New guy legal to grow in Arizona with Questions !

Im trying to build a room in my garage to grow. I will use ebb/flo12 bucket hydro. I am planning on 2 600 watt HPS lights with air cooled reflectors, fan.
I would like to use fresh air from a room in the house ducted thru corner of grow room roof to bottom of grow room, exhaust thru opposite corner of room thru roof.
I am limited to 12 plants, thinking about 8X8 room & /or ? Starting with clones & Also would like to top/cut plants above 3rd node.
I need top shelf max to make the grow worthwhile.....help .
I know less than I thought I knew when I started . . .

Knowing that you don't know is a good thing. Now you just need answers. Sounds about rightto me. You may want to remove at least the first two branches before you start your count. The lowermost branches are not as robust in my opinion as the rest. Leaving three is fine but why three and not four. Nothing wrong with it at all but curious as to your reasoning. Other than that you're on the right track baby

Let your plants grow out some before you cut them. I usually wouldn't cut foliage for 2 or 3 weeks of veg, especially with that much space.
Trim the plants up real nicely about a week before you send them into flowering. I usually keep those bottom branches around for clones, the seem to root quicker than cuttings taken from the top.

Any idea on what hydro store your near? I have a few buddies with stores in AZ which I could get you discounts @

If your going to top your plant though, you mite as well try to FIM it > https://www.rollitup.org/general-marijuana-growing/455986-fim-job-hit-miss.html

Thank You ! Im planning on the Uncle Ben method as you both suggested, waiting until 5 or 6 nodes.
The Hydrocloset , Sea of Green West, & Wegrow Superstore are nearest to me...I could sure use a discount !!!

Sounds like a good setup.

I'm in Tempe myself, good luck on the grow.

+rep for the Az growers!

Hey from the westside . . . Did I mention I love Arizona ? Yep, moved here in 1972.

I sure hope you dont plan on using the garage during the summer in AZ unless you have a huge window unit or a centail air supply?????
Here is what an AZ neighbor is doing, you have questions???? Maybe I can help????

https://www.rollitup.org/outdoor-growing/449296-blackskulls-such-7.html#post6156995 <<<<click on that link my friend, look at reply #56

we are going to set a new standard for cannabis growing due to the extreme temps, unfortunatly you will find that cannabis slows way down over 95 degrees, of which we have alot of, but the benefit is flowering outside in the winter!! OR autos outside year round OR grow year round outdoors, did I say that allready??

Not using the garage but building a room in the garage. Garage around 92 in summer(today with 111 outside) but with insulated room pulling fresh air from the main house and exhausting the lamps on a seperate system should do well, whatch'ya think ? I would be continually pulling in air at a temp of abt 77 in summer . . .
You have an awesome looking grow going ! I want to do 3 or 4 crops a year so indoor garage room/clones hopefully will fit the bill. I'll be ready for the walls to go up tomorrow - wont be long now !sp

If its 92 degrees now and then you add lights its gonna get way way way way hot, most Pot does not grow as vigorous over 95 degrees. Ideally you would want the room at 77 but that is going to spin your electric meter way fast with cooling demands. Not trying to discourage you, its just the truth. With the lights on, indoors for 16 to 20 hours a day, I would say 85 would be the max I would want to see. You need to pull and (dump) exhaust hot air out of the top of the room and put cool air cool air into the bottum of the room. What is your budget, what size grow area, and what size lamp do you want to work with? If you want me to come help you out tommorrow I will, trust me I dont want your plants, I just want to help you. I have no desire for ill will as my plans are 100 gallon plants that have been vegged for three months before going outside on April fools day.

okay nevermind I just reread the thread and see what you want to run, yeah 2 600 watts, my friend your going to need some a/c maybe like 9000 btus (120 volt), sealed reflectors, a exhaust fan, and a strong can fan to pull thru both reflectors, Im a big fan of tube reflectors because they are streamlined and more efficient in my opinion. Not to mention if you live by a school and if you end up with some stinky ass growing dope, you will need a carbon filter so none of the school faculty get curious with the constant smell of weed nearby. Just so you understand what you are doing, your adding atleast 25 degrees in heat to your garage and you have to get the heat off the bulbs and out out of the containment area, along with putting cold air into the room and then dumping the hot stuff. If you want to grow with hydro, its impairitive that the solution stay cool also, so sitting in a hot garage is hot of the question, your reservoir will have to be inside the cooled grow room or you will have to put a cooler on the reservoir, more money and more electricity. To be honest I would suggest getting your room locked on if you want to do 3 runs and year and maybe consider soil (just for starters).

Wolfhound said:

Thank You ! Im planning on the Uncle Ben method as you both suggested, waiting until 5 or 6 nodes.
The Hydrocloset , Sea of Green West, & Wegrow Superstore are nearest to me...I could sure use a discount !!!

Click to expand...

If you go by the hydro closet and tell them PuffPuffPassed sent you they will definitely hook you up!

vdog
INSIDE my large garage I am building an insulated room 8X8 with fresh air being drawn from house (around 76-77 deg) & vented with duct fan outside thru roof in garage. The 2 lights will also draw air from the house on a seperate line & vent thru the hoods & out the roof. I guess I dont understand your heat numbers . . . . I do have the option of a wall monted a/c if needed( dont think so). Tell me more, Im a bit dense & willing to learn.

PUFFPUFFPASS I will be stopping by Hydro Closet . . . MUCH appreciated

Not a problem! They are very knowledgeable and will definitely be able to help you out

That actually may work well, Im sorry I couldnt see what you were doing yesterday but I have a better idea now. So you will be putting up a BIG fan to draw the air out of the house and to displace it into the insulated 8x8 area in the garage? Provided you have the hot air off the bulbs sealed and going out (like you said), and maybe a small exhaust fan (like you said), perhaps 250 cfm, because with 8x8x8 your at 512 cubic feet and that should be enough air exchange because you will be pulling that hot stagnate air out of the chamber. Worst case it will be a little warm but provided you have a big enough fan drawing cool air from the house you should be good, just expect more of a demand on you central air unit as your pulling cool air out of the living space causeing the thermostat to rise, basically your adding a small room to the house.

One thing I do see that could be an issue, 3 to 4 harvest a year within one area, with a minimum of 8 weeks of flower per cycle puts you at 24 to 32 weeks annually, so provided you have a supply of clones you should be ok. Just curious what is your plan for that since you have just the one illuminated area? Not saying it cant be done, just curious. Again I apologize I should have reread that a couple of times, its actually pretty easy to understand, not sure why it didnt register the first time? Maybe its because Im meeting more patients in the area everyday, as the last 3 years have sucked ass being tight lipped and underground. Not saying its time to be foot lose and fancy free, but since the vote, things have been getting better daily! Good luck, lets keep in touch thru here, I will be watching, you need to start taking pics and posting progress. The ebb/flow will work well provided the house is cool and your pulling the air, which reminds me, once we get into november and cooler months you could even consider pulling air from outside, just an idea to throw at you.

AWESOME ! I was hoping maybe we were misunderstanding each other. You totally see it now. As this is a new area of life for me(indoor grow) I want to make as sure as possible to get going in the right direction the first time. I am only planning on buying clones to begin the grow & after all is running I will take a look at seriously having a 2 room setup to veg/flower. My main concern is to get off the ground as cheaply and fast as possible, then add from there. Main room to be divided or a smaller part sectioned off to veg later so the room size is important for me now so I dont add later. Going with 2 600s to start will give me the option to add another or 2 later and not draw the power/heat of the 1000s. 3 harvest will be optimum for me, letting some of the summer heat/vacation time go by to conserve on bills.
I know so very little and taking small steps in a big way . . .
All replies welcome !

awesome!!

okay if your not worried about plant count, then start looking at cool tubes and going vertical with shelving, if you do this, which you can, even as a newbie, you will want to come out to buckeye and buy me a big steak dinner, because you will have buds out the ying yang. Only thing is that you will have to go soil to go vertical, so its less maintenance and expense with soil or less plants and more mx and cost with hydro, whatever Im just throwing things at ya. I can tell you how to mix up a lean soil mix where you pour to run off everyday and have your plants blow up with organic or mineral based nutrients. I like to share what I can, because Karma is good like that. Much props to doublejj
Oh your welcome, LOL

I decided to move one more large work bench tomorrow before I can get materials for the walls. Easier to do now. I'm just going to stick to basics to start. Trying to decide between 4 gal or 2 gal bucket system. Brand of ballast that isnt hype, kinda basic stuff to get started. Only going to need to run about 5 foot of duct in the attic to bring fresh air to top corner of grow room, then going to run down pipe/duct in corner so cool air vents into room from ground.
I love it when a plan starts to come together !

ALL replies welcome .

Or any replies . . . . Outer walls will be done in the morning . . . moving right along . . .

Hey Wolfhound - i live in AZ as well and have done the exact same thing. PM me if you want a 420 cool electrician and/ or GC.