Workin on my first room I have 500$ and haven't began spending

[Muffromper]

My budget 500, I'm working in a space about 5 foot wide by maybe 9 foot wide. I'm planning on building a ebb flow with a 25 dollar 159 gph fully submersible, with a plastic cloths bin for my resivour. No good ideas for a grow box yet though, anyone? My local hydroponics has a 1000w convertible hps/mh for 150. Anyone know where I can get a reflector for cheap new or used looking around 50ish. I'm in a coldEr home so I don't thing I'll need much ventilation but invade I do have a dual 8inch fan. I'll probably grab a cheap timer from walmArt or some other store. Any ideas on changes for efficency or better deals. Oh an I'm planning on growing plants in cycles so I can have one half in vegAtive state and the other flowering. How could I approach that on this system or one in the same hydroponic price range. Soon to be a first timer, thanks for advice

 

[FirsTime]

propertyroom.com has some reflectors, it sounds like you practically know what your doing. If you want a grow box you should just get a tent. Cheap off ebay anywhere from 70-120 bucks. http://propertyroom.com/Catalog.aspx?Category=Commercial Nursery Supplies&CategoryId=456
Thats the link for farm and garden in the nursery section with all the growing supplies. Heres a tent off ebay...
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-REFLECTIVE-INTERIOR-GROW-TENT-CABINET-HYDROPONICS-G-/160514283677?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item255f65989d
that is especially designed for hydroponics. Good luck hope this helps

 

[shortshack13]

for the room get 2x4s and panda film. fram up your room and wrap in the panda. they have tarp zippers for like 10 bucks. should be able to get the whole room done for under 100 bucks.

 

[FirsTime]

You don't wanna spend 500 on your first room. Keep it simple and cheap, Eventually your gonna need all the cash for nutrients, bug killers,soil, pots, ph tester, and if necc. a ppm tester.
Good luck brother

 

[Dirtfree]

Check out HTG supply they have some great deals on lights.

Im sorry to burst your bubble but i bet you find out shortly you are 1000 dollars under budget.
Lets break it down for even the simplest of systems....

A light 200-300 dollars

Carbon filter and fan to exaust the heat 200 dollars(HTG has a good deal on fan/filter combo)

A few air pumps 20-40 bucks (they will go out you will need at least one back up)

Air stones 5 bucks each(need at least 5)

Buckets 5 bucks eachx how many you want

Nutes- A full line up of any decent brand is going to run you about 100 bucks

Ph meter- 50 buck(you can find them on ebay new, your hydro shop will have it but it will be more expensive)

PPM meter- 20 bucks(doesnt have to be fancy, just work)

Im going to stop there for a min and add it up......Thats $655
You still haven bought and lighting for a vegg room, no fans for air movement, no hydroton or net pots....lots of stuff that adds up quick.
The reason I went thru all that is because when I started i had the same exact budget! And I ended up spending a thousand before i knew it!
And to date i have prob spent close to 2500 on my set up, once you start you wont stop untill its perfect. This hobby is fun but very addictive!
Hope some of those prices help you get an idea how much stuff should run.

 

[Howard Stern]

Don't listen to anyone trying to tell you to keep it cheap, you will get out what you put into your grow. But you will need a ph tester for sure! Don't get cheap shit soil or you will spend more money than you save when your plants go sideways on you. I would recommend Fox Farms Ocean forest as a soil. If you don't have the money right now you can grow your first with CFL's, you wont get as much bud but you can move that and get a switchable HID light off ebay. If I were you and this is what I did was build your own room. get some 2X4's and you can use cheap plywood or partical board for your room. And just coat the walls with Flat White paint from WalMart to start. You are probably looking at 50-100 bucks to build your own room with Screws, hinges, paint brushes, and all that. I bought a 400 CFM fan off ebay for $100 to my door, and that leaves you about 300 for a light. If you live somewhere warm you will need to get an enclosed hood to keep your room cool. Then the ducting to connect and vent your fan is around $30. It is the little shit that will nickle and dime ya! Buy your nutes later bro as you need them. What I am saying is buy your veg nutes now and you wont need flower nutes for another month so put off buying that till later. But I am not kidding you need a PH tester! You can pick up a cheap liquid one for around $10 and you will need to test whatever water you are using or you will kill your plants.

 

[Muffromper]

I'm not going to be using a carbon scrubber or an exaust for the heat I'm planning on using the heat to warm the room,and I have fans covered and as far as nutrients go I don't need a big supply at the moment and will be able to afford more as I need them I have my plant holders made for a dollar a piece and I can use ph tester strips which I can get quite cheap from the hydro ponies store till I can afford a digital tester, I don't plan on having a vegging room and if I do maybe just a few cfls which I already have 200 watts worth for free. I don't appreciate the attempt to discourage me into thinking it is impossible on a 500 dollar budget cause I have seen peoples working systems for less that still produce quality potent buds

 

[Howard Stern]

I'm not going to be using a carbon scrubber or an exaust for the heat I'm planning on using the heat to warm the room,and I have fans covered and as far as nutrients go I don't need a big supply at the moment and will be able to afford more as I need them I have my plant holders made for a dollar a piece and I can use ph tester strips which I can get quite cheap from the hydro ponies store till I can afford a digital tester, I don't plan on having a vegging room and if I do maybe just a few cfls which I already have 200 watts worth for free. I don't appreciate the attempt to discourage me into thinking it is impossible on a 500 dollar budget cause I have seen peoples working systems for less that still produce quality potent buds

Sounds like you got it all figured out. Just be carefull on your temps and be prepaired to put an exaust in there. What I am saying is don't put your room where you can't vent the hot air out. I know you don't plan on it now but it is better to have the option and not need it, rather than need it and not have it.

 

[Muffromper]

I do wanna build my own room for sure but im gonna wait till after my first harvest
I'm trying to just keep it as basic as possible whole still using a 1000 watt hps ballast and bulb which Im pretty sure I have at 200 w/o the hood. I should be able to hang it for free, I also plan on turning a bedframe made from 2x4s and corner brackets into a frame to hold my grow box a few feet from the ground

 

[Muffromper]

The room is on a second floor with a window I could use, maybe create something to fit in the window tightly that could attach an exaust line

 

[Dirtfree]

I'm not going to be using a carbon scrubber or an exaust for the heat I'm planning on using the heat to warm the room,and I have fans covered and as far as nutrients go I don't need a big supply at the moment and will be able to afford more as I need them I have my plant holders made for a dollar a piece and I can use ph tester strips which I can get quite cheap from the hydro ponies store till I can afford a digital tester, I don't plan on having a vegging room and if I do maybe just a few cfls which I already have 200 watts worth for free. I don't appreciate the attempt to discourage me into thinking it is impossible on a 500 dollar budget cause I have seen peoples working systems for less that still produce quality potent buds

I wasnt trying to discourage you at all! Im sorry if came off that way just trying to point out how quickly things can add up. Like howard said you get what you put in ten fold. My first grow was completly DIY and then from there i went all in. Best of luck to you.

 

[Zigg Zagg]

Spend what you want to on your system....the more money you put into it, the more product/money you will get back. (IF you don't screw up too bad, that is. haha.)

I would say go with a decent timer from a hydro store, garden, or building store. They're not that expensive anyways....if your whole system is depending on it, skimping too much wouldn't be advisable.

 

[Muffromper]

Spend what you want to on your system....the more money you put into it, the more product/money you will get back. (IF you don't screw up too bad, that is. haha.)

I would say go with a decent timer from a hydro store, garden, or building store. They're not that expensive anyways....if your whole system is depending on it, skimping too much wouldn't be advisable.

That's a pretty good point , what features do I wanna see in a decent timer, also I picked up a resivour and a grow box they war both plastic tubs, the measurements are 23"x16x12 I feel like it will be a little deeper than I want, am I wrong? If not what could use for a filler at the bottom?