Information Overload - please help!

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Dougie.Stone

New Member
Hey all,

So I have been studying as if I was back sitting exams in High School again and I think I have now hit a point of information saturation :dunce: basically I am planning my first grow 'set-up' and would really appreciate any advice on how best I could use my room.

I am planning a perpetual grow and have a spare room around 10x10 in size.

I was planning on purchasing a 5x5x6.5 grow tent with 1000w hps for flower and then a small clone tent with sum T5s and another tent around 2x2x5 for veg, the lights for veg tent I am not too sure on tho but thinking 400w MH (advice on this would be great too please) :?.

Plan is to have 4 plants in flower, 4 in veg and 6 odd in clone stage. Don't really want any more plants than this at any stage so will be growing them quite large and training in order to increase yield etc...

Room is in my house and is insulated and has ducted evaporative cooling. Set-up choice is a little limited where I am but I have found an place that does turn-key setups with all fans, carbon filters, timers, lights , testers etc... most items are interchangeable so I can get the setup I want / need.

My main dilemma is that with all the information I have read I am now second guessing my choices at every turn. Do you think this is a good plan, right lights and size tents etc... - don't really want to waste money upgrading or changing stuff later.

Any advice / input / constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!
 
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Dougie.Stone

New Member
Sorry I probably should have also said I plan to run a drain to waste system using 30l pots - the 1000w ballast is also digital and adjustable.

I will most likely grow in rock-wool to make transplanting easier (helps with over watering and nuturient / salt build up I believe) as I am a bit worried that I will stress the plants when transplanting. Thanks in advance bongsmilie
 
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Dougie.Stone

New Member
My other alternative that I am leaning towards in order to increase yields is to go with a 4x8x6.5 size then and then run 2 600w hps? This setup would only run an extra 200w but it is then giving me two 4x4 grow areas as opposed to 1 5x5 area..? Any advice on size tent would be great, thanks!
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
The 8x4 would obviously give you more space and more space can be more yield.
First off though you want to rethink your veg tent size.
I ran a 8x4 flower tent and a 4x4 veg perpetual for around the last 6-7 years.
The thing I wish I had the option for was more veg space.
A 4x4 will do you though with a 600w mh. But the 2x2 will really limit your output.
One of my plants fills 2x2 space and they are not what you would call big plants.

Other than that you could just go 5x5 for flower and same for veg providing your measurements are not an inch smaller then you state. Then you can flip flop the tents. Just change light cycles and bulbs when you want rather than moving plants around. That would also allow you to Scrog and bump yields up that way.
If you did go with two 5x5s you could use 1000w for flower and 600w mh for veg.
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
personally I would go with a soilless medium like coco with drain to waste.
I wouldn't worry about transplant stress. They are fairly hardy plants.
Cloth pots are also worth considering for a bigger faster root zone.
 
mr.jinks

mr.jinks

Well-Known Member
Moving plants around sucks. Also, check out hlg quantum boards or cobs for lighting. There’s less heat. And they burn a little less hydro. What do you plan on running for humidity control?
 
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Dougie.Stone

New Member
Thanks for the responses all :-D

I actually really like the idea of going with two 5x5 tents (my room is actually slightly over 10foot) with the 1000w for flower and a 600w MH for veg - this was exactly the simple sort of answer I was looking for after becoming so overwhelmed with everything - makes complete sense!

Def also going to change to drain to waste too. Good to hear that transplant stress isn't too crazy too, I was worried about that.

Re: humidity once the tent is set up I will check levels and work from there but I will be getting a fan speed controller to help regulate temps and humidity (going into winter here and I am all the way from Western Australia :) - which is quite a mild winter so I don't think I will have any huge issues... fingers crossed tho!).

Any tips on humidity control?

Thanks again!
 
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Dougie.Stone

New Member
One other question do you think it is worth going for the 7' tall tent over the 6.5'? Question being is the extra headroom necessary given the extra price etc...
 
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Dougie.Stone

New Member
Also, if I wanted to change from 1000w hps for flower and 600w mh for veg to LED what would be the equivalent size lights I would be looking for in the 5x5 space? Thanks again all, I really do appreciate all the help as it certainly can get a bit overbearing!
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Dougie.Stone said:
One other question do you think it is worth going for the 7' tall tent over the 6.5'? Question being is the extra headroom necessary given the extra price etc...
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It doesn't hurt to have the extra head room especially with 1000w hps.

Dougie.Stone said:
Also, if I wanted to change from 1000w hps for flower and 600w mh for veg to LED what would be the equivalent size lights I would be looking for in the 5x5 space? Thanks again all, I really do appreciate all the help as it certainly can get a bit overbearing!
Click to expand...
For replacing a 1000w SE HPS a HLG 600h kit or a HLG550. Or at least 600w of highly efficient COB lighting or similar strips.
For Veg 400w of something similar.

I'm talking actual wattage using some of the most efficient LEDs on the market. But they aint cheap and most value for money means building it yourself . Which isn't hard but is daunting for someone who hasn't done it before.

Stay well clear of blurple panels that call themselves 1000w grow lights and only use 230w of power. You will only be either disappointed or have to run the same wattage as you would of with HPS.

If the choice is cheap blurples or HPS/MH then go with the latter.

BTW, if you reply to someone then they get notified or type the @ symbol in front of someones name. Otherwise folk might not see your response!

Good luck man!
 
Rakin

Rakin

Well-Known Member
for humidity control a dehumidifier set around 50-60% and also setting ac on low or dry mode. If you have mild winters then you probably won’t need a humidifier unless you are in the desert.
 
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Dougie.Stone

New Member
@coreywebster Thanks for the info and the reply advice mate - much appreciated!

I think I will stick with the HPS/MH for now and then convert to LED a little further down the track when I am settled and recovered from my initial outlay.

Sorry to keep being a bother but one last question, I am germinating from seed, should I put it straight under the MH light when it has sprouted (with light placed quite high above the plant) or get a small clone kit with some T5s and throw it under there for the first few weeks?

I did want to get a clone box anyway so it wouldn't be an extra expense but may save some money on electricity and better suit the plants whilst they are young?

Would that be a good idea? Thanks again!
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Dougie.Stone said:
I think I will stick with the HPS/MH for now and then convert to LED a little further down the track when I am settled and recovered from my initial outlay.

Sounds like a good plan. Once you have a harvest or three under your belt you can always look at LED, money shouldn't be too tight then. :bigjoint:

Dougie.Stone said:
Sorry to keep being a bother but one last question, I am germinating from seed, should I put it straight under the MH light when it has sprouted (with light placed quite high above the plant) or get a small clone kit with some T5s and throw it under there for the first few weeks?

I did want to get a clone box anyway so it wouldn't be an extra expense but may save some money on electricity and better suit the plants whilst they are young?

Would that be a good idea? Thanks again!
Click to expand...
You can stick it straight under a MH but I find it better to go steady with seedlings for the first few weeks. A cfl in 6500k or similar kelvin t5s are a good choice. With the price of seeds these days you want to give them the best chance of survival.
Great for cloning too when plants don't need much light to root.

:eyesmoke:
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