600 Watt HPS Grow Room (My Main Thread)

[ManishWayz]

Okay, I have created a lot of threads but I figured that seeing how people like to subscribe to threads that are well put together I figured I would step my game, just like my room and my knowledge gets better so should my threads. So here is my attempt to create a main thread that will track everything I do in growing.

Here are some photos of what my room set-up has so far.

1. 4’ x 4’ x 7’ Tent (not sure of brand)
2. CAP ValueLine 600 Watt Switchable Ballast
3. CAP LumenAire 6”
4. 600 Watt EYE Hortilux Super HPS Bulb (LU600S/HTL/EN)
5. Outer Rotor 4” In-Line Fan (not set-up yet)
6. Nutrients: I have GH Flora 3 Part and Cutting Edge Solutions 3 Part
7. Seed: (All Fem) Pineapple Chunk, Dinafem Diesel, El Alquimista, OG Kush, Bubba 76 & (Bag Seed) Blue Ribbon
8. 2 GH WaterFarm Kits

I have a lot of other parts but these are really the main parts. I have so many questions and I really don’t know where to begin.

1. With a 600 Watt HPS set-up what would be the max number of plants to grow safely? I was told 6 (1 plant per every 100 watts of light).
2. What is the most effective grow type: Soil, Soilless or Hydro?
3. Can you use the bucket set-up without water ring for a soil/soilless set-up? (only filling the brown bucket with medium and using other bucket as run off)

Thank you for following along with me through my ups and downs in this great thing of nature we know as growing.

 

[mr2shim]

IMO, the best way to grow is waterfarm + SCROG, but that's usually a 1 or 2 plant deal. Nice setup otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten the white PVC lined tent though, they are known to offgass and kill your plants. I would stick with 100% mylar. I honestly wouldn't grow more than 3 in that space. 4x4 isn't really HUGE and IMO sharing light reduces each plants maximum yield.

 

[ManishWayz]

I was planning to change out the frame and build my own pvc frame for this tent. I got the tent off of craigslist for 60.00 so I couldn't pass that up. Now the main question I have about running the WaterFarm kits is how often do I run the air pump? Some say only run the pump while the light is on, plus I am going to mod the buckets so that I can have an air stone in the bottom of each kit.

 

[mr2shim]

I was planning to change out the frame and build my own pvc frame for this tent. I got the tent off of craigslist for 60.00 so I couldn't pass that up. Now the main question I have about running the WaterFarm kits is how often do I run the air pump? Some say only run the pump while the light is on, plus I am going to mod the buckets so that I can have an air stone in the bottom of each kit.

Always run the pump 24/7... The airstone bit is debatable. I have one in mine. I didn't mean the frame, i meant the walls of the tent are pvc, white tens are known to offgas.

Here's a pic of my Pineapple Express in a waterfarm. 31 day veg 10th day of 12/12, under a 400w..

Holy hell, I didn't notice your waterfarms! Good choice man! I had an idea, to fill the top bucket 1/4 of the way full with hydroton then fill the rest with soil. Maybe to get that soil taste but the rapid growth of a waterfarm. Best of both worlds sort of thing. I'm going to try it after this grow.

 

[insan3]

Looking good, i sub to ur thread.

 

[ManishWayz]

Holly shit, I'm so jealous... Now that is what I'm trying to do! How did you get it to fill so nice. Also I forgot to mention that I have 2 T-8 "Lights of America" 2' lights (F17T8/GL - RB17T8GL) 7800K, now would those be enough to veg 1 plant for scrog? I'm not sure what the wattage of the T-8's are.

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Wattage: 17 watts
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[ManishWayz]

Looking good, i sub to ur thread.

Thank you! Follow my YouTube channel in my signature.

 

[insan3]

Holly shit, I'm so jealous... Now that is what I'm trying to do! How did you get it to fill so nice. Also I forgot to mention that I have 2 T-8 "Lights of America" 2' lights (F17T8/GL - RB17T8GL) now would those be enough to veg 1 plant for scrog? I'm not sure what the wattage of the T-8's are.

get 6500k t8 bulbs to veg. is what i use for 1-3 weeks. mine only has 2 bulbs and its able to do 8 seedlings.

 

[ManishWayz]

So with those being 7800K would those do the trick for 1 seedling to prep for scrog?

 

[insan3]

6500k are more of a blue spectrum than 7800k is more purple. 6500k would be best.


i was able to get two 6500k light bulbs for $2 online.

 

[ManishWayz]

6500k are more of a blue spectrum than 7800k is more purple. 6500k would be best.


i was able to get two 6500k light bulbs for $2 online.

Because I don't have the time to wait would home depot have them?

 

[insan3]

they usually care more 4100 k. i would call them an ask first. when i went looking for them i couldnt find any in a 25 mile radius. reason i bought it online.

 

[mr2shim]

6500K is the best spectrum for veg. I've used a MH 5100?k for a few years and I don't really like it. 7800k is a bit too purple IMO for plants. As far as what I did, I can tell you or you can go to bubbleponics.com and look at my grow. I have a journal over there this time. Basically I vegged her normally until the 4th node, then I topped her, then LST'd her for the rest of veg then flipped the light @ 31 days and continually weave her under the scrog screen and boom. You have what you see. Like I said, you can go to the other forum and check it out. I have another grow here, it's a bit older. OR you can read the legend himself (SCOTTYBALLS) grow journal which I will link right now....

There are quite a few waterfarm journals on RIU, just do a search for them. You'll find tons and tons of info.

https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/344359-pineapple-express-g13-labs-seed.html

 

[mr2shim]

Nice, screen looks a bit small. How big is it? Where's your carbon filter?

 

[ManishWayz]

Sorry for removing the pic, my phone does that side ways shit but I will re-post it shortly. The screen is 3'x2' as far as the filter, I don't one just yet. How far above the farm should the screen be?

 

[mr2shim]

Anywhere from 6" to a foot. I usually keep my screen fairly close. Here's a pic. It's about 6" off the waterfarm. Last grow I had it closer to 9" off the farm. It depends really. I for some reason always end up with pheno's that don't grow all that tall so I keep my screen closer. Don't worry about the screen until you get close to 4 weeks of veg. Any ideas on how you're going to support it?

 

[ManishWayz]

So you cut the main stem?

 

[mr2shim]

So you cut the main stem?

yea at the 4th node. It's a technique called topping. Read about it if you're unsure.

 

[ManishWayz]

O no I have an idea about about it, I just didn't know how many main branches to keep. Now do I weave the branches in an out of the holes or do I just keep them under the screen, I've seen it done both ways. Because I will be using a screen, how far away can I keep my 600 and not cause any problems?

 

[mr2shim]

O no I have an idea about about it, I just didn't know how many main branches to keep. Now do I weave the branches in an out of the holes or do I just keep them under the screen, I've seen it done both ways. Because I will be using a screen, how far away can I keep my 600 and not cause any problems?

Either way works. I'm not sure how far you can keep it away. Best way to find out is to run the setup for a couple of hours. Get an idea of the temp near the bucket. I usually keep my light as high as it can get because I don't really care to move it up and down everyday. I really haven't noticed a difference really. Every time I setup, I do a dry run for a few hours to a couple of days. Get an idea of how hot/cool it will be in the tent. I also run the waterfarm to get all that hydroton dust off, it will up the pH a bit. You should boil them to sterilize them.