New grow room set up evaluation

Phringe

New Member
This will be my first grow and this is the setup in looking at going with. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for looking.

The grow room:
http://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Horticulture-Hydroponic-Indoor-Growing/dp/B00H9OJHYA

Light system:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005GYRZV2/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1453828831&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=ipower+600w&dpPl=1&dpID=51I4i8fTXVL&ref=plSrch

Ventilation:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ZPSXBMQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1453828875&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=inline+fan+filter+combo&dpPl=1&dpID=51za17dq+cL&ref=plSrch

As far as growing I wanted to do 3 plants eventually ending in a 3 gallon air pots with a soil operation. With the limited grow space I have would starting from seed be difficult or would I be better to find a female clone? Any suggestions on strain would be nice.

I believe 600w will be enough for the lighting and I planned on a speed controller for the fan as well.
 
Last edited:

Phringe

New Member
Another concern I've had with the size of the tent (4'x2'x5') will the 600w light with an air cooled hood create to much heat that would be uncontrollable?
 

justugh

Well-Known Member
This will be my first grow and this is the setup in looking at going with. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for looking.

The grow room:
http://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Horticulture-Hydroponic-Indoor-Growing/dp/B00H9OJHYA

Light system:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005GYRZV2/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1453828831&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=ipower+600w&dpPl=1&dpID=51I4i8fTXVL&ref=plSrch

Ventilation:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ZPSXBMQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1453828875&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=inline+fan+filter+combo&dpPl=1&dpID=51za17dq+cL&ref=plSrch

As far as growing I wanted to do 3 plants eventually ending in a 3 gallon air pots with a soil operation. With the limited grow space I have would starting from seed be difficult or would I be better to find a female clone? Any suggestions on strain would be nice.

I believe 600w will be enough for the lighting and I planned on a speed controller for the fan as well.
bad tent ....the tent design and materials are not that great ......if u are going to invest in a tent gorilla grow or secret jardin .......i owned a tent like that it will fail

bad light .....the dimmable ballast is bad they are misleading no bulbs on the market are designed to be run at less power (if u get a 600w bulb it only works correctly at 600w ....if it is old bulb 10k hours plus it is ok to send 100w more to regain lumens lost from filament degrading )

if u are going to be doing this for awhile and possible upgrading it is worst the money to spend on it now then collecting useless gear later
so
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Jardin-Street-DS120w-Growing/dp/B00MWEFR0K/
this tent holds 70 lbs of gear rated #2
or
http://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Grow-Tent-LTGGT24-67/dp/B00LBEBV3E/
holds up to 300 lbs rated #1


as for ballast
http://www.amazon.com/SolisTek-Dimmable-Digital-Ballast-STK1001LCD/dp/B00L1Z4TJG/
this a select a watt ballast it can do all u need single end bulb or double end bulb ....built in timer ...fire check before lights off ......u just have to select how u want to run it in remote then send the commands to the ballast (rem to always make sure u have on right watt if on 1000w with 600w bulb it will blow up the bulb possible wrecking the cooltube harvest and fan)

next is the hood........that ballast is able to do both light times the light u use depends on the hood u pick
http://www.amazon.com/Yield-Lab-Double-Ended-Reflector/dp/B00YT70O7O
double ended
http://www.amazon.com/iPower-GLCLTB6XL-Littlesun-Reflector-Hydroponics/dp/B00BDGHIBE/
single end ....personal fav

but u see what i mean on hoods if they are not to u liking pick anyone that is just look for 6 inch hook up as u are looking to buy the 6 inch fan /filter combo

the bulbs ok really the ipower stuff is crap
Hortilux or Eye-Hortilux
Ushio
are thought to be the 2 best bulbs on the market
Plantmax
Digilux
are good too ........just make sure u buy a MH and a HPS 600w

if u buy it cheap u will get a few grows out of it but it will fail .....as for the ballast and light they are just better
 

astronautrob

Well-Known Member
Yea I'd say that jardin tent justugh picked out is a better buy.

As for the light I think that is a good starter lighting system. Yes, the dimmable ballast are gimmicky and don't really work, but don't dim it. Buy a 600w ballast and use it at 100% power, problem solved with the dimming issue. Yes, the bulbs definitely are not the greatest, but you can still get a grow out of them then upgrade your bulbs next grow. I mean you still get the hood and ballast which will be fine. I actually have an ipower ballast that runs fine. I've changed my bulb since I bought it but the actual ballast and hood I bought from them have been great. I'm not too sure on the heat issue though, I run a 600w in a 4x4 which does fine but I don't know about a 4x2. I think you'd be ok though if you could exhaust the hot air in to another room or bring cold air in somehow.....
 

Phringe

New Member
So after pricing everything out this is what I'm looking at;

Grow 1 $800 (roughly) https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3NLODZWTVI358/ref=cm_wl_list_o_1?

Grow 2 $450 (roughly) https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/32L2QRQEG4OC4/ref=cm_wl_list_o_2?

Being my first grow attempt and build I'm leaning more towards the Grow 2 option. Mostly for the pricing. I really don't want to skimp corners but I think just starting out this would be good then upgrade as I go? I do like the Secret Jardin more than the original tent I was leaning towards. Or I could just dive head first and go with Grow 1 option.
 

verticalgrow

Well-Known Member
So after pricing everything out this is what I'm looking at;

Grow 1 $800 (roughly) https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3NLODZWTVI358/ref=cm_wl_list_o_1?

Grow 2 $450 (roughly) https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/32L2QRQEG4OC4/ref=cm_wl_list_o_2?

Being my first grow attempt and build I'm leaning more towards the Grow 2 option. Mostly for the pricing. I really don't want to skimp corners but I think just starting out this would be good then upgrade as I go? I do like the Secret Jardin more than the original tent I was leaning towards. Or I could just dive head first and go with Grow 1 option.
:weed: go with the Lowest fan noise option, around 30-40db :leaf:
 

kmog33

Well-Known Member
What I will say about his bulbs is:

Cheap vs expensive bulbs. If you are never going to change your bulbs because you are lazy or forget or just don't care, get the expensive ones. They usually last longer and have more spunk at the beginning as well.

If you're up for changing them every harvest, get the cheapies and literally swap every harvest. You get 3-4 bulbs for the price of one of the more expensive ones and I promise 3 runs in that expensive bulb is not putting out light the way the cheap new one is.

Unless you feel like spending $100 a harvest per bulb.

Also, a 600 is perfect for a 2x4 just make sure exhaust and heat is dealt with as tent turn into ovens when not properly ventilated.


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Crab Pot

Well-Known Member
600 watts is pushing it in a 2x4 tent...

Better options:

1. 4x4 tent with a 600w light

OR

2. 2x4 tent with a 400w light
 

Phringe

New Member
What I will say about his bulbs is:

Cheap vs expensive bulbs. If you are never going to change your bulbs because you are lazy or forget or just don't care, get the expensive ones. They usually last longer and have more spunk at the beginning as well.

If you're up for changing them every harvest, get the cheapies and literally swap every harvest. You get 3-4 bulbs for the price of one of the more expensive ones and I promise 3 runs in that expensive bulb is not putting out light the way the cheap new one is.

Unless you feel like spending $100 a harvest per bulb.

Also, a 600 is perfect for a 2x4 just make sure exhaust and heat is dealt with as tent turn into ovens when not properly ventilated.


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What do you mean putting out light the way cheap new ones do?

Should the fan be good enough for this setup? Heat was something of a concern in this size tent. I also didn't want to be running a fan that would be super loud 24/7. Would I need an intake system drawing in air or would a passive one be fine?
 

kmog33

Well-Known Member
What do you mean putting out light the way cheap new ones do?

Should the fan be good enough for this setup? Heat was something of a concern in this size tent. I also didn't want to be running a fan that would be super loud 24/7. Would I need an intake system drawing in air or would a passive one be fine?
Minimum 400 Cfm for a 600 ime/o. How big was your last tent? Because while a fan will cool off your system, you need cool air to put in your tent, blowing warm/hot air on the bulb won't cut it in a short tent.

And I mean after you've run a $100 bulb for 4 harvests it will have degraded in light output by quite a bit. And you can buy 4 X $25 bulbs for one of the $100 bulbs. Which means you can replace them 4x as often for the same cost. A brand new cheap 600 watt bulb will still be putting out 85k-90k lumens. A hortilux a year in does not.


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Phringe

New Member
Minimum 400 Cfm for a 600 ime/o. How big was your last tent? Because while a fan will cool off your system, you need cool air to put in your tent, blowing warm/hot air on the bulb won't cut it in a short tent.

And I mean after you've run a $100 bulb for 4 harvests it will have degraded in light output by quite a bit. And you can buy 4 X $25 bulbs for one of the $100 bulbs. Which means you can replace them 4x as often for the same cost. A brand new cheap 600 watt bulb will still be putting out 85k-90k lumens. A hortilux a year in does not.


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This will be my first tent/grow ever. So I'm just looking for input from everyone.

For cool air to be brought in other than just room air what would you suggest? The fan exhaust will be routed out a window in my bedroom. Maybe go 4x4 instead of a 4x2?

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-DarkRoom-II-Pro-120/dp/B0029AHQKG
 

kmog33

Well-Known Member
This will be my first tent/grow ever. So I'm just looking for input from everyone.

For cool air to be brought in other than just room air what would you suggest? The fan exhaust will be routed out a window in my bedroom. Maybe go 4x4 instead of a 4x2?

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-DarkRoom-II-Pro-120/dp/B0029AHQKG
If you can do a 4x4 it will be easier to cool than a 2x4 with a 600 in it. I just mean that hot air doesn't do much to cool down a hot bulb. I used to have to run an ac in my 3x5 during the summer as the air temps reach over 100F. As long as your room temps are lower you're probably ok.


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Phringe

New Member
If you can do a 4x4 it will be easier to cool than a 2x4 with a 600 in it. I just mean that hot air doesn't do much to cool down a hot bulb. I used to have to run an ac in my 3x5 during the summer as the air temps reach over 100F. As long as your room temps are lower you're probably ok.


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Well I live in Alaska. Summers max get a little over 80 sometimes where I'm at. Currently keep the house around 70 during the winter.
 

kmog33

Well-Known Member
Well I live in Alaska. Summers max get a little over 80 sometimes where I'm at. Currently keep the house around 70 during the winter.
You should be alright with adequate intake and exhaust.


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justugh

Well-Known Member
So after pricing everything out this is what I'm looking at;

Grow 1 $800 (roughly) https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3NLODZWTVI358/ref=cm_wl_list_o_1?

Grow 2 $450 (roughly) https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/32L2QRQEG4OC4/ref=cm_wl_list_o_2?

Being my first grow attempt and build I'm leaning more towards the Grow 2 option. Mostly for the pricing. I really don't want to skimp corners but I think just starting out this would be good then upgrade as I go? I do like the Secret Jardin more than the original tent I was leaning towards. Or I could just dive head first and go with Grow 1 option.
i go with number 1

doing it cheap comes out expensive ......your number 1 gives u everything u could want and allows u to up grade the system later
the one thing i need to say to u is your hood type and bulb type are off
hood is a DE bulb
bulbs u picked is SE

the finally part is u can pick digital bulbs (this is not a old magnetic ballast it is a digital pulse)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011Q40O9U
MH DE bulb 600w
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011Q40O9U
HPS DE bulb 600w

as u see they are cheaper then u thought and they are the good brand
 

Phringe

New Member
i go with number 1

doing it cheap comes out expensive ......your number 1 gives u everything u could want and allows u to up grade the system later
the one thing i need to say to u is your hood type and bulb type are off
hood is a DE bulb
bulbs u picked is SE

the finally part is u can pick digital bulbs (this is not a old magnetic ballast it is a digital pulse)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011Q40O9U
MH DE bulb 600w
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011Q40O9U
HPS DE bulb 600w

as u see they are cheaper then u thought and they are the good brand
Thanks man! Defintely a lot cheaper bulbs. I will make sure I have the right bulbs.
 
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