Which would you choose? Two $6 10x10 setups

[max huff]

So I'm looking to make a choice very soon, but I need some help. I'm trying to figure out what the best option might be. Option 1 is soil, Option 2 is LED. With the soil and digilumes the cost is more, plus electrician. But could it be worth it because of more lighting? Quality and quantity are both desired. Which would YOU choose? Or would you choose neither and make some changes? Any tips appreciated!


Option 1:
Tent - $500
3 Digilume 1000w Double Ended DE Complete Fixture $390.50
2 Grower's Edge Large Display Thermometer & Hygrometer $17.07
2 Titan Controls Apollo 9 -- Digital Dual Timer $15.82
1 Hurricane 8" 745 CFM Fan + Phresh 750 CFM Carbon Filter Package $291.69
1 8 Stainless Steel Duct & Hose Clamps -- 1 Pair $0.00
1 Phresh Filter 8 x 24 -- 750 CFM $0.00
1 Hurricane Inline Fan 8 - 745 CFM $0.00
1Active Air Duct Fan Speed Adjuster Controller $0.00
1 8 x 25' Black Lightproof Ducting w/Clamps $0.00
1 Active Air 6 inch In-Line Fan 400 CFM $74.33
1 Active Air Wall Mount Fan 16 Inch $32.78
1 Titan Controls Apollo 14 -- 8 Outlet Power Strip w/ Timer $20.60
1 Active Air Infinity Fan 16 Inch $47.56
1 Green Eye LED Cap Light $8.14
1 Hanna PHEP 4 Tester With Replaceable Electrode (HI 98127) $83.38
1 GrowoniX EX200 Reverse Osmosis Filter 200GPD $198.62
3 Oxygen Shield Air Diffusers -- 3 (40-70 Gallon) $40.31
1 Grow Crew White T5 4 Ft 8 Bulb Fixture $138.42
6 GHHANGER Grow Crew 1/8 Ratchet Light Hanger (Pair) $11.29
1 Orca Grow Film -- 54 X 100 $185.91
1 50 gal Reservoir, 39.5 x 39.5 x 13 $79.03
30 Premium Nursery Pot 7 Gallon $4.64
30 Premium Nursery Pot 3 Gallon $1.90
35 Happy Frog Soil Conditioner 3 Cu. Ft. $19.76
75 Fox Farm Ocean Forest Organic Potting Mix - 1.5 Cu. Ft. $13.86

about $300 for a nutes line
electrician for 240v and dedicating room to grow $600-800

$6,800ish

Option 2:
10x10 LED

Similar to super closet LED room but saves $1400



tent 10x10 - $640

24 site hydro setup $1500

4x Mars II LED grow light 1600W $1140

co2 $230

hygrometer, timers, power strip etc - $80-100

3x fans $80

exhaust filter/fan - $300

intake fan $80

stealth ro water filter - $280

OG nutes $250

AC $260

dehumidifier $260

sump pump $30

hose $20

clones $300

Veg in rock wool under LED - about $400 in equipment
+ cloner $150


$6,000ish

 

[nomofatum]

I would go totally different. Tell me about the room you want to grow in. Tell me about your climate and if you will be growing indoors year round. Tell me about venting options.

 

[max huff]

Indoors year round, SoCal weather, HVAC in house is good, can maintain steady 65-70. Plan for two of these setups in a 20x30 room if the first one goes good.
Each tent will have it's own exhaust, can blow outside and pulling air from outside of tent, it's an open floor plan.
I settled on tents because framing seemed difficult and not as cost effective, mainly due to the walls being 14ft high and having limited help.
Hopefully I'm understanding the questions correctly, new to indoor. Thanks for reply.

 

[nomofatum]

That is a huge tent, I've never seen a 10x10. Would be pretty easy to just sheet it off, staple to ceiling, weight down with brick to floor.

If I had a 10x 10 area I would use:
4x 1000w HPS
4x 400w MH or 1400w of 6500k leds
5x UVB 10% Tanning Bulbs or 500w of T5HO lights with UVB 10% bulbs in them

You can reduce the number of HPS and MH by 1 each if you use light movers.

56 site DWC setup (8x7, one empy row down middle to walk/crawl, lol.)
Maxigro/Maxibloom + Koolbloom (dry)

 

[justugh]

u forgot to add in
a water chiller to keep the water temps right under the IR heat from the HPS
a AC unit to keep the area cool from the IR heat .....1ton mini split would work or a 15000 btu window shaker

as for the tent gorilla/ secret jardin make a good 10X10 (only really need if doing Co2 enrichment)
but he is right if u have the room just use that ........u will only need to keep negative pressure to control smell

the only thing i can add in is u need to have that room wired up to several different breakers 15 amp maybe even 20 amps
1 for the ac and fans
2 at least for the lights 2 on each
1 for the equipment for RDWC
the best way to figure it out is to pick what u are going to do and look at the amp drawl for them add them up and look at what u have in your panel .....look at what amp the breakers are and how many open slots u have in the panel

if u do go Ballast i would say to get this one just because of how the light fires up
http://www.solis-tek.com/digital-ballasts/matrix-1000-digital-ballast.html
http://www.amazon.com/SolisTek-Matrix-1000w-Digital-Ballast
i like this one alot it helped me when i was stuck on 1 breaker because of the way it starts up it would not trip the breaker (15 amp) had that plus 600w and 5 fans on it i was right at the line

 

[max huff]

If I had a 10x 10 area I would use:
4x 1000w HPS
4x 400w MH or 1400w of 6500k leds
5x UVB 10% Tanning Bulbs or 500w of T5HO lights with UVB 10% bulbs in them /QUOTE]

Interesting! Would 1400w of 6500k leds = the same yield as 4x 1000w HPS?? And I'm all for UVBs, forgot about that, good call!
So LEDs and I likely wouldn't need the chiller and the AC? If the yield is the same and no AC/chiller is needed due to low heat of LEDs I think I may go that route..
Last question- do you have any 6500k LEDs you could recommend?

 

[max huff]

the only thing i can add in is u need to have that room wired up to several different breakers 15 amp maybe even 20 amps
1 for the ac and fans
2 at least for the lights 2 on each
1 for the equipment for RDWC
the best way to figure it out is to pick what u are going to do and look at the amp drawl for them add them up and look at what u have in your panel .....look at what amp the breakers are and how many open slots u have in the panel

Thanks for electric tips- definitely noted!
So far I have a ball park estimate, waiting on official bid, so will run this by him.
The hesitation on sheeting the area off are the high ceilings, what can I use that will hold 100% and how will I mount the lights/ducting etc with ceilings so high up?

 

[nomofatum]

Interesting! Would 1400w of 6500k leds = the same yield as 4x 1000w HPS?? And I'm all for UVBs, forgot about that, good call!
So LEDs and I likely wouldn't need the chiller and the AC? If the yield is the same and no AC/chiller is needed due to low heat of LEDs I think I may go that route..
Last question- do you have any 6500k LEDs you could recommend?

I was trying to show you a good mix of lights, MH/6500k/cool lighting and UVA lighting promote bushy plants and thick stocks. UVB promotes resin production. HPS/2700-3500k/warm promotes primary flower production. For this reason I recommend 66-75% of your light come from warm light sources while the remaining 25-33% is cool/UVB (5w of UVB 10% per sqft)

 

[nomofatum]

If you want a full DIY light setup I could make recommendations, but they will be different from what I use as my situation is different (only grow in cold weather.)
I use cheaper and less efficient epistar COBs.

In your case you would want to look at Vero 29 (no 6500k, but can get 2700k for HPS replacement), CXA3070 is available in both 6500k and 2700k. The HPS is about the same efficiency as the LEDs and tons cheaper so I would avoid the warm HPS replacements and just get the cool MH replacements where efficiency can be gained.

 

[justugh]

Thanks for electric tips- definitely noted!
So far I have a ball park estimate, waiting on official bid, so will run this by him.
The hesitation on sheeting the area off are the high ceilings, what can I use that will hold 100% and how will I mount the lights/ducting etc with ceilings so high up?

oh that is a good thing ........yes u can mount them anywhere u can hit stud to anchor it (if u need it in the middle of something use a board nail to 2 studs and mount it on board)
the lights are on rope hangers u just need to mount a eyebolt into the stud then clip on ........u might have to replace the rope they give u 6 feet put on 12/14 if u need it

the other really cool thing u got going is the room for the hot air to expand into if u do go mini split it would cool that air .......or u could add a Co2 burner hang it up there and keep a extraction fan/vent point up there u get the co2 from being a heavy gass but the heat made would be extracted before the area filled up

 

[justugh]

to do the co2 is easy they sell 6mil polywrap at home depot .....they are 20x100ft rolls paint dept

u just want to make a tub for the Co2 to collect in ........so little thinking u can line the walls all in one sheet (cut out the sockets and tape it down to wall).....if u are on the ground floor or house is concret u do not need to line the floor (wooden floors as in beams subfloor then wood/carpet needs a base layer )

the door in and out use a zipper .......aslong as the door swings out to enter the room this works great .........u made a tub that CO2 can collect in swril around the plants get ejected out when it fills to the venting points

the intake is the harder part .........i been messing with Throw wall venting ........fan and ducting so the air is dumped out low or infront of a fan to get a good swirl air pattern going

 

[max huff]

In your case you would want to look at Vero 29 (no 6500k, but can get 2700k for HPS replacement), CXA3070 is available in both 6500k and 2700k. The HPS is about the same efficiency as the LEDs and tons cheaper so I would avoid the warm HPS replacements and just get the cool MH replacements where efficiency can be gained.

Awesome reviews, but can't find anything pre-assembled, are these all DIY? Are there any pre-fabricated units out there? These look sick!

 

[max huff]

to do the co2 is easy they sell 6mil polywrap at home depot .....they are 20x100ft rolls paint dept

u just want to make a tub for the Co2 to collect in ........so little thinking u can line the walls all in one sheet (cut out the sockets and tape it down to wall).....if u are on the ground floor or house is concret u do not need to line the floor (wooden floors as in beams subfloor then wood/carpet needs a base layer )

the door in and out use a zipper .......aslong as the door swings out to enter the room this works great .........u made a tub that CO2 can collect in swril around the plants get ejected out when it fills to the venting points

the intake is the harder part .........i been messing with Throw wall venting ........fan and ducting so the air is dumped out low or infront of a fan to get a good swirl air pattern going

Thanks.. Polywrap, will that mean more condensation/humidity?

 

[nomofatum]

Awesome reviews, but can't find anything pre-assembled, are these all DIY? Are there any pre-fabricated units out there? These look sick!

There are some prefabs, but big price tags come with them. Ask in LED lighting section or read in LED lighting section for more on those, I would have to do the research myself on prefabs.

 

[justugh]

Thanks.. Polywrap, will that mean more condensation/humidity?

burner will make the RH go up
tanks....no effect on the RH

as for just wrapping itself as long as u are not wrapping the walls when it is a 65% RH u should be fine no mold or anything issues with it .........u are not completely sealing the room just making a tub for the Co2 to pool up in ........the RH should be just little higher then outside air 5 or 10% with a burning and proper venting

tho i have never messed with a RDWC on the scale nomofatum is saying the air bubbling tho the water could add some on that scale