2 Plant RDWC Setup. Suggestions Please...

Howdy

I'm getting ready to set up a small RDWC grow-tent. It's just a small grow-op for personal stuff and for fun. The tent measures around 5ft X 2 1/2ft and 7ft tall. I was thinking about (2) 5 gallon buckets with plumbing to a 20 gallon external res. I'm keen on the flooming method, instead of airstones and air pumps. The submersive pump I have moves something like 3800lpm. I'll be using a water cooler converted into a chiller. 6" inline fan for ventilation,

I suppose my question was mostly about lighting. I've decided to go HPS, for sure, but I can't decide which setup is best. (1) 600w in the middle. or (2) 400w side by side? would (2) 400w lights be overkill? Would (2) 400w bulbs generate too much heat? The ballasts would be outside, the bulbs have air cooled hoods.... Or is a single 600w in the center good enough? Would (2) 250w bulbs side by side be best???

Has anyone tried this before?


Thanks in advanced for any input.

For just 2 plants non scrog you are looking at getting 4-6 ounces per plant if they are grown well/good genetics, and vegged for at least a month. You can achieve this with a single 600hps easily. Multiple light set ups for 2 plants is just overcomplicating things a hair. Hell imo even using a rDWC system for 2 plants is overkill, but they are fun to play with. I would just use bubble buckets personally.

To answer some of your questions: 2 400w HPS lights would kill a single 600w HPS in output. 2 600w HPS lights will provide the absolute maximum light for a tent that size, and would be extreme overkill for 2 plants. Heat won't be much of a issue with air cooled hoods. I run about 150cfm through a carbon filter and still my hood is cool to the touch with a 600hps.

For what it's worth I run a single 600hps in my 4x4x7 flowering tent and grow monsters.

2 400 Watt bulbs will be overkill for two plants. I use a single 400 watt hps for two plants as well and average 4 oz per plant every three months. Heat is always a battle in grow tents so you for sure only want one light, even if its a 1000 watt.

Quickdraw McGraw said:

The submersive pump I have moves something like 3800lpm.

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3800lpm seems like alot of pressure
http://www.akronbrass.com/nozzles/master-stream-foam-nozzle-with-dispersion-jaws

I run a 600w for 2 plants (although I could do more under it) and it works out great! My RDWC system has 4 sites and 1 control and I only use a 250gph mag-drive pump, which is more than adequate and provides excellent nutrient circulation however I use airstones and a dual diaphragm pump. But you're gonna want a metal halide for veg and a HPS for flower. I've found that a 600w is the best way to go for a tent, providing you air cool it so as not to have unreasonably high temps in the grow room. But I highly doubt that your pump does 3800lpm unless you have some ridiculously large brutal water pump that should be used in a pond. I mean, 3800lpm is like 1000+ gallons per minute, that's just not right.

Dsa7672022 said:

But I highly doubt that your pump does 3800lpm unless you have some ridiculously large brutal water pump that should be used in a pond. I mean, 3800lpm is like 1000+ gallons per minute, that's just not right.

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You're right, it's 1000gph. Duh, I'm dumb, or stoned... or both! Ha! Yeah, "floomong" needs a serious pump, though 1000gph is overkill. It has a throttle on it I believe. I'd like to avoid airstones, so moving tons of water creates the DO instead of stones.

I was thinking that 2 lights would create a better "footprint", since the layout of this tent is rather rectangular.... but it seems that (1) 600w air cooled is the popular choice?

1 600 watt lamp will put off a lot less heat than 2 400s, and produces almost the same amount of light. HPS starts to reach peak efficiency around the 600 watt size. 2 400 watt lamps will draw over 900 watts and produce around 100,000 lumens. 1 600 watt lamp will draw under 700 watts and produce about 90,000 lumens.

If none of that is a concern and you can manage the heat, 2 400s would give a bit better performance.