Need Feedback and Suggestions

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YoungGrowLegend

Member
Wasup guys im not encouraging any illegal activity so dont bann me or discourage me but i plan on starting a grow it will be the first so im expecting some trial and error but i believe all the years ive been following these grow sites and reading i should be able to achieve my small goals to change my life for the better.right now im paying 1600-2000 for a pound and turn around ounces for 150-200 depending on what the price of pounds are anyways all that doesn't matter ill get sttaight to why im here..i would like some experienced growers honest opinions on a setup,the type of lights and soils etc to use.money for start up wont be a problem my small goal is to start a 2 pound perpetual harvest i have a entire room available and want to finally take advantage of the opportunity to grow when all the help i need is right here on the web..my main question is with this type of grow will the electric bill attract unwanted attention?and how to avoid it if any way..If possible give me you guys setup and ideas on how to achieve this. if there is none i wont even attempt to do it ill just try some outdoor guerilla grows for my first try but that seems stressful.
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
Well LED can really help reduce the power bills.

Take a look at some of the growers journals and see what they are doing.

If you can keep the grow below 3000 watts you probably won't attract attention.

Really good carbon filtration (scrubbers) and a sealed CO2 setup will help maintain stealth.

Perpetual can cause issues if you get pests.

If you setup a closet or tent as a veg area then you can have clones rooted and ready every time you harvest.
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
I recommend going with Berger BM6 HP or Promix HP. Feed General Hydroponics 3 part nutes at a pH of 6.5.

You will want a good pH pen. This is critical IMO. A PPM pen is also very handy.

A good RO filter will save you a lot of headaches.

I used to run a lot of grow houses back in Missouri. You won't believe how much stress is created by sitting on a grow, waiting, wondering. Always worried about smelling like weed when you go places. Have really good carbon scrubbers. I run two scrubbers in each of my rooms. They are built with a 12" vortex blower and a 48x12" Phat filter. Phat or Phresh are the best IMO and they last a long time, mine have been going strong for like 5 years.

If you can run in a basement do it.

Anyways good luck with your endeavor. I remember when I was first trying to get a leg up and start making some real bucks.
 
Y

YoungGrowLegend

Member
Renfro said:
I recommend going with Berger BM6 HP or Promix HP. Feed General Hydroponics 3 part nutes at a pH of 6.5.

You will want a good pH pen. This is critical IMO. A PPM pen is also very handy.

A good RO filter will save you a lot of headaches.

I used to run a lot of grow houses back in Missouri. You won't believe how much stress is created by sitting on a grow, waiting, wondering. Always worried about smelling like weed when you go places. Have really good carbon scrubbers. I run two scrubbers in each of my rooms. They are built with a 12" vortex blower and a 48x12" Phat filter. Phat or Phresh are the best IMO and they last a long time, mine have been going strong for like 5 years.

If you can run in a basement do it.

Anyways good luck with your endeavor. I remember when I was first trying to get a leg up and start making some real bucks.
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Yea man you know where im coming from trying to get my feet off the ground i appreciate the quick response and the advice,but younignored my question about the electricity bill and lights i should use for my expectations thanks for the nute suggestions

Edit:sorry didnt see your first post my bad
 
Mellow old School

Mellow old School

Well-Known Member
You should also get an EC meter/PPM meter, and make sure to buy a good one, dont buy a combo pen IMO, hence if it breaks, you have nothing to measure before you get a new one, Mlwaukee and Hanna make good pens...
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
Bluelab is good too. Never was impressed with milwaukee personally. Truncheon is good for PPM but I don't like the fact it isn't as precise but it's precise enough for basic needs and reliable, tough as nails.

I personally recommend Bluelab for pH and a Truncheon for PPM. Both are reliable and durable. A bluelab pH pen usually lasts me a couple years before I have to replace it, the truncheon should last forever.

I have an Apera pH pen that has the spear probe so I can test soil pH. Good tool to have, and it's a backup for my Bluelab pH pen. The Apera needs calibration every time I use it but the Bluelab is good with a weekly calibration but I do use it daily. A cool feature of the Apera is it reads two decimals of accuracy, not sure why one would need that for what we do, but it does.
 
gearshift

gearshift

Well-Known Member
I am trying a cheap burple 1000 -180w one plant until two weeks before finish and I am not happy.

When my next 1000w ballast goes, I will try a ss 315 cmh.

Tried two 1000w HPS flowering and one 400w HPS vegging. Power used scared me.

Used two 1000w flowering and T5's vegging for years no problem.

The burple LED results in shorter node spacing but slower growth rate in vegging. So put the T5's back in vegging room. A few more weeks will tell me if I keep the burple LED. (its heat may do it in)
AT 63, I am too old too learn COB LED.
I hope some of what I have experienced helps you.
 
Y

YoungGrowLegend

Member
Renfro said:
You can grow a good amount of weed with high quality LED lighting. Avoid the scam lights that are cheap. It's it's cheap, it sucks.

You will also avoid expensive air conditioning bills.
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Yea i was planning on going LED any way about 2000w of LED lights on my first couple runs im aiming for .5g per watt and i want the perpetual harvest because it allows me to pull every 2-3 months instead of having to plant over and over just pull clones and veg for a while then put straight into flowering
 
Y

YoungGrowLegend

Member
gearshift said:
I am trying a cheap burple 1000 -180w one plant until two weeks before finish and I am not happy.

When my next 1000w ballast goes, I will try a ss 315 cmh.

Tried two 1000w HPS flowering and one 400w HPS vegging. Power used scared me.

Used two 1000w flowering and T5's vegging for years no problem.

The burple LED results in shorter node spacing but slower growth rate in vegging. So put the T5's back in vegging room. A few more weeks will tell me if I keep the burple LED. (its heat may do it in)
AT 63, I am too old too learn COB LED.
I hope some of what I have experienced helps you.
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Wait..why was there such a huge spike in your power use with the 2 1000w and the 400w for veg if youve been using 2 1000w for years vegging with t5s..i may have read something wrong but you lost me
 
gearshift

gearshift

Well-Known Member
YoungGrowLegend said:
Wait..why was there such a huge spike in your power use with the 2 1000w and the 400w for veg if youve been using 2 1000w for years vegging with t5s..i may have read something wrong but you lost me
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Years ago I used the 400w for vegging and also needed a inclosed air cooled hood, blower, and ac to control heat. Too much energy used.
I changed to T5's with no air cooling, and no ac except when outside temps were 90 degrees F.
Saved enough energy usage to keep using the set up.
PS: I only use electronic ballasts.
My 1000w are switchable to 1/2, 3/4, and full power.
 
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coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
YoungGrowLegend said:
Yea i was planning on going LED any way about 2000w of LED lights on my first couple runs im aiming for .5g per watt and i want the perpetual harvest because it allows me to pull every 2-3 months instead of having to plant over and over just pull clones and veg for a while then put straight into flowering
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Make sure you do your research if your going LED. 95% of lights on the market are pieces of shit.
Stay clear of anything labelled high wattage that uses low wattage, for example "1000w grow LED" that uses 180w.
Its false economy buying crap and it only looks cheaper when you don't realise you need like 4 of them to actually do the job.

CMH is also a good route to go down if your trying to save a bit of power consumption.
HPS is the cheapest route to set up and works well.

Perpetual growing takes experice to perfect your timings but you should be able to cut those times down considerably.
 
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