First grow setup. I have questions!

[Lackasham]

So I am looking to get into growing for personal use. I have a good idea of what I want to do but I do have some questions and want to see if I have a good idea going into this.

I want to set up an ~ 4×4 sog with 4 2×2 ebb and flo trays. This thread is my inspiration
https://www.rollitup.org/t/get-a-harvest-every-2-weeks.6592/
So the idea is to get a harvest every 2 weeks..i am thinking of running alternating trays of Northern Lights and C99 starting with the NL.

My issues are i have low height(about 6 ft to work with) i will be in the attic and i live in the south(hot and humid summers) but i feel like if i run my 12 hour light cycle at night and split some ac off into the area i can deal with my heat issue.

My first questions are

Should I run 1 1K light or 2 600s?
Do I need to raise the first and second trays up higher than the last 2?
Is this even a viable grow??

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[dubekoms]

Personal use as in just you? If so you can harvest a good 8-12 ounces of bud with a 315 cmh or 300 watts led in a 3x3 tent with a separated veg tent every 8-10 weeks. I think that's more than enough for even a few people. Scrog them so they stay low

Running in the attic is risky, you really have to be on the lookout for mold. You're definitely going to need ac running constantly it gets hot as fuck up there.

 

[Lucky Luke]

My first questions are

Should I run 1 1K light or 2 600s?
?
Is this even a viable grow??

4 x 4 scrog with one 600w HPS will (if you fill the net and a net is just canopy so the same deal as SOG in that regard) get you approx. a pound dry.- it did me with Northern lights.

Is it viable? only you can answer that one but your headspace is not a limitation.

 

[stoned-monkey]

if only set on either 1) 1k hid or 2) 600 hid. I would do two 600, so when it gets to dang hot you can turn one off. if you scrog or even sog fluorescents may be a good fit, affordable, low heat, and low profile. you can get some great bud with some t5ho just lack penetration so that's where scrog/sog help.

 

[chiqifella]

1 x 600 for the win in flower and 1 t5 fixture to cover your vegging area.

 

[Lackasham]

Ok yall some great feedback in here and Im really appreciating it!
A little more info: the goal is 3 pounds dried for my girlfriend and I. We want to grow a years worth of buds as quickly as possible.

I do understand the attic isn't ideal but its the best space i have.

I'm also sensing what I want as far as lighting may be overkill. Can i really get by with 1 600 or even t5s?

 

[BigHornBuds]

I would look at 315cmh
1000 & 600 is going to be to much in an attic. You need to have space between the tops n light.
I wouldn’t do ebb n flow either , because you’ll need a chiller to keep the res’ kool.

I’d do a soilless medium, with wide not tall pots .

Attics get stupid hot, and saying you live in a hot humid area is only going to make it harder.

I think your setting yourself up for failure.

If your mind is made up,
I would put your setup in place n run it with out plants for some time to see if you can maintain the right conditions.
If you can’t keep your temps n RH% in range, your wasting your time n $ putting plants in there.

Why not veg in the attic with a 315 or T5s
And grow outdoors?
Pretty easy to get a years worth of smoke for 1 OD crop.

 

[Lackasham]

I would look at 315cmh
1000 & 600 is going to be to much in an attic. You need to have space between the tops n light.
I wouldn’t do ebb n flow either , because you’ll need a chiller to keep the res’ kool.

I’d do a soilless medium, with wide not tall pots .

Attics get stupid hot, and saying you live in a hot humid area is only going to make it harder.

I think your setting yourself up for failure.

If your mind is made up,
I would put your setup in place n run it with out plants for some time to see if you can maintain the right conditions.
If you can’t keep your temps n RH% in range, your wasting your time n $ putting plants in there.

Why not veg in the attic with a 315 or T5s
And grow outdoors?
Pretty easy to get a years worth of smoke for 1 OD crop.

Growing outdoors doesn't seem like an option to me. Lots of neighbors in a conservative state, sounds like trouble with the law to me. Is there any way to control odor or have a stealth grow outdoors? I know the attic will be hard but I'd rather work a little harder than go to jail haha

Since posting I've started to look into quantum boards for lighting instead of HPS

 

[BigHornBuds]

1. Don’t grow it in your back yard.
Get yourself a outdoor hobby, hiking, fishing
Hunting, bird watching etc etc.
Find yourself a place to grow.
Don’t use 1 trail into it, find a spot no one wants to go. But remember you need to get soil , food, etc in there, and plants.
This spot should have lots of sun light, close to water. Never have only 1 , plant 3 or 4 . Go into this knowing that you will lose crops , and plan for this. Don’t put your crops close to each other , think mile or more apart . And if someone sees you in there have a reason for being there n look the part, if your fishing have a poll, if your bird watching have binos, etc don’t look like your straight from the hood or be wearing dress shoes etc.

I would really look hard at 315s they run cool, 10” from the tops is enough space.
And you can get a remote ballast to help with heat.

I’m very impressed with them, I’ve ran pretty much all styles of lights except for leds.

 

[Lackasham]

1. Don’t grow it in your back yard.
Get yourself a outdoor hobby, hiking, fishing
Hunting, bird watching etc etc.
Find yourself a place to grow.
Don’t use 1 trail into it, find a spot no one wants to go. But remember you need to get soil , food, etc in there, and plants.
This spot should have lots of sun light, close to water. Never have only 1 , plant 3 or 4 . Go into this knowing that you will lose crops , and plan for this. Don’t put your crops close to each other , think mile or more apart . And if someone sees you in there have a reason for being there n look the part, if your fishing have a poll, if your bird watching have binos, etc don’t look like your straight from the hood or be wearing dress shoes etc.

I would really look hard at 315s they run cool, 10” from the tops is enough space.
And you can get a remote ballast to help with heat.

I’m very impressed with them, I’ve ran pretty much all styles of lights except for leds.

I like the idea of outdoors but that seems like alot of work and I won't be able to control harvest time. Thanks for the OD tips though, definitely something I want to do at some point.

As for the 315s i will give them a look for sure. Really want to be sure i pick the right lighting to control heat and be able to work with the 6 ft overhead i have. If this thing is possible im going for it but I don't want to waste time and money if the attic isnt a viable space

 

[gr865]

3 lbs for two people for a yr?

You can go to jail for unauthorized sales, just saying!
Good luck, looking to coco, 315 CMH and drain to waste.


GR

 

[Lackasham]

3 lbs for two people for a yr?

You can go to jail for unauthorized sales, just saying!
Good luck, looking to coco, 315 CMH and drain to waste.


GR

We could probably get by with less but i want to experiment with rosin
and topicals so i want extra for that. Normally we go through 2 gs a day, an oz every 2 weeks so 3 lbs could last closer to 2 years at that rate. No tell no smell no sell on anything i grow though!

Thanks, im considering coco and 315s so more confirmation that direction

 

[NrthrnMichigan]

So I am looking to get into growing for personal use. I have a good idea of what I want to do but I do have some questions and want to see if I have a good idea going into this.

I want to set up an ~ 4×4 sog with 4 2×2 ebb and flo trays. This thread is my inspiration
https://www.rollitup.org/t/get-a-harvest-every-2-weeks.6592/
So the idea is to get a harvest every 2 weeks..i am thinking of running alternating trays of Northern Lights and C99 starting with the NL.

My issues are i have low height(about 6 ft to work with) i will be in the attic and i live in the south(hot and humid summers) but i feel like if i run my 12 hour light cycle at night and split some ac off into the area i can deal with my heat issue.

My first questions are

Should I run 1 1K light or 2 600s?
Do I need to raise the first and second trays up higher than the last 2?
Is this even a viable grow??

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Sure would hate to have an AC unit take a dump or have a power outage during the summer months in an attic grow space.

 

[Lackasham]

Sure would hate to have an AC unit take a dump or have a power outage during the summer months in an attic grow space.

After some research I've focused in on a quantum board for lighting so that should help with heat. Ill probably have thermal board lining my room as well with fans and possibly a seperate vent with an ac fan think i could get away with this with no ac? How else can i control the environment? This has become my main concern

 

[BigHornBuds]

There will be no way not to use a a/c unit
Might even need a Dehumitifer

 

[Lackasham]

There will be no way not to use a a/c unit
Might even need a Dehumitifer

Yea i agree. Do you think a small window unit would work?

 

[BigHornBuds]

Most attics I’ve been in don’t have windows
If you plan to build it into a fake wall etc
It’s a bad idea because the part that’s supposed to be outside gets hot n drips water. Mini split would be my 1st pick, portable would be 2nd .

 

[Lucky Luke]

"IF" you need an AC then id look at purchasing a small stand alone unit that also dehumidifies. Can pick these up "fairly" inexpensively.

I don't know your climate but I grow in Australia under HID in an uninsulated shed and get away with no AC. Its a bit tough in summer as the tent tents get in the low 30s C. Saw 34C the other day, but its manageable. In winter its the opposite and the HID heat is a blessing.

If your only doing one run every now and then then just pick the best season for your space.

There has been some nice attic room fit outs done on here if you search for them.

 

[Lucky Luke]

Heres a good one.
https://www.rollitup.org/t/my-attic-grow-room-construction.151523/

 

[brewbeer]

I would think a closet would be a better option if you could swing it. An attic could be made to work but it seems like a lot of effort would be needed to construct a space that you could effectively condition.