economy is bad. Need to grow. I have some questions.

$200 is not nearly enough for the operation you described.

hey man, i think you're gonna have to invest more that 200 bucks. i'm doing a pretty ghetto grow and i spend bout 400 bucks at least. You should just copy this guys grow, it's unreal how much bud he produces just off one 400hps, https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/147680-perpetual-grow-4oo-watter-carnival.html

If you have a little time on your hands to search different econosites for the lighting and fans and filters needed,, you can probably just get by to start this venture out,,,, but if your going to search sites like ebay and the like you prob. should invest in the hps conversion light, I got my 400w for around 160 and Im sure you could get one cheaper,,,,, you can use the flouro shop lights for seedling and veg,,, that would be a really good thing,,, keep us updated as to your progress....... good luck on your venture..........

If he keeps an eye on cragslist and knows to search for hps, high pressure sodium, high bay, low bay, and most importantly "wharehouse lights" or even halides. (Yes you can grow a saleable crop full term with halides.) He'll be able to get a lot for his money, or a lot for no money at all.

So many businesses are ripping out their not so old lights to replace them with lower power flouro's to save energy that you will often find people with tons of them that just don't end up selling. Offer to pick them up for free if they don't sell to save them from the dumpster, and in a month of doing that you could have more lights than you'll ever need either dirt cheap or free.

A lot of times it's just because they can't have them sitting around forever, so they will in fact end up giving them to you free.

I agree with whoever said multiple 400w lights is your best bet. It's also the most common size you'll probably find.

OregonMeds said:

If he keeps an eye on cragslist and knows to search for hps, high pressure sodium, high bay, low bay, and most importantly "wharehouse lights" or even halides. (Yes you can grow a saleable crop full term with halides.) He'll be able to get a lot for his money, or a lot for no money at all.

So many businesses are ripping out their not so old lights to replace them with lower power flouro's to save energy that you will often find people with tons of them that just don't end up selling. Offer to pick them up for free if they don't sell to save them from the dumpster, and in a month of doing that you could have more lights than you'll ever need either dirt cheap or free.

A lot of times it's just because they can't have them sitting around forever, so they will in fact end up giving them to you free.

I agree with whoever said multiple 400w lights is your best bet. It's also the most common size you'll probably find.

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Thank you everyone for the responses. I have some new info and a couple of minor questions.

As of right now I'm planning on 12 plants total using to SOG system. Hopefully with the massive lighting, these will produce alot of weight.


I found 4 high bay metal Halide fixtures 400w each with bulbs for 50 bucks a pop on Craigslist. The only thing I don't know about them is if I can plug them in or if these are set up for direct wiring. Does anyone have any estimate on what it would cost to run these fixtures? I have no idea and I am a little worried that these will pop breakers and/or be a fire hazard.

As for exhaust. I have a ceiling fan in the grow room already. Will this be enough? I can't really go blowing holes to install a fan in an apartment. Also, How bad will the smell be with 5 flowering plants at a time? I do have old neighbors and even though what I will be doing is legal I don't need to hear their bitching.

I'm going to try and follow the SOG method as close as possible with only 12 plants total, one being the mother. Hopefully, with these bulbs, my attention to detail and ability to follow directions I can yield the amount I need per month.

GrowKindNugs said:

hey man, i think you're gonna have to invest more that 200 bucks. i'm doing a pretty ghetto grow and i spend bout 400 bucks at least. You should just copy this guys grow, it's unreal how much bud he produces just off one 400hps, https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/147680-perpetual-grow-4oo-watter-carnival.html

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thanks for that link

the lights sound like a decent find, oregon can prolly help you get them wired up...hes good with that stuff.

you say ceiling fan for exhaust. do you mean a bathroom type ceiling fan that actually exhausts or an actual ceiling fan that just moves air? if you have the second you will need to find another way to get fresh air into the room and stank air out. whats it like outside the rooms window? you could use that for both intake and exhaust if you do it right.

Go back and reread OregonMed's post. He has it right. Once you can afford the proper lighting, buy one 1000 watt HPS with a good reflector. Put six plants under flower and when they are 30 days into it, put another six plants in there with them. Now you have 12 plants going. Harvest the first six at sixty days, then bring in another six to flower. Now you're on a 30 day cycle. With the proper strain, you should be able to harvest 8 ounces of manicured bud every 30 days. Of course, you'll need a mother plant, a cloning setup and a vegging set up. All of this can be accomplished in small cabinets using RubberMaid tubs and Airstones. No need to break any laws ... and DO NOT GROW 60 plants at the same time, unless you like grey bars. Yikes!

Vi

SlikWiLL13 said:

the lights sound like a decent find, oregon can prolly help you get them wired up...hes good with that stuff.

you say ceiling fan for exhaust. do you mean a bathroom type ceiling fan that actually exhausts or an actual ceiling fan that just moves air? if you have the second you will need to find another way to get fresh air into the room and stank air out. whats it like outside the rooms window? you could use that for both intake and exhaust if you do it right.

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I meant like a normal ceiling fan. Outside it's about 15 degrees. During the summer months just cracking a window should do but during winter months I'm not sure how to exhaust.

ViRedd said:

Go back and reread OregonMed's post. He has it right. Once you can afford the proper lighting, buy one 1000 watt HPS with a good reflector. Put six plants under flower and when they are 30 days into it, put another six plants in there with them. Now you have 12 plants going. Harvest the first six at sixty days, then bring in another six to flower. Now you're on a 30 day cycle. With the proper strain, you should be able to harvest 8 ounces of manicured bud every 30 days. Of course, you'll need a mother plant, a cloning setup and a vegging set up. All of this can be accomplished in small cabinets using RubberMaid tubs and Airstones. No need to break any laws ... and DO NOT GROW 60 plants at the same time, unless you like grey bars. Yikes!

Vi

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Great info. I'll re-read his post and follow your advice. Thanks.

$50 ea for halides is too much, offer $25. And make sure they are 120v not 277 or 220 or anything else.


It'll cost under 2kw per hour to run four of those plus some smaller flouro tubes or something for clones, vegging, and mothers.
Counting most of them at 12 hours a day...
Times 30 days...
720 killowatt hours per month. You have to look on your bill and find the full price you are paying per kw/hr to multiply my total and get a dollar figure.

I left cushion in there too.

But still watch the seemorebuds videos like I said. Spend the evening on youtube watching them.

OregonMeds said:

$50 ea for halides is too much, offer $25. And make sure they are 120v not 277 or 220 or anything else.


It'll cost under 2kw per hour to run four of those plus some smaller flouro tubes or something for clones, vegging, and mothers.
Counting most of them at 12 hours a day...
Times 30 days...
720 killowatt hours per month. You have to look on your bill and find the full price you are paying per kw/hr to multiply my total and get a dollar figure.

I left cushion in there too.

But still watch the seemorebuds videos like I said. Spend the evening on youtube watching them.

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Thanks Oregon. I checked a couple of them out today but I wanted to start from the begining on DVD 1 part one but they didn't have it. I'll check again tommorow. YOu've been a great help. Thank you!!