My first grow design. Little help with the flower room?

Ok so ive made it official, im starting off my new hobby/obsession lol. Ive been saving and planning a couple years and i just need a little advice for the setup. Im having 3 seperate tents: 1 cloning 4'x2'x4'. 1 mother room 2'x2'x5'3 and the flowering room 5'x5'x6'7. I basically just need opinions with 2 questions. 1. I already have a 4''x8'' phresh inline carbon filter and 4" ducting for that. I plan on using either 1 or 2 600w galaxy ballasts with 6" yield master 2 reflectors. My question is should i run the carbon filter separate with another inline fan on its own or would it be efficient to connect my carbon filter to a 4'' - 6'' adaptor to a 6'' inline fan to the reflector(s) and out of the tent? I just dont want to spend additional money on another inline fan if this setup would be efficient. AND 2. I plan on getting the 600w galaxy ballast(s) with hortillux bulb(s). My question is i know a single 600w will produce a nice harvest but am curious if an additional 600w will make a significant difference or if it will be unnecesary, and also in a 5'x5'x6'7'' tent if 2 600w will be overkill? I refuse to get a 1000w because theyre not as efficient as the 600w in terms of amount of energy wasted. Any opinions are appreciated. Also im going to be growing white widow x big bud, ice kush, pineapple chunk, and lemon skunk... Yuuuuum

A 600w can light a 3x3' floor area very well and provides for 3' of vertical plant height. The problem you have is that there's no way to get two stationary 600w's to properly light a 5x5' floor area. A circular, two-lamp light mover would be your best bet imo.

Mother's Finest said:

A 600w can light a 3x3' floor area very well and provides for 3' of vertical plant height. The problem you have is that there's no way to get two stationary 600w's to properly light a 5x5' floor area. A circular, two-lamp light mover would be your best bet imo.

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disagree, 2 600w is plenty light for a 5x5...that guys trippin

solarguy said:

disagree, 2 600w is plenty light for a 5x5...that guys trippin

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Always trippin...

I think you have the right idea with the 600w systems but I really think you should consider going vertical in your tent if you're going to use them. This will adequately and evenly light the entire area. Stack one light right on top of the other. You could consider actually getting the 600w Hortilux HPS and a 600w Digilux Metal Halide and go for a really complete light spectrum. Using cool tubes would allow the plants to grow within 1 foot of the bulbs, so you're really only losing 4 sqft while gaining the entire vertical area of the tent.

When it comes to cuft of canopy nothing beats vertical systems in efficiency. I know that's what you are going for.

How you do this is up to you. There's a lot of methods. A simple one is to use shelving units around the light and put the plants on the shelves. Then you train the plants forward (because there is a shelf above it) into some trellis netting. then you basically weave the plants into the trellis. You can use nearly any method of growing in vertical systems.

You can also just grow nice big tall bushes that will be full of thick resinous buds from top to bottom due to the even vertical lighting.

Whatever the case is... I think you should seriously consider vertical 600's if you're not going to run a 1000w system.

The heat from the 1200w of lighting is the only thing to worry about really. Of course you'll need to be regulating the intake temperature, the room temperature, to beneath 72 degrees or so. Easy to do in the winter but impossible without AC in the summer time. The lower intake temperatures will help keep the tent interior temperature lower.

Figure you have a 160cuft of air in that tent you need to be moving. If you can manage to efficiently use a 180cfm 4" inline fan that just barely might cut it. Including an axial fan in one of the tent intake vents would probably REALLY help the interior stay cool as well.

The problem you have with the filter is that it isn't rated for a 6" fan. So, if it turns out the filter and a 180cfm exhaust and 6" axial intake fan aren't moving enough air then you spent a bunch of money and now need all new shit.

It is probably better to get a 4" fan for the filter and place it somewhere in the tent on it's own independent thing. I'm not sure how great a job it will do on some stanky ass plants, but it would probably be okay for most average grows... but don't quote me on that...

It is good to see another grower getting into the game.

Sounds like your entire system. Once completed... depending on the method and nutrients you choose... Probably $2,000 on the lower end. The first harvest will make that entire investment back in spades. From that point on... Nothing but money in the pocket.

Mother's Finest said:

A 600w can light a 3x3' floor area very well and provides for 3' of vertical plant height. The problem you have is that there's no way to get two stationary 600w's to properly light a 5x5' floor area. A circular, two-lamp light mover would be your best bet imo.

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that makes no sense at all...
i run two 600s in a 5x5.5 area.
6" 435 cfm inline fan hooked to carbon scrubber for exauhst.
6" 435 cfm inline fan air cooling the two 600 watt cooltubes
6" 265 cfm booster fan for active intake
No problems with heat as of yet, summer might be tricky. good luck

Yo know i never even looked into vertical lighting. i mean the idea i liked but i just didnt see it an option in a tent but ill have to look into that. And yea i was thinking one metal halide and one hps for the better spectrum but wasnt sure if i really wanted to but looks like ill have to put a lil more into the fans.. Doesnt really matter i got the time and input for something more efficient like that. Only problem i really see is my shops i visit dont have the verticals i already looked. I could have missed, but they werent in the catalog but ill have to ask next time i go in. Also for the clone/veg room its 4x2x4 should i just throw a sunblaze 44 or 46 in there would that be a decent enough lighting for some cuts?

I'm sold on the quantum badboys. A 4 foot 4 bulb would be fine for in the cloning tent. In that 2x2 mother tent you could consider one of the 250w Sun System HPS deals with a Ceramic Metal Halide bulb. Epic light spectrum for a mother plant.

The vertical setup is going to need to be a little DIY. There are a few guides around and a few ways of going about it. It's the same as setting up two horizontal cool tubes except you will hang them a little different. You can use duct extenders as more a more stable connector between the two tubes. Pull the air in from the top of the cool tubes as the hotter air will rise in the room.

Also, make sure you get bulbs that are okay to run vertically.

Don't underestimate the need for ventilation and environment control. The key to having a really great grow, aside from genetics and a good method and proper feeding schedule, is ensuring the right temperature and humidity at all times during the grow. This helps the plants grow sturdy and strong. Keeps them from stretching too much or burning up. At some point someone needs to say this: Air is as important as light. If you're going to spend $1000 between 3 tents on ballasts, bulbs, and tubes in lighting then prepare for at least a few hundred dollars dedicated to the cooling of those lights.

One day I'd like to get into water chillers and Ice Boxes for the cooling so I can seal the room and start using CO2. I'm only a few months, maybe a year, from that goal. Just have a good plan and make sure you put your money into quality products that will last. Add to them as you can, maybe after each harvest you can add in a few "upgrades," and before too long you'll be rolling in sticky.

Actually yea thats what i got going for the mothers is a little 250w sun system 2 but i only have the hps bulb. I guess ill look into getting the metal halide for the blue spectrum but will that be possible to put in since it was meant for hps? Also i think if i wanted to go vertical in the flower room that might be a bit above my budget with what im learning now about the fans that ill be needing. So i think for this first grow im just going to go with one 600w horizontal setup and in the meantime ill make a plan for a vertical setup after the first harvest. I definitely appreciate the help. I also would like to get Some co2 in the room but that will have to wait til i learn a little more and gain some experience. Obviously the tent cannot be 100% sealed so id have to find a way to keep co2 from escaping. Quality and efficiency is number 1. Also i was wondering what an opinion would be on the intake filtration. I was thinking a hepa filter would work fine or any other suggestions? Definitely dont want mold/dust/pests or anything else getting in although there isnt mold in my area. Also on a side note i was curious about LED lighting in the future when im able to afford it. But for now i just want to get my foot in the door and gain experience and knowledge. Thanks

Magic Beanstalk said:

Actually yea thats what i got going for the mothers is a little 250w sun system 2 but i only have the hps bulb. I guess ill look into getting the metal halide for the blue spectrum but will that be possible to put in since it was meant for hps?

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The Philips TrueColor Ceramic Metal Halide is actually intended to run only on high pressure sodium magnetic ballasts. You have the right equipment for the bulb if you'd like to get it. Do some research first to see if you think the investment is worth it.

Magic Beanstalk said:

Also i think if i wanted to go vertical in the flower room that might be a bit above my budget with what im learning now about the fans that ill be needing. So i think for this first grow im just going to go with one 600w horizontal setup and in the meantime ill make a plan for a vertical setup after the first harvest. I definitely appreciate the help. I also would like to get Some co2 in the room but that will have to wait til i learn a little more and gain some experience. Obviously the tent cannot be 100% sealed so id have to find a way to keep co2 from escaping. Quality and efficiency is number 1. Also i was wondering what an opinion would be on the intake filtration. I was thinking a hepa filter would work fine or any other suggestions? Definitely dont want mold/dust/pests or anything else getting in although there isnt mold in my area. Also on a side note i was curious about LED lighting in the future when im able to afford it. But for now i just want to get my foot in the door and gain experience and knowledge. Thanks

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Hepa filters are fine. LED lighting is more like florescent lighting in uses, better for smaller plants like clones and younger veg. HID is the reigning king for budding. Mixing the spectrum is ideal.

With all these lights and fans and whatnot be sure to check the amperage of your equipment and be sure to stay within a safe zone on your circuit.

Yea safety is the priority.. I live in an apartment and i was just wondering how you suppose i could find out the amperage my circuit and compare it to my equipment

Check your circuit breaker. Odds are that you have a 15 amp 110v/120v circuit good for about 1800 watts max. It is better to use the amperage listed on the equipment and add them together. Stay beneath 15amps to keep from tripping the breaker. 14 amps is totally safe.

If you have a washer/dryer in the unit you probably have at least one 20amp circuit available somewhere too.

Ok so 14 amps should be safe then and typically is that for just one outlet or probably for the whole room? Cuz i have 3 different outlets in the room. Im definitely not an electrician lol. And yea the whole system will definitely be below 1800w but i will check the amperage of everything

sll 3 outlets in your room are running on the same circuit. If you're apartment doesnt have central A/C and you have to use windows units....there may be a seperate outlet and breaker for each AC unit. I know thats the way mines set up...so thats 6 plugs through out my apartment and each one has a dedicated 20 amp breaker.

Ok well i checked everything over and ill be good to go with the one lamp. If i do decide to go vertical later with the 2 600w i might have to separate the veg and mothers room from flower to stay on the safe side.. Ahhhhh now the fun part.. No not starting... Continuing to wait for my beans to arrive :/ so anxious lol what are a few seed banks you might recommend? I used worldwide mj seeds for my first order.