I have been tasked with building a top of the line hydro setup. I spent a lot of time researching and trying to design a pretty fool-proof setup for the space and budget given.

I was given an "ideal" budget of $1500, but I think I can push it closer to $2500. I wish I could draw a picture of how I see this setup, but I don't have the motivation right now. Please give me your feedback!

Here is the latest email that I have sent him just to give him a taste at what we are looking at:

(I tried to post the list and info, but it has to be approved by a moderator first?!?)

Lets try this again. I had a link to every single product which may be why the post had to be approved... lets see:


To preview, we have a grow tent with growing / vegetation light,
ventilation, 2 large grow containers which will hold 2-3 pots each.

They hydroponics is a combination bubbleponics pump feed and
Aeroponics vapor delivery system with external reservoir outside
the grow tent.

There will be two types of ventilation for the grow tent. Intake
begins at one of the window fan vents and feeds through a HEPA
filter connected to an intake in the grow tent. All exhaust begins
at the far end of the light flange. The exhaust tubing contains an
ozone generator and continues to exhaust through the other vent in
the window fan.

The entire tent will be covered with IR-Block to prevent IR camera
scanning of the setup.

1) Grow Light - 470
1.b) Vegetative light - 80
2) Grow Tent - Size L 56 x 56 x 78.5 - 220
3) Block-IR (100ft) (and foil tape) - 270
4) Ozone Generator - 180
5) Aluminum Duct Tube 6" - 25 feet - 20
6) HEPA Intake Filter 6" – 125
Y connection 6x6x6 - 16
9) 8" to 6" Duct Reducer - 12 x 2 = 24
10) Window fan – 28
11) Rena Air 400 Air Pump – 50
12) Sandstone 12" Airstone – 2 x 2 = 4
13) 25' Flexible Airline Tubing 2
14) Supreme MAg Drive Water Pump 250 GPH – 35 x 2 = 70
15) 5.5" Heavy Duty Net Pot - 2 x 8 = 16
16) Rockwool Starter Cube - 7
17) Hydroton - 30
1 1/2'' Black Tube Roll of 100 Ft - 30
19) Float Valve 1/2" barbed fitting – 15 x 2 = 30
20) Champ pH Tester – 50
21) Earth Juice Natural pH Down and - 10 each x 2 = 20
22) Nutramist Model 3 - 370
23) 1 1/2" ID Vapor Distribution Hose - 3.99 per foot x 10 ft = 40
24) 1 1/4" PVC Tee - 3
25) 1 1/4" drain/bulkhead fitting - 4.95 each x 2
26) Hydroponic TDS Tester – 40
27) Large heavy duty Rubbermaid or fiberglass storage bin – 40 x 3
= 120

Total cost: 2325

1) Grow Light - Basically, the more powerfull the light the more
bud you will get. The light setup that I am looking at for you is
a 1000w system that will give you a great end product with great
yields. ($470)


1.b) Vegetative light - A metal halide bulb to use while your
plants are in the growth period. The Grow Light system above comes
with a high pressure sodium bulb for use in the flowering (budding)
period. (80)


2) Grow Tent - Size L 56 x 56 x 78.5 - With this tent, you can set
up your plants in a spare room and not have to line the room with
IR-proofing material and reflective foil. This tent will house
your plants and light. ($220)


3) Block-IR (100ft) (and foil tape)- Infra-red blocking material.
This will ensure that helicopters and patrol cars and the DEA
cannot see what you are doing in your room. ($270)


4) Ozone Generator - This will neautralize the odor from the weed.
You have to neautralize it somehow. If you don't do it with an
expensive carbon filter or an ozone generator, then your house will
be spewing with the delicious yet noticible stench of amazingly
tasty weed. (180)


5) Aluminum Duct Tube 6" - 25 feet (may need 2) - Will duct the
ventilation intake and exhaust from the lights to the intake and
exhaust. (20 each)


6) HEPA Intake Filter 6" - This will make sure the air entering
your grow operation contains no particulate, bacteria, or mold. No
one likes a moldy plant! Some plants are so juicy and wet, that
mold can become a problem unless prepared for properly. (125)



Y connection 6x6x6 - This will allow us to connect two 6” inch
exhaust hoses to the window fan in case of extreme weather
conditions

9) 8" to 6" Duct Reducer – will connect and seal (12 x 2 = 24)


10) Window fan - This will exhaust air outside (2


11) Rena Air 400 Air Pump - This will be used to add oxygen to our
hydro grow boxes. We will connect this through the grow containers
and attach them to 2 air stones to oxygenate the nutrient water.
(50)

12) Sandstone 12" Airstone - Two of these will connect to the Rena
Air 400 Air Pump. 1 for each growing container to aerate the water.

13) 25' Flexible Airline Tubing - interconnect between air pump and
airstones (2)

14) Supreme MAg Drive Water Pump 250 GPH - 2x - Using one for each
grow container will provide the plants the direct flow line. (35)

15) 5.5" Heavy Duty Net Pot - This will hold the medium that will
hold the marijuana plant (2 each)

16) Rockwool Starter Cube - This will hold the initial seed and
will be placed in the hydroton (7 for 15)

17) Hydroton - Medium that holds the weed stalk in the net pots.
(30 for 50 liter bag)

1 1/2'' Black Tube Roll of 100 Ft - interconnect for flow
irrigation - 30 -

19) Float Valve 1/2" barbed fitting - This will ensure that the
grow containers have enough nutrient water from the reservoir. ( 15
each)

20) Champ pH Tester - For watching and maintaing proper pH levels
(50)


21) Earth Juice Natural pH Down and Up - For maintaining proper pH
levels (10 each)


22) Nutramist Model 3 - Universal Aeroponic Fogger - The ultimate
root irrigation system. This will fog the root system in both
containers and will intake from either the reservoir or the grow
containers. (370)

23) 1 1/2" ID Vapor Distribution Hose - Connects fogger to
distribution T and the grow containers (3.99 per foot x 10 ft =
39.90)

24) 1 1/4" PVC Tee - Splits fogger to both grow containers (3)


25) 1 1/4" drain/bulkhead fitting - WIll be used to distribute fog
to each grow container. (4.95 each x 2 = 10)


26) Hydroponic TDS Tester - for maintaining the correct levels of
nutrients (40)

Wow, just wow. That is alot of money for your first grow. You could grow just as good plants for around 300 as your going to grow for 2500!! Dude, settle down, take it slow, start small. You dont need the latest and greatest stuff when youve never grew one plant. Save your money man. Your plants dont know what all you have in your room, all they know is they want light, soil, nutes, and water. That doesnt cost 2500. In my opinion you are wasting about 2000 bucks. But its your money, waste it as you will.

Edit: I just read through your list. There are about 10-15 items there you DONT need. Especially since you dont even have seeds started. it should read more like htis
1. Good soil either bought or made
2. Good clean water
3. Good lights
4. A few fans for ventilation
5. Some nutes for each stage of growth
6. Buy stuff as we need it.

what is it your are trying to accomplish?? VV

It's not my money, and he's willing to pay at least $1500. You may be right about going for a simpler route, but to answer the other question:


I'm trying to create a setup that will require the least intervention that will create a hobbiest quality bud with decent yield. I figure that hydroponics, after getting it properly set up, will be the easiest to maintain leading to most positive results.

With that I also have to consider odor control, heat, ventilation, space requirements, stealthiness, and how often the end user would have to intervene, water / feed, check ph, etc.

So, with that in mind, hydroponics would require a quick daily check, weekly reservoir cleaning and filling, and checking nute and ph levels once a week.

Soil would require daily watering, more nute adjustment
etc.

Maybe I could forgo the grow tent and lower the light wattage, but why would I need to if he's willing to pay for it. I can't think of much else that would need to be considered except the price required.

If money wasn't an issue for you and you had say, a 5x5 room to grow in, what would be your own dream setup?

Overkill or not, each component has it's purpose and helps to resolve a possibly negative scenario. Odor, ventilation, light, heat, stealthiness are all considered with the setup that I posted.

I could see maybe 6-8 plants in the 4' 6" square box, and yielding excellent bud (ed rosenthal or super skunk maybe?) at perhaps 1-3 pounds dried bud would pretty much pay for itself.

Do you think there's a much cheaper alternative that could satisfy all the requirements without losing quality and yield and still be a decent long term solution?

Good hydroponics is hard and skilled work and requires a lot of attention.
Mud and water are easy and forgiving

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good luck ... i want to see all the hardware after u get it.. and i would go for the grow tents. great products

And what soil grow requires watering everyday? If i only went to water mine and didnt look at them i would be down there 2 times a week. Not every day. You should invest more time into growing better weed instead of investing more money into cool toys. Since you have no growing experience, how do you know you need all of that? How you do know you cant get ounces and ounces of the best weed with a couple hundred bucks? Ive seen some cfl grows on here that put expensive set ups to shame. Your setting yourself up for what can be either an expensive mistake or an expensive grow room. Either way you could do it cheaper.

I appreciate all the advice. I'm going to have to do some more research and see if I can't do a Mud and water setup, but I'll still have some questions for you all. I considered doing a hydro setup for myself a few years ago but never fulfilled that dream, so I haven't really looked into anything else.

My buddy wanted to go for hydroponics, but if it saves him 1500 to go to mud and water, then he would probably be up for it.


So, how many watts could I go up to without risking IR camera concern AND having to ventilate like a mofo? I'm thinking if I do go mud and water, maybe a 400 watt, a couple fans (one pointing to light), water, and nutes all in a closet. If he doesn't have the closet space, then maybe I get the grow tent.

Sounds simple enough, but to grow this way, do you need to measure pH, ppm in your watered down nutes?

Damnit, now I have to do even more research. It's not that I mind it so much as I wanted to get this started. If he bends to the pressure and accepts a mud and water setup, maybe I can invest in my own hydro setup in a year or so when I move out of my apartment.

Oh, and by the way nat, your bud shots made me droooooool.

well look at it this way the only advantage i have heard of for soil is flavor.

with hydro every thing is faster, veg = 1 week as opposed to 1 month.


i grow 2-3 to 4 inches a day and i aint talking about me weeness


no transplanting no nothin just fill it with the water and put nutes in, it much more controlable, once you drain the water boom you done flushing.


so is there any other advantage to soil besides flavor?

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