Y'all got me feeling dumb

First post, so hi
So. Many. Options... annnnd, I'm lost... I have spent hours trying to decide what I'll need for my first grow. And concluded... nothing. Well, I have seeds decided
Green Crack, feminized
Blue Dream, feminized
Girl Scout Cookie, feminized
Ghost Train Haze, feminized
I will probably be doing one or 2 plants. And using Fox Farms soil and nutes. Probably in 5 gallon smart pots. Grow space will be 2d x 4w x 7h. First I was thinking about a 600w hid, with the option of adding side cfl later. I quickly realized heat would become an issue. Even if I had a cool tube, I have nowhere to vent outside. FAIL...
Now I'm looking at LED. Specifically
http://www.gothamhydroponics.com/led-grow-lights/lighthouse-hydro-blackstar-135w-led-grow-light-uv-626.html
and supplemental cfl, probably 4-26w. In all honesty, I have no idea if this will be enough. So this brings me to my next thought. I see a LOT about COB diy jobs. More light, less money.
At this point I'm willing to take any guidance, tips, pointers, advise... whatever yas got to get me going in the right direction.

Well first, nice strain selection..
Personally id go with a 600 or 1k

Apollo, my favorite brand, makes a ballast that will use 400-1000watt bulbs and like 12 light settings. Everything you could ever want..

They really arent that hard to cool, you can do an open grow meaning no tent and its even easier. But a 600 an inline fan and apollo tent are easy and cheap.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005UGWWFA/ref=pd_aw_sbs_60_2?refRID=0JDXKP219CVSN3CM9PP4

You dont necessarily have to use a carbon filter. Yiu can get 2000cfm box fans for cheap at walmart.. you could always drop some insulated ducting from ac vent to cool tube or whatever, get creative. No biggie

As far as soil goes, you can do whatever. Ive had good results mixing equal parts perlite and miracle grow organic or african violet. Nothing wrong with mg

Thanks qwiz, I was leaning towards making a plywood box. For a few reasons, first, it would be in my closet. I can imagine it would not make sleeping easy with a mini sun glaring at me. Second, it would make odor control easier. Not that I need it 100%, but still don't want my house smelling like crazy.

And yes, the hps I was looking at was the one you mentioned..

I do have a portable ac unit. I can get clever and rig up some hoses and use that... like you said, I can just get creative I suppose.

I'm gonna need a bigger bag... thanks again.

Dude, if you can afford the LED, go LED. The heat with a 600 or 1000 will be an issue. Even this will really affect your air conditioner. it will be 80 degrees around that closet, AT BEST, with a 600. Good luck with a 1000w light. You dont want a sloppy looking grow area. you have a decent amount of space. get an LED, they're getting better every day and made really for this kind of application. with this space a 4 inch carbon filter and fan could work for smell . 6inch at most. they take up about 18"x18" in your room (pro tip: hang from ceiling with bungee cord. noise = what noise?) . Use a CO2 bag and keep the closet closed and it will be almost stealth. which it doesnt seem like you necessarily need but trust me, you'll be proud of it. and youll still be able to use the room.

As for your other question. Run AT LEAST 3 plants if you plan on growing in soil and dont have a veg room as theyre not going to get THAT big if you dont veg for 6 weeks. Which, no, just grow 3 or 4 plants. I suggest Fox Farm Happy Frog. It's what I've used and the bud always turns out very good. Something like 3 of these http://www.bonanza.com/listings/2015-NEW-300W-LED-Grow-Light-Full-Spectrum-IR-For-Indoor-Hydrophonic-AeroGarden/181892177?gpid=68416461421&gpkwd=&goog_pla=1&gclid=CjwKEAjw_MisBRCTuNPfoMqU4ngSJACrJv1Vwr-9uQB8ewugyNmFgo4yZ7GZX0-i-Blh3EN9UXl98BoCBnfw_wcB will yield more than what a 600w HPS would while drawing 60 watts less. I'd say you could easily pull about 6 to 8 Oz every harvest. Dial everything in correctly and you could pull over a pound. I think that's pretty good for a closet.

Edit: That link alone could change your mind. 300W LED (180 actual) light for 76 bucks. 228 for 540 actual watts of LED

It seems every where I look is people battling with temp in small grows. It has me concerned because I have an older house, with a boiler for heat... as in no ducts. The heat in the room will stay there. I can't vent outside through the window, my neighbor is probably 20 feet away on that side.

In the closet, it is under my stairs. So I do have more room on both sides of the 4 ft width. But not enough air to dissipate the heat. I know this whole hid vs led battle... and I know both have their place. I'm just shooting for whatever y'all can throw at me as advise. So thanks ryan, those are super cheap, I was hoping to spend around $300, all the led I looked at were well past that. Hans, a51, ect.

Also, why do you say 3 or 4 plants for soil?

Another thing you need to consider is any light leaks your closet may have. You could also have very good success growing autoflowers, since you wont have a veg area. You could fit 8 autoflowers in 3 or 5 gallon pots in that area. Thats a good way to get 8-12 ounces every two months. With LED and a CO2 bag the heat will be proper because plants like warmer temps at high CO2 levels. also you can put the fan in that extra space.

There is a light leak, the stairs part of the closet has it. I figured it would be easier to make a cabinet than repair/caulk that and light proof the doors and all.
Co2 bags... now something else I need to look into... it doesn't stop I guess... lmao.

If I could get in a groove and get 2-4 oz. Every 2 months of top notch nugs I would be thrilled. Any more would be icing on the cake to me.
Now with these co2 bags, I would think the intake/exaust would just blow it right out? I still don't know what they are... but it doesn't make sense to me right now I guess.

It doesnt have to be perfectly light proof.
Mj can thrive +90°f with decent air flow..dont over think it as a beginner. Dont worry about co2

2-4 Oz is easy peasy with those lights. Hell, 6 is doable for a noob.

Trust me, you just really dont want extra heat in your house. I had a small closet grow with 400watts and it took a major toll on the a/c in my apartment. and that was with an air cooled lamp.

You need the CO2 so there is no intake or exhaust. You want the closet to be as air tight as possible. Thats the beauty. You can have the lights, carbon filter, and literally everything you need in the closet, with the doors closed and the only way to discover it is be within 5 to 10 feet of it. and then you wonder what the soft hum is. on top of this, you have one of the best grow rooms you could possibly make with that space. your closet wont go a degree above 85. at this temperature and with CO2 your plants will THRIVE.

Another important thing that I absolutely recommend is a good PPM/eC/pH meter. The water and nutrient solution you use is vital to the success of the plant.

Story of my life, over think... but I don't want to fail either. Especially with all the knowledge from "pros" right here at my finger tips. So many been there done that's here. I am trying to not make a stupid rookie mistake right off the bat.

My first grow was in a 2' by 2.5' washer/dryer closet. I vented my light out the exhaust vent and it still got very hot. My biggest wish for that grow is that I would have had a chance to have LED. If you dont care to carbon filter you can literally just hang the three lights and the CO2 bag and be growing the day your lights arrive. with no modifications to your closet.
carbon filter would be something like this.http://www.amazon.com/VenTech-VT-IF4-CF4-IF4CF412/dp/B004Q2ER5C/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1435721035&sr=8-11&keywords=4+inch+carbon+filter remember that you can at least wait until you notice you need it before you buy

If you want to optimize your area, stagger the times of when you start your plants. Go with one every three weeks and 9 weeks from now you'll have a plant to chop once every three weeks. You'll be able to grow bigger plants as all of them are not mature and it's nice not have to deal with waiting 9 weeks to get more weed.

If you're concerned about an uneven canopy.....just raise the shorter plants to give yourself an even canopy.

If you have the bucks....get yourself a LED. Go with a 1000K

Never even thought of that, thanks lilroach, that is genius!!!

1000k just sounds like more than I wanna spend... right now, it's gonna be a hobby, after a few grows, I'll probably have the capital and balls to drop a couple grand + on lighting.

I can fairly easily make a carbon filter, give me 20 min at Home Depot and an hour. I can knock one out, just gotta get my MacGyver on.

DDom said:

I can fairly easily make a carbon filter, give me 20 min at Home Depot and an hour. I can knock one out, just gotta get my MacGyver on.

Click to expand...

Heard about it being done, but dont know how well it will work i.e. will you get enough airflow through it? 100 bucks for a fan and filter isnt too bad, but thats certainly a way you could go.

All of my grow houses are crappy 2 bed apts..

Canopy is 4° above ambient with 1ks and box fan circulation, only you know the lengths your willing to go. Each 1k can pull half a lb a week of you put the work in. You dont have to run carbon filters, i usually dont. Again it does not need to be light proof, ive turned cieling lights on every night..again i just did a run of 40 master kushes that hit 100° for most of flower, still turned purple still went 50-53 days, just as dank and same bud structure as the previous cuttings in lower temps.

Anyway, do your research and nobody can steer yiu wrong

I work, a LOT... but the wife said you tell me what to do and I'll do it. So after setup the lengths are limitless for me. I have no problem setting up everything correctly, or as close as it as possible. What is correct or not is my issue. You are a well respected member here qwiz. I have seen you answering ton of questions as I have been here lurking. You obviously know what you are talking about.

In all honesty, the thing keeping me from led is the cost of a quality light. With hid, it's heat. I have a fan that would blow probably close to 2000 cfm through the tube. This is a big decision for me. I do want everything to be as perfect as possible. Try to decrease any issues that will inevitably come up. Just nice to chat and hear options.

And no carbon filter? And it didn't stink up the place?

How on earth can you pull half a pound a week with 1000W? There is no veg room here. And what is your dimensions?

In a 4x4 tent the only possible way I can think to do that is planting 12 plants in 4"x4" rock wool each week and run 12/12 from seed with no room to spare. but even then i think youre far fetched to get an ounce from each plant. and you'd have to use different doses on nutes for different rows.