Information overload

DeadHeadX

Well-Known Member
The first light in my 3x3 was 230w or something like that. Buds were great. Updated to 300w only because I won the light here. Just had to dial it down and back it up a little more than the less powerful. Spider farmer wouldn’t sell the kit if it didn’t work through flower. I really believe that.
 

Moistvonlipwig

Well-Known Member
Yea I believe to which is why I'm pretty comfortable with my decision to go with it . I do hope to be able to add some supplement lighting though .

In other news , a friend stopped by today and the subject of growing came up .
He offered to give me a brand new 10x12 harbor freight greenhouse his wife bought 4 years ago and has taken up floor space in his garage since .
It's tempting , but the lenght of time and work commitment to an outdoor grow is less then appealing to me
 

Blue brother

Well-Known Member
Yea I believe to which is why I'm pretty comfortable with my decision to go with it . I do hope to be able to add some supplement lighting though .

In other news , a friend stopped by today and the subject of growing came up .
He offered to give me a brand new 10x12 harbor freight greenhouse his wife bought 4 years ago and has taken up floor space in his garage since .
It's tempting , but the lenght of time and work commitment to an outdoor grow is less then appealing to me
I think once you have the money you might think differently, I reckon you’ll probably upgrade or buy another of the same light when ur budget allows

I’d love a green house!
Autos and carefully selected food crops in big beds can be pretty hands off, my mother has 4 6x6 beds and we eat real good from them
 

DeadHeadX

Well-Known Member
I think once you have the money you might think differently,
This is a general truth in life. But my old ford truck with 200k+ miles still does the job. Surely there’s better out there, and if I had the money, I might even consider the upgrade. There’s always better, but that should never be an excuse to simply contemplate rather than act. I agree that the first grow equipment is probably not one and done for anyone, eventually.
 

rmax

Well-Known Member
But my old ford truck with 200k+ miles still does the job.
The old truck analogy would fit cruising CL for an inexpensive, used light fixture with 200 grows on it.

If the job requires a 300 HP truck why start by using a 200W Prius. The supplemental light is like chaining a trailer to the Prius. :)
 

DeadHeadX

Well-Known Member
The old truck analogy would fit cruising CL for an inexpensive, used light fixture with 200 grows on it.

If the job requires a 300 HP truck why start by using a 200W Prius. The supplemental light is like chaining a trailer to the Prius. :)
Cause he’s on a $400 budget, bro.
 

1212ham

Well-Known Member
Yea I believe to which is why I'm pretty comfortable with my decision to go with it . I do hope to be able to add some supplement lighting though .

In other news , a friend stopped by today and the subject of growing came up .
He offered to give me a brand new 10x12 harbor freight greenhouse his wife bought 4 years ago and has taken up floor space in his garage since .
It's tempting , but the lenght of time and work commitment to an outdoor grow is less then appealing to me
You'll be ok with that light for now. For additional light, anything around 3000K to 5000k will work. A shop light, screw in LED, etc.
Watch ebay, the LED sub-forum and best deals thread for bargains.
 
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Moistvonlipwig

Well-Known Member
Soil , I was out and about yesterday and decided to check out what I have available local to me .
Hardware store has mother earth soil , I can cross it off my list .
Added it up and after tax I'd be looking at like $140 to fill three 5 gallon pots ...

So that narrows my choices down to miracle grow ( bleh )
And pro mix in two choices , organic garden mix or moisture mix .
I'd love to be able to start with the good stuff like Fox farms everyone's using it's just a bit to pricey for me right now .

Now to start learning nutrients.
 

pegboy

Well-Known Member
take a look at these. Black friday sale is on. mini sun 2s. I would opt for (2) 150w but the 500w looks like a beast. Plenty of bang for the buck. I've not tried these but hear great things.

 

curious2garden

Well-Known Mod
Staff member
take a look at these. Black friday sale is on. mini sun 2s. I would opt for (2) 150w but the 500w looks like a beast. Plenty of bang for the buck. I've not tried these but hear great things.

I'd put my entire budget into a light at the beginning and buy anything else as I went along. That's a nice sale and those are legit lights. I love my HLGs but there are many GREAT lights out there that are far less expensive and turn out great results. This is a good time to buy a light with all the Black Friday sales.
 

sfw1960

Well-Known Member
Another HLG proponent here too and curious2garden is right on.
IDK there's a huge difference between the prices but HLG is probably the most expensive for sure, though I can't complain about the prices I've paid for all DIY fixtures I have.
 

MissinThe90’sStrains

Well-Known Member
Spend your $ on your light. Thats the one thing you can’t “fake” or create a work-around for. You don’t need expensive soil. Gooeybreeder has made a life of breeding - growing in 1-2 gallon pots, and using “cheap store bought soil and some cow shit” (according to his Potcast interviews). I keep tubs of soil amended and ready to plant in.

You can build your own soil pretty easily - (/3 peat, 1/3 compost/castings, 1/3 aeration - is a pretty good base). I keep big bags of peat, vermiculite, perlite, and some coarse builders sand. I buy cheap soil and just amend it as needed, and recycle it after I’m done. If it’s too heavy, it gets more aeration. If its mostly peat, add some compost/castings/composted manure. If it clumps up, add some sand/aeration. If it holds too much water, add more aeration. If it dries and cakes quickly, add some vermiculite and a bunch of compost to hold more water. You can make soil “by feel”. It doesn’t have to be an exact ratio.
 

laddyd

Well-Known Member
Do not buy Promix Organic garden mix. It doesn't drain as well as Promix HP. I used it once, had poor quality roots at.the end of the grow and deficiencies I never saw with HP.
I concur, tried it and ended up emergency transplanting into some regular potting soil. Don't sneer at miracle grow it works fine if that's all you got.
 

laddyd

Well-Known Member
The poor mans grow tent:
Mars Hydro 2x 4 x 6 tent 89 dollars
two Viparspectre XS 1500 Pro lights @ 80 bucks each[on sale right now]
Two Vivosun oscillating fans at 39 each.
One vivosun T4 exhaust fan 210 cfm 63 dollars
I power 4" filter 36 dollars
4" ducting 11 dollars.
2 timers 10 bucks each
Four 5 gallon buckets at 4 each at Ace hardware
Grand total of 400 dollars plus tax.
 

Moistvonlipwig

Well-Known Member
Don't use the pro mix organic , got it . Makes that an easy choice then .

I know spend money on a light is good advice .
However blowing 80% of my budget on a light and the rest as I go along doesn't quite work .... a light I can't use is rather worthless .
Sure I can use it a few months down the road when I've scraped together everything else I'll need .... December 7th is a few weeks away , not months away .

I'd just love to start with a top of the line set up . I can afford a minimal beginner set up . I'm happy with my choice .
I have PayPal if you want to upgrade my shit on your wallet .
 

laddyd

Well-Known Member
Don't use the pro mix organic , got it . Makes that an easy choice then .

I know spend money on a light is good advice .
However blowing 80% of my budget on a light and the rest as I go along doesn't quite work .... a light I can't use is rather worthless .
Sure I can use it a few months down the road when I've scraped together everything else I'll need .... December 7th is a few weeks away , not months away .

I'd just love to start with a top of the line set up . I can afford a minimal beginner set up . I'm happy with my choice .
I have PayPal if you want to upgrade my shit on your wallet .
The kit you got is fine. You should be able to grow plenty of good pot with it. May I suggest North Atlantic Seed Companies 2 dollar specials for some seeds.
 

Charles U Farley

Well-Known Member
Soil , I was out and about yesterday and decided to check out what I have available local to me .

So that narrows my choices down to miracle grow ( bleh )

Now to start learning nutrients.
Some of us do okay with 25 year old seeds, Miracle-Gro and/or Sta Green (Lowe's brand) potting soil and Peter's/Jacks 20/20/20 :

southeast lights purple.jpg

I would spend the _majority_ of my money on lights but... I'm a dinosaur, so what do I know? :o
 

Moistvonlipwig

Well-Known Member
Of course I've no experience with pot in miracle grow .. I've had less then stellar experiences with it for house plants and such .

Not to be arguemental , but how does having a kick ass light I can't use do me any good ?
 
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