Starter kit? help?

Herb & Suds said:

I just bought all the wrong stuff and replaced it
Isn't that pretty standard?

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Yep. Then don’t forget getting suckered again into buying the wrong thing because you listened the hydro shop guy who advised you a 5” inline fan with low CFM would be fine for a cool tube 600w with filter in your area lol.

The you read more and understand grow room design and realise that all these “kits” come with underspec’d everything for the light they’re selling with the kit and that you’re better off working it all out yourself.

LxWxH+(15%per light)+(20% per filter) + (10% for every 90bend in ducting) + (10% for every 5m run of ducting) plus allowing for ambient room temps lol.

$5 yellow PH stick. Thermometer, timers, small oscillating fans (harder to find than you think).

Honestly PH'ing all water is the key for new growers.

I even PH my lawn..... My rain water is ~5.5, my tap water is usually ~7.1... after a heavy rain my tap water is ~6.0, in a drought it gets to nearly 8.0
This is city water, not a well or something.

^^^^ I can eyeball how much PH down to use based on the weather.

Consistency seems to prevent shocking plants. I like my pH and watering intervals to be very consistent.

jondamon said:

Yep. Then don’t forget getting suckered again into buying the wrong thing because you listened the hydro shop guy who advised you a 5” inline fan with low CFM would be fine for a cool tube 600w with filter in your area lol.

The you read more and understand grow room design and realise that all these “kits” come with underspec’d everything for the light they’re selling with the kit and that you’re better off working it all out yourself.

LxWxH+(15%per light)+(20% per filter) + (10% for every 90bend in ducting) + (10% for every 5m run of ducting) plus allowing for ambient room temps lol.

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I can tell you with 100% certainly the kit I am using is not under powered and all the equipment is suited perfectly to the space. I am currently running 3 tents with 3 different light brands from HLG to Viparspectra to Mars. There is nothing wrong with that Mars kit. Can you get better, sure. My HLG and Infinity Cloudline are better, I could also buy 3 of those kits for what I paid for my HLG lighting. If you are looking for a starting point that works and doesnt break the bank those kits are fine. If you are looking for the best of everything than prepare to spend 3 x 4 times the money plus.

Doug Dawson said:

I can tell you with 100% certainly the kit I am using is not under powered and all the equipment is suited perfectly to the space. I am currently running 3 tents with 3 different light brands from HLG to Viparspectra to Mars. There is nothing wrong with that Mars kit. Can you get better, sure. My HLG and Infinity Cloudline are better, I could also buy 3 of those kits for what I paid for my HLG lighting. If you are looking for a starting point that works and doesnt break the bank those kits are fine. If you are looking for the best of everything than prepare to spend 3 x 4 times the money plus.

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I get that don’t worry.

LED’s are easier to maintain temperature than HPS so I guess I should have started my little blurb with HPS kits are usually underpowered items to buy and grow lol.

It's easy for seasoned growers to point people toward bigger, better and more expensive products.
What a lot seem to forget is that new growers aren't usually willing to make a large investment for an undetermined outcome.
I started with a 400w HPS for that reason alone. Toward the end of flower I had COBs on the way. I would not have made that investment without knowing if I could finish a plant first. Did I waste money on that HPS?
I would have bought that MarsHydro kit if it were available back then and I would likely still have the light it comes with today, unlike the HPS that is long gone.

Creature1969 said:

It's easy for seasoned growers to point people toward bigger, better and more expensive products.
What a lot seem to forget is that new growers aren't usually willing to make a large investment for an undetermined outcome.
I started with a 400w HPS for that reason alone. Toward the end of flower I had COBs on the way. I would not have made that investment without knowing if I could finish a plant first. Did I waste money on that HPS?
I would have bought that MarsHydro kit if it were available back then and I would likely still have the light it comes with today, unlike the HPS that is long gone.

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This is the main reason I did a grow in that kit, I wanted to speak from personal experience and be able to reccomend a cheaper way for new growers to get started.

Funny, because with the exception of my areocloner I haven't ph'd my water in years
"Honestly PH'ing all water is the key for new growers" I guess it just applies to new growers

You would think I would have realize it is by now

PizzaMan5000 said:

$5 yellow PH stick. Thermometer, timers, small oscillating fans (harder to find than you think).

Honestly PH'ing all water is the key for new growers.

I even PH my lawn..... My rain water is ~5.5, my tap water is usually ~7.1... after a heavy rain my tap water is ~6.0, in a drought it gets to nearly 8.0
This is city water, not a well or something.

^^^^ I can eyeball how much PH down to use based on the weather.

Consistency seems to prevent shocking plants. I like my pH and watering intervals to be very consistent.

Click to expand...

PizzaMan5000 said:

$5 yellow PH stick. Thermometer, timers, small oscillating fans (harder to find than you think).

Honestly PH'ing all water is the key for new growers.

I even PH my lawn..... My rain water is ~5.5, my tap water is usually ~7.1... after a heavy rain my tap water is ~6.0, in a drought it gets to nearly 8.0
This is city water, not a well or something.

^^^^ I can eyeball how much PH down to use based on the weather.

Consistency seems to prevent shocking plants. I like my pH and watering intervals to be very consistent.

Click to expand...

You PH your lawn? Ok I have never heard of such a thing. Most people in soil don't PH their water as the soil does that for you. I have to PH since I use Coco but that's totally different. So how exactly do you PH a lawn?

Doug Dawson said:

You PH your lawn? Ok I have never heard of such a thing. Most people in soil don't PH their water as the soil does that for you. I have to PH since I use Coco but that's totally different. So how exactly do you PH a lawn?

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I disagree on letting the soil do the work.
My lawn is around 7.3 pH naturally and I have to use acidifier to bring it down.
After numerous waterings I had yellow grass. Dropped the PH and it was lush the next day.

On my plants, I have noticed occasional stunted growth with water that was way out of range.
I like to just keep the PH consistent regardless of feed PPM.
I don't use super soil, mainly recycled happy frog. I also water to heavy runoff, I just don't depend on my soil for the PH is all.

But yes, I guess for a new grower; they should probably PH their water to prevent too many variables.

That's kinda like opening up the whole runoff pH debate etc. I like to just start with my water in range is all.
In fact I run it on the acidic side: 6.1-6.3

A PH stick is $5 regardless, wether you use it or not.

Personally I've had terrible experiences with cheap pH pens I buy the pH drops.

Herb & Suds said:

Funny, because with the exception of my areocloner I haven't ph'd my water in years
"Honestly PH'ing all water is the key for new growers" I guess it just applies to new growers

You would think I would have realize it is by now

Click to expand...

Don't forget the calmag. It's a requirement with every watering. Double the dose because it's always a calmag deficiency. Is it Ca or Mg? Who knows but add more calmag anyway. Cut out all nitrogen and blast the plants with massive doses of high P/K boosters 5-6 weeks into flower. More P/K equals bigger flowers doesn't it?

xtsho said:

Don't forget the calmag. It's a requirement with every watering. Double the dose because it's always a calmag deficiency. Is it Ca or Mg? Who knows but add more calmag anyway. Cut out all nitrogen and blast the plants with massive doses of high P/K boosters 5-6 weeks into flower. More P/K equals bigger flowers doesn't it?

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YUGE!

Herb & Suds said:

Funny, because with the exception of my areocloner I haven't ph'd my water in years
"Honestly PH'ing all water is the key for new growers" I guess it just applies to new growers

You would think I would have realize it is by now

Click to expand...

I've stopped pH my water and I amntrying to be organic, cheap PH pens are a nightmare.