1st grow-small 150w

First time grow, went with a small setup. Limited space and want to get familar with stuff. Got a sun system 150w hps 16,000 lumens. Small 1.4"x1.4"'x3.11" growlab tent. Looking to try some hydroponic. Due to space looking towards DWC. Any thoughts would help. Only looking at 2plants. I don't have anything started. Doing little experiments to check growing conditions first. I realize its going get hot. Right now have just the light on, keeping on for 18hrs and monitor the temp. Then mess around with exhaust/air flow issues to control the temp. Wanna keep updating this, any comments/tips/ideas welcomed.

2 hrs later, roasting in there. Quick question, where this is a really small tent, the sides of the light long ways are touching the mylar on the inside of the tent, slightly. Even with proper ventilation, is that a problem i should worry about, and rethink the lighting?

I don't think it will matter just keep a close eye on it.. Definitely get yourself a decent exhaust fan and something to circulate the air around in the tent..

SmeLLyTreeZ said:

I don't think it will matter just keep a close eye on it.. Definitely get yourself a decent exhaust fan and something to circulate the air around in the tent..

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*Appreciate it Smelly. Would a 4" inline work up top and with a small circulation fan at bottom?

We basically have the same setup. If your gna keep the tent sealed you got to have an exhaust. I use a 4" 170 cfm inline for my exhaust and my temps can't get any lower than 81f when my box is all sealed up. The ambient temp In the room the box is in is 70f. Goodluck and stay cool

taliwacker said:

We basically have the same setup. If your gna keep the tent sealed you got to have an exhaust. I use a 4" 170 cfm inline for my exhaust and my temps can't get any lower than 81f when my box is all sealed up. The ambient temp In the room the box is in is 70f. Goodluck and stay cool

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Yea I'm gonna have to head back to the drawing board. Wanted to keep it sealed up but 81 is up there. I'm thinking for the first 30-45 days throwing a CFL in there and figure out the heat problem in the meantime. What kind of medium are ya using? As you know the tent provides limited space. Think I'm going to try the simple folgers coffee can,see where it takes me. Might look into getting the growlab 60 down the road and slap the HPS in that for flowering. Little more room and probably control the heat better. We'll see.

I use fox farms soil. My birthday is coming up and I just ordered myself a tent for 120. Dimensions are 64"h 34"w 20"deep, hopefully that help with dissipating the heat a little. My current box is much smaller than that. I currently have one seedling growing well in there and its not showing any signs of heat stress, ill keep you posted. Let us know what you decide to go with.

I got a 150W HPS in a 36 X 20 X 60 tent, with a 171 cfm 4 inch fan, and the temps stay 1 or 2 degrees above ambient room temps. The 150W is PERFECT for my tent. It covers the area just right, and stays cool. For a tent in the smaller size, i think a 150W HPS is overkill. CFLs or T5s, or even LEDs would be best for that little tent.

For a first grow, and with your space limitations, i'd recommend soil. Like taliwacker said, Fox Farm soil is awesome. Good luck!

your tent wouldn't happen to be from htg supply would it CSI? Is your light air cooled?

yea i dont think htg sells them anymore, but yea, its branded "growbright". The light is not aircooled. Its just a cheap 150 from htg with their regular reflector. I was thinking i might have to air cool it, but it doesnt need it. A 250 would probably need it.

Nice, I get all my stuff from them. That's where I just ordered my tent. How is the quality, any light leaks, how do youu have your exhaust setup, do you use a carbon filter? Thanks man

No light leaks, except from the lower vents when they are open. I can also close them, and run an active air intake. Carbon filter yes, but i think mine is worn out. No big deal, cause i'm only growing veggies these days.

Looks and sound like your in the right path ....... great work.....

I have been using a 150 watt HPS as well for my grow. One of the biggest problems I have had is the temp. So far I bought a 4" duct booster for the exhaust. This kept the temps down to around 80 degrees. Then my plants started to get stinky and realized that I wasted money on a duct booster cause you cant attach the Carbon filter to it. So I went back to the store and bought a 4" inline fan and replaced the booster with the inline fan with the carbon filter attached. Now the temps are just a tad higher around 83degrees.

So what I do is the "Ghetto Air Conditioner" trick. Fill up a bucket full of ice and place it in front of a fan inside the tent. Lowers the temps 4-5 degrees. This sucks by the way but it is working. For the next grow I am for sure using a 200watt CFL for veg and then throwing 150 watt HPS in there once they begin flowering.

You can check out what I got so far here: https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/378092-need-help-first-grow-a11.html

Plants tend to be doing just fine.

Finally got time to upgrade to a bigger tent. Got a growlab60. 2x2x5.3'. Much better than the small one I started with. The 150 hangs much better. Have light adjusters to lower or raise. Built a DWC out of a 10 gallon rubbermaid container Bought a $13 air pump from wal-mart, 20-60 gallon, 2 air flow hook ups. 2-8" air stones chilling at the bottom. Put 2-5" pots in them, figured start with a couple, build later. Have a circulation fan blowing away. Going tp check and see what type of temps I get before I look into an inline fan. Any suggestions?

Been doing little experiments with the temp. Have a circulation fan running at the bottom. Temps reaching high 80's. Would a 4" intake fan up top take care of my problem?

you got to get an exhaust man not another intake.

yeah,

the intake should be passive.

get a fan to blow air OUT of the tent.

get a quiet one, you won't need a big one.

get this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999344&cm_re=case_fan-_-11-999-344-_-Product

its a small computer case fan, it gets 100CFM's which is more than bathroom extractor fans.

put it near the top, warm air rises, so the most efficient ventilaiton for lowering temps has to be near the top. leave the lower vents open for passive intake, cool air sits at the bottom of spaces, so the air entering the tent will be nice and cool.

what will happen is that the fan will push air out, the air pressure within the tent will decrease, and simple physics will keep fresh, cool air entering the box through the bottom.

easy as pie. and you won't have a loud inline fan WHAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH all day....

pkn, I just ordered the growlab 60. Perfect for 1-2 plants. We need to compare grows when the time comes as now we have pretty much the same materials. What nutrient lineup are you using?

I meant to type inline instead of intake. I think i was stoned. haha. Appreciate the link to the fan. I called my local shop and they have one just like it. 105cfm. My question is in such a small tent, how much would it bring the temp down? Im looking at about 87 degrees currently, no exhaust, i know including an outake fan will be better than not. But just wondering before i got it, which will be this friday. Im hoping bring it down to the 76-79 range when the light is on. The humditiy and temp stay a steady 70-72 degrees and about 40-45 humidity when light is off. Would light to increase humidity a tad, but you say tomato i say tomoto, it'll work.
Tali-Think im going to experiment with the FoxFarm GrowBig. Says you can use it during all stage of the plant. Not 100% sure though. Still looking into other brands etc. But I know once I decide I'm sticking to it. Not going to switch around. This is my first grow, but doing it in a experimental kind of way. Only way to know if to stick to one product each grow. Then switch with other grows and see where it takes me. Im probably going to start germinating in couple weeks. Not really in a rush to get started. Trying to get the enviroment pretty steady before throwing plants in their. You have any suggestions? Appreciate the input.
BTW the Growlab60 is much an improvement from the 40. The 40 is worthless with an HPS. CFL be perfect. Be good for cloning though.