Initial set up recommendations

Hi. So I'm new to this and am in process of getting my grow room set up... Thought I'd run what I was thinking by some seasoned veterans before buying equipment...

Let me start off. I have one Oregon card, so I can have 18 immature and 6 mature plants at a time.

I don't want to spend more money than I need, but would rather invest enough to have a quality end product.

So heres what I'm thinking... Growing in a garage with fluorescent for clones, one mh to start and eventually maybe another for more plants in veg, and a hps for flower. Unless somebody has a strong argument for hydro or seed I'm planning on starting from clones which I can get from friends, and using a soil system. I would like to utilize my electricity, and while I'm aware that fluorescents are the most energy efficient I don't personally know any growers that would flower with them. I'd like to section off the area for veg and flower to be able to rotate crops for more harvests, and was thinking about 24 hr light for clones, 18/6 for veg and 12/12 for flower, hoping to taper the hours for less stress on my little greenies. I assume I'll run at least 2 fans and increase to three as temperature mandates with one can filter for a scrub for discrestion.

If that all sounds reasonable, I have some questions, if it doesn't please advise!!

Any recommendations on nutrients, I think I'm agreeable to organic if it's not terribly much more than chemicals.

Any thoughts on adding biotica to the soil and molasses? I see the healthiest farming soil with loads of earthworms, so why not?

Will plastic buckets do or shall I purchase a different sort of pot? I do kind of like the look and ability to store those ones that look like they're made of felt with handles?

Is it sufficient to test ph with litmus paper or is a meter better?



Anything I'm missing, wrong about, to that could help me avoid pitfalls would be greatly appreciated!!

Cheers and thanks

You sound like you did your research and have the basic concept. You can only read so much but you gotta dive in and make mistakes to learn and perfect this. To answer most your questions, the stuff you're using will work fine. That being said, there is always better and bigger and more expensive. Depending on your budget and how deep into this you want to go, there are endless possibilities.

the bigger you want your plant, the bigger the pot you should get and let it veg longer. Plastic buckets will be fine as long as they're the size you want, are thoroughly cleaned (especially if it had some chemicals or other gunk in it) and has sufficient drainage holes and make sure it's light proof (roots + light = no no).

As for nutrients, get yourself a GOOD soil that way you dont have to worry about this slow feeding crap burning your plants and also, you dont have to worry about feeding your plants for the first 3 weeks.

Good idea on floweing with the HPS. Floweing is the stage you don't wanna skimp on lights.

Good luck

Dual spectrum hps, fuck all the messing about switching bulbs especially if ya using cool tubes or hoods.

MrMeanGreen said:

Dual spectrum hps, fuck all the messing about switching bulbs especially if ya using cool tubes or hoods.

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My concern with the different light sources is trying to make the most of my utility bill. Is there any advantage to begging under hps? I'm under the impression that mh bulbs would use less electricity while producing enough for growing but they're insufficient for flower

Quixotickitt3n said:

My concern with the different light sources is trying to make the most of my utility bill. Is there any advantage to begging under hps? I'm under the impression that mh bulbs would use less electricity while producing enough for growing but they're insufficient for flower

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if your going to have a separate area for clones under florescent i would just keep all vegging plants under florescent if your worried about your light bill plants will vegg under florescent just fine as the will under HPS. the MH bulb is kind of pointless unless u have the space to have one area for clones one area for vegging and one area for flowering...

coocoo said:

You sound like you did your research and have the basic concept. You can only read so much but you gotta dive in and make mistakes to learn and perfect this. To answer most your questions, the stuff you're using will work fine. That being said, there is always better and bigger and more expensive. Depending on your budget and how deep into this you want to go, there are endless possibilities.

the bigger you want your plant, the bigger the pot you should get and let it veg longer. Plastic buckets will be fine as long as they're the size you want, are thoroughly cleaned (especially if it had some chemicals or other gunk in it) and has sufficient drainage holes and make sure it's light proof (roots + light = no no).

As for nutrients, get yourself a GOOD soil that way you dont have to worry about this slow feeding crap burning your plants and also, you dont have to worry about feeding your plants for the first 3 weeks.

Good idea on floweing with the HPS. Floweing is the stage you don't wanna skimp on lights.

Good luck

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Tanks coo coo. I've watched some others set up their operations and toured a couple others and assume its a trial and error, practice makes, not perfect, but at least better... All I'm hoping for is starting off with my best foot forward...make a reasonable start up to upgrade as I learn more and become more experienced.

Do you have any recommendations on a good soil to start with?

Also I have a friend who runs a clinic in town and can hook me up with some used supplies for cheap, would you recommend used stuff to save money or to start off clean slate with new equipment? I assume the bulbs and filter will have a shorter life, but the hoods, ballasts, fans etc, shouldn't really show wear and tear

i guess what im trying to say is just make ur vegging area bigger and use t5s so u can save electricity and get a tent for flowering and stick your hps in a tent...works great...

sledsarelife said:

i guess what im trying to say is just make ur vegging area bigger and use t5s so u can save electricity and get a tent for flowering and stick your hps in a tent...works great...

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Just jump your elec meter and run an independent fuse to supply your grow. Your regular elec bill will remain the same but your grow elec will be free.

sledsarelife said:

if your going to have a separate area for clones under florescent i would just keep all vegging plants under florescent if your worried about your light bill plants will vegg under florescent just fine as the will under HPS. the MH bulb is kind of pointless unless u have the space to have one area for clones one area for vegging and one area for flowering...

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Is there a problem with having both florescent and mh lights in the same area? Or clones and plants begging in the same area? Are the light cycles for maintaining a clone and begging a plant different?

My understanding is that begging will be faster/better growth under a mh bulb than florescent. It it's equivalent I think I'd prefer to save the money and go florescent for veg

Is that legal?

Quixotickitt3n said:

Is that legal?

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DO NOT DO THAT LOL!!!!! it was done in the 80-90s but electric companys are more aware of people stealing electricity now days...

Quixotickitt3n said:

Is there a problem with having both florescent and mh lights in the same area? Or clones and plants begging in the same area? Are the light cycles for maintaining a clone and begging a plant different?

My understanding is that begging will be faster/better growth under a mh bulb than florescent. It it's equivalent I think I'd prefer to save the money and go florescent for veg

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as far as the grow area...you would need a completly seperate area for your dark time for you flowering plants...lets say hypothetically that your doing it in a basement...one bedroom would be used for flowering one bedroom used for vegging...as flowering plants cannot have any light leaks it has to be completely dark....if your only in a garge...people use grow tents you can check them out at----- http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=lawngarden&field-keywords=grow+tent------- so u can vegg in the garage and flower in the tent...all in the same room-----as far as clones being in the same area.....clones need to be rooted once they are rooted they can move straight to a 5gal pale or what ever u use.....when there are fresh you need a humidity dome and run them under 18-6 for about 10-days if u use a rooting solution...

and as far as the benefits of using MH....most experienced growers would tell you its a waist of money....a plant will vegg of a hps or cfl or t5s much cheaper than getting a seperate ballast hood ect... you can spend 75 on a realy nice set of 5ts and vegg 10plants at a time if not more...u will spent 500(mspp haha) on a whole new ballast hood ect...so most people would just tell you to vegg off using florecents (t5 or cfl) the only difference is it might tack on an extra 10 vegging days due to the fact cfls and florecnts dont produce as much lumes as MH or HPS

sledsarelife said:

DO NOT DO THAT LOL!!!!! it was done in the 80-90s but electric companys are more aware of people stealing electricity now days...

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If you got a smart meter then forget it. I got 2.4kw grow in the loft, flat screen LED tv in every room and 3 PC's on all the time. This alone would set alarms going if I was totally legit with the elec (easily 4-5kw just there). My regular bills are still about £1400 per annum. I only take the elec for the grow space, nothing else. Do it properly and everything will be chicken soup.