Help with deciding on first grow setup

Hello fellow smokers!

After doing tons of research on the internet and going through the so many options available, I thought I would reach out to the experts to share some thoughts on what type of set up would be ideal for the type of results I am trying to achieve.

I am looking at growing to cover my personal use only. Which is about 2-3 oz a month. I will be growing in a grow tent in a small space in my outhouse which has no heating and can get very cold in the winter months.

I am initially looking at growing a northern lights auto in a 2x2x5.5 (ft) grow tent using a 250 watt HPS. I thought HPS as cheaper to initially purchase, meant to yield best results and the heat from bulb may combat being in a room that is cold at night. I am thinking about using a 4inch carbon filter and inline extractor fan with 2 oscillating small clip on fans with 1 being near the air intake at the bottom of the tent.

I guess I can only get 1 plant in a 2x2 if growing the “super auto-flower” kind but does this kind of set up sound sufficient to grow 3-4 oz a month with some Low Stress Training?

Noise is also a concern. Am I best to get a 6 inch filter and fan and reduce the power with a dimmer switch or can I get away with doing that using a 4 inch?

Any advices would be appreciated

Look into perpetual grow

One auto may get you 3+ oz, when you know what your doing,but it will take 3 months to harvest....ish

To actually cover that kinda of amount a month would take quite a bit of space

2 tents min
Stagered perpetual
Harvest a plant every month or two


Etc etc etc

Skip the autos and get a pack of good fem seeds. Sounds like you want a perpetual grow, so setting yourself up with a mother plant you can take clones from regularly might be a good idea. For your needs, one of those 2 in 1 tents might work well.

I grow in a tent that is also 5' tall and from my experience, even growing short ass Indicas you will need more then just some LST. I suggest you put a net (SCROG) in there.

Perpetual grow like theyve said is also a good idea cuz youre girls will have a minimum veg time.

Thanks for this advice guys. It’s really giving me some food for thought. I like the idea of autos due to the short harvest time. I go away once or twice a year so it’s leaving the girls on their own. If I went down the photo period route or keep a mother plant going I am worried at some point it would clash with me going away. I will have to look into this perpetual grow though as sounds may be the way to go. Especially this 2 in one tent. I have to remember I am limited on room so what if I went for a 3x3 and bigger light? Think that would work or still recommend the perpetual idea?

Problem with small space is keeping plants continuously growing
You'd be harvest..then start new ones due to space issues

More space the better

well when the lights go out without some kind of heater your plants will die you can insulate but you still need heat

osowhom said:

well when the lights go out without some kind of heater your plants will die you can insulate but you still need heat

Click to expand...

I have had the outhouse insulated so keeps heat in quite well. I can leave a oil heater on overnight. I am really trying to figure out the best way to get 3-4 oz on average a month in a small space. Perpetual sounds a good idea but think will need room that I haven’t really got at the moment. Still reading up on this. Maybe I just don’t have the space to achieve this. I am looking at a 2x2 tent but can maybe push to a 3x3 or a 2x4.

Get as big as you can

Learn to grow

Worry about a perpetual later after you don't kill all yer plants...lol

BobThe420Builder said:

Get as big as you can

Learn to grow

Worry about a perpetual later after you don't kill all yer plants...lol

Click to expand...

this is what I am also thinking lol maybe rather than worry about covering personal. Go small, learn to grow to make sure it’s for me then go big and upgrade. It looks hard work but think I could really get into it and it would save me a fortune lol.

I grow for a hobby more than anything

They are a beautiful plant, smell amazing, and fun to grow

Go at it with the best attitude, a d you'll enjoy it too

Get a decent light like Mars Hydro or Spyder farmer...good for the price

Get inert soil or promix hp which is peat based
Real cannabis nutes... Something really easy is Mega Crop
I use the above two things if in not running dwc


And read read read ...then read some more

BobThe420Builder said:

I grow for a hobby more than anything

They are a beautiful plant, smell amazing, and fun to grow

Go at it with the best attitude, a d you'll enjoy it too

Get a decent light like Mars Hydro or Spyder farmer...good for the price

Get inert soil or promix hp which is peat based
Real cannabis nutes... Something really easy is Mega Crop
I use the above two things if in not running dwc


And read read read ...then read some more

Click to expand...

Thanks for this man. It has certainly helped. I have also been wondering what alternative light I could get so thanks for the recommendations. I will look into those.

Light size goes with tent size

I'd also recommend the talllllllest tent you can find...,6' or taller

Edit

Stay away from blurple lights...get a white light like Mars ts1000 or similar

Yes I was just looking on eBay at Mars hydro ts600 or a TS1000. Do these produce much heat and can plants get closer to these than HPS? Think I will have to be looking into this lst and scrog more as 6 ft seems to be tallest I can can for a 2x2. I think first grow 1 auto under a Mars hydro is way forward. Like sound of these Mars hydro lights.

Hps are hot for sure, these should be 10f cooler or so

For the $$$$ mars makes good lights

to get a harvest per month you will need 3 tents. your fastest possible harvest will be 10 weeks give or take. they are all correct get your perpetual started soon and keep it going. otherwise it will take 90 days plus dry cure so 4 months to see a harvest autos included