Help with First Time Set up

So I just got my MMJ card and I would like to grow my own. I can get clone starts locally. The room being used is in a closet in a garage/day light basement. Cement floor and half cement walls, with sheet on the walls and ceiling. It stays roughly the same temp all year round.



It is one large room that is not quite 4x8' not including the funny pace in the corner. I wanted to fit two 4x4 tents, but I can't fit them in and get to them both. So I think I'm going to try a 40x40" tent I found and just use the open space for flowering. I was just going to put vapor lock plastic on the walls, floor, ceiling and then line them with something reflective in the open part. There isn't a door, think I could just put up a black out tarp across the door?

LIGHTING
For lighting I was thinking of using a 600w HPS in the open room. Or should I do 1000w HPS. Am worried about heat as I don't want to need to cool the room. Not sure about the tent though. I have four extra 250 MH ballasts from my aquarium. They are electronic ICECAP ballasts. Should I just use two of those in the tent to veg and clone. Or should I try CFLs or other options? Will I have any heat issues if I just put a fan in the corner of the room for flowering with a 600w? Will the tent need a exhaust fan?

HYDRO?
Ive been looking into hydroponics. I'm debating about building a hydro system with 5 gallon buckets. What are the benefits to growing this way as opposed to soil. If I do Hydro with baskets in the buckets, will it be hard to transfer the baskets to the flowering room? Will it cause issues?

HOW MANY?
With my space and lighting, how many plants do you think I would be able to grow in each? I think I'm going to make my own small aeroponic cloning tub to put in the tent either way I decide to grow.

Thanks in advance

can I ask why you decided to use the tent for veg and not flower.. only reason I ask is because it will be alot easier to control light leaks on a tent.. and when the tent is light proof .. you can work on the rest of ur clones and veg plants in the room without working about disturbing your flower plants.. you can only work with your flower girls 12 hrs a day .. but ur veg lights are on 18 hours plus...

I figured it would be better to have more space for flowering. Only being able to work in the 12 hour window doesnt seem like a big deal to me. But if I did switch I would have more room for cloning etc. But would 600 watts in the tent be too much?

Imo 600 watts in a little over a 3x3 is not too much if you can control temps... I run 1000 watts per 4x4 and am thrilled with the results.

I think I would rather not run the 600 or 1000w HPS in the tent.

I ran a 600w in a 4x4 tent and it was more than enough. I have it still but don't need it if you're interested. Hydro is very involved and takes tons of time and research to do correctly. Im also guessing you're in 303? If you're in a basement watch out for spider mites.

either way.. just make sure your flower room has ZERO light leaks.. or you will have herms!

alotaball said:

either way.. just make sure your flower room has ZERO light leaks.. or you will have herms!

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actually just make sure if u have a light leak that it is not greater then moonlight outside. little light is fine. i hav been growing in a nightmare of a room, with tons of light leaks, and i got most covered, and still a bit of light but plants seem to be just fine, and no hermies. its more of a prolonged exposure to direct light during their normal night time period when you have to worry about turnin hermie on you

Thats bad advice.. why would you plan for light leaks? Gob you might have a very tolerant strain.. what if he takes your advice.. has a finicky strain and waste 4 months ending up only with a herm and seeded bud? Never give advice that light leaks are ok. Gob im not trying to be a jerk sorry .. but advice like that COULD ruin someones grow.

Well the only light that could bother the Flowering would be the grow tent. Or the CFL on my garage door opener. Thats the only other light in or around the room.

So if I use the tent for flowering it will only be 40x40". Would a 400hps be better? and how many flowering plants could I have in it? I wanted to have 6-8, thats why I was leaning towards doing it the other way.

So if I use the tent for flowering I could clone and veg in the other room. More than the tent would allow for. Would a perpetual harvest be worth looking into since I would have alot of room to clone and veg?