Newbie off and running

CTLeotattoo420

Well-Known Member
Well after lots and lots of research, discussions with professionals, hours spent with podcast and YouTube videos, I finally started to put together my first grow, buying my tent last night along with my carbon filter.
Next is an AC Infinity Cloudline fan!
I had considered an extensive elaborate hydroponic system, but my wife will support only a soil grow for the time being. So soil it is. She turned white when I told her that I wanted to buy a $700 light, and apoplectic when I told her I was saving money doing it. However that IS the most important component.
Any help with soil or idea os lowering the light costs would be apprectiated.
 
I like your enthusiasm but also your wife’s cautious thinking. I think it’s smart to get a grow or two under your belt before shelling out tons of money.

I have a lot of friends that grew once or twice but quit because it was more work than they were expecting.

great to have you. Will you be starting a journal?
 
Many growers starting out buy one smaller unit and then add another unit to fit their tent in the long run. That way, they can grow and dial in. Then scale up in the future.
 
Welcome Leo to 420 magazine.
You have two soil growers right here . @Silverfox125 and @stoneotter look at there grows at the bottom of there post !
You can save $ on nutrients , look for MegaCrop nutrients grows . Also have @InTheShed that does hp promix soil that goes great with the MegaCrop nutrients.
 
:welcome: to :420: @CTLeotattoo420


4x4...BudgetLED, is a likely vendor for sure.
Hey CT, no offense to LEDs :hmmmm: but it would take about $1,000 to $1,500 to replace my $159.99 1000 watt HPS, and they would still be pulling about 750 watts from the wall :thedoubletake: ... I have 3 tents, and a veg booth running a total of 2600 watts...my electric bill is still under $200...and all my lights cost about what you're thinking of spending on 1....1000 watt HPS @ $160...2- 600 watt HPS's @ $145 a pc. and a 400 watt MH @ $145 ...total $595 - $600 ...not to mention I'd like to see some nugs like this from an LED....just my opinion and 2 cents



 
I had considered an extensive elaborate hydroponic system, but my wife will support only a soil grow for the time being. So soil it is. She turned white when I told her that I wanted to buy a $700 light, and apoplectic when I told her I was saving money doing it. However that IS the most important component.

I purchased an hlg 240 with 2 Quantum boards and h/s for $150 (that'll cover 2ft x 4ft)
And I've just bought a Mars Hydro tent (120 x 60 x 180) for $100

Better to stack more lights alongside each other as you expand than to spend a fortune on 1 light that might fail and take all your plants with it.
I don't like soil though, everything I've planted in soil died fairly quickly.
Soil is for experts with years of experience ..... nice plants @MorchaBud
Switched to Coco coir + Perlite, and everything is growing.
 
I purchased an hlg 240 with 2 Quantum boards and h/s for $150 (that'll cover 2ft x 4ft)
And I've just bought a Mars Hydro tent (120 x 60 x 180) for $100

Better to stack more lights alongside each other as you expand than to spend a fortune on 1 light that might fail and take all your plants with it.
I don't like soil though, everything I've planted in soil died fairly quickly.
Soil is for experts with years of experience ..... nice plants @MorchaBud
Switched to Coco coir + Perlite, and everything is growing.
Sorry Sara Jane, but soil is the easiest way to grow because it buffers the nutrients where Coco does not. It was probably the soil that you used or something else. But hey, whatever works best for you is the way you should go. I've done both soil & Coco & when I get up the nerve I'll try Hydro. Hydro worries me because I've seen people lose their whole crop when something goes wrong & I sure don't want that to happen. I have to study a lot more on that before I try it.
 
:welcome: to :420: @CTLeotattoo420



Hey CT, no offense to LEDs :hmmmm: but it would take about $1,000 to $1,500 to replace my $159.99 1000 watt HPS, and they would still be pulling about 750 watts from the wall :thedoubletake: ... I have 3 tents, and a veg booth running a total of 2600 watts...my electric bill is still under $200...and all my lights cost about what you're thinking of spending on 1....1000 watt HPS @ $160...2- 600 watt HPS's @ $145 a pc. and a 400 watt MH @ $145 ...total $595 - $600 ...not to mention I'd like to see some nugs like this from an LED....just my opinion and 2 cents



MH / HPS do a nice job but the heat from them is hell to deal with. Where do you live that you get $200 electric bills running all that light ? I want to live there. My electric is $220 without any grow equipment running. My bill is usually closer to $350 - $400 mo. with all grow equipment running 18/6. I use LED's. These are stats from my last grow with 2 Advanced Platinum P-900's, 2 - 6 gallon Humidifiers, 1 6" fan & filter exhaust, 1 - 4" fan & filter intake & 2 - oscillating fans. Just running that raises my bill at least $120 per month. My lights are programmed so they turn off during the Peak Electric Hours when they charge even more. That being said, I would love to see a $200 electric bill.
I haven't seen a big enough difference in the bud size to go back to HPS. I think the QB's & white LED's can come really close to producing the same size & quality buds an HPS can. What you save in cost on an HPS get's spent in cooling & electric in most cases & after a while ends up costing you more because of those costs. But if you yield enough, I'd say it could still be worth the added cost of using them. If I were to use them again Co2 would have to be a requirement due to the heat they put off. Just my thoughts on HPS vs LED. Thoughts from my personal observations, not facts.
 
MH / HPS do a nice job but the heat from them is hell to deal with. Where do you live that you get $200 electric bills running all that light ? I want to live there. My electric is $220 without any grow equipment running. My bill is usually closer to $350 - $400 mo. with all grow equipment running 18/6. I use LED's. These are stats from my last grow with 2 Advanced Platinum P-900's, 2 - 6 gallon Humidifiers, 1 6" fan & filter exhaust, 1 - 4" fan & filter intake & 2 - oscillating fans. Just running that raises my bill at least $120 per month. My lights are programmed so they turn off during the Peak Electric Hours when they charge even more. That being said, I would love to see a $200 electric bill.

Now we're wayyyyyyy off topic, my bill hasn't increased with my grow.
I put a 330w solar panel in my back garden with a grid tie inverter, total cost $150.
I'm thinking of putting in a second panel to save some money off my electric bill (currently @ just under $40/month).
I guess it depends where you live in the world.
 
If you're looking for a good price, mars hydro is the right choice. TS3000 LED can cover 4x4 tent well. and it only cost 426usd if you use the coupon code "420magazine" on www.mars-hydro.com

You can see the feedback of other growers using TS3000, I have links to their grow journal in my signature
 
Now we're wayyyyyyy off topic, my bill hasn't increased with my grow.
I put a 330w solar panel in my back garden with a grid tie inverter, total cost $150.
I'm thinking of putting in a second panel to save some money off my electric bill (currently @ just under $40/month).
I guess it depends where you live in the world.
Id love to know more about this!
 
MH / HPS do a nice job but the heat from them is hell to deal with. Where do you live that you get $200 electric bills running all that light ? I want to live there. My electric is $220 without any grow equipment running. My bill is usually closer to $350 - $400 mo. with all grow equipment running 18/6. I use LED's. These are stats from my last grow with 2 Advanced Platinum P-900's, 2 - 6 gallon Humidifiers, 1 6" fan & filter exhaust, 1 - 4" fan & filter intake & 2 - oscillating fans. Just running that raises my bill at least $120 per month. My lights are programmed so they turn off during the Peak Electric Hours when they charge even more. That being said, I would love to see a $200 electric bill.
I haven't seen a big enough difference in the bud size to go back to HPS. I think the QB's & white LED's can come really close to producing the same size & quality buds an HPS can. What you save in cost on an HPS get's spent in cooling & electric in most cases & after a while ends up costing you more because of those costs. But if you yield enough, I'd say it could still be worth the added cost of using them. If I were to use them again Co2 would have to be a requirement due to the heat they put off. Just my thoughts on HPS vs LED. Thoughts from my personal observations, not facts.
SW Missouri my friend :ciao: I live in the sticks just south of Joplin, MO. Everything's cheap here my friend :rofl: they want you to move here :rofl: I spent just under 200k for my 5 bedroom 3 bathroom house on 10 acres with a private lake and gated entrance, can't get that anywhere but MO. :yahoo:no body but my wife and 2 dogs...

And BTW I don't run humidifiers, heaters or any AC units in my tents, just some fans and lights, my intake fans pull fresh cold air from outside through a hepa filter in fall and winter, they hook to my house AC ducts in summer, and my extraction fans discharges it into my attic after running through a charcoal filter...as far as heat, my tents get to 80F sometimes, but usually stay right between 72F and 78F year round
 
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