First time Grower from Uruguay needs some advice :)

[pvtstargazer]

Hi, English is not my first language, but i'm gonna try to do my best.

I'm from Uruguay, as you may already know recently our government legalized the growing of marijuana and is going to start selling it in the next year.

I've been researching everything i need to use/know and i already found the grow shops in montevideo to buy the land/earth (i dont know how to properly call it) and other additives.

I'm going to grow in a closet, (aprox. 3ft x 10ft) will upload photos and the exact measures later. I'm planning to grow 2-3 auto plants (Ak-47, White Widdow, Early Bud) and use mylar for reflective.

My question is about the light. Truth to be told, i'm a little tight on budget and use a 1000w light is out of the question considering that here (in Uruguay) electricity is quite expensive.

Until now i think i have two options and i want to know what you guys think is the best.

1) Use a 250w metal halide lamp, that produces 26-28000 lumns
2) Use various 50w led corn ligths that produces 5000 lumens

Obviously the led corn lights is a cheaper option but i'm not so sure about the quality of the item and the effectiveness for growing my plants.

I've reed that i need to have aprox. 7000/10000 lumens per square foot, plus the mylar i think is going to be enough.

So, what would you recommend? the led corn light? the metal halide?, and would they serve to growing AND flowering? wich is my best option? (considering my tight budget)

I thank in advance to any commentary and everything and if you ever come to the south you let me know and i will introduce you to my country!

 

[Ancho]

I would encourage you if possible to step up to a 400w light. There is a fair amount of time and effort you will be expending in your grow and a 250w light will really limit how much your plants will produce. I started out with a 250w light and changing to a 600w bulb has made a huge difference in how much bud is grown. High Pressure Sodium seems to be the bulb of choice for flowering. Good luck to you.

 

[pvtstargazer]

Thanks for taking time for answer! I understan that a 400w ligth would improove a lot the grow, but as i say the electricity here is pretty expensive. Is a 250 really that bad for a starter? If a 400w is really tjat necessary i will make an effort to achieve that, but if a 250 would do the work maybe i start with that and improove later, what do you say?

 

[Graytail]

If you have very high electricity cost, it may be better to spend more at first, and save on electricity. LEDs would be best, then.

I looked into the LED corn bulbs and it seems that they have a high failure rate. A genuine LED panel from a good manufacturer would be better. Can you order products from other countries over the internet? If so, I suggest you look at LED panels from TopLED. Their new website is

Mars Hydro LED - the Best Solutions for Horticulture and Indoor Plants

They've been a forum sponsor for a long time and many members have used their panels.

Their old models are currently on sale. I suggest you consider the 100x3 model at $101.99 USD.



[Edit] ... I see that TopLED ships to Brazil for about $100 USD ...

 

[pvtstargazer]

Thank you Graytail!

Yes, i can order products from other countries, is Mars Hydro Led in the usa?, that would be rather convenient.

Actually the price of a 400w/250w HPS lamp (plus case and ballast) here is around 150/100 USD, so it would be practiclly the same price.

I'm going to checkout that 100x3 led you mentioned,

Thank you both!

 

[Antics]

Mars Hydro is a China based company, that has warehouses in the USA, UK, Australia, Spain, and maybe some others that I'm forgetting.

I have the light Graytail mentioned. It's worth the money, and it's a monster. It produces a lot of growth, and at some nodes I have 4 branches instead of 2. Due to the strength, and efficiency, It also makes the plants need more nutrients, so be prepared for that. You'll want to use CalMag, or Epsom salt to supply additional Calcium and Magnesium.

I have a small closet I'm growing in, about 24"x36"x84" / 60cm x 91 cm and 213 cm tall. With doors closed, the temp never goes above 81 F/ 27C with no ventilation running.

And the lifespan is great. 50,000-100,000 hours. It will outlast several bulbs for MH/HPS, which need to be replaced much more frequently.

 

[pvtstargazer]

I reviewed all of the items and look up some more.

Considering the money i can spend i'm looking up to three options

1) LED Grow Light 100x3w - Mars Hydro The early mentioned mars hydro

2) A 180w Apollo UFO

3) 2 75w Apollo UFO

Anyone has tried the apollo ufo? any advice?

Why two 75w?, the ufo are round, and i have a rectangular space (1.20mtsx0.75mts) (3 feet 11¼ inches x 2 feet 39⁄16 inches), with a height of 2m (6.5 feet). i know the round lights are best used in square spaces, so that's why i'm considering in use 2 75w instead a single 180w in the center.

I'm going to use mylar to cover the walls, so that should help a bit.

I'm gonna try to grow 2-3 plants in that space, you guys thin is enough? any other advice you can give me?

Also i'm considering to wait until black Friday/cyber Monday and hope that the led growing lights have a sweet discount.

Thank you all for the help!

 

[Graytail]

You're right - two lights would be better than one.

For your growing space, 200-300 watts of LED would be ideal (330-500/m2), so two lights of about 100-150 watts. TopLED has those, too. They have a round 60x3 which draws about 110 watts and costs just over $70 each right now. Those are the best value, I think. We know TopLED as a forum sponsor - not Apollo so much.

Mylar isn't as great an idea as it seems. It tends to fold and cause hot spots in the reflections. Bright white is better.