Advice on LED grow tent set up: veg

[Mdubbs]

Hi,

I've got a 3x3X6 grow tent with a 600w Viparspectra LED and a 2x4x5 grow tent with two 300w Viparspectra LEDs

I plan to do about 4 plants in each tent in 3 gallon containers with soil as the medium. Ideally vegging for 1.5 months due to time constraints.

My question is, when it comes to vegging, does it make sense to veg all 8 plants in the same tent with the 600w and one of the 300w? or veg them separately with the two 300w in one tent and the 600w in the other?

First time grower any input would be greatly appreciated

 

[Old Salt]

Are you concerned about odor control? If you are, you'll probably find the 2x4x5 grow tent isn't tall enough for anything but a SCRoG with a carbon filter installed. A SCRoG won't work in the 3x3X6 grow tent unless you can access the front and back. You won't be able to reach far enough into it to maintain the plants. You'd be trying to learn two methods of growing at once. If this is the case, I'd recommend starting four plants in the 3x3X6 grow tent and the flowering period of the strain you grow plus two weeks later starting four more in the 2x4x5 grow tent. Move these to the 3x3X6 grow tent when you harvest the first four. Keep the 2x4x5 grow tent for veg with the two 300w Viparspectra LEDs, and the 3x3X6 grow tent with the 600w Viparspectra LED for flowering.

If you don't mind the odor, then by all means start the eight plants at once. I'd still keep the lights in the tents as above. I'd start them all in the 2x4x5 grow tent for veg, and move four to the 3x3X6 grow tent when the other tent gets crowded.

 

[Mdubbs]

Thanks for the response.

Both tents do have carbon filters, although I'm not overly concerned about odor control. I intend to start all eight plants at once due to time constraints, although you're earlier suggestion to stagger start times would allow me to utilize the height of the 3x3x6 for flowering periods for both crops rather being constricted by the height of the shorter tent in the last to weeks.

Is the recommendation to have all eight plants in 2x4x5 until they are crowded based on the fact that the two 300w LEDs will have superior coverage compared to the 600w in the 3x3x6?

 

[Old Salt]

The ability to separate the two 300W lights will give you better coverage in the 2X4. The recommendation to initially have all plants in the same tent is for power conservation.

 

[Mounty]

Hi. First off: WOW!!! You got yourself some major power there!! I too am new at this spiel with the plants, but I#ve learnt a few things too, along the way.
Ok, so what I would do, and anyone is more than welcome to add or substract from this:
a) Are you growing from seeds? 1 x 300 w is more than enough for seedlings. DO NOT WANT TO BURN THEM! Germinate more seeds than you intend to use/grow. Be radical!! Throw out 10-15% of the weaker/slower growing plants!! Survival of the strongest, natures unwritten law....
b) What is your plan? Are you planning a perpetual garden, meaning harvesting every 2-3, 3-4 weeks? With the 3 tents and/or lights this would be perfect!! It is ALOT of work. Shit, just feeding 3 different stages of growth and/or bloom..... but if 'only' 3 or 4 plants 'per stage', is still relatively 'Humane' to you and the plants. MARK the PLANTS (Stage or Age), or move the plants from tent to tent, leaving hardware as is, set-up and ready for new plants. (Timers, lighting adjustments - red>blue etc can be left as is...)
c) Just a thought: For, lets call it 'Tent B' or 'Tent II', use the 2nd 300w LED WITH some sort of auxillary lighting. IR, UVA, Deep Blues. Do you want stout crafty plants, short nodes, or tall langy leggy plants, which may need 'support' if they get too tall. Do the research. The info is out there. (Youtube: Growmau5/greengenesgarden are a GREAT source for info!!!)
Regards
Mounty

Crap, just saw you have 2 tents... ok, the seedlings do not need a tent!! Wasted space! Buy a little room greenhouse or build one. New on ebay, with heating mat they go for as cheap as $35. (Look for a good quality lid/cover that won't break so easily, and that you can keep clean without damaging it).

Oh, and vegging that long is way too much!! 4 weeks max! Wasted energy, son.

 

[Greenlizard]

Sounds like you have a decent setup to start with so that makes things easier for sure.
If I were in your shoes I would start them all in the 3x3 with just one of the 300's over them. You will have to raise that light up at the start because seedlings can't handle too much light at the beginning. Once you have passed the seedling stage I would space them out and pot them into 1 gallon or even 1.5 gallon pots. Then add the second 300 watt LED. Two 300 watt LED's will obviously give you much better coverage than a single 600 watt but the 600 watt is great for more penetration once the plants are mature.
Once your plants outgrow the 3x3 you could then spread them out among the two tents and use all the lights.
You could also do a SOG (sea of green) and keep all the plants in the 3x3 with all the lights in the one tent. This would require you to flower early as to not outgrow the tent when stretch kicks in.
You have a few options to contemplate and probably a few more opinions to come yet from others.

Happy growing!

 

[Mdubbs]

Assuming that I put all of them in one tent for veg until they out grow it, would it make sense to put the 600w and one 300w in the tent rather than the two 300's? I get that there would be an uneven distribution of light with the 600 having a hot spot compared to two 300's but I was wondering if having more wattage would expedite growth?

 

[Old Salt]

Germinate more seeds than you intend to use/grow. Be radical!! Throw out 10-15% of the weaker/slower growing plants!! Survival of the strongest, natures unwritten law....

That only works if you have or can afford the seeds. On a pension, I can't afford to throw away $30 or more. I grow out everything that germinates. This will change, as I'm producing feminized seed from feminized seed this grow, and will continue to do so for every new strain I buy.

 

[Old Salt]

Assuming that I put all of them in one tent for veg until they out grow it, would it make sense to put the 600w and one 300w in the tent rather than the two 300's? I get that there would be an uneven distribution of light with the 600 having a hot spot compared to two 300's but I was wondering if having more wattage would expedite growth?

You will probably burn the plants with that much light. Start with the two 300W lights, and see how that works first.

 

[Bigjake8]

Hang your 600 in the 3x3
Get 1 more 300 for the 2x4 and you will be on the lower edge of needed flower watts
But for veg them 2 300s will be fine in the 2x4 the more you spread your watts the better off you are I have a 1000 hps in a 5x6 and wish I had 2 600s