Reddit mentions: The best plant growing light fixtures

This is still a work in progress

Details:

Essential shoping list (to me)

-[6" fan and carbon filter]
(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NYF8S4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) works great, no smell, plenty of airflow, relatively loud at 100%, virtually silent when turned down to below 30% with some sound absorbing foam around the intake and fan. 4" would have worked for my small setup. I'm pushing through the filter which is outside my grow area with no problems. Don't forget some ducting and real duct tape. Clamps aren't really needed at these speeds and pressures if you have good tape, but they won't hurt.

-[Speed controller for fan.] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006NGI2RS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) This was definitely overkill, I just didn't trust cheaper voltage regulators, plus I can and have used it for other things. Pretty well made, works great.

-[pH meter.] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CMFVXMA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) I didn't want to cheap out on this since pH is so important. Meter works great. Only note is you probably want to get some extra storage solution, it only comes with a little, and after a few months you'll run out.

-Light was a Viparspectra 300 (130 actual watts). Worked well, had good growth. I added more light later but for my small space that would have probably given me decent yields.

-[This timer for lights] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MYOD58S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) was super easy to program and hasn't failed. It has a bright blue LED indicating if the timer is sending power to the lights which is nice, but I had to tape over it because it was so bright. Also, the timer gets a little warm which makes me a little uneasy since I only have ~250 watts going through it.

-General Hydroponics FloraGrow, FloraMicro, FloraBloom, CaliMagic. I also got Fox Farms Big Bloom part way through flower but don't have any way to know its actual benefits so it's not an essential.

-Coco for growing medium. Most people add perlite, I didn't.

-7 gal smart pot

-Plastic storage container with a kitchen cooling rack to sit the pot into and onto and allow drainage without making a mess. Cooling rack allows for 1/2" of water to accumulate before the pot is sitting in it.

-[adjustable hangers for lights.] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0098R0600/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) Work great, easy to use



Set up and process

• In a closet that's 1.8' x 1.8' x 6'
  
  
• Temperatures between 72 F and 80 F. When I measure temp at the bottom of my canopy it's consistently about 5 degrees F below the temp at the top near my fan outlet. I have to use A/C in the room to keep it from moving up to 80 or a bit higher.
  
  
• Humidity between 40% and 60%
  
  
• Coco with about 30% peat moss which included time release nutrients. I didn't want the added nutes and tried running water through it for a few hours to clear it out, but I highly doubt that did anything. I wish I had waited a few days to ship pure peat moss so I could know exactly what nutrients were going into the plant. I picked peat moss because I wanted my pot to hold more water. I'm not sure if this was a good thing or not.
  
  
• 7 gallon smart pot, only ~5.5 gal full though. I'm glad I went with the bigger pot since my plant is so tall and top heavy now. I have read that if you want to go bigger for the pot it's better to go deeper than wider because of the root structure, but I don't know.
  
  
• I sprouted the seed using the paper towel method. Took a few days. Next time I'll probably use the water in a shot glass method.
  
  
• I put the sprouted seed right into the 7 gal smart pot which probably wasn't a great idea. I also watered the entire pot for the first couple weeks which probably was bad. I should have started in a small container and transplant, or at least only water a small area around the seedling at first.
  
  
• I put a bag seed in the same pot and sprouted it because I was dumb and bored. It sprouted and actually got to about 2.5 weeks old before I pulled the trigger and dug it up and transplanted it into it's own 5 gal smart pot. It wasn't happy for a few days because I know I damaged the roots in order to try to avoid the roots of the main plant. I let it grow in the new pot until about 4 weeks then I ran out of room in my closet and trashed the entire plant. Terrible idea all around.
  
  
• Viparspectra 300 initially, then around day 50 of veg I added ~100 watts of CFL. At 40 days after the 12/12 flip I added a galaxy hydro 300 and took out the CFLs (we'll see if that was a good idea...)
  
  
• Veg for 60 days after sprouting. Good idea if you have the vertical space and time. Veg took a long time because I waited too long and the first time I topped I took off like 3 or 4 sets of growth tips, it was like a whole mini plant. I don't know if waiting so long helped the plant develop more roots and a bigger stem which facilitated faster growing or if it was just wasted time. I'm going top it earlier next time though.
  
  
• I topped it twice to get kind of a manifold. The height and size of the colas were not dependent on where it's branch started which makes me doubt the need of a symmetrical manifold, which this was not.
  
  
• Defoliated a little around the 12/12 flip, a lot during about 20-30 days after flipping which left the plant with virtually no fan leaves with stems longer than 1". This was all great, next time I'll probably defoliate earlier.
  
  
• I had to go out of town for 10 days just after the 12/12 flip. I raised up the lights, but not enough and one cola grew into a CFL and killed the top. I cut the top off and now the lower flowers are growing a bit bigger and taller than their partners on other colas, just no top. Also, I only got an automatic watering system set up the night before I left and it didn't water as much as I wanted, plus the pH drifted a lot while I was gone. I started with the pH low to try to mitigate it rising, which I expected. I was expecting the plant to really be struggling, but she looked great actually.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

That's very exciting! The diet the previous owner was feeding isn't great, kale and peppers are a good supplement but collard/mustard greens and squash are good staple veggies, and mealworms have a tough shell so they're only appropriate as treats. This isn't a big enough problem that it would effect your decision of course, I just wanted to let you know.

Heat lamps produce heat and bright light that mimic the sun. They produce the heat that's so important to reptiles, and are great for diurnal reptiles because they simulate the situations where they would be getting heat (basking.)

A UVB light provides the other half of the equation, the uvb and UVA radiation that help diurnal reptiles metabolize calcium and avoid problems like metabolic bone disease.

Basically diurnal reptiles like bearded dragons need heat to digest food and UVB/UVA light to metabolize calcium. These can come in the same bulb (mercury vapor bulbs) or different bulbs (one for heat and one for UVB/UVA.) As a side note, most bulbs actually produce UVA regardless of whether or not they're a UVB bulb.

As for the specific products you want:

Proper UVB light is essential. The best and only guaranteed good UVB lights are either Mercury vapor bulbs (heat and UVB combined) or fluorescent tubes. Compact bulbs are bad and can damage eyes. Tubes are used much more often and are cheaper and better for beardies. You'll want either a reptisun 10.0 or Arcadia 12% tube because they're the best and most trusted brands, roughly 2/3 the length of the enclosure. They come in two sizes, t5 and t8, t5 is newer, stronger, and better. It gives you more options for where to place it and is lasts 12 months instead of 6 so it's cheaper. Basically, you want either a reptisun 10.0 t5 or Arcadia 12% t5. Make sure to research your bulb and fixture (t5 vs t8, under or over screen, etc.) to determine exactly how far away from the basking spot it should be.

Heat lamp fixtures are easy to find, but for uvb it's a bit tougher. This is what I use for my 22" t5: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AKKUBDQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_as8FHHQMbU3iD

Edit: I would recommend a vet checkup so you can ensure your new friend is healthy. Calci-worms are great, so are dubias, crickets, and silkworms. Remember that she should be eating mostly veggies now though.

VIVOSUN 48"x24"x60" Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent with Observation Window and Floor Tray for Indoor Plant Growing 2'x4' https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DXYMQ9M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dx13BbGGT8164

VIPARSPECTRA Reflector-Series 300W LED Grow Light Full Spectrum for Indoor Plants Veg and Flower https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B4GQ6MO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Hz13BbPVVN2TK

This light is good for 2 plants but you’ll eventually want to add a second for your tent. You definitely can’t fill the tent with just this light, but it’ll get you started.

iPower 2-Pack 1/8 Inch 8-Feet Long Adjustable Heavy Duty Rope Clip Hanger, Reinforced Metal Internal Gears,150lb Capacity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018WIOEDA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wA13Bb58ZJ5GD

Century 7 Day Heavy Duty Digital Programmable Timer - Dual Outlet (Indoor) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MVF16JG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XA13Bb9NQJDG1

Comfort Zone CZ6C 6-Inch 2-Speed Clip-On Fan (White, 2 Fans) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JLUZSPC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.E13Bb05JK7B1

247Garden 5-Pack 3 Gallon Grow Bags/Aeration Fabric Pots w/Handles (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013JM3JAI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VG13Bb7MGJS2R

https://www.oregonsonly.com/samples/

These are great nutrients and basically foolproof. This free sample kit will get you through 4 plants full grows. I love these nutrients and even now use them in a reservoir (which people claim you can’t do but works great).

Dr.meter 0.1pH PH002 High Accuracy pH Meter/pH Pen Tester with ATC LCD 0-14 pH Measurement Range (PH002 pH Meter for Water) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PU0W35K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_fI13BbNRES1BK

That will get you started on your first grow or two. I recommend auto blue mystic from nirvana for your first run. They are very low smell while growing so you can get by without a carbon filter. They’re autos so you can leave the light on 24/7, and they finish fast. Also turns out a great finished product.

https://www.nirvanashop.com/marijuana-seeds/815-blue-mystic-autoflower.html

Less than $40 for 5 seeds and very discrete shipping.

When you have a bit more $ you can add on additional items. Eventually you’ll want to upgrade to PFD sun boards or quantum boards, but you’ll probably want to get a fan and filter first:

6" Inline Fan - 395 CFM Exhaust Duct Fan, Built-In Speed Controller, ETL Listed, Pre-Wired 6 FT Grounded Cord - Great Use In Grow Tent With Carbon Filters, Light Fixtures, Intake. Fits 6 Inch Ducts. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L0D0UEQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TM13Bb5170NC1

Activated Charcoal Carbon Filter 6" x 16", Up to 400 CFM, Premium Grow Tent Odor Scrubber, 1.8" Extra Thick Layer of Top Grade Activated Australian Virgin Charcoal-Great for Hydroponics and Growing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0VN4I5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qN13BbEH9AG9W

Maybe you can upgrade to a 2x4 tray with reservoir so you can automate feeding.

If you don’t want autoflowers you can just do 12/12 from seed for faster harvest. https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/blog-how-to-grow-cannabis-from-seed-under-12-12-lighting-n330

But I really recommend doing the auto blue mystic for your first round or two.

Hey, I JUST came off building a setup and it cost me $750 total. We have 3 plants in there right now. I have the entire list with amazon links or store suggestions.

Item| Price | Where To Buy
---|---|----
Tent| $95| We bought this one, I don't know if it's worth spending a lot on anything more expensive. For a smaller option I just got a second with good reviews but can't vouch for it yet.
Lights/Hood/Ballast| $140| I got the 600W set, but 400W would make cooling MUCH easier and still get a big yield. For LEDs at similar price, Viparspectra 300W x2 or a single 600W eliminates need for extra cooling potentially (not included here, we used fans from around the house)
ph Test+Control Kit | $25| GET THIS. The water must be pH'd properly for your babies' health.
Cloth Pots| $20 | These are better for aeration, water flow, training, etc. Cheap and reusable too.
Nutrients | $50 | I got the Fox Farms Trio, but there are many good options out there.
Fan + Filter | $150 | This is huge and might be overkill for you. Make sure whatever you get fits your tent vents (This one fits the Apollo tent above with 6" vents).
Ducting | $20 | Connect fan to filter, to tent, to wherever. Might want multiple sizes, check tent vent sizes.
Foil Tape, Metallic | $10 | Here. Metal Duct tape is best duct tape.
Fan Speed Controller | $20 | Useful for if you do get a fan that is slightly overkill!
Fox Farms Ocean Forest | $15 - $40 | You can buy it online and I did for my first 3 bags....then I found it in a local store for $15. There is some controversy with FF lately, it's not organic FYI. There are tutorials on making your own soil if you care, but I like this because I didn't have to use nutes for 3-4 weeks.
Humidifier | $30 | This is the exact one I have. We're in winter so I need it to keep humidity up, you may not.
Dehumidifier | $40 | There are plenty for this much. You may not need this either.
Cal-Mag | $20 | I haven't needed it yet but it's best to have on hand if you do!
Seeds | $75 | I bought from Attitude, chose stealth, and bought like 15 seeds?, so it was expensive. You can get seeds for less.
Jiffy Pellets | $10 | Used to start seeds. There are other options.
Total | $745 | If you buy all this stuff, you have potentially even more than you need to get started, with room for 3-4x more plants than these boxes, and with nutrients to last you for a long long time!

Hope this helps! I'd hate to see you drop so much on it when you don't need to at all.

I can recommend the grow light I own, this 300W one, I love it to death honestly. I will warn you that the goose neck growlights also found on Amazon are not very powerful at all, they're usually what first comes up when you search for them so they're often bought. But many people on this subreddit don't recommend them because they're so weak. These types of bulbs (and these ones) will also work but usually need multiple pointed on the plants to achieve good results, a reflector/deflector usually helps with the bulbs, too. These lights also work very well but are rather large and work better for a bigger collection. Succulents can handle heat, not like super excessive but they will be fine in like even the 100's F as long as they're not being burnt to a crisp from the sun. It will just dry their soil out faster which isn't a bad thing honestly!

If you do move them outside make sure it's in the shade for the entire day, putting them into more intense light suddenly can burn them. They need to be introduced to more light gradually so they can become used to it slowly. This usually means an hour or two max in gentle morning sun before they're moved to a shadier place for the rest of the day and letting them get used to that schedule and amount of light for a few days before increasing the amount of light they receive and again letting them adjust to the new increase. It can be quite a hassle and there's much less need for it when putting them under growlights I've found, they don't burn they just get stress color very very fast. But even being out in the shade outside 24/7 will be much brighter than indoors even if it's still not enough light for them.

They will definitely feel loose, that's totally normal. Once they establish their roots into the soil better they'll be much sturdier. For now if you need to hold them up with stakes or some rocks around the base of the stems to keep them from falling out or being wobbly that's totally okay. They should feel more secure after their first watering but will still be somewhat wobbly.

Welcome! Happy to help :)

You may like the science of light post, also accessible via the sidebar.

Also, no, lumens will not always help you. More is typically better, but they're not what we use to help people find a grow light.

Firstly, i will assume that your sempervivums are definitely etiolating; let you tell you straight out that these are typically outdoor plants and that even under a grow light, unless it is strong, they will become leggy and flared out. If the grow light is good enough, they'll close back up and produce webs(if its an arachnodeium). However, lights these strong tend to be a bit more expensive.

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I have been told that the Feit bulbs available via Amazon work well as grow lights. You'd need a gooseneck lamp or something else to hold them. I've never used said bulbs, so if you purchase them and find them lacking, please let me know so i can stop suggesting them. I use this, but you said you're looking for a supplemental light, not an exclusive light source(Note that this is more then enough for sempervivums and they're happy under it).

Some people use T5 or T8 fluorescent bulbs - if you decide to do this, purchase HO(High Output) bulbs, with a color temperature around 6500K. Typically, you want 3-4 bulbs, and they need to be /somewhat/ close to the succs. This is typically for a rack of multiple succulents. Lastly, try to avoid purchasing the $20 two/three armed grow lights on Amazon - they are typically VERY weak(not strong enough to prevent echeveria etiolation) and are prone to failure. I'm aware this probably doesn't answer all your questions, but i feel like this post is getting a bit long - if you need further help, feel free to reply and i or someone else can answer!

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EDIT: I'm just gonna add a little bit as i just noticed your bit on spectrums. I find that 'spectrum' lights tend to perform better then led lights which only use red and blue(blurple). I'm not sure if plants utilize infared light, but i have seen that lights which bother to include it typically perform much better - of course, these lights also include multiple other types of LEDs, and so i'm not quite sure.

You amurrica eh? This was on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ECZQTY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_jCNGzbKHZ98YS
Let me try to help you figure this out. These will give off quite a bit of heat (which is great for winter northerners) but summer can get pretty hot. You will want to seal off the room somehow as well, like the other comments said, fuck bugs! This can be hung maximum 1.5 feet before you burn the plant so you might be ok with some training.

600 watt will cover about 4 x 4 foot area so squish each plant in that space roughly and bunch all the branches up like roses, this will give a good lollipop shape and save space but at the same time maximize the light of the main colas. I just hope you have enough headroom for flower stretch!

Hopefully you have some fans laying around to simulate a gentle breeze and help temp control. I try to be as crafty as possible before spending a ton of money, (the light was an exception). Use what you have around the house or go to dollar stores for like white paint sheets to create your own tent for cheap, until you can invest more.

Goodluck, hopefully this ramble is useful to you!

CFL's are not great but i've heard of people doing full cycle grows on 100-150 true watts

she wouldn't get massive but you could def veg her long enough to put her outside.

don't look at the equivalent wattage, you need draw wattage atleast 35w per square foot. Those are probably 13 or 23 watt bulbs. If you really want to go CFL do your research, I'd suggest 6-8 23W 5000-6500k CFL bulbs for veg.

again though it might be worth it to buy a proper light and ditch the CFL, the only time CFL is really viable is if you already have the bulbs/sockets and can DIY rig everything together into a frame/box if your time is worth minimum wage you'd probably best buying a light like this

89.99 USD https://www.amazon.com/Roleadro-Spectrum-Function-Generation-Flowering/dp/B01I4NY8KW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538516694&sr=8-1&keywords=Roleadro+LED+Grow+Light+Full+Spectrum+400W+COB+Lamp+with+ON%2FOFF+Switch+and+Daisy+Chain+Function%2C+2nd+Generation+Plant+Light+for+Flowering+and+Veg

I bought this light first go around, its not great. its not very efficient and really only pulls 165 watts for the cobbs since rest is used for active cooling, its actually a shit chinese LED but itll outperform those CFLs you got by a lot and will suit your needs just fine, I think they have a 2-3 year warranty, you could prob veg 4 plants under this thing if you want to get them like 24" before putting them outside. I did 2 bushed under it and they're doing pretty good.

I topped mine so many times and made them into a bush and right now they're about 3-4 ft one has 8 tops other has like 26 tops, its crazy. pretty tall bushes with a good canopy, mostly grown under 1 of these lights and I later added 2 better brand higher quality component LED's when going into flowering, Right now I am about to enter week 6 flower tomorrow and they are doing great.

Normally I'd be yelling at you to get a proper QB or cree cob setup but since you just wanna grow 1 plant in veg until outdoor flower I think it'd work fine and not break your bank. I think they useCxa3070 cobs, which are not the greatest but they'll work.

be aware it can run a little hot compared to a proper cob kit, ventilation will be a must.


if your budget is a bit more I'd get a 100w kit like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XFNXLBK/ref=twister_B07D368BM3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


these are plug and play use top quality components meanwell drivers and cree cob cxb3590 used amongst most DIY builds and I know for a fact 1 of these 100 watt will veg 8 plants to 24" no prob.


I'd really suggest investing in the quality stuff and avoiding the cheap chinese shit.

you’re right. the superiority complex is definitely the internet in general. i have met a couple super nice people. someone even sent me the break down of how to DIY my own light system. my girlfriend bought me this light for christmas. (only fair since i’m growing for her, ha. i can’t even smoke because of work.) the way my closet is set up there’s a shelf so, it’ll be perfect and easy to hang the right distance away. the PPFD graphic is which? the circular one? wait those say PAR value.

i have seen the posts and also on amazon while i was looking at lights. a lot of them said “newer model available” and just had 2 larger white bulbs. they were also two and three times the price. i figured one light should be okay for 2-3 plants. this way i can use the smaller 75W CFL for tiny clones/seedlings. i was reading reviews to see how it works for other plants, too. obviously since it’s nearly winter i had to bring in all my catnip. plus, i have a garden in the spring so it’ll also be great for my veggies, too.

marijuana is one of the few things that’s fun to learn about because in the end you have a pretty decent reward. well, growing anything in general is. it’s a lot of fun. i also had no idea growweedeasy was put together by a woman. that’s awesome. that’s my go-to site right now. that and this. i’ve spent hours upon hours just reading. with legalization and technology it’s constantly changing and there’s always something new to learn.

1. Your light is kinda weak for a 4x4 ( sorry in the US so my values will be in ft) that 450w vipar VIPARSPECTRA Reflector-Series 450W LED Grow Light Full Spectrum for Indoor Plants Veg and Flower https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015FLSOCE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_CiZDAbMT0KHGY
   Has an actual power draw of 200w. When rating LEDS especially these cheap blurples you need to look at actual power draw. That gives you the raw wattage of the light. (I’ll explain how they get away with this clever piece of marketing later if you wish). Anyways when it comes to lighting you want to fall within a 30-50 W/sqft (watts per square foot) your 4x4 has a footprint of 16sqft to figure this out you take your actual wattage 200W and divide by 16sqft the result is 12.5 w/sqft. Also you’ll notice in the description the light is rated for a 2x2 for flowering.
   
   
2. Hps is older tech but still king. LEDS that rival HPS are expensive but an investment worthwhile if you have the money. I’d suggest as a newbie maybe grabbing a 315Cmh or you can go with a 600w mh for veg and a 600 or 1000w HPS for flower. Only issue is you’ll have to be constantly changing bulbs and occasionally ballasts.
   
   
3. Canna soil- is that the name? I tried googling it and I get canna terra profession plus??? Either way there’s a huge difference between canna coco and actual soils. Figure out what you have/want or I can give you the pros and cons for both.
   
   
   
4. As for nutes Bro there’s like a million of them. If you can go anything Dutch and a two part ( part A is veg, part b is flower) you can keep it simple as you learn. I use raw NPK powder nutes and mix to my own strength.
   
   
5. The rest looks good. Make sure your tent is good quality manufacturer. Your fans should oscillate (ideal) if not then no worries (mine don’t) be sure your carbon filter and fan are the same size. A 6in carbon filter requires a 6in fan. In this case if your freedom depends on it I’d suggest can fan, and get one with a higher Cfm than the volume of your tent and get an fan speed controller. (Negative Air pressure is another topic you’d be really interested in if you’re growing in a less than hospitable state.
   
   
6. I’m on my mobile so sorry for the wall of text.

I just bought this light and it is the best light I have owned but it's more expensive and not what I started out with.

For someone starting out I would get something like this which is 300 true watts or this which is around 260 true watts. Both are going to make your closet hotter so you may have to get an intake/exhaust fan but they will give you 10x better yield. I have grown with both of them.

I also have a few of these which will still be way better than what you have currently however these blurple lights get a lot of flack from people and weren't my personal favorite. But for $59 right now on Amazon that's a pretty good deal for 165 true watts.

Here's my first grow doing what you are doing

Here's my second grow using the lights I suggested

Edit: If you think you are going to get into growing and take it serious in the future get the light I linked first. It was around $150 after shipping and it takes some diy to put together but it will run way cooler than the other lights and is 15x better than any of the Amazon lights for $50-$100 more. If I could go back and do it again I would get rid of all the Amazon lights and spend the money on some nice quantum boards.

Start small. It'll save you money, let you get your feet wet, and help you learn how to grow better, and then you can buy bigger.

My "starter package" is:

• A 2' x 2' x 3' grow tent - $55.
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SWGYYWO
  
  
• A grow light ($90). I prefer COB's as they're easier to fix than blurples.
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I4NY8KW
  
  
• A power strip zip-tied to a pole in the tent. Makes wiring prettier and easier. ($24) I chose a nice metal one, but you can use a cheaper one.
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8ZQYHA
  
  
• Hangers to hold the light ($8)
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0098R0600
  
  
• A fan and filter ($70), and variac ($90) to filter smell and move air to keep things cool. This combo is overkill for this tent, but I ended up using it on later tents so it's a good long-term investment. You can cobble something cheaper together with some work, but this "just works" out of the box.
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Q2ER5C/
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006NGI8VS
  
  
• 5 gallon Smart Pot ($7) for growing, FoxFarm Ocean Forest Soil ($16.50), Plant saucer ($7) for growing. You can save some money here by shopping around. In particular, Amazon's price for FFOF is about double what I pay at the (very expensive) local "indoor gardening" center.
  https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Pots-5-Gallon-Soft-Sided-Container/dp/B002JUOWB2
  https://www.amazon.com/FoxFarm-FX14053-12-Quart-Organic-Potting/dp/B001I49Q98
  https://www.lowes.com/pd/Garden-Treasures-15-31-in-Rust-Plastic-Plant-Saucer/50445000
  
  
• Go Box Plant Nutrients. This should last you several grows.
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004PS4B08
  
  
• Seed of your choice (let's say $10).
  
  So for about $420 (heh), you can get your foot in the door and start growing. This is a nice setup too, you can probably save $100 by shopping around, buying used, or doing-it-yourself. I've left off a few odds and ends like dryer duct, Fiskers for trimming, weed fabric pins for low-stress training, pitcher for watering, Mason jars for storage, but you can likely find those or suitable replacements around the house without spending money.
  
  I also have a Raspberry Pi 3 ($43) with Sense Hat ($37) and metal case ($15) in each of my grow tents to log temperature/humidity and other things. I'm interested in eventually using the GPIO functionality to water my plants too. Not critical, but definitely a nice thing to have, especially if you're the hacker type. If you go this route, you might look at raspiviv.com too.
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6FFNY4
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014HDG74S
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0722L338Q
  
  I'm glad I bought a good intro setup because I still use it now that I've upgraded. I now have a 3' x 3' GG Shorty tent with HLG 300 LED for flower, a 2' x 2.5' GG Shorty tent with two 400W Roleadro COB's for veg, and my "intro package" is now my germination/cloning tent (and drying tent too since several people suggested that too). Being able to have three tents (germination -> veg -> flower) working simultaneously is increasing my output quite sharply. I'm doing this to help a relative with cancer, so you may not need to go quite as crazy as I did.
  
  You mentioned using 35+ gs (~1.25 oz) a month. You probably aren't going to be able to grow that much given the constraints of tent size and light wattage (plus being a first-time grower! You'll learn a lot!). So once you get used to it, you'll probably want to buy more stuff. Marijuana isn't addictive, but growing marijuana absolutely is.
  
  Once you've got your hardware, the variable cost is seed (~$10), soil (~$5), nutrients (~$20), and electricity (~$30). From that, I'm going to estimate you can grow ~1.5 ozs (you can do more as you learn more though). So you're looking at ~$40/oz after you've made the initial hardware investment.
  
  Hope this helps. Depression, cancer, and everything else can just go suck it.

Here's the link again to my first album after initial setup for reference: http://imgur.com/a/fvzkZ

1. I used round PVC mainly due to availability, price, and associated parts. I saw a design that allowed for the adjustment of the water level within the pipes by rotating the end collar on the round PVC and I liked that approach. There are way to accomplish this with a flat channel system also, but I found this method acceptable. As far as my research has shown, a "proper" NFT system does use flat bottoms (as seen in pretty much all commercial operations), but the round PVC approach is very common for hobbyists like myself. I can't comment on very detailed reasoning for the true "film" technique on the bottom of flat pipes vs round. It appears to me though that people get plenty of good results out of both setups, so I personally wouldn't (and didn't) get too hung up on it.
   
   
2. In the linked gallery above, the 5th image (this one: http://i.imgur.com/KSkFZEc.jpg) you can get a decent look at how the water is sent to the pipes. Most pumps vary, but I basically used a piece of flex tube to connect from the pump output to an adapter into the ball valve, then from there pieced together with various connecting parts, a threaded riser pipe used in irrigation, and then three of these: Riser Adapter. There are probably a million different ways, this is just what I came up with and it's working fine without leaks (plumber's tape.. use it).
   
   
3. I spaced my holes 6". This seems to be a commonly recommended spacing for leafy greens. I staggered the outer pipes (with 8 holes each) 6" from the inner pipe (has 7 holes) to maintain this spacing. Yes, more space will be better for larger plants, but I don't ever plan to use this setup for anything but various lettuces primarily, and some other leafy greens. Seems like most people grow larger plants that may require more spacing in different systems completely though, like DWC buckets, dutch buckets, etc.
   
   Hope this helps. I spent many hours on and off for a year researching before pulling the trigger on this system. In case you are wondering, here's the light I bought: Light It seems to be working very well so far with good output (~20,000 lumens) for 216 watts.

yes there is tons of options for lights... i can help you a bit.

where are you from ? whats your main language? if its french i can help explain stuff in french too to make it easier.

​

option 1: if you want just to get by until next month... maybe T5 would be best option

my guess this would enough... t5 4ftgreat for veg not so great for flowering

option 2: is a 400w hps you can a vented hood if you plan on using in a tent eventually. Better suited for a full grow than T5 if you want to go at it inside. This kit even comes with a MH bulb thats perfect for Veg.

​

option 3: quantum board (from china or usa/canada $$$). Most expensive option but very efficient and effective. i guess a 240w would be enough.

210$ us shipped + duties from china (alibaba - meijiu) or check out HLG in usa or canada who sell probably slightly better product (pretty much same components) for twice the price. But you get faster shipping and easier communication.

QB 240w or from hlg canada - hlg usa)

​

First two you can get easily with amazon or your local hydro store... QB board from china is probably 1 or 2 weeks...

​

maybe a fourth option is a blurple led light... i wouldn't suggest that but its an option that will probably do the job ok and its the cheapest i guess for the 600w

not sure but i think you would need a 900... old technology. not the wattage advertised.

blurple

​

if you have more question feel free to ask

As a vague generality, if you take a plant and put it under a light and give it water, it will grow, and with enough time, will produce -something-. Obviously, you think it takes a bit more, so that's why you're here. When it comes to indoor growing, there are many things that have to be taken into consideration because we are first removing all of the things a plant requires for survival then take it upon ourselves to be the one to provide it. To make these things apparent, we need to account for all of the things deprived to the plant by removing it from the outdoors:

• Light
  
• Humidity
  
• Air Flow
  
• Temperature (100% dependent on what plant you're growing)
  
  
  The Law of the Minimum states that a natural system is only as strong as it's weakest input. The number of factors that can limit a plant's health are near limitless, but these above items need to be addressed to begin encroaching on the realm of 'happy, healthy plant'. The information below will be debated by some, but here's my stance: Growing indoors is an energy intensive activity, and the costs can get out of control quickly. My philosophy is that I want the biggest possible return on my investment of money, time, and energy, so I aim to produce the best possible product. Ambient airflow, air pressure, and humidity affect all aspects of growing; changing one, changes the other. For example, setting up a exhaust in the tent that can move air out at a rate higher than it flows in causes something referred to as a Vapor Pressure Deficit, in which the pressure of the air literally sucks moisture out of the air and restricts the plants natural "respiration" process, resulting in upward curled leaves on plants, and stunted growth (this is fixed by using a fan speed controller and using an appropriately sized fan for the space). You want all the air inside of a tent replaced every 5 minutes in order to cause no interference, but a plant can usually take significantly more pressure before showing signs of stress. Like temperature, this factor is unique to each type of plant, so YMMV. If you're not going for smell control however, a minimal amount of air flow will suffice. The less interference you have to introduce to a grow tent, the less variables that have to be accounted for. Generally, you want your humidity around 70% for leafy greens and herbs, and 40-50% for anything that bears vegetables or fruit. This isn't a panacea, but in your case it gets you to 'close enough' with the least consequences. Adding degrees of varying control will give you the ability to adjust your environment accordingly to meet these unique requirements.
  
  
  There are many, many ways to measure light, and it can be as simple or as complicated an ordeal as you like. I like to break it down and compare the earth to the sun like we compare a grow tent's square footage to wattage of the grow light. That said, the sun produces 3.86 x 1026 watts of energy, or 380,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 watts. Most of that energy goes off into space, but about 1.74 x 1017 watts strikes the earth. (ie: 174,000,000,000,000,000, or 174 quadrillion watts). Broken down to the 197 million square feet that makes up the surface of the planet, approximately 100-130 watts of sunlight are needed per square foot of growing space in order to create an environment suitably similar to sunlight. In your environment, you need approximately 1,000 watts of light in order to get the same kind of results you'd see with old fashioned direct sunlight. It should be noted however that you can just as well get away with weaker lights (I use 600 watts in the same footprint dimmed to 450W with no major problems, and recommend the same here to avoid ventilation complications).
  
  
  Now, what kind of light do you need? pre-tl;dr If you're operating on a tight budget, get an array of T5s and call it good. You can get away with just about anything, although anything in the 5500k spectrum for a T5, CFL or HID light will be perfectly suitable. For LED lights, don't trust the advertised wattage, and look at the actual wattage rating of the product to get a good ballpark estimate of what kind of experience you can expect with any given light (while manufacturers can fudge light spectrums on LEDs, they can't fudge true watts). Some lights have more abstract advantages over others (e.g. par levels, spectrum ranges, etc), but for simplicity's sake we'll not worry about those.
  
  
  CFL lights are far and away one of the cheapest ways to get into indoor growing, and the lights produce very little heat, minimizing needs for ventilation. An added benefit of being a cool light is that plants can be extremely close to CFL bulbs without blanching the leaves, enablng a grower to create grow spaces in extremely confined areas. The downside is clutter and the requirement to construct a hood: You would need 20 50 watt CFL bulbs to match a single 1,000 watt HID bulb, and 20-bulb hoods that fit in a 2x4 footprint don't exist so far as I know). Plants grown on fluorescent lights tend to experience less dense growth than HID when grown using equivalent amounts of light wattage per square foot. Fluorescent lights are good for around 10,000 hours of use in growing. You can expect to pay around $75-$125 for a CFL array, and around 12 hours constructing the array itself.
  
  
  T5 lights have all of the advantages of CFL, and fewer disadvantages (less clutter, no need to build a hood) at the exchange of increased cost (a bit higher than HID for the really nice arrays). You can expect to pay around $175 for a T5 fixture. T5 and CFL lights can be kept around 10-12" from plants.
  
  
  HID lights are the industry standard, forming a balance between cost, output, and required infrastructure to support. The cost is comparable to T5 lights, but come with a number of distinct advantages. Science aside, an HID will produce denser, fuller plants through all stages of growth using the same wattage of T5s and CFLs and are produced with a significantly lower failure rate than many LED units. HIDs produce a LOT of residual heat, but this problem has long been accounted for with the advent of ventilated hoods. These hoods are designed to perfectly mate with HVAC components, allowing for cold air to be blown directly over the hot bulb, and none of that residual heat ever making it's way into the tent. HID lights are kept 12-16" from the plants
  
  
  LED lights are the new kids in the block. Beginning with the trendy magenta glow, LED lights were designed to utilize specific spectrums of visible light and eliminate spectrums deemed 'harmful to plants'. We now know that to be farce, and nearly all of the highest end LED arrays are full spectrum COB (chip on board) arrays that can go into the thousands of dollars in price (or about the same as a T5 array, if you're savvy enough to build one yourself). There are a number of magenta lights that still exist, and they can be utilized to great effect (I've done a number of grows through flower on a Mars Hydro II light), however this information comes with a disclaimer: Many LED light manufacturers lie, and many LED light fixtures fail. While many manufacturers will list data sheets and cite numbers til they're red in the face, most LED lights are manufactured in China, and many more fail to meet the quality control standards of the original design. If you want a good comparison, consider the 'hoverboard' fiasco last Christmas, with thousands of knockoff boards catching fire across the world. Speaking of fire, the latest and most powerful LEDs produce a LOT of waste heat, enough so that a large part of many arrays include a number of heatsinks and fans to keep them cool. This bothers me, because instead of being able to pipe hot air away from the tent in a nice, single direction, the LED light is piping out hot air in every direction. I generally find my tents run around 10 degrees (fahrenheit) hotter when I run LED lights than HID. LED lights are kept 18-24" from the plants.
  
  
  Assuming a non-defective unit, LED lights have an expected lifespan of 30,000-50,000 hours. A single LED light is worth the price of 3 HID bulbs. LED Lights offer even higher PAR levels than HID (often described a bit inaccurately by some as 'light penetration'), creating compact, bushier plants than HID lights using an equivalent wattage. LED makes sense if you're investing in this hobby for the long term, and want the most out of your money.
  
  
  All of the above taken into account, and with your space, I recommend a 4 foot 450w T5 light, or 600W HPS HID light with a dimmable ballast and cool hood, dialed down to 450w to increase bulb lifespan.

I thought I'd share my experience for the community, and hopefully my experiences help or encourage others to give this a shot on their own. I had absolutely no experience growing anything when I started, so if I can do it, so can anyone else!

I've got an equipment list of the stuff I'm using since it took me a long time to figure out what to buy. This doesn't include the $1.50/week for RO water from the local grocery store, the electricity, or the other stuff I ended up buying afterward for my clones.

No grow tent or ventiliation is needed for my scenario since I have full access to a basement. It's perfect since there is a water heater and a boiler in the same room so the temp is always pretty constant, there is plenty of CO2 from the gas that the appliances burn, and the humidity is also pretty constant.

A few of the mistakes I made that I'd fix next time:

• Buying a heating mat for germination/clones. I only got 1 out of 5 seeds to germinate, and thankfully that one turned into a good plant. I think heat was where I went wrong since I also tried to do clones without a mat and none of them rooted. When using the mat I bought, I had much, much better success.
  
  
• After transplanting my germinated seed, I let that plant go too long in a small container and it got a little root bound. Should have transplanted sooner.
  
  
• I was in the veg stage longer than I think I needed to. Went on vacation in the middle and that screwed up my schedule a little bit, but I think I'd be better off with less veg time for the next plant
  
  
• Buy a better pH pen. I cheaped out on that and I've never gotten it calibrated correctly, so I've been using the dropper/eye test method with the General Hydro test kit that comes with the pH Up/Down. That method seems to work just fine, but it's kind of a hassle.
  
  The images have some details about my grow, but I'll be happy to answer any other questions folks might have.
  
  Item | Cost | Product Link
  ---|---|----
  Seeds (OG Kush Feminized, 20ct) | $80 | Marijuana Seeds NL
  Coco Coir | $17 | Kempf Coco
  300W LED Lighting | $80 | GalaxyHydro
  Plastic Pot | $0 | Craigslist - Free
  Light Timers | $12 | Light Timers
  pH Tester | $18 | pH Pen
  pH Up and Down | $16 | General Hydro
  Jeweler's Loupe | $6 | Magnify Me
  Nutes | $35 | Canna Coco 1 & 2
  Perlite | $13 | Black Gold
  CalMag | $17 | Botanicare Supplement
  TOTAL | $294
  
  
  Also, THANK YOU to everyone in this sub. There is a ton of info out there about growing, but this place is the best location I found for timely info related to my new hobby.
  

I started with 100 bucks bought 4 t8 shop lights from home depot, 2 pieces of plywood, and 4 5 gallon buckets. Used organic miracle grow and was in business.
I got like 4 ounces of bud from that investment, but it was a pain too use and I had so many problems, that the 2nd and 3rd harvests; were so bad I was dry for 3 months.

But I've learned a lot since than if you have the money, these items will save you the bullshit that i went through.

600w grow light $200

[Carbon Air Filter]
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052ZPMAG/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) $175

Some Bubble pack insulation at home depot $50-100

[General Organics]
(http://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-Box-Starter-Kit/dp/B004PS4B08/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367524539&sr=8-1&keywords=General+Organics) $40 starter box will last one cycle

these should get you through your first grow np. and I've already recouped all of the money I've spent on these items with the first harvest, I was paying 350 an ounce before hand to a dealer and now for way pennies on the dollar I have the dankest dank around and it's fucking awesome fucking awesome.

Reading is ok but once you get started you'll realize that most things people post are bs and the best way to learn it is to just do it, and experiment on your own; most things look much harder than they actually are.

I feel so liberated now that I can produce my own and the money that you save omfg the money you save.

We were using CFL's for vegging and LED for flowering. Our LED light is just a really thin strip so I don't think it's distributing enough light out to the plants. I just bought a 600w HPS: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ECZQTY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


We're growing in a basement. It can get fairly cold in the winter so hopefully the HPS will even out the temp a little. Otherwise we do have a space heater we can turn on occasionally.

I was planning on just setting up an oscilating fan in the bud room. But with this new money I was thinking we could get the actual 6in fan that goes in the hood.

Do you use ducting for ventilation? Is it possible to connect the ventilation from the grow room to the ventilation from the dryer or water heater thing? There are ducts that go right through the grow room. Otherwise there's a window in the grow room but it's pretty easy to see from outside. I don't need it to be super discreet since it's medical but I don't want to advertise what we're doing either.


I also was considering getting an actual grow tent. Right now we kind of just surrounded the area where the plants are with mylar from emergency blankets and tents. I'm a little worried about them getting either too hot or not being sealed enough to keep the light in.

Any thoughts on the above info is definitely welcome :) We're very much new time growers. We harvested once and it was a pretty small amount, but we got high off of it! So goal semi accomplished haha

You can definitely make things work for 500$.

If you can't squeeze a COB (chip on board) led light suitable for a 2x2 in your budget, check out this 300w galaxyhydro (140 real watts). Normally you'd want the 600w model for a 2x2 grow space (270 real watts) but if you can afford the 600w model, then you can afford a simple DIY COB led set up instead using 2x Bridgelux Vero 29 gen 7 cobs at 2100-2800mah current for a total of 160-200w output of 50% efficient led lighting to go in it's place.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


That galaxyhydro 300w is hands down the best chinese blurple LED panel for flowering, as while you cant find the spectrum listen online, there is a video where a guy hits it with a spectrum meter and it is like 80%+ red wavelengths and maybe 15% blue and 5% other wavelengths, plus IR and UV. It REALLY shows in yields in the end. My marshydro cant compare.

The spectrum is higher in red light than any HPS and the plants grow night n day to hps as they remain very compact still with this led panel.

Another blow to the mighty HPS (ex) king.



The extremely heavy red spectrum, plus the IR and UV, is capable of hitting as high as 1.24 grams and likely higher as I just got 5.7oz from that galaxyhydro 300w which is a true 130w my second run with it (first run was close to 1g per watt). That picture i linked up there is the plant in question.

Most people are really lucky to hit 1 gram per watt from any LED panel out there. Considering i bough mine on ebay for just 60$ and can get 5-6 ounces under it pretty easily and I spent 120$ my marshydro that gives more like 0.8 grams per watt so I am happy as can be with those yields.

Maths: 8 sqft footprint @ 50w/sqft = 400w. That's actual. So. . .

• a 400w HID.
  
• around 400w actual of the chinese panels you are looking at. The "300w" model is 136w actual draw--the "300w" is a marketing thing and not to be trusted. Three of those would be great coverage of the 2x4 rectangle.
  
• COB or high-end LEDs would probably need 250w or so.
  
  You can go less. Especially in veg. But getting close to 400w will be your best bet for flower.
  
  edit - Your other questions:
  
  
• Ventilation depends on the light you choose. Whatever you choose, you will want a 4" inline fan as your exhaust up top. Probably don't need an intake fan--you can just use the passive flaps. If you go HID, there's a bit more involved (CoolTube style hood, separate ducting and a duct fan). Your room has AC, so temperature should be easy enough to dial in. Recommend a [digital temperature controller] (https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Itc-308-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat/dp/B01MDSWXY4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1485814816&sr=8-3&keywords=inkbird+temperature+controller) to tell your fans when to kick on and off. Makes things very simple.
  
  
• I veg in my 2x4 (under a dimmable 400w HID). If it was my only tent, I'd probably run three plants. Veg for 6-ish weeks, put plants under a ScrOG net, flip to flower. Two would be great, too. Just a little more veg time to fill the tent.
  
  
• Power depends on how much energy costs where you live. The lights and fans will draw ~430w, 18 hours/day (12 in flower). You'd have to do the math with your prices. For me, that's about $15/mo. Plan on higher AC costs as well though. Most people exhaust outside of the room. All lights put out significant heat.
  
  Best advice/guess, based on your questions: Two "300w" Mars/Viperspectra/Etc panels and a 4" inline fan. For now. Get plants going, try and save up for a third light in 8 weeks or so.
  
  And look around at other panels. I'm not knowledgeable about what the best buy is right now. This Roleadro 200w actual cheap COB panel looks interesting. /r/SpaceBuckets likely has good advice.

I actually didn't tally up the cost as that wasn't really of a concern to me, but I'll try my best to provide links to the things I bought for this. Feel free to add it up for me!

• Lighting
  
  • T-5 Grow light (came with 6500K bulbs)
    
  • 2700K bulbs
    
  • Grow light hangers
    
• Grow medium
  
  • Net Cups
    
  • Black Buckets
    
  • Black lids
    
• Nutrients
  
  • General Hydroponics Flora Series
    
  • General Hydroponics pH control kit
    
  • pH/EC/Temp Meters
    
• Grow tent
  
• Air ventilation
  
  • The only thing I ended up using from this kit was the cheapest part, the ventilation duct...
    
  • The fan from this kit is way too powerful for my setup because my humidifier couldn't keep up
    
  • I didn't use the carbon filter because I'm not growing weed.
    
• Water Distiller
  
• Humidifier
  
  • The cheaper the humidifier, the better. I first bought (and destroyed) one that had some sort of digital switch, so it would always be in the off state when you first supply power to it, meaning you can't turn it on/off with just a relay.
    
• Plumbing
  
  • Aquatec 8852 booster pump
    
  • 2 Gallon accumulator tank
    
  • Pressure relief valve
    
  • Tubing
    
  • Inline Pre-filter (Sorry they must have taken the product down...)
    
  • Misting nozzle T's
    
  • Tube ball valves
    
  • Analog pressure gauge
    
  • Misting Nozzles
    
    • Note that these nozzles are meant for WAY higher pressure systems (~1000psi) and I actually had to take out the spring for them to operate correctly, but they never clogged up, are easy to clean, and worked perfectly for me!
      
• Electronics
  
  • Raspberry Pi 3 kit
    
  • Humidity sensor
    
  • Pressure sensor
    
  • Water solenoid valve
    
  • 5V 4-channel relay module
    
  • Analog-to-digital converter
    
  • 24V to 12V converter
    
  • 24V Power supply
    
  • Resistor kit
    
  • Semiconductor kit
    
  • Circuit boards
    
  • Standoffs
    
• Wiring
  
  • 22 gauge stranded wire
    
  • 22 gauge solid wire
    
  • Power supply cord
    
• Connectors
  
  • Electronic Connectors
    
    • JST-XHP Connectors
      
    • JST-SM Connectors
      
    • Dupont Connectors
      
  • Plumbing Connectors
    
    • Bulkhead connectors
      
    • Quick-connect kit
      
    • NPT to quick-connect connector
      
      I also bought various tools, like crimpers, Dremel kit, drill, etc, but I don't consider those to be project-specific as I'll have them for the foreseeable future. Let me know if there's anything you see that you think I missed!
      

Hi I am by NO means super knowledgeable about these but since nobody else has given it a shot here we are, haha.

I don't think the wattage of that light is high enough to support plant growth. The spectrum/temperature/K is sufficient, but you need more powerful lights. If that makes sense.

I have used these in tandem with a south-facing window; they are not enough to support my plants without any help, but prevented etiolation in most of my plants: some had to be moved extremely close to grow normally so... (plus I found the purple unpleasant)

I invested recently in this light, which is pricier, but has been supporting the plants on its own -- no window. It's also white which is a lot more pleasant to look at IMO. Note the specs on these and see if you can find something that works for you! Best wishes

I recently upgraded to one of these.


It is more than I need, but that was the idea as I wanted to expand my collection. My VFT, drosera, and s.purpurea all love it and have colored up really nice. My B52 in particular has been throwing up huge traps with deep maroon centers and my d.multifida is ruby red. I'm in love.

Incidentally I have some regular ol' un-named houseplants, an odd orchid, etc. and they sit "near" the light. They enjoy the extra light as well even though they don't need it.

It is very bright and the light it gives is purple so you have to account for that, enclosing it or something.

First grow.

This took 2-3 months. Seems like I ran into a number of first-timer pitfalls along the way. Good learning experience though.

Can't wait. So god damn tired of shady, undependable hook ups.


Edit 2:

Photos of my setup.

• http://i.imgur.com/fc8wn1B.jpg
  
• http://i.imgur.com/HmUWGgR.jpg
  
• http://i.imgur.com/nOcwlPm.png
  
  
  
  Edit 1:
  
  Some have asked about my setup. This is about everything. This is my first grow so take my suggestions with a cup of salt but this stuff has worked well for me.
  
  Tent:
  
  Zero complains. Very happy with this. It just fits perfectly into a closet (had to remove the hanger bar though).
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004U6WCMY
  
  
  Air
  
  
  
  Carbon filter:
  
  The inside of my tent stinks. I smell absolutely nothing outside. Don't get caught. Get a good carbon filter. Maybe not this one, but something.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FVJK60
  
  
  Inline fan:
  
  I hand this outside the tent. No need to take up any space or add any heat inside the tent.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JQ14F8
  
  
  Variable xformer for fan control:
  
  This allows me to control the noise and airflow. Every other fan controller made the fan buzz. This thing is quality built. I keep it around 50v.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006NGI8VS
  
  
  Circulation fans:
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RTMD8C
  
  
  DWC
  
  
  
  
  Bucket top net pots:
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049XIIGC
  
  
  Air pump:
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JPEVMC
  
  
  Airline:
  
  The black just prevents light from getting into my res.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001D4XTUU
  
  
  Air stones:
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050HJ7Q6
  
  
  Check valves:
  
  You NEED these. Many airlines are thin enough that if the power goes out or a hose becomes disconnected, capillary action might permit water to back-flow into your electrical air pump and/or just flood your room. Don't take chances when a .50 cent valve will protect you. There are some horror stories in the aquarium hobby about this. Note, even if the air pump is higher than your res, capillary action can pull the water up through the air hose. This is the same principle that allows 100ft trees carry water from the roots to the canopy.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00977J508
  
  
  Lighting
  
  
  
  Lights:
  
  Word of warning. Start off a good distance between the lights and your canopy. These product more light than you think and I have burned and cooked plants from keeping these too close. They don't product a ton of heat or anything. I think it's just too much light if they aren't a good foot or so away from the canopy. I assumed I could practically lay LEDs on top of my canopy. Not so.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FGFLCXS
  
  
  Adjustable ropes for lights:
  
  Chains work, these are just faster/easier to adjust.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0098R0600
  
  
  Tools
  
  
  
  Temp/humidity sensors:
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013BKDO8
  
  
  pH pen:
  
  I used to do chemical reagent tests (I have tons of aquariums so I had it laying around). Never again. A pen is fucking awesome for dialing in pH every morning. Get one!
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EQISYQO
  
  
  Pruning snips:
  
  These are great. Sharp as fuck and solid.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SD76
  
  
  Training wire:
  
  What I use for my scrog screen and early training before the screen goes in. Also good for random shit that's temporary enough I don't want to waste a zip tie.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EXJ652
  
  
  Nutes/Water changes
  
  
  
  
  Pond pump:
  
  This is another must have! I've been using these for a while now to handle water changes in my aquariums. It's also awesome for mixing nutes before they go into your DWC. I drop one in a bucket without a hose attached and then just dump all my nutes and such in. The pump does all the mixing. Then I adjust the pH a little. Give the pump about 10-20 seconds to mix my pH up or down in and test again. I don't have to worry my pH adjustment isn't probably mixed yet. I makes the mixing process so easy and fast. I also use these to pump out my res once the scrog screen is in place.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006M6MSL0
  
  
  Root protectant:
  
  One of my early problems was with brown algae. This cleared it right up after a week.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IGFH3FG
  
  
  Syringes:
  
  No guess work. I know exactly how many ml I'm adding.
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RB3CV6
  
  
  Cal-mag:
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000J2CUPW
  
  pH control:
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BNKWZY
  
  
  Nutes:
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000COBT54
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CO7U02
  
  
  
  
  

Some information on my Ginseng Ficus.

Height: 18 in. (including pot) and Width: 9-10 in.

For the upcoming 9 months, I'll be living inside of an apartment and looking to start growing my Bonsai in that environment. The main concern I have is lighting, I have no southern-facing window with the only window I have being eastern-facing. This window isn't even the biggest and I'm concerned about the health of my tree if it had to live in these conditions. However, the option for a glow lamp should hopefully solve this issue. The issue in that being I have zero clues what glow lamp is optimal for my scenario nor what exact specifications I need to look for in a glow lamp. I've down small amounts of research and found you need roughly 300 nm-800 nm spectrum but am unsure if that's actually true. If anyone could provide some guidance or insight on what I should be looking for that'd be greatly appreciated.

I've attached three glow lamps I show through amazon that seemed like viable options(my price range is $50). Also, I've included an image of my bonsai tree to hopefully give you a better understanding of what I'm dealing with.

Lamp 1

Lamp 2

Lamp 3

Ginseng Ficus Photo (This was not taken in the apartment I'll be living in, just another angle of the tree)

Thanks for reading! If you have any recommendations or lamps that have worked for you in the past I'd appreciate it if you commented those below. I'm looking for lamps that can be attached to a desk as that's where my tree will be.

If you can spend a few bucks, a light meter will help you get an idea of how much more you need: http://smile.amazon.com/Dr-Meter-Light-LX1010B-display-Luxmeter/dp/B004K0A7I6

My 2'x4' indoor setup has six T8 fluorescents and is pumping out about 12,000 lux. Different plants require different amounts, but I suspect you're not going to get much in the way of results if you are below about 5,000 lux. It's hard to have too much light.

Fluorescents are fine but you sometimes need several of them. Big tube fluorescent bulbs (T12) are the least efficient, T8 is better and T5 is best though initial price goes up with those. Generally, just a few decent T8 warm-white bulbs should be enough.

LED lights are coming down in price while rapidly improving in quality. My next lighting upgrade will probably be something along the lines of these models: http://smile.amazon.com/Apollo-Horticulture-GL100LED-Spectrum-Growing/dp/B00FGG1HDM

You can also wrap some mylar around your growing area to make sure any escaping light gets reflected back in and the plants get as much as possible. This is the cheapest way to increase your light absorption though it obviously is limited by the lights in the first place.

Things get more complicated if you're growing flowering plants (they are more particular about requiring certain wavelengths). But for growing garden herbs, edible greens, things like that, you can keep things pretty simple.

Bookshelf: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80279786/#/70263842

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Lights: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B074Y32PFZ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Screen to keep curious pets out: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MR2SZOJ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

I used the self adhesive that came with the screen, but I'd definitely recommend sewing the border and velcro on if you have the means and the talent. Pulling the screen on and off weakens the adhesive for sure. The lights don't make much heat. They are also on a timer that I inherited so I don't have a link for that. But my plants really like it! I have an echeveria lola that has stress colors and lithops on the top shelf propped to be closer that I think are doing fine. They are starting to split on their own which I'm super excited about. My PVN also gets a very dark purple when it was on the middle shelf during the last couple hurricanes that hit the east coast.

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My railing planter was just moved to the bottom shelf for the cold evenings but seeing as I have echeveria and cacti that are doing well under these lights already I'm not too worried.

Veg week 2 of clones obtained from my local medical collective. First nutrient feeding at half strength (3tsp/gallon of Fox Farm Big Bloom). LST started on all plants with the GDP starting 2 days later then the others. Did some minimal pruning after the LST settled to get things out of the dirt and clean out some leaves that weren't getting any light. Growth seemed to slow a bit for a few days, might have shocked them a bit from being rough with them, but they are doing great now. Thinking of extending my veg an extra week to compensate, will wait and see if that will even be necessary.

Noticed some small bite marks taken out of a leaf, so I decided not to take any chances and got some AzaMax and gave the girls a good shower at about 0.4% concentration. I will be following that up with a few more applications over the next couple weeks. I'm debating if I want to do a soil drench as well. I also got a gnat sticks that already caught one of the bastards.

Temps with lights on have remained stable around 79F and the RH about 40%. Lights off with fan at 20% temps get to 67F at the lowest and 50% RH at the highest. Also have some new goodies coming from Amazon in the next few days to improve my setup like an Oakton pH2 and rope hangers with metal internal gears instead of those cheapo plastic ones that came with my lights.

 

    Strains

Blue Dream - DJ Short x Santa Cruz Haze. 80% Sativa / 20% Indica. 7-8 week flower cycle

Boy Scout Cookies - Girl Scout Cookies Thin Mint x Pre-98 Bubba Kush. 60% Indica / 40% Sativa. 8 week flower cycle.

Darth Vader Haze - 4-way Black Haze Black Cross. 100% Sativa. 9-10 week flower cycle.

Grand Daddy Purple - Big Bud x Purple Urkle. Indicia Dominant. 8-9 week flower cycle.

 

 

Veg Week 1 Reddit Post - Album

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PH1MQV8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00

This will make the room violently pink, but casts a lovely width of lighted area and is super bright.

So far, my indoor tree is loving it and bounced back from acclimating to the new pot and location since it was from a nursery. He was a seriously un happy tree, I thought I would lose it. This light is awesome.

just want to chime in here, I was in the same boat as you. Starting out as just an experiment seeing if I could actually sprout a seed, turned into a dedicated project :p But I can tell you I didn't have any idea with like lights, tents, air filters etc. So first thing I bought was this LED , but a better option would be this Viparspectra (the one I bought though has been just fine) and just hung it in my closet with the plant, and that's it. veg'ed it for 4 weeks just like that with the light on a timer and my closet door closed. (get a little desk fan to to move some air over the leaves) Then I figured I'd switch to flower, and was kinda on the edge about investing in a tent and carbon filter. but every thread I read about smell, veterans would always say "It's gonna smell a lot!" So I bit the bullet and got a 2x2x4 tent and this carbon filter and fan . You can probably use your DIY carbon filter just fine. Anyway, long story short, I started to flower and literally two days later I walk into my house after work and the smell just hits me. And this is just one plant. So definitely invest in that stuff. But as for the PC fan, unfortunately it's not going to have enough static pressure to force air through a carbon filter. You don't have to go with the one I got, like brotha said the duct boosters will work too. If you have any question let me know cause I relate very well to your situation, except I've now been halfway through the process lol. pm me if you want

Yes, I notice you said HPS, and yes, there are specific HPS bulbs for growing plants, for different stages. I use Philips Son T Plus for flowering, and Sunmaster Dual for vegetative (this one is suitable for both stages but the Son T is better for flowering because it's its intended function) I use it with dimmable HPS digital ballasts and adjust-a-wings reflector. If you are really interested maybe I can look up for the datasheets.

About the link for the kit, I'm not really aware of US prices, but where I live, for 68,75 € (87,98 US$) you get:

• 400W Venture ballast
  
  
• 400W Hortilight HPS bulb
  
  
• Regular open reflector
  
  I have seen a kit on amazon with digital ballast (way better than the regular ones) for $135.
  
  Edit: I also love to design and build my own things, or improve what I already have.

A 10-watt LED won't do anything for your plant, the 36-watt bulb is slightly better, but ideally you want something like a 300-watt HPS replacement. LED grow lights are a nice starting point for smaller citrus.

In practice, the more light, the better, citrus are subtropical plants and generally thrive in warmth and strong daylight.

Windowsill can be okay, habaneros are REALLY slow going to start and they like hot, dry climates so I imagine scotch bonnets are similar. Growing indoors is difficult (especially in a shared dorm room... I was in a double-turned-triple at UC Davis and it wouldn't have worked in that room) but not impossible! I bet you have Amazon prime student:
https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector-Spectrum-Indoor-Plants/dp/B01B4GQ6MO/ref=zg_bs_14252961_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=T1T4RJ6TMQ6D72FXWJB3

and
https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Durable-Waterproof-Seedling-Hydroponic/dp/B00P7U259C/ref=zg_bs_14252891_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=J91JPXDTJ5F52TMWZE78

along with some containers and high quality organic soil will be enough to get you growing! You'll want to keep seedlings under a CFL until they have two well developed leaves, then you can stick it ~ 30" below the light. The difficult part is getting peppers to form... peppers put out flowers in the mid-late summer when nighttime temperatures are highest, cold temps will make it difficult to fruit so chances are you'll be waiting until late next spring no matter what... in which case you have to wonder if it's worth spending $100 on equipment (where you live next year might be a factor). On the bright side, the light supports a solid 3x3 area and you could try growing a few things. Good luck! Don't forget to study lol

First off, i'm simply recommending them, the stuff you got works but theyre a bit over priced so i'm going to recommend a few cheaper stuff.

You can get away with a 4'' fan/filter/duct with the grow space tent you provided. heres a recommended one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Q2ER5C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Your tent and led is fine
Ph up and ph down is fine as well, i recommend getting a digital ph and ppm meter combo on amazon, doesnt matter if theyre cheap, they'll work.
As for your timer, i highly recommend this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042I5FF6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
That timer will give you the ability to upgrade to two led if you want too in the future.
Don't forget hangers for the lights.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0098R0600/ref=twister_B00FL6MTJI?_encoding=UTF8&th=1
Everythign else seems fine.

very high quality, and I kinda thought about the price as well but then put it into perspective. A 600w grow kit cost less than the two 300w leds which are actually around 180 true watts. two of them in my 36x36x78 is wonderful, not great but sufficient. one 300w led in my tent would not be enough though, I need two so it makes sense they're not very expensive yet beautiful quality. I would only worry that the delivery service handles them with care. I was lucky and both arrived in perfect condition from UPS.

we're software engineers / growers of pilea + succulents. have tested most of the LED lights on the market. most aren't great - main stat to check with lights is photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) - i.e. how many photons emitted in the spectra where the plant can consume it for photosynthesis. we've tested many lights with PAR sensors to validate quality; good value for money is galaxyhydro: https://www.amazon.com/Galaxyhydro-Spectrum-Indoor-Greenhouse-Plants/dp/B00INM0DSG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1506741458&sr=8-2&keywords=galaxyhydro. many have purple light because chlorophyll is most efficient in blue & red spectra of light though some research supports whiter light. If light held >12" away from the plant, the heat shouldn't be a problem. hope info is helpful - absolutely love science of growing so happy to chat much more on subject :)

Hi, fellow bucketeer!

Just started my build as well. I'm going with some extra large bins from Target and a 300w led from amazon - This one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PH1MQV8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also bought the 5050 LED lights like you did, but I was wondering if one of the more knowledgeable people can tell me how effective those are?

I'm just not sure. I've heard that the only thing that matters for growth is the wattage that comes out of the wall that the lights are drawing, and those aren't drawing a whole lot.

Good luck with your grow! I'll be doing two OG kushes in the bucket, and I'm going to start 2 AK47s in the bucket, eventually moving them outside. Exciting!

a good starter pack of nutrients - a small sized grow tent that can fit 4 plants - a fan ventillation system that will handle the smell when you get to flowering - airpots if you want to grow from soil - or DWC hydro buckets if you want to go hydro note that these are pretty easy to DIY, buckets are $5 ea and pumps run $20-50. LED lights to grow with for $160 or you can skip up to the good stuff and go with Quantum Boards which are far superior - not on amazon You can do a lot of your own work on these boards to make them not as expensive.

After your get some seeds, either from bag seed or from an online seller, its really just a matter of paying attention to what the plants are doing and keeping a good schedule with your nutrients or watering. There is a ton of information online, both on reddit and elsewhere that can guide you with anything.

Yeah - I have seen the pre built panels that feature COB (chip on board) LED's such as this one but I really do think if you are going to shell out money for a COB LED when you already have (2) Mars panels you spent money on then you might as well do it right and put your own together. As far as the actual COB's go, there are many to choose from. I would try watching some growmau5 videos on youtube if you want to learn more about COB's - he helps a lot.

The Cree CXB3590's are considered some of the best COB's out right now, they are pricey! Citizen's are popular, and Vero's too, but I went with Luminus CXM22's. If you go the route I did, make sure you get Gen 3 version, they compare in specs very well to any other COB's out there and they are affordable at 19$ per.

I had the same concern at first. These came with my light (MarsHydro 900w LED), but probably a cheaper knock off version. Worked great! I always held the beams the light hangers were secured to when i moved the lights up higher as they tended to flex. Since i was very paranoid i used paracord secured to the top side tent beams in case the light fell when i wasn't home. i can happily say i didn't need to do that since the light never fell, but small price to pay for peace of mind though. Hope that helps!

Haven't even purchased lights/tents yet, but seriously planning an indoor grow and don't know if my setup will work, so feel free to criticize all around.

Location: I plan on growing either in an attic (with good ventilation ofc) or the corner of a large, dark closet, both in a 3x3ft grow tent.

Plants: After some research on Leafly, YouTube, and various forums I have concluded that I am going to attempt to grow Wonder Woman, and I believe could grow 6 plants in that space, but 4-5 is also acceptable if anyone thinks there won't be enough room.

Light: It will be one tent (for now) so I intend on getting a combo veg/flowering LED (since money isn't a big problem and LED yields more than CFL) like this one. If anyone has any recommendations within the same price range (up to $200) I would be glad to look at and consider them.

Medium: Because there are already so many new variables for me, and growing potted plants in soil is something I'm used to, I plan on going with what I know instead of attempting a bunch of hydroponics my first few grows. I assume a better-managed soil grow would be much better than a shotty hydro system.

Also, when do we start cloning? After we determine the sexes? After harvest? Right before harvest? What lights are they kept under?

Thanks in advance!

I think an led would be perfect as they run cool but still have power and spectrum options, perfect for tight spaces. I am flowering with a viparspectra600 (actual 267w) led in a 2x3x5 cabinet and love it. https://imgur.com/a/YjnNO

Using every inch of your grow space wisely, and guiding the plants structure will help you maximize yield and plant health.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019ETLC7M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_lmYPAbA3BPVXP

True, usually that is during the peak of summer, and usually peaks at like 1300 w. Most areas will be accompanied by heat too. Those days usually are detrimental to plants. Difference could be, you may be supplying 24/7 light, at the perfect wattage. I have a 15x5x8 mylar covered room. Running a 400- 600 watt hps lamp in a 5x5 section, keeping it around 75°f, and having adequate air circulation, would be the equivalent of a perfect growing environment. In addition to that, it would be 24/7 growth. With that in mind, you wouldn't be recieving stretching, it would be optimal growth.


Another very important factor to consider. Light distance. If your 400 w hps/ mh is 18 in. Your plants may display stretching. If you can provide enough cooling to keep the plant from burning up, keeping your light at 4 in. Your light would be much more effective. The lights in this pic, id have about an in from the canopy, and a small desk fan to keep them cool.

Now, if you wanted to skip the heat issue, but keep the high wattage, id suggest higher efficiency led lights like quantum boards. Where you can give your plant 600w or more, without as much of the heat issue.

Links for cheaper quantum boards

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

Link for hps/mh lights(less efficient)

Link 4(no vent)

Link 4(vent hood)

You mentioned that you were thinking of having three 5 gallon pails of tomatoes and peppers, and if that is the case this light isn't gonna cut it. Without looking up the item, it looks like something you could use on seedlings or small young plants, but tomato plants get big, and its not likely this light would support them long term. It should be fine for lettuce assuming your plants aren't really spread out.

Honestly I would find something in the 300w range for three plants, such as this if you want to go LED. If you are looking to save money on the fixture, I would suggested some full spectrum CFL bulbs instead. Bar or coil bulbs should be fine either way, but you'll need a couple of them for good light disbursement.

(For the record, I did try to look this up but was unable to find it.)

Lol I'm like halfway through my first grow, got a 2x4x5 tent. I have one 300w roleadro led already, and the only issue I have with it is it can't cover my whole tent.

So I want to get another LED, and I was thinking since cobs are so much better i would try to find one for a good price. Like <$150 all said and done, and I don't have many tools...

I'm thinking the 400w roleadro cob will suit my needs perfectly.

It's <$150 (only $100), easy which is just a plus, and I already have a normal 300w roleadro led which I like.

Think I could build something better than the roleadro 400w cob for <$150 including everything I need, even tools?

haha I literally just bought this last night for my first grow. Iv'e seen a few people recommend it as a good cheaper light. but the advice I see the most is the more expensive lights are usuially better quality. another company that gets a lot of love is black dog so I expect their lights are good quality.

Edit: I found the thread that convinced me to get these lights. Here

Thanks for your feedback, and these are questions I should consider as I’m starting my grow.

I guess as I begin, I was hoping to find an ideal route that would allow me to adapt as I go. I have a decent amount of space for growing (an entire 10x10 room) and am willing to budget fairly for what’s needed. I just don’t want to overextend, as I will just grow for personal use (albeit, I do smoke quite a bit). I want to keep the plants “clean” and as healthy as possible, and hope to test out a few different strains. For lights - I’m willing to go as suggested, but initially considered LED (maybe something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019ETLC7M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_0a0aAbD9B8DYH).

I’d love to connect and chat if you have more insight for a beginner grower. Thanks for your initial feedback!

Thanks! I thought the same thing when i saw those leaves develop!
The younger ones "wriggle" so much as they're growing in, it's awesome to look at.

I'm using 2 of these lights they were cheap but had pretty great reviews. so far so good.

Standard Fox Farm Nutes with Cal mag too.

Soil is just organic stuff from amazon

I went pretty cheap on the supplies, but so far so good.

edit: just adding quantity of lights.

Hey dude - I'm in the middle of flower on my first grow and think I can help out a bit here.

Not sure if you're already on this site but growweedeasy.com is an incredible free resource

You could easily do one plant in a tent like this or go bigger and do a 48" x 24"

As for LED's in that range, most people seem to like either the mars hydro or viparspectra (I'm currently using an mh/HPS light)

Enjoy!

Well given the situation with my grow lights thanks to a huge debacle with Amazon I'll probably get a tent and use the DIY closet for seedlings. I ordered one of those 300W Roleardro lights under a buy one get one free sale and recieved only one instead of two. Amazon credited my account the cost of the light so I can order the second one and when I ordered it the promotion worked (which ends today). So when all is said and done I will have 3 300W Roleadro lights (900W)! For the price of $75 bucks. Get's no better than that. Amazon even told me when I purchase it how to make sure the buy one get one promo worked so Amazon came through on this one. It also means I will need a bigger space! lol

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PH1MQV8/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

At around that price (maybe a little more) I really like these.

https://www.amazon.com/d/Grow-Light-Fixtures/Including-Extendable-Greenhouse-Installation-4-Strip-Kit/B074Y32PFZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1543410352&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=litever+grow+light&dpPl=1&dpID=51jwhBnvSFL&ref=plSrch

They don’t put out a ton of heat, which is good because you really want your plants pretty close to them. I have six sets and they work pretty well. Good luck!

> i basically just need a light and thats it? if i want to grow autoflower only

oh boi... alright here we go.

youll need duct fans for both ventilation and heat dissipation, especially if you go with HPS/MH lights 600/1000watts will require reflectors with ducting so you can connect to it. This will need to exhaust out of your tent. Then you will need a intake fan coming preferably from outside. Youll most likely also need a Carbon filter attached in series to your exhaust fan. Your light will have a ballast as well, which creates a good amount of heat so plan for that to be located outside your tent. Youll also need smaller fans in the corners so you can keep a good air circulation going (hurricane fans are great). Also consider using T5 lights when starting your seeds off as your higher wattage lights are not good for seedlings. Also get a few supplies like gorilla tape and duct clamps and anything else you might need to secure everything together.

When it comes to growing, even if you are only doing autos youll need smart pots, fertilizer, promix HP, perlite plus both vegging and flowering nutrients. Have access to PH up and down solution, and also get a Ph Pen + PPM meter (TDS).

Ive only linked amazon, there are probably other local options for you.

Thanks for the insightful replies everyone! I've been looking at some of those COB lights also on amazon (one in particular - https://www.amazon.com/Roleadro-Spectrum-Light-Innovated-Generation/dp/B01I4NY8KW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1485799103&sr=8-3&keywords=roleadro )

It seems the little boost of extra wattage from this Roleadro would make it better than the mars 300w to ensure adequate coverage for just 1 auto at any given time I hope?

Thanks again for the replies everyone!

That depends on how he's going to use the space. The 300s will give more coverage area, but the maximum PAR value will be less (by a substantial amount), so you won't get the same growth potential. If he were to go with the 600w (that's the one I have) and hang it over say, the right 2/3 of the tent he'd have perfect coverage and PAR for that area. It's a choice between barely adequate lighting but good coverage and decent lighting but less coverage area. A compromise might be to put 2 450W LEDs in there (same brand, Viparspectra)

Hi guys. My wife got me a Bonsai Azalea for Valentine’s Day for my new office because she knows I was always intrigued by them. I read they can be cared for indoors. Thing is, I don’t have a window, only thing is the drop ceiling with the fluorescent lights. I ordered a little full spectrum LED light with a clamp but I’m reading that they need diffused light.

​

Will this light be fine?

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[LED light](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07C68N7PC/ref=psdcmw_14252941_t1_B07LBQYDCW)

​

Not sure I even trust it lol I can always return it, that’s why I like Amazon. They are full of knockoffs, though. For all I know it’s just a standard LED.

​

Will this be bad for the Azalea? Is it fine? If so, should I point it directly at it? Sorry I’ve never had any kind of plant.

​

I don’t even understand and how it’s going to know it’s “growing season” if I come in, have a light on for 6-8 hours, turn it off and go home year round. This is all knew to me.

​

If anyone could explain what I should do in terms of light/diffused light I would appreciate it. Thank you!

Just going to throw my light that I've got since I'm also a first time grower. (Who also happens to have a 2x2 tent.)

Viparspectra 300W LED Has been a great light for me so far, have also seen a lot of others with the same light and eventually they'll add another which is also what I plan on doing.

You do you though! Good luck and happy growing. :)

Are those all stretched as well? And I have one of those LED clamp strips, but I use them on props and baby succulents. My mature plants stretched when I used those. I personally don't find them strong enough and would stay away from that specific lamp.

The red blue LEDS are still worth looking into, but something more like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071XHQQWF/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector-Spectrum-Indoor-Plants/dp/B01B4GQ6MO

Or T5 High Output (HO) 6500k bulbs. Comes in 2ft and 4ft lengths. It provides more than adequate lumens (2000lm +). Amazon, Home Depot, and Lowe's are good for those.

LED saves you money in the long run. But initially the cheapest option would be CFL bulbs (6500k 60watt) in aluminum lamps!

Awesome to hear! Yeah I scoured the net too and tried a few designs before deciding on this one. It's just a simple PVC frame I hung from the top of the tent using adjustable light ropes.

Here's the materials with some example links and short instructions. I was sort of winging it at the time I built.... so let me know if you have any more questions and I can take some closer pictures of the screen or something. :)

 

Materials |
---------|
| 1" Schedule 40 PVC pipe - Frame edges. |
| 1" Schedule 40 PVC 90 degree elbow. |
| 3/4" Truss-Head Screws |
| White Twisted Mason's String Line |
| Light Rope Hangers |

 

| Short Instructions |
----------|
| 1)) Measure out Length x Width you'll need for frame pieces. (accounting for the inch or two that gets added by the elbows when they're on) |
| 2)) Cut 4 pieces of pipe to desired length and fit them together using the 90 degree elbows. I used a rubber mallet to make sure they were seated all the way into the elbows. |
| 3)) Once the frame is assembled, you may have to twist it a little to make sure it's completely flat. My first attempt was a little tweaked by having an elbow rotated slightly. I just twisted the frame a bit to fix it and made sure it laid on the ground completely flat. |
| 4)) Grab a ruler and start marking out the spots where you'll drill for the screws. I start at the elbow and make a mark every 2". Continue this all the way around. You'll want to make sure the holes lineup perfectly even with the holes directly across. Just for a visual aid, If the screen is leaning up against a wall - you'll want to mark the top & bottom edges first, then the left and right sides. This way you make sure you don't accidentally end up with any angled or diagonal strings going across when it's done. ;) |
| 5)) Drill the pilot holes in the side of the pipe you marked previously. I drill all the way through the pipe wall and stop when it hits the opposite wall. |
| 6)) Screw in the truss-head screws about 75% of the way. Just enough to make them secure but also leave enough room to wrap the Mason's String around. |
| 7)) Once all the screws are in, I pick one corner as a starting spot and I tie up the string there and bring it across to the matching screw. From there it's just a time consuming game of rounding the screw next to it, bringing it across, rounding the next screw, bringing it back across, so on and so forth. Whatever weaving technique you want to use here is fine. |
| 8)) Hang the completed screen at the desired height by attaching the adjustable light rope hangers and you're good to go! I threw some zip ties around the elbows and clipped the rope hangers to those. |

Ok, so the top picture is from March 10th, the bottom one is a month later, so they've all been under the grow lights I purchased for about a month. Most everyone seems to be happy (my sedeveria letizia is struggling, but that's a different issue, I've not gotten her watering down yet) and the two girls in the middle there have each sprouted two buds and flowered! Wondering if anyone can ID the flowering cutey in the back (hoping now that she's flowered it might be easier).

​

The lights I purchased are these: https://www.amazon.com/Relassy-Spectrum-Gooseneck-Replaceable-Professional/dp/B07C68N7PC/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_3?keywords=grow+light+relassy+45w+sunlike&qid=1555078123&s=gateway&sr=8-3-fkmrnull if anyone is interested, I know people have asked for grow light recommendations and these have done pretty well for me so far. The lights are about 6-8" away from the plants.

What is your grow space?
The LED market is flooded with low quality grow lights, they are usually recognizable by the fact that they lie and give way higher wattages than they actually provide.
For example the 'VIPARSPECTRA 1200W' actually consumes only 524w.
HPS or CMH lamps will outperform these lights at comparable wattages.
There are high quality LED lights which are capable of outperforming HPS and CMH at comparable wattages.
High quality LED > HPS/CMH > cheap Amazon LED lights.
There are some manufacturers like 'Pacific Light Concepts', 'Horticulture Lighting Group' and 'Timber Grow Light' who offer high quality LED fixtures for a reasonable price ($1.25/w-$1.50/w) based on white LED.
Companies like 'ChilLED Tech' offer even more expensive builds which are more sophisticated with modified spectra, network control etc.
These are more in the ~$2.00/w range.
Most of the higher quality light meet high safety standards like IP65 up to IP67 ratings. These are especially interesting for commercial grower who are regulated and insured.
Depending on your craftsmanship, you can also build high quality lights on your own and reduce the price to about $1.00/w.

>Bonchi (Bonsai Chiles)

Nice. My friend wants something a bit more traditional, but I love chilis. Will have to look into that for myself. Can you actually grow them like bonsai, which is to say can you arrange, clip, and mold them like bonsai? May have found a new hobby. Also, any thoughts on this type of lamp?

Imo you'd be better off getting a cob setup with cbx 3590 or vero 29 cobs this site has some good options to choose from. If you want to try out something different with good coverage and efficiency check out qb boards. If you want something affordable, yet powerful go with a 600/1000 mh/hps light. If you just want a basic cheap led light marshydro 300w(132w actual) is a good start.

That's between home and school, but I won't be making that trip until mid August. If you are interested then, let me know, and maybe we can meet up somewhere and I can dump some of my extra plants on you ;) And like I said, setting pots straight into a fish tank works really well for tropical plants, and some temperate plants if you have the proper lights. As for the lights, I personally own this fixture, and I keep all manner of plants under it. They all grow very well and color up nicely.

I just asked a similiar question not long ago and looked at many premade kits, I feel like I got a way better setup doing it somewhat separately, I looked at stuff like this https://www.amazon.com/BloomGrow-Reflective-Ducting-Hydroponic-24X24X48/dp/B0757YRKW7/ref=sr_1_49?m=AOALYYYVUG1U0&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&qid=1561412214&s=merchant-items&sr=1-49&th=1 , and eventually purchased this stuff, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019ETLC7M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 160$ actual wattage is like 250-275 ish

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B3LG55T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1 120$

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PJ4VWF7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1 70$

It is like 75-100 more expensive but I felt like it was a huge jump in quality for the money invested. Thanks to the people who advised me to buy not as a complete kit.

Those definitely need a lot of light, and basil likes heat. I'm sure it could work in a cabinet if you have reflective material (mylar is great) on all sides but one for viewing. It would work better if it was on all sides, but it'll still work.

The lights I recommended (COB) tend to have a pinkish tint. If you want something that looks closer to regular sunlight for the sake of aesthetics, T5's are great. You could probably light the whole thing with 4 of these. Maybe add a COB or two.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FGG1HDM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1406422018&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40


Okay, this model seems to be a 110x3w? I am being convinced from all sides that LED is the way to veg these days, but I know comparatively nothing about them, last I remember even looking at them, the UFO was the latest and greatest and it was prohibitively expensive.....

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JM8Y3B8/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1406422304&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70Is that the one you're upgrading to? Why are you upgrading to that one but suggesting a smaller light?

Thank you so much for your response and help.

I totally understand, I haven’t had to do the big chop myself yet, but it’s something that will probably have to happen in the future lol.

I’ve been using this one that’s pretty good. It brought out stress coloring in my succulents so it’s strong enough if you put it really close https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C68N7PC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_zOj0DbHYF72TS If you have a lot of succulents/plants I wouldn’t recommend this style of grow lamp because it doesn’t cover too much area.

If you wanna go the most inexpensive route you can get a grow light bulb and put it in one of your lamps.

There’s a lot of posts on this subreddit asking for grow light recommendations. You can browse through those to get some suggestions! :)

I have this in two foot and 4 foot. Highly recommended. All my plants are nice and vibrant and not etiolated at all.

And I also have this for quarantine plants and at work for my desk plant. Works great and is dimmable, and each light can be turned on individually or together. Also has a few built in timers.

Also, as an aside, when you do get your cactus a light make sure you acclimate it. Just like us, cactuses sunburn.

Not enough light for the size of the tent on any of those kits, you're better off getting tent and light by separate, get a 70x70cm tent and this light or this one, it'll be the best bang for your buck, you'll need to spend a lot more for top quality LEDs but these are good enough.

Lastly here's the Mars website but with a better option if you still I want to go that way for some reason, it's cheaper than your links like u/quadragintaduo mentions, https://mars-hydro.com/grow-kit/mars-reflector-96-70x70x160cm-grow-tent-usa.html

Wow, if you really want to make those heliamphora happy inside, you've got quite a project ahead of you. Get these things: an aquarium tank 30 inches long x 12 inches tall x about 12 or 15 inches wide. The first two measurements are the important ones. Get two of these to mount on each side of your tank:

https://www.amazon.com/iPettie-Aquarium-Cooling-Chiller-Adapter/dp/B00M9UV9LI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1474724537&sr=8-2&keywords=aquarium+fans

Go led for best light:

https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector--Spectrum-Indoor-Plants/dp/B01B4GQ6MO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1474724631&sr=8-3&keywords=2+ft+led+grow+light

Now get this for humidity:

https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Monsoon-Rainfall-System/dp/B004G62868/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474724740&sr=8-1&keywords=monsoon+mister

wrap the tank in a reflective material, put your helis in, and they'll do fine.

I would also get a 600 w led. This one on amazon is a really good deal. If you’re really hurting for cash get the 300 w version for about $80 I think.

Also, you could start in cheep 5 gallon buckets. Get good garden planter soil from Lowe’s or Home Depot. Put drain holes in buckets. You can also just use miracle grow as nutrient.

Read i love growing marijuana website too. You could get closer to 600 grams as a rookie with that light, and good soil.


VIPARSPECTRA Reflector-Series 600W LED Grow Light Full Spectrum for Indoor Plants Veg and Flower https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019ETLC7M?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

I'd have to agree with Justin here, I own that light and reflector and I absolutely LOVE it so far, but my tent is over twice that size (36x48x72), and it fills the space quite well. the 400w should suit your needs well without all the heat of the 600w. My tent sits at 70F-78F with the veg bulb, the flower bulb that comes with this puts out almost double the lumens and presumably a TON more heat.

Edit: Amazon carries a 400w version of that light for $26 cheaper, if you want to go with the same type kit. Has good reviews and a 5 star rating.

Well, you aren't wrong, just a little skewed on the numbers. Peppers, like pretty much any plant, requires 12 to 18 hours of light a day when indoors. for a single pepper plant you may be able to get away with a shop light. This may be in bad taste, but this is a great option. For tomatoes I'd suggest something similar but in 4ft. Professional indoor HID (High Intensity Discharge) setups will run at the multi thousand watt levels, but most people looking for fresh veggies year around can do with far less. It also makes everything like grow/rest hours, heat, humidity, soil nutrient levels, you name it, way easier to manage.

That 600W led isn't a horrible option but very likely to be bottom tier chinese stuff considering not a brand in sight. Best possible option for your $100 would be something like 2 x Cree 3070 COBs $~25 each and a meanwell driver ($50-60~) but this is a bit of electronics and soldering which isn't everyone's cup of tea. May take some research but you'll get vastly better results for your money than anything else at this price, period.

Otherwise there's a brand on Amazon called 'Roleadro' which exist somewhere between Shit-tier chinese and decent quality stuff. The newer ones even use COBs

I currently am running 3 different LED's.

Plilzin 600w from Amazon.- these were my first LEDs and although they are ok, I would not recommend them based on the availability of better ones at a similar price point.

Main lights are Besva 1500w. Love the light, very powerful, low heat.

BESTVA 1500W LED Grow Light Full Spectrum Grow Lamp with IR&UV for Greenhouse Hydroponic Indoor Plants Veg and Flower https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M03IA3J/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IceACb0HRKJM5

My littles start and grow under this lamp. Amazing little unit. Deep penetration which brings great growth.

Roleadro LED Grow Light, Galaxyhydro Series 1000W Indoor Plant Grow Lights Full Spectrum with UV&IR for Veg and Flower-1000w https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PH1MQV8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_5deACbHRVBSV2

Thank you :) Yup, I got the seeds from Baker Creek and these ones in particular are Cherokee Purple

They germinated super fast @ 100% success. Started them in the expanding peat pots that you find in the starter kits with a heating mat under the tray. Now they're moved into a 5x5 Grow Tent with a small space heater, fan to circulate air, and two LED lights one two set on timers. They grew so fast once I repotted them and put them in the grow tent that I didnt look for a day and the plant on the left had burned itself on the light (you can see the couple of crispy leaves on the top left lol).

I have been really happy with these VIPARSPECTRA lights from amazon.com. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019ETLC7M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
From the wattage observed via zwave switch and led count, thinking they use 3 watt leds. I liked them enough to buy 2 of the '300 watt' versions and one 600 watt. Combined with my old metal halide fixture, plants are super happy.
Coffee, lime, lemon, tangerine, pineapples, various other tropical plants.
If they last 10 years will be happy. Tired of using so much wattage on ballasts for the mh and hps fixtures.

Hello all,

Apologies for having to use a throwaway - a lot of my family and friends know my main account and the #1 rule I'm following as a first time grower is not to tell anyone (Medical legal in state, still would like to keep it under wraps as arrests have only increased since medical was enacted).

I received clones 1 week ago today which were transplanted from solo cups and they really haven't done much and this is what I have. I was told they spent a little too long in the solo cups but should be okay.

2 clones (Blue Headband).
48x24x60 Tent.
2 300w (145 actual) Galaxyhydro LED.
Organic soil (nothing mixed in).
10 gallon fabric pots.
Various other things like water ppm meter, water ph meter, soil ph and temp meter etc.

Currently using tap water at 96ppm sat out for at least 24 hours prior to watering.

Soil PH remains at 6.5-7.0 at all times, soil temp remains at 68F

Air temp I'm having a hard time regulating as my 24hr range is usually 64F (lower than room temp somehow) to 84F. I used to just have my carbon filter fanning the inside of the tent but I just today set up ducting to exhaust it out of the tent - and im going to put an intake fan on the bottom of the tent. Humidity range is also something like 22% - 78 % depending on if the tent is open or not.

From the great help I've found on this subreddit I believe I'm dealing with light burn, as I see in some reviews of my lights that they need to be hung farther away than normal. SO yesterday I moved them from 18in to top of plant to 24in to top of plant. I just wanted to ask if I'm on the right track before I do any further damage.

Also I've seen a lot about "just leave them alone" but as most first growers can attest to - that's difficult as I want to check on them every 5 minutes.

Thank you in advance. Any and all criticism welcome as it is all a learning process. This subreddit has an awesome community that I've been a long time lurker of while doing my research before my first grow. You guys rock!

I'm using this light https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015FLSOCE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've only been using the VEG option on the light. I went on vacation for 6 days. But I switched the lights to Bloom only before I left. Everything pretty much exploded!! Even my lemon tree popped up and looks good. I just finished topping pretty much everything a few minutes ago. I'm pretty stoked to see the growth.

I love my lights, they may not look very ~aesthetic~ but they keep my succulents quite happy in my otherwise poorly-lit house!! This is the big light, the smaller ones are these and are paper-clipped to the bottom of my wire shelving. Oh, and I do indeed have a couple burro's tails so that's probably what you're seeing! :)

Yeah, pretty much all my research makes it seem like CFL is a pretty worthless way to go for this endevour. I have been looking ath this or one of the other Mars hydro 300's that everybody seems to like so much.

I just want to be able to run it all the fuckin time, and be planting auto's like every 30 days.

I just got my power bill, and it wasnt bad at all, so maybe adding another 250w or so HID wont be too bad. Its only about a 3rd of what I'm running already.

I see your point. I like the option but here is a question..

Say I buy this: https://www.amazon.com/Horticulture-Lighting-Group-USA-Quantum/dp/B07C57J7XX

Like you are saying its $150. and its supposed to be as effective as a 300w cfl.

It consumes the same amount of energy as say this: https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector-Spectrum-Indoor-Plants/dp/B01B4GQ6MO/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Viparspectra&qid=1555016528&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-3

Which is also supposed to be as effective as a 300w lamp...

Whats the reason behind spending double if I am not gaining anything on performance or efficiency? The one advantage I see is no pink light.

Hey!

I’m using these off amazon: Grow Light Strip Kit 45W Including Power Supply, 4 pcs 16 Inches LED Grow Light Strips with Extension Cables, Mounting Accessories for Greenhouse,Grow Shelf; Easy Installation-(4-Strip-Kit) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074Y32PFZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_R-0NDbJ9D6XZB

They’re awesome totally recommend them. You can break them up since they come in 4 pieces and you connect them view cables, I have them on a timer.

I was able to rig them up under that three tiered stand with zip ties. The lights don’t get too hot and my orchids have been loving them.

Based on the little bit of info there about PAR, I don't think it's too much. I usually recommend this lighting guide, but since that's a blue/red LED light rather than a white/full spectrum light, a cheap lux meter won't work. There's good info there about PAR/lux recommendations, still. From the info on the Bestva LED light slides, I think it'd be okay for flower at 16-18", but not sure how good the coverage would be away from the center.

But, you can probably do better for the same price or only a little more. I mention that in case you want to return it and get a different one. I had a similar Viparspectra 450W light (different brand but very similar construction) which failed after about 10 days, apparently a common thing; I returned it and got an HLG QB288v2 kit, in 3000k, newer tech, a MUCH better light. It consumes ~135w (compared to 200w for my previous light), but produces more usable light in a better spectrum. It's more expensive, but there are other cheaper brands that are very similar.

I have a smaller tent than you do, 2'x2'x5.5', about 60x60x167 cm. Yours is closer to a 3x3 tent, and for those the one corresponding to mine would be the 260W kit, though people usually recommend getting the corresponding Meijiu light from alibaba instead, because they're much cheaper. I THINK that's the right one, but look what QB board people recommend for a 3x3 now.

I'm not OP but I have a similar setup in my apartment. It's not as nice as OPs but it's working well for me.

I have a floating shelf with a 2 ft T5 light hung above it on an electrical timer. It's hard to see in my picture but it's quite bright. I think it looks pretty nice and allows me to keep a small collection on display (I have the shelf right at eye level).

http://i.imgur.com/29lfZ5X.jpg

More photos - https://imgur.com/a/WQMsnU7

Details:
F17, Day 49 from seedling. https://www.seedsman.com/en/dreamy-widow-feminised-seeds

2x2 tent organic grow (amended FFOF soil, watering with liquid seaweed and molasses, using compost tea every other feeding with compost earthworm castings, and flower and rose mix)

Light is a Roleadro 200w actual COB. Roleadro 800W COB Full Spectrum Grow Light LED Plant Lamp with ON/OFF Switch and Timer Function, 2nd Generation Plant Light for Flowering and Veg https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I4NY8KW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_45fACb894SBAE

AC Infinity T6 with Phresh carbon filter

I’m sure I made some newbie mistakes on my first grow. I’m pretty sure I had the light too close earlier on, which I just fixed by raising the light as high as I can in the tent.

I also screwed up by using a watering mix that fermented after I left it for a couple of days. I learned I can’t use leftovers. It started smelling like vinegar and I measured the pH at 4.5!! Yikes! I know...I felt like a bonehead.

I’ve been constantly battling with high temp and humidity. I feel I have a little better handle on that now with temps sticking around 80 with RH hanging in the 50s now that I introduced a dehumidifier. I measured the chassis of the LED with an IR meter, and it’s showing 95! Next grow I’m going with a better light where I can mount the driver outside the tent.

I’m learning a lot this time around, and I’m hoping to have it more dialed in next time.

With all that being said, how’s my girl looking?

The things that are bothering me are the burnt/yellowing leaf tips. I’ve always had a hard time nailing down if this is light burn or nute burn. Also, I’m seeing lower fan leaves starting to go completely yellow and look bad. I know this will happen in flower as the plant starts redirecting all its energy to the flowers, but is this happening too soon? Either way, I’m going to water tomorrow with straight RO water.

I’ve looked at the guides on determining the problem, but honestly, it’s hard for a newbie to tell. It’s kind of like having a innocent pain then looking at WebMd—next thing you know you start having anxiety because you think you’re dying. Same thing with this—I look at these charts and I start thinking my plant is in horrible shape and not going to make it. Lol.

Thanks and happy growing everyone!

I grew some Somango XXL last year with LEDs. Used this for veg and this along with the first one for flower. All Fox Farm soil and nutrients and only distilled water. I topped it a little late (at 8 nodes), but that thing was huge by the time it was ready to harvest. I was scared it was gonna outgrow my tent (3x3x6), but some trellis netting fixed that. It came out great, but the buds weren't as tight as I had hoped...probably because I didn't keep the lights close enough during flowering and neither of these LEDs have a solid red spectrum. Either way, I got almost 7 zips, and that's pretty nice for a first effort. Made my $ back plus more and still had plenty for myself. All that stuff about the old LEDs kinda scared me, but they've definitely come a long way. There's a smaller version of the one I linked in my first post, so that might be my next investment. The heat and electricity usage of MH and HPS kinda scares me. The setup I used only made my electric bill go up by about $30 a month on average, and of course the more expensive months were during flowering when I had a bunch of fans going including the HVAC exhaust that was connected to a carbon can inside the tent. You could put your face up to the exhaust hose and there was no smell at all, so that was good. How's your electric bill with that HPS? I'm trying to weigh the long term cost of HPS vs. that expensive LED.

Edit: *2 wks into veg !

The 4 corner pots are Tangerine Dream's,

The middle bushy one is Kushy Kush,

The gimpy small pot is a Holy Grail Kush.

I have a 5 gallon bucket with an AWS-10 automatic watering system hooked up to it.

The 2 ViparSpectra 450W (200 true watt) LEDs are on a 18/6 cycle controlled via timer.

When it's time to flower I'll bring down the Morsen 1200W (350 true watt) LED to supplement the ViparSpectras.

I've been running this for 2 wks now and so far so good. Soil is the perfect consistency of moisture and it's well distributed throughout the pots past a very thin dried top layer.

With a 5 gallon bucket I only have to refill once a week. I actually have a water source available to me right at my grow location, so even refilling the water reservoir could be automated at some point.

Mind you I still enjoy checking on my plants daily, just wanted to see if I could set up a very low maintenance grow that could be self sufficient if I needed to travel.

I got one of these for my 20g long and has been great. a bit too much light until I added water lettuce and duckweed. Now however it works well. I have it on a $10 timer from a box store running 4 on 4 off 4 on. I'm happy, and the tank seems happy.

http://www.amazon.com/Sunblaster-904296-NanoTech-Fixture-Reflector/dp/B00AKKUBDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427398388&sr=8-1&keywords=24+sunblaster+nanotech

I bought a couple of these: http://amzn.com/B005DO30MI

I have way more than one plant but it's been working great for months and is a great deal

Thank you for your advice! I have been looking at Mars Hydro LEDs on Amazon. I see a 300w for $90 or a 600w for $159. Do you think it's worth the jump in price to go with the 600w for a smaller scale grow? I was looking at HID kits as well, for nearly the same price as the 600w Mars Hydro you can go with this option as well http://amzn.com/B005ECZQTY

Thanks for your insight, it is greatly appreciated!

I have two of these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PH1MQV8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
and one of the Mars
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XC3LBI2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

the first one - galaxy hydro - is much purpler .
All three are in a small area - about 5 feet by 3 feet
I have 3 plants in there and they are doing great.
My total wattage consumed by the fans and lights is under 500w so obviously the advertised wattage is not accurate (3x300"watt" leds producing under 500watts?)
however they are SUPER bright and the leaves are deep dark green.

these from amazon. they work pretty good IMO. I’ve had them since September and my plants love them! Another Redditor recommended them on this sub.

My apartment has pretty terrible lighting and with fall/winter coming on strong in the Boston area, I decided to put together a little home gardening station to help with lighting and movement of the plants for watering. I went into this with the goal of having my setup accommodate most of my small collection of plants and to allow for easy movement without having to mess with the grow lights. In the end, I decided on a cart-based design composed of the following items:

Bror Utility Cart 33 ½” X 21 ⅝” X 34 ⅝” ($99)

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/bror-utility-cart-black-pine-plywood-60333850/

Bror Add-on Shelf 21 ⅝” X 6 ¼” X 5 ½” ($10)

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/bror-add-on-shelf-black-20402001/

Koppla 3 Outlet Power Strip 19 ¾” ($4.99 for two pack)

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/koppla-3-outlet-power-strip-grounded-white-00086428/

2x Hemma Cord Set, Black 15’ 5” ($7.00 each)

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/hemma-cord-set-white-10175810/

(IKEA site only has white showing up now, black was available in-store)

2x Luftmassa Lamp Shade 10” ($17.99 each)

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/luftmassa-lamp-shade-rounded-70462648/

Kasa Smart WiFi Plug Mini HS105 ($21.75)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01K1JVZOE/

Relassy 20 Watt Dual Head, Gooseneck, Full Spectrum Grow Lamp ($27.39)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C68N7PC/

2x GE 9 Watt BR30 Balanced Full Spectrum Bulbs ($9.98 each)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NN6SVG6/

4x 3M Command Utility Hooks 3 lbs ($8.99 for nine)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0751RPD3V/

2x Velcro Thin Ties 8” X ½” ($9.70 for 100)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E1Y5O6/

Total Cost (pre-tax): $234.76

I feel like LED's are growing in popularity and are becoming more widely accepted as alternatives to HPS/MH lighting as the technology improves and prices begin to fall, but I'm curious as to why someone would choose a 100w Solarspec for $350 when you could pick up a 700w Apollo LED grow light for the same price. Just from reading on the SolarSpec website, these things seem pretty legit, but as with any new LED tech the prices are going to be a little inflated towards the earlier stages of business.

very good question. wish i could help with the DIY stuff. if you decide to just buy and LED, this is the one i got and it's performing excellently: https://www.amazon.com/Galaxyhydro-Greenhouse-Indoor-Hydroponic-Lighting/dp/B00PH1MQV8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469543728&sr=8-1&keywords=galaxy+hydro

Yes veg and flower, do you have limited space to grow? You might try one of these: https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector-Spectrum-Indoor-Plants/dp/B01B4GQ6MO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1481235884&sr=8-3&keywords=LED+grow+lights

I use those in a little grow cabinet and they are great, super cheap and efficient. I did have an issue with one farting out on me after a year though.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B4GQ6MO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I picked it cuz it has a lot of reviews saying it's lasted pretty long, plus being UL certified gives me peace of mind. Not really a 300W, but 130W of LED for $70 shipped is pretty good compared to what I find in my grow shops / Home Depot / Lowes

The succulents under the cheapo gooseneck lights are etiolating slightly but not horribly, but those plants also get some filtered afternoon sun next to a window. I recently bought this Sunblaster 904296 NanoTech T5 High Output Fixture Reflector Combo, 2-Feet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AKKUBDQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4naQDbKMJ1YZ4 I'm am confident it will work better, but I just received it and haven't taken it out of the box yet.

My sansii bulb works well, but I'm not using it for sun-hungry succulents. I have my pineapple plants, Sansevieria and some other medium light succulents under it.

Medium: Hydroton

Lights: Roleadro LED Grow Light, Galaxyhydro Series 1000W Indoor Plant Grow Lights Full Spectrum with UV&IR for Veg and Flower-1000w https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PH1MQV8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_VjHODbFEQCME4

Environment Details: Homemade grow box (height- 6 feet, width- 2 feet, depth- 18 inches). This was built specifically for an available space in my condo.

Strain: Blue Dream Auto

Age: 4 weeks from transplanting into dwc

Pot size: 5 gallon Lowe's dwc- Papi Chulo Edition

Nutrient line and schedule: Maxibloom, Lucas method. 3 gallons of water with 3 tsp of nutrients

Watering Volume: Once it drops below the spot I marked off on the bucket ::shrug::


First things first, this is my first time ever trying to grow anything, other than children and our recipe collection. I'm looking at this as a new hobby and looking for some guidance. I'm pretty sure based on the pics alone, I'm going to be flamed. Since I do not know what I'm doing, I called myself trying to LST it and broke 2 branches, but I think I have the concept down....now.

I know there's some sort of deficiency based on the leaves, however, me being a first time grower, I'm proud of all the other fresh green. My PH has been going up within the last 2 weeks and I have to keep adding oh down. The good thing is the ppm changes based on the plant absorbing the nutrients.

First of all, any light will sort of work.

But you get a significant effect only if the bulb produces a wide spectrum of light, something that approximates sunlight. Look for "full-spectrum" or "6400K" bulbs; these are bulbs that produce a very wide spectrum of light. These 13W CFL bulbs ($23 for 4-pack, or $5.75 per bulb). CFL (compact fluorescent) bulbs last for years, but you can also look for LED, which should last even longer. Both CFL and LED have the benefit that they don't hot, so that you can put them close to plants without burning them.

The next level up is a dedicated LED grow light, which concentrates the light in the range that plants like for photosynthesis, including infrared. Galaxyhydro ($77) is a well-respected manufacturer. These light boxes are generally designed to hang from the ceiling; they typically have heat vents that need to stay uncovered.

Oh I've got you covered!

I made a detailed comment a few months ago summarizing and reviewing all the LED grow lights I have used - many of which are white and won't mess with your decor (I too don't like the prospect of living in a Disco).

To summarize the post in case it is TLDR, here are my two favorite white-colored grow lights. Both of which I think could work well in your space.

​

Here is my favorite bulb type light

And here is my favorite goose-neck style lamp(It could work well for your plants on the shelf)

Haha yeah. But a decent LED grow panel like this pulls about 130 watts. Each triangle Aurora panel pulls 2 watts when it's white and max brightness. From an energy standpoint you'd need 65 panels. Plus the light is diffused and white light is not optimal. You'd probably need like 100 panels.

Here is what I'm running. Couldn't recommend it more.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B4GQ6MO?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Have two of them and one larger size. One unit only runs at about 150W actually so better on the power bill. :) Ive grown all the herbs you mentioned under it with great success. I like it more than the pure red/blue lights. Less weird looking light color and all.

Yeah I would do that but the electric and power draw I am not able to meet. I like the led because it uses so little power. I wouldn't want to get more than like an ounce a month either way. VIPARSPECTRA UL Certified Reflector-Series 600W LED Grow Light Full Spectrum for Indoor Plants Veg and Flower, Has Daisy Chain Function https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019ETLC7M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_K4GhDb8SQX3K6


I was looking at that light do you think thatd be good?

I also found this one.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FGG1HDM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00FGG1HDM&linkCode=as2&tag=plantozoidrev-20&linkId=ZLMZZZW27O6CVCL5

Obviously that one would be better but is more expensive and slightly out of my price range. Am I better off to save for that one? I don't have a lot of space and really just want 1-3 plants.

Alright, upon further research I've come to the conclusion that unless I have some serious cash to put out, the LEDs aren't quite worth it yet. In the 300w range with 6w/LED they appear to rival or surpass a 400w HPS from the group that conducted the study.

Therefore, I've switched to this light which has pretty good reviews.

I've opted to get this other carbon filter & fan combo as it isn't too much more than the other one + shipping.

Also I added some alternate seeds that aren't auto-flowering so I have some options for later grows, I just want to make it easy the first time (that's what she said).

My plants are inside from around now until Aprilish. I use a 48x18” shelf, 10/20 trays fit on it nicely. There is a cheap clip fan on the end of each shelf that runs 24/7, this is imperative. I have some of these lights and some of these lights– they work fine. They’re on timers for 12 hours or so. The LEDs are tricky because they’re too strong to put very close to the plants, oh well. I have another smaller shelf that’s basically the same set up for cuttings and seedlings.

Edit: fixed link maybe

Thanks, I was afraid to over water as I see so many people doing. Roughly how much water at a time would you suggest? 12oz? 24oz? 1 gallon?

​

What grow light do you have, link me. - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PH1MQV8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tent is 48"x24"x60"

How far away is your light from the canopy? - About 20" from top of plant.

What soil are you using and you feeding at all? - Fox Farms Ocean Forest, have Fox Farms trio nutes as well. I have only given the "Grow Big" twice(a week apart) and 1/3 of the recommended amount.

What is the relative humidity in your tent? - Between 35-50%

What is the PPM of the water you are using? - Not sure, tap water.

​

She has been looking great until today.

don't really need a green house indoors.

if you are looking for the plants as decoration i guess you don't want to cover them up, otherwise i would just get a grow tent.

just get a flood table or cement mixing table to put your plants on (water proof, with a sidewall so you can bottom water if you want).

then yeah artificial lighting will look pretty interesting in the house but a 400W hid would probably do just fine for your lemon tree / tomato / peppers or whatever else you can fit up there. i got one of these cheap kits for last year Christmas and has worked good.

I hate the purple glare of most LED grow lights, to me it ruins the aesthetic of my pretty plants. I think that far north, being too close to the window might be a little risky depending on the plant, some are cold tolerant, some are not. I have a couple smaller setups like on tables and my mantle where I use a little double headed white LED grow light from Amazon. These are the ones I have:

LED Grow Light for Indoor Plant, Relassy 45W Sunlike Full Spectrum Grow Lamp, Dual Head Gooseneck Plant Ligh with Replaceable Bulb,Double Switch, Professional for Seedling Growing Blooming Fruiting https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C68N7PC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qArSBbGAK8ZMQ

They're pretty small and easy to move around lol I'll shove plants in every single nook and cranny possible and these are perfect for that. The bummer about having these scattered about is that you have to do a little marathon twice a day flipping them all on and off as opposed to one big rack setup.

i doubt youll find much for high quality leds on amazon. 1000w hps/mh light would be the cheapest upfront cost but cost a lot with electricity. you can get those on amazon.

Good leds arent cheap but give better yields and lower energy costs. blurple leds(cheap purple led off amazon) work but arent any better than hps/mh.

a cheap 1000w HPS light will run about $200-$300.

if you wanna do 1000w of cheap leds its gonna be about $680 for 4x https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector-Spectrum-Indoor-Plants/dp/B019ETLC7M/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1526005356&sr=1-1&keywords=600w+viparspectra

High quality leds would be like $800+ such as 2x https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/collections/kits/products/320w-xl-qb324-led-kit?variant=8092027715676

Difference in W looks like 36 versus 650. Is that a measure of the effectiveness of a grow light?

What do you think of this http://www.amazon.com/Galaxyhydro-Greenhouse-Indoor-Hydroponic-Lighting/dp/B00PH1MQV8 -- it looks like an older model so that might be a dumping price.


What do you think about a more concentrated source like this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B016NT1JO2?psc=1 versus an array like this http://www.amazon.com/MOKOQI%C2%AE-Advanced-Spectrum-Hydroponic-Growing/dp/B016NT1L36 in terms of effectiveness?


Is there no possible (practical) way to take something like this http://www.amazon.com/Geeetech-LED-Matrix-8x8-Display/dp/B007ZK4I10 and set the brightness very high and use that as a grow light?

I used this and got fucking amazing results. 3 OZ from a room the same size. I was VERY impressed. I also used Flora ferts. I would highly recommend this light for your exact situation and at $160, you can't beat it.

I want to start by saying that you would get a lot more grams for not much more money if you saved up a little more and spent ~$80 on a 125 true watt panel like this:
https://smile.amazon.com/Galaxyhydro-Indoor-Lights-Spectrum-Flower/dp/B00PH1MQV8/
but if your budget is fixed and 10g is your only goal, then you could add a 25 true watt panel like this and probably reach that goal:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01IVQ96KY/ref=psdc_14252951_t1_B072HNNSFZ

I'm shopping for an office setup for a couple of specimens of Stapelia: S. hirsuta and S.grandifola. Thanks to those who provided some early feedback on what I'd need.

Specifically, I'm going to be buying a grow-light for my office. I anticipate having a total of 3 succulents, each in 6" or 8" clay pots. Substrate will be Bonsai Jack Succulent Cactus Soil Gritty Mix #111 -- the relative high cost of this soil is OK since I won't need much, and I'm hoping for a good setup.

I'm having difficulty picking a grow light. For several reasons, I want to go with LED grow lights, and not fluorescent tubes. What I need help with is the wattage of lighting that I'll need; I want sufficient light, but don't want to fry the plants.

I'm thinking about this 100W grow LED bulb, which I'll mount over the plants. Is this a good wattage, or should I be looking at something like this 300W enclosed LED kit?

Thanks! -- Dan

I looked at these the first thing when I wanted an indoor garden myself, and honestly, he's right, and he's trying to help. They are v low wattage, like 20-30 each, if that. Simplest setup i would say, if you can spend 70$ and replace those heads and put up a nice blurple 300w like viparspectra, your money would go a longer ways. I did this and had some mylar survival blankets wrapping the whole thing, strung up with tape, for a long time. The mylar blankets are 7$ and they have more than enough to make a makeshift "grow tent" of sorts.

links

edited grammar

https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector-Spectrum-Indoor-Plants/dp/B01B4GQ6MO

https://www.amazon.com/NAVAdeal-Reflective-Greenhouse-Effectively-Environmentally/dp/B00B8PAAJW/ref=sr_1_4?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1536205654&sr=1-4&keywords=mylar+blanket

Do yourself a favor and stick with quality QB! The HLGs are fucking amazing. for a 2x2 their 100w board is perfect for flower, and only $150. You can get them in 3000k or 4000k. I have a 550 covering my 4x4 and 3 of the HLG65s covering two smaller tents (2x3 and 2x2)

These

I was wondering what the catch was. I was trying to find the product history.

OP, it's a Chinese special with razor thin margins (they have a different ballast in the photo). You can see on their webpage that the ballast is even different than the one shown on the Amazon link.

I'd go with this more efficient reflector if you do decide on this brand. The cool tube is a relatively inefficient reflector.

Looks like the seller has inconsistent pricing. edit: the seller buys for half this price

Same ballast, different label. Typical of Chinese imports.

That shipping price makes it too good to be true.

Howdy! I recently purchased this light: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C68N7PC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0isQDb6R1XGPH

Is it strong enough? I definitely see notable growth in the two weeks that I’ve had it, but this fella seems like he might be getting leggy growth. I decided to move the lights even closer.

Sure! It's pretty basic, actually. The table is a 4x2' stainless steel table from IKEA. Pretty cheap, but you could do cheaper, I just already had it. The heating pad is the same size (happy coincidence.) The cups are regular solo cups, most expensive element was the lights. You'll also want a timer, I use this one. And finally, the most ghetto part of the whole set up, the tent! I made it out of cardboard, tin foil and duct tape. Gotta save that paper.

Something like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01I4NY8KW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474584804&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=cob+grow+light&dpPl=1&dpID=51QlQ1zJjPL&ref=plSrch


? I'm going for yield, and I'm a beginner so if you think led, cobs or hps one or the other is better fell free to tell me. Any advice helps before I order everything

I have several different types of lights but really like these. In my opinion they've been the best so far. VIPARSPECTRA UL Certified... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B4GQ6MO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I'd recommend the best 2 foot T5 HO fixture you can afford.

I've got one of these and it's fantastic.

For a cheap easy solution I recommend this light.

Depending on your grow space, maybe one for veg and 2 for flower. Yes, it’s an amazon light. And yes, you might be able to get more juice out of a DIY COB light or quantum board, but it’s a decent light for a decent price and I’ve had good results with it.

I'm doing it now, look at my posts to see my setup. You could get a small setup going for <$200 for everything to grow 4 decent sized plants, or you could spend a lot more on things like more efficient lights that aren't pink/purple, a tent to enclose it, or just a bigger setup for more plants.

Cheapest and easiest way to start with 4 plants is to use a LED like this from Amazon and put it like 2 feet over the plants. Get some 3 gallon pots, I like fabric pots because they drain well and dry fast like peppers like. Get some decent potting soil and some trays to sit the pots on. Humidity will probably be an issue though, and dehumidifiers aren't cheap.

You can use CFL or LED light bulbs, I started like that, but once I did the math on how many bulbs I needed and how much they and the sockets and everything for them were, I decided to go the LED grow light route. But then I didn't like the purple light color and wanted to make shelves, so I DIY'd some LED strips.

Ooh interesting ..

I bought this ;

T5 Grow Light (4ft 4lamps) DL844s Ho Fluorescent Hydroponic Fixture Bloom Veg Daisy Chain with Bulbs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HEYCRI8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rsskDb87P981B

So the fluorescent could take away humidity and moisture faster? Which LED lights did you get? I’ll definitely get a timer switch ! Great idea you just time 12 / 12 right

I just recently brought all of my plants in for winter and upgraded my light setup to 4 T5 fluorescent bulbs at 6500 kelvins. Does this look like an appropriate height to keep it above the plants? The jade is about 3 inches from the bulbs so I'm a little worried about damage. I've been thinking about moving the jade to another window and just lowering lights closer to the rest of the plants. Also any advice on how long to keep them under lighting every day would be useful!

https://i.imgur.com/C8Vt1YJ.jpg

Just in case anyone was curious where I got this setup. It feels very sturdy and I'm definitely glad I bought it. I'd just recommend buying longer chains to hang it since the ones they provide are pretty short.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HEYCRI8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

you would want something pulling about 300 watts

https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector-R900-Spectrum-Indoor/dp/B019ETLC7M?th=1

this one (if you want a blurple)(make sure you select the 600w version) is rated to pull 260w so it wouldnt be a bad decision and is rated for a 90x90

some people recommend to split your watts into two lights so you can manage them for better light coverage to the lower parts of your plants, so splitting this into two 300w from the same brand also wouldnt be a bad idea. but the single light is definitely okay for beginning

Would you recommend getting 2? I found a discount online to get that light for $40, I could get 2 or 3 if you think that's what I would need. And I would really like to stay away from HPS due to increased electricity costs

Edit: Would I be better off getting two of the blurple panels or one of these 400w Roleandro COB lights?

https://www.amazon.com/Roleadro-Spectrum-Light-Innovated-Generation/dp/B01I4NY8KW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498713419&sr=8-1&keywords=roleadro+cob

Have you thought about getting a 2x2 tent? Running with a HLG 100 it should be very manageable and around 250-300 for the setup, mostly from amazon.

You could probably squeeze 2 plants in there although 1 would be more comfortable.

Fabric pots would help with root circling/small pots.

One thing to keep in mind is that smaller pots will need watering more often.

Topping, LST and scrogging would help keep the plant short.

Hello, nice to see another female around here. :)

I say go for it, you can always upgrade along the way. Being illegal, you need a sealed environment with a filter and fan. May I recommend a small setup?

$60 - 2x2 tent (I have this, high quality)

$34 - carbon filter (I also have this, works great, no smell outside the tent)

$18 - 100 cfm fan, works for this size tent and filter

$180 - decent Amazon light that will get good results in a 2x2 (if you don't want to DIY)

$12.50 - Fox Farms soil

4 different ones.
lights


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C59J8L2

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IVQ96WW

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IVQ96MW

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015FLSOCE


fans


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D8ZC566

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I8Q30SC

clip fan


other stuffs


Frog soil

Smart pots - half 3 gallon half 5 gallon

Advanced nutrients nutrients

hygrometer: https://www.amazon.com/SensorPush-Wireless-Thermometer-Hygrometer-Android/dp/B01AEQ9X9I/

6 inch intake fan from home depot

filter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NYF8S4

filter fan: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CTM0JF2



strains


1 white widow

1 amnesia haze

2 money bush

2 jack herrer

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07C68N7PC/ref=cm_cr_othr_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8#cm_cr_carousel_images_section

These ones, I bought it mainly because the price was affordable and setup is easy. If I had the money I would use T5 growlights. These lights are okay though, if close enough to the plants it causes pretty nice stress coloring and compact growth.

I have this and it produces about 50k lux 10" away from emitters. I use it to light my 2x4 grow tent instead of a handful of less powerful lights.


And different carnivorous plants have different light and temp preferences. My light is too bright for direct use on my Nepenthes, but I bet Fly Traps or Sarracenia would love it being only ~6" away.

i started with two of these and then bit the bullet and bought this guy. worth it. the little ones are fine for a couple of plants but the rectangular one is SO bright (PS- do NOT look at those when you're plugging in the light) that you can have one several feet above your couple hundred seedlings and it's fine.

At the moment it is nothing simple, I have a ViparSpectra 450w w/ bloom switch hooked up to a Century Timer. I just went and bought a small circular fan maybe 6 inches in diameter at Wal-Mart and tied it up in the tent to the top vent as an exhaust. It's in a tiny 2x2x4 Tent. I have a couple clones from my outdoor grow, 2 in pot rn and a few more in a dome, all in the same tent. Not obviously going to keep them all, just hoping the pick the best of the litter.

Based on comments I'm currently looking at getting two of these 400w COBs. They are the best value of $/true watt at $0.90/watt and two would be 400 true watts.