Starting my first grow

[Anthraxas]

Hello, I am about to purchase all the things needed to start my first grow. I havent smoked in over 20 years so things have cone a long way since buying a dime bag of seeds and twigs.

So far I've been cramming YouTube videos and forum posts in order to catch up to the technology and growing techniques. Right now I am focused on the grow room itself and would like some advice to see if I have enough to grow 2 plants.

3x3 Grow tent
Quantum LED 135w, 304 Board Kit 4000k
Adjustable hooks for grow lights
Carbon filter with attached fan
3 fans for in the tent " one low mid and high"
PH tester
Thermometer
Humidity meter
Small Humidifier
Small Dehumidifier
Ducting
Exaust and Intake fans

I know the most controversial thing in a grown set up is the light system. I cant determine if I want the 3k or 4k kit. So with this being 2 plants will this be adequate to Veg and Flower with and still be with my time giving a decent yield for my wife and I. It's a medical grow so I would like to make sure we have enough for me to rotate 2 plants and not run out.

I appreciate any feedback you have.

 

[bearded.beaver]

That sounds like a good start. But you'll never know how everything runs together until you do it. You'll be making many many many small changes. Just keep an eye on everything for the first while. When I started everyone one said you'll know when your plants are happy or not. I had no idea what that meant. Until I did it myself. And if you watch your plants you will see how they respond to your actions. Congrats on growing

 

[Beachwalker]

I'd go four × four, or maybe just one plant if three by three? .. also 9" High Velocity fan for the floor, small clip fan for between the light and plant tops are all you need for fans, in addition to the filters fan, good luck!

 

[smokebros]

Congratulations on your upcoming growing adventures.

If you are planning on using the same light(s) from start to finish, I'd personally go with the 3K spectrum over the 4K.

GL!

 

[Anthraxas]

Congratulations on your upcoming growing adventures.

If you are planning on using the same light(s) from start to finish, I'd personally go with the 3K spectrum over the 4K.

GL!

I see a 2700k 4 and 5 but no 3k. I'm assuming the 2700 is better for flower. But will I need to supplement for the smaller blue or should it be enough

 

[Anthraxas]

I'd go four × four, or maybe just one plant if three by three? .. also 9" High Velocity fan for the floor, small clip fan for between the light and plant tops are all you need for fans, in addition to the filters fan, good luck!

So go 4x4 for the two plants. I see people with so many fans. I figured I would get like 4 and cut back if needed lol

 

[eighties]

You may not need the humidifier and/or dehumidifier. That will depend on your ambient conditions. I'd set up the tent and run it for a few days without the plants (can be while they're germinating elsewhere) to see how temps and humidity look. It's really dry around me right now, but the plants don't seem to care. My tent is often 30% rh or even a bit lower. As far as fans, in my 2x4 I run a 4" exhaust fan (which will be hooked to a carbon filter when smell becomes an issue), and 1-2 cheap 6" clip on fans from amazon. Can't see needing any more than that and if I do, amazon can have them on my doorstep in 1-2 days. Best to start simple and add on later.

 

[smokebros]

I see a 2700k 4 and 5 but no 3k. I'm assuming the 2700 is better for flower. But will I need to supplement for the smaller blue or should it be enough

I'll have to check if my quantum boards are 2700k or 3000k, but I've been using them from start to finish for the past couple years with great success. Check out my journal in my signature if you're interested.

 

[coreywebster]

For two plants a 3x3 is more than enough. But a 135w Quantum board is for a 2x2 space in flower.
4K is fine for both veg and flower.
You need a 260w extra wide QB for a 3x3 or a 260w QB (standard) for 2x4.
I wouldn't buy a humidifier or dehumidifier until your set up and know if you need it.

edit, you can grow two plants with the 135w kit but you would have to keep them to a 2x2 footprint for flower, or veg to the full size of the 3x3 and buy another 135w before flipping to flower.

 

[Anthraxas]

I'll have to check if my quantum boards are 2700k or 3000k, but I've been using them from start to finish for the past couple years with great success. Check out my journal in my signature if you're interested.

It sounds like going with the double board set is the better than the single board.

 

[Beachwalker]

So go 4x4 for the two plants. I see people with so many fans. I figured I would get like 4 and cut back if needed lol

I like more space than less, I suppose 3 by 3's ok but you wouldn't be able to Branch them out very wide. I've had single plants that would take up a three-by-three themselves and it wasn't vegged that long maybe a month extra but it depends how you're going to grow and what kind of plants you're going to grow too, I would go for shorter smaller plants and maybe just top once in a 3 by 3. You're right about fans, they're your best friends especially in the summer!

 

[Northwood]

So go 4x4 for the two plants. I see people with so many fans. I figured I would get like 4 and cut back if needed lol

4 fans are perfect, because you have 4 corners. Lol

I run a fan on each tent pole, angled so that they blow along the wall and across a bit at an angle, and create a little circular vortex across the tops of the plants. The intakes on each side of the tent at the bottom help with the lower fresh air ventilation. Mine is a 5'X5' tent.

 

[Anthraxas]

I've seen so many posts where people do so many different things. It looks like just growers preference.

I am going to run with the 260W QB V2 Kit for the 3x3 tent to give me the best lighting for the space. I want to grab one of the cheap lights for veg/ clone area before they go in the tent.

I like the 4 fan vortex idea moving the air from the intake to the outtake vent.

 

[Northwood]

I am going to run with the 260W QB V2 Kit for the 3x3 tent to give me the best lighting for the space. I want to grab one of the cheap lights for veg/ clone area before they go in the tent.

That should work well. I'm running just over that amount of wattage per square foot (840 watts in 25 square feet), but I'm using much less efficient LED than what you're thinking of but still getting great results.

 

[Anthraxas]

So I decided to keep it small for my first build. I went with the HLG 260W kit. Grabbed a 3x3 knowing its bigger than what I need but once I expand will be used for clone and veg.

For right now I'll have 2 plants to test my soil as well as nutrients. I just have to wait for everything to arrive in the mail.

 

[Fatmat19]

I’m starting from scratch since recent legalization, my plan for lighting is using cfls for the whole grow. Since I’m a pretty casual smoker I’m only growing one plant, I will be using 9 or twelve 26watt cfls in 3 homemade hoods hung sideways surrounding the plant.
I will be able to adjust it vertically and horizontally to keep it a few inches from plants if everything works out right effectively delivering the same amount of light on every inch of the plant.

Here is a link to my inspiration on building the hoods.

I’m not sure how many sq ft one plant will be I’m guessing no more than 2sq ft total. For simplicity say I use 10 26watt cfls with 1500 lumens a piece I’m using 260watts of energy for 15000 lumens total, so about 7500 lumens per sq ft directly on the plant.

I used to grow with I think a 400 watt mh-hps system so say 40k-50000 lumens 6 or more inches away from only the top of the plant. Even with excellent light penetration on high intensity lights, on one plant I can’t help but think anything under the top 6” of the plant is getting more than what a cfl can put out a few inches away.

I’m no expert and not trying to argue that cfl is the best option out there, it’s really my only option to grow bud on my budget. Which will be under $100 to start including seeds to get everything I don’t already have.

 

[Northwood]

I’m starting from scratch since recent legalization, my plan for lighting is using cfls for the whole grow. Since I’m a pretty casual smoker I’m only growing one plant, I will be using 9 or twelve 26watt cfls in 3 homemade hoods hung sideways surrounding the plant.

You'd get more penetration, less heat, and better efficiency if you went with LED bulbs instead, and plus you wouldn't need a hood. I'd get something like this as a fixture for $10.99 Canadian (free Prime shipping too): https://www.amazon.ca/Hirate-Splitter-Adapter-Converter-Standard/dp/B07BP47TB6/

Since you can buy regular 13 to 15 watt, (100 watt equivalent) household LED bulbs for a few dollars each, 7 bulbs shouldn't break the bank! Just pop the covers off to get full lumen output and more focused, directional lighting and hang the thing over the plant. You can mix up the colour temperatures too. I'd do 4 daylight and 3 warm white. The whole build shouldn't cost you more than $40 Canadian, and you'll save on electricity and not worry about heat so much, while getting much better light penetration. LED bulbs last longer than CFL too. You can also scale this up. I'm currently running 840 watts (from the wall) of this in a 5X5 foot tent.

 

[Northwood]

Here is my current grow, 4 White Widow plants, 840 watts from the wall of regular household LED light bulbs in a 5X5. It's 3 weeks and 2 days since flip to 12/12 today:

I hoping for 1 kilogram of dried and nicely manicured bud. I routinely do 1.2 grams per watt easily being lazy with plain LED light bulbs from the corner store (or wherever the sales are!). The greatest benefit to using regular SIL's is flexibility. You start your grow and adjust the lighting from spout to finish, with just a bulb per plant when they're babies, then 2, then 3... I just have them unscrewed in the fixture, and screw them in as I need more light as the plants grow. I also can adjust the colour temperature by just exchanging bulbs whenever I like.

I should also add that this is a "organic" grow, just plain water from seed to harvest. There be worms in there! Lol

 

[TheChosenNug]

I think you are on the right track. Focus on maintaining your atmosphere and you'll have plenty of the good stuff between harvests with the lights you have selected. Make sure you start up a journal so we can all follow along!

 

[Anthraxas]

First grow not to bad this far.

I really like the 260w Qb setup from HLG. I will definitely be going with more QBs in the future.

I only did a little bit of LST but really just wanted to see how.it would grow on it's own.