In my case a tent or cabinet is a necessity! If you don't have a place such as a closet that you can abandon or a room that you can guarantee dark periods in it's a must.I still think you ought to get through a grow before you order a tent or light. It's easy to waste money when your a newb, I've got a bunch of brand new hydro equipment collecting dust in the garage to prove it. My grow is purely head stash, which is why I run small lights. But I only need to produce a couple ounces at a time. Once you get through a grow you'll know what you need and don't need.