yet cost about the same per bulb...so I was referring to the 4ft. fixtures as being a possible good alternative to cfl bulbs. I don't know chief, I'm new too. It's fun to talk about though.

 

[Giantsfan24]

No I honestly can't cite any sources. There doesn't seem to be much talk about them. I think maybe because they are about the same price as an HID system, sometimes more, so most people will just go with an HID system. Certainly there must be something on this site about it. The built in reflectors and housing assembly seem more convenient than using cfl lighting. Because of that and a couple of other reasons they interest me so I thought I would mention it, but be aware that I don't have any experience with them. Oh yea... the 4ft. T5 bulbs are a good bit more efficient than the 2ft. bulbs, yet cost about the same per bulb...so I was referring to the 4ft. fixtures as being a possible good alternative to cfl bulbs. I don't know chief, I'm new too. It's fun to talk about though.

And I'm so glad you did mention it as it fits what I want to do perfectly and you're right, they aren't talked about much at all. I've combed the web, this site and others..they are a little pricey but the format is awesome for small grows.

It also allows for more configurations in my box..the two foot will be perfect and I can line my box on 4 sides with them. It will cost a little over $500 with shipping and only take up 4.5" per fixture, very efficient.

Everything I've seen says they are better than CFL's...very excited! Thanks for mentioning it!