New Grower - Need Advice!

Hey everyone! I'm finally inching closer and closer to buying my materials for growing. So far, I'm planning on getting the following:

System:

GENERAL HYDROPONICS

Grow Tent:

buy-the-homebox.com - universal indoor grow box kit

Hood:

Sunlight 904300, Sunlight Supply 904300, Sunlight System 904300, 904300, Super Sun 2 6" Air Cooled Reflector - eLights.com

Ballast (400w):

Lumatek Electronic Ballast

Light (Vegetation):

https://www.bwgs.com/details.aspx?sku=MH153

Light (Flowering):

https://www.bwgs.com/details.aspx?sku=HP123

Carbon Filter:

Carbonaire 6 Inch Carbon Filter - Businesslights.com

Fans:

Suncourt 6 Inch In-line Duct Fan w/powercord - Businesslights.com

Timer:

Indoor Digital Light and Appliance Timer

Nutrients:

3 Part Hydroponics Nutrients | Advanced Nutrients | Hydroponics Growing

Few questions:

- How does one go about installing the ducting system (fans and filter as well)? Do you simply place the ducting around the fans and you're good to go? Should the fans be near the sunhood or the exterior of the grow tent?

- Will two fans be sufficient for circulating the air throughout? I do plan on having an oscillating fan for further airflow.

- Are the lights I've chosen good enough for growing six plants? I'm rather confused when it comes to using different lights for vegetation and flowering, so if someone could fill me in it would be much appreciated.

- Have I chosen the ideal nutrients? And are there any guides availible that will explain to me (in depth, preferrably) how to use nutrients appropriately?

- Should I grab an airstone?

- How much am I going to be spending on energy every month with this system?

- Am I missing anything that I will need? I'm starting from scratch, and the items I have listed are the only things I plan on buying, unless of course I've missed something (excluding pH Up/Down & meter - I already have those items).

Price is of no concern (granted, if you know of a better deal, then by all means point me in the right direction please!). I know it's odd to be shelling out this much money as a first time grower, but I rather spend the money now and learn, than have to spend more money at a later date. I plan on sticking with it!

Thanks in advance!

Looks like a great setup you have coming together.

I'll do my best to answer your questions for you.

As far as the filter, fan and ducting. Considering you have an air cooled hood I would hang the filter inside at the top of the tent where the cables are to do so. Attach a flange to the filter and connect your fan to it so thats its sucking air out of the filter, then run your ducting from the fan to one side of your hood. Then on the other side of the hood connect your ducting and run it out of the tent. Basically the fan should suck air out of the filter (cleaning the odor) and run through your hood as it exits the tent.

2 fans should be enough to circ the room but to be sure check the CF of the grow area Depth x L x H will give you the total cubic feet. Knowing that will make it very clear for you if your fans have enough power. You want to be able to circ all the air in the grow area within 5 minutes so take the total CF and divide it by 5 and that will give you the min CFM rating fans you need, just keep in mind any fan you connect to ducting or filter will have a somewhat reduced flow. Do that and include the oscillating fan you want to put in and you should be golden.

Your lights look fine 400w should be alright specially in a grow tent. Seems like you understand which lights you need for the stages of growth but since you asked in your question. Metal Halide for veg and HPS for flowering.

As far as nutes to say ideal is impossible within reason everyone has their preference. As far as how much to use and how, I would refer to the Lucas formula. Im sure there is a lot of info on this site about it if not google ftw.

In reference to the airstone go for it with the amount of money being spent im sure $1.50 wont put you over the edge

Energy wise it all depends on rates etc. but overall a 400w and equipment wont be horrible if anything slightly noticable to you.

It looks like you have most everything you need, depending on if your starting from seed or clone you might need rockwool cubes or something similar. The only other thing you could consider would be a meter to tell you the ppm of the water, you could get by without it but its nice to have.

I hope this helps

Thanks for the information man. It's much appreciated!