Criticize my first grow set up

ms1055

Member
Ok so I'm pretty much done with my set up. I avoided the urge to ask any questions and put in a ton of research.

This is what I came up with.

I have a 4'x2'x4' flower tent and 18"x30"x3' veg tent. Just didn't have the height to go any taller.

I'll be using 4 - 16"x24"x8" 10 gallon rubbermaid bins for DWC, they're green but am planning to cover them in aluminum foil tape or possibly paint chrome? I'll be doing ScrOG so I will have 6 - 6" net pots in each of the 3 bins in the flower tent and hopefully about 12-15 smaller net pots in the veg tent bin.

I have a 600 watt HPS in an 8" cool tube for the flower tent and a 250 watt CFL in the veg tent.

6"x16" Phresh carbon filter rated 415 CFM for the flower tent and smaller 4" carbon filter rated 50-100 CFM for the veg tent both powered by an Active Air 6" rated 400 CFM which will exhaust through the roof via insulated ducting.

Alita AL - 60 - 60 LPM air pump pushing 4 - 60" flexible air stones shaped in an S so that it is under each of the 6 sites in each bin.

Coco fiber for net pots and General Hydroponics Flora series nutes.

I also plan on using CO2 about 2 weeks into flowering so I have a Titan Atlas 2 controller and regulator.

Anything I'm missing or looks wrong? Tents are in place with the lights and everything else is ordered and on the way.

Hope I did good with the design.
 

ms1055

Member
Tents are both lined with Mylar .. I got them both from Lighthouse. Pleasantly surprised with quality to price but then again I really have no comparison as they're my first grow tents.

Have spent about 2k so far between this stuff, random parts and nutrients and I think my set up is pretty awesome compared to a friend who spent almost $3k on a Supercloset.
 

ms1055

Member
Breakdown in cost (round about figure)

Tents
Lighthouse 2'x4'x2' - $150
Lighthouse 30"x18"x3' - $100

Lights
600W HPS w/ 8" cool tube and digital ballast - $200
250 CFL w/ reflector - $80
Extra bulbs for both - $50
2 - Yoyo Hangers - $20

Ventilation
Active Air 6" inline fan - $80
Phresh 6"x16' filter - $130
Viagrow 4" filter - $55
Reducers, dampers and insulated ducting, foil tape - $165
Fan Controller - $25
Ductstat - $21

DWC
Alita AL-60 air pump - $180
Airline tubing, connectors, 4 way - $20
4 - 60" flexible air stones - $60
8 pack of 16"x24"x8" rubbermaid bins w/ covers - $60
25 pack of 6" net pots - $27
Brick of coco fiber - $20
Flora nutrients - $37
Seed starter kit with dome and heat mat - $40
Trellis - $15

CO2
Controller Atlas 2 - $230
Regulator - $90

Testers
Blue lab Ph Pen -$80
2-Humidity monitors - $24
Hygrometer pen - $38
TDS pen - $15
Clonex - $20

Tax $40

Grand shabang - $2,072.
 
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ms1055

Member
I would go with separate buckets but I don't really have the height to lose the additional 5-7" inches of grow room as the shortest bucket is a 3.5 gallon at 12 inches or 5 gal at 14". I have about 36" from the floor to the bottom of my cool tube.

That would also limit me to 8 buckets given my 8 sq ft. space and I'd like more sites then that for quickest flowering with most yield as opposed to growing out only 8 sites and training them during veg. The other reason for doing a large tub is leaking is a huge concern as my set up is above my office so it's either do 8 seperate buckets as I don't want to chance a recirculating system leaking and I really don't want to have to clean 8 seperate buckets every few weeks or test 8 seperate buckets.
 

booms111

Well-Known Member
Id get a second fan to run your 4'' filter independent on the veg tent. Id do less plants in each rubbermaid since your planing on scrogging. Just a quick tip some times less is more when it comes to yield(overcrowding is bad). Really id recommend a air cooled hood over a tube if you can fit one in your tent. It would pay for itself plus on the first run with 25-30% more yield then a cool turd.
 

ms1055

Member
After reading your post I'm realizing that many net pots would never fit anyway. Now I'm thinking 2 - 6" net pots per tub?

Considering I'm going with less plants I think I'll ditch the 60" flexible air stones and go with 2 - 6"x2" micro air stone diffusers per tub instead.

I'm also ditching the coco fiber for hydroton and germinating with rockwool cubes instead of the seed starter plugs I received in the seed starter kit.

I'm not there yet but I feel like I've come along way and learning more everyday. It's amazing how much you need to know and have to grow a simple plant.

I'm thinking of getting a refrigerator sized ozone generator and ona brick just to hold onto in case the smell gets out of control .. also a carbon dioxide meter to test levels outside the tent perhaps.

Ozone generator
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Y5B814/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3SI6K0ESD8QD5
 

ms1055

Member
I got the cool tube because I wanted to use CO2 and I figured it would be easiest to vent and keep heat down. Didn't realize you could use CO2, a cool hood and also maintain a decent temp?
 

ayr0n

Well-Known Member
I'm about to start my first grow too, so I won't give any advice as it'd prob b bad but props for taking the time to research everything instead of coming in asking questions that are already answered. I did the exact opposite ;) I read quite a bit, to the point of a borderline obsession, but I can't help but ask questions n every thread lol.

Anyways it sounds like you've got a good grasp on what to do, n I don't see anything wrong with your setup besides the cost. I think you might of been able to achieve similiar results without buying every instrument n tool that's ever been used for growing cannabis :P good luck w/ your grow, looking forward to see what you get going inside those tents.
 

miccyj

Well-Known Member
I got the cool tube because I wanted to use CO2 and I figured it would be easiest to vent and keep heat down. Didn't realize you could use CO2, a cool hood and also maintain a decent temp?
Hey mate, a cool hood works the same as a cool tube but has a flat piece of glass as apposed to a tube, check out my grow room if you wanna see. Other wise, your looking good. I started with Dwc, it can be fun, make sure that you can empty and refill your res easily without damaging your girls and their roots.

Good Lord, 2k? Just to grow a weed? DANG !!!!!!
I just spent alittle over 10k, lol
 

Deusracing

Well-Known Member
Real quick drain to waste... got bored.. Sounds like you did exactly what i did but i found most of the shit i bought i converted into 4 separate grow areas. LOL here is just a lil veg tent i threw together tonight.. Been real fun.. that 250 cfl if its true cfl like felix that puppy gets hot as hell.. trust me i had one in this lil 2x2.5. DWC is great just keep water cool. and co2 man i draw in fresh air from either outside or simple my 65 degree year round basement.. I love it... I have 4x4 tent and never went over 4" if you would like i could post a few of mine.
 

Deusracing

Well-Known Member
here is a few shots of a few things I've done in last few weeks.. Shoot some shots of what you got done so far interested,, Honestly i wish i had some of your equipment just for shits and gigglesIMG_3377.jpgIMG_3674.JPG IMG_3703.jpg IMG_3724.jpg IMG_3725.JPG IMG_3728.jpg IMG_3729.jpg IMG_3741.jpg IMG_3801.jpg IMG_3821.jpg
 

Deusracing

Well-Known Member
yeah I've got at least 7-9k wrapped up in everything got so much stuff if i had the money for electric id hook it all up and grow everything under the roof(sun)
 

ayr0n

Well-Known Member
yeah I've got at least 7-9k wrapped up in everything got so much stuff if i had the money for electric id hook it all up and grow everything under the roof(sun)
That is crazy man (n a good way). I guess tbh id rather have spent the money I did on my car on a grow setup n drove a beater or something lmao. You have any issues with root rot in DWC ?
 

Deusracing

Well-Known Member
That is crazy man (n a good way). I guess tbh id rather have spent the money I did on my car on a grow setup n drove a beater or something lmao. You have any issues with root rot in DWC ?
no i didn't and if i did i didn't notice it.. i grew a tangerine haze clone i got from colorado in one.. she did ok i changed water for first 4 weeks then said fuck it slammed her full of nutes and left her alone here is her clone cut her on harvest day and cloned her retarded i know man just check your water temps.. don't worry bout much else.. get your air stones in them and let em go.. Its funny though you spent all that money and yet you didn't even buy an apparatus to grow in.. My first purchase was the www.oxygenpotsystems.com best thing out there for this type of grow
 

Deusracing

Well-Known Member
I did that you have the co2 controller.. my questions is why... how many plants you gonna grow if its not more than25 i personally don't think one is needed.. i mean does your home run out of it. Anyhow sell that co2 generator and get yourself well anything.. just saying... just more inline to cost you money for what size tents your doing believe its a waste.. but what can i say i like to spend money on product and save on electricity.. thats why all my lights have total wattage of 470 watts split up in to 3 grow areas and no worries at all they all grow just fine and flower just fine....just my thoughts and criticism good day fellas off to bitch court
 

miccyj

Well-Known Member
I did that you have the co2 controller.. my questions is why... how many plants you gonna grow if its not more than25 i personally don't think one is needed.. i mean does your home run out of it. Anyhow sell that co2 generator and get yourself well anything.. just saying... just more inline to cost you money for what size tents your doing believe its a waste.. but what can i say i like to spend money on product and save on electricity.. thats why all my lights have total wattage of 470 watts split up in to 3 grow areas and no worries at all they all grow just fine and flower just fine....just my thoughts and criticism good day fellas off to bitch court
I disagree with this, cO2 makes a huge difference in yield and finishing time, but this is only if all other factors are in good order, I would probably recommend holding off on enrichment until you learn how everything else works with your system. You're probably going to be battling other problems for your first grow, best not to add more.

The biggest problem I think your going to have if using gas is temp with Dwc, you need higher ambient temperature when pumping cO2 and this will mean higher rez temps unless you use a cooler, that will lead to all kinds of trouble.
 
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