So I have done a lot of reading on setups and I finally have a question. Lets start with what I will be using first. I will be building 2 maybe 3 enclosures, with all the goodies. I all ready have the intake and exhaust systems figured out for venting and temp control. Where I am stuck is the lighting. Grow style will be SOG cause I can get more harvest in a shorter time more often.(correct me if i'm wrong still in the learning phase). Now to the question For the veg enclosure, should I use a 175-400 watt mh or a 150hps with 2 to 4 6500k cfl's? The flowering enclosure i'm thinking about 400-1000 watt hps. The question is, should I use a unit with a self contained ballast like the sunsystem5, or go with a unit that has an external ballast? Is there really an advantage using an external vs. internal other than maybe energy effiency. The main thing I am looking for is speed. I would prefer to keep the whole cycle at 30 days veg and 60 days flowering and 20 to 30 days drying and curing. I will be using soil since a hydro system is a little more involved. Thanks for any help.
Which lighting setup
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flyfishinrock
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What are the sizes of your rooms? This will be a major factor in the size of lamp you should use. I would use MH for veg and HPS for flower, regardless but would adjust the watts to the room size to get me at least 40 hopefully 50 or so watts per square foot. Example: 2' x4' veg room 400 watt mh = 8 square feet 50 watts per sq foot.
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Ballasts = HEAT. Remote ballasts = heat somewhere besides inside your growroom with your girls.
Make sure the shape of your enclosures match the light footprint of your light fixtures.
Size of room for 16-24 plants depends on the style you choose to use to grow them. If you are going to do a SoG, that might only be 2 2/3 square feet (super-tight minimum) or if going with four plants per square foot it could mean six square feet or if using other growing styles it could even be (somewhat extreme) 192 square feet lol.
Make sure the shape of your enclosures match the light footprint of your light fixtures.
Size of room for 16-24 plants depends on the style you choose to use to grow them. If you are going to do a SoG, that might only be 2 2/3 square feet (super-tight minimum) or if going with four plants per square foot it could mean six square feet or if using other growing styles it could even be (somewhat extreme) 192 square feet lol.
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flyfishinrock
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For that many plants I personally would use at least half your room, five gallon buckets and about 50 watts per square foot.
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O.K, cool so I'm going to order a 1000watt mh and a 1000watt hps that should get the job done for 16 plants then, that will give me 62.5 watts per square foot. Should be a good grow. I will be growing white widow, white rhino, ak47, and ak48. Looking forward to the rhino since it's suppose to pretty intense. Thanks again
flyfishinrock
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Very good choice on the strains, I hope you'll do a grow journal and share with us.
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I will make sure i do that. I was thinking about breeding the white rhino with the ak47, trying to go for an 8 hour couch lock 
smokelongtime
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I have 2 1000w for 8 plants with mylar on the walls. My room is 8x12 and it is FULL right now. About 10-14 days from harvesting and there is never too much light. It is like a jungle with no extra room.
