lighting

I am setting up a grow tent i figured would be about 2' X 4' X 7'. Its my first grow attempt and i just wanted some advice on lighting. I was leaning towards an led set up to avoid the need for exhaust fans ive seen used to cool hps systems. Im looking to spend $400 or so on lights but im worried that wont be enough for a quality led system and im better off getting a higher watt hps system and investing in a cooling system for it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/300-WATT-HYDROPONIC-TRIBAND-LED-GROW-LIGHT-300W-400watt-/170505633309?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b2ed7e1d

i was considering something like this for a led option

http://www.sunlightsheds.com/SLS-600w-Power-Plant-Kit.html

or something like this for a hps option.


i am a little confused as how to deal with the heat a hps system causes as well as where the carbon filter would be used if i were the go with a hps system. im working with a very limited budget as well.

Any advice is appreciated

there s no two ways about it ,if your not handy,this hobby is expensive so ill tell you to look at diy cooltubes,carbon scrubbers and Stanley blowers.BTW led's arent where its at with hps goodluck

if your on a budget man, why dont you just get a shit ton of CFL's and a box fan? growing doesnt require a rocket science degree bro, you more or less have to forget about it untill it needs something

If you don't want heat and don't want exhaust fans, CFL or LED is the only way to go. Even CFL will get warm, though you could possibly get away with passive venting. If you build yourself a ghetto carbon scrubber that vents out, you won't have to worry about the CFL heat at all.

If you go CFL you'll probably want to go scrog since the light penetration isn't that great. You can get 105 watt CFLs from 1000bulbs for $18.50 each. You could probably get away with 4 for veg and 4 for flower in that space. Alternatively you could go with 8 45 or 55 watt for each session, they go for about $12 each.

That's my humble opinion. YMMV

I want to have large harvests and upgrade my system when i have the money from harvests so i wanted a solid light to build my system around. Im hesitant to go with an all fluorescent setup because i figured the system would only last me a harvest or two before i wanted to upgrade so i want to just have a solid light so i can spend my money on a cO2 regulator or hydro system in the future instead

I would say if you are looking to stay inside that budget you almost have to go cfl, unless you are very handy as stated before. For what it sounds like you are looking to do I would go with a min 400 watt hps and supplement with cfls, this setup will give you a proven yeild that you can build your system on in a couple of harvests. Led's have peaked my interest too as space and heat issues are also a problem for me, but i want to wait awhile until I see some proven yeilds from these lights. Any choice you make im glad your willing to get your feet wet, however you start you will indefinetley build your system over time

Sorry, so you're okay with exhaust fans? Your first post said no exhaust fans. If you get 420 watts of CFL in a 2' x 4', get high yield genetics, scrog or LST and pay attention to your nutes, you will see results.

My question with the exhaust fans is do you have 2 separate exhaust fans 1 for the lighting system and a separate one for the growing area with the carbon scrubber or are these 2 the same thing?

Yes, both, either... Some pass through air from outside to outside to cool the lamps. Some use a heavier duty fan, intake from inside the grow and scrub it on the way out. I find I can use smaller, quieter fans if I use two of them.

Dude the size of the room that you are saying is not ideal but when we start any room is better than no room,the lighting sytem that you are talking about getting is not ideal for cannabis growing all though in time the led lighting will be the future in indoor growing.But i would go with a h.p.s sytem with a cool hood not cool tube,a cool hood is a far better set up than cool tube cool tube's take away light,some cool hood's can be that bad that a 600 hps become's a 400,so get a hood.No matter what lighting sytem you use you are still gonna need a exaust fan to get rid of the smell,so utilise this in cooling yr light down has well has getting rid of the smell when in flower.You will also need a fan to move the air in the room.A inlet will also be needed but i have noticed that if the exaust fan is one that is pretty powerful then it will pull air in through any inlet that u put in the room.But saying that if you are gonna do thing sright from the start then a inlet fan would be good.Go for a 250 hps with a cool hood set up and you should do fine,but make sure that the room is keyed right befor adding any plants and you will be fine good luck...................tyke......................................................

I know my grow room isnt ideal size but im only 18 and this is my first grow and its not my house so ide say im pretty lucky to even have a grow room, but thanks for the advice its been really helpful and clarified my questions.

The best way is to use 2 inline fans in 2 independent systems. 1 dedicated to cooling the light. And 1 dedicated to exhausting the rooms hot air. You can get away with 1 fan but you are giving up environmental control in doing so.

cooling the light: The best way to do this is to suck cool air from a source outside the grow room. Suck this air through your reflector and out of you grow room again. This way if you run co2 or just want to have superior air control you dont have to worry about this vent system interfering with your heating, cooling or venting. It's a closed loop design.

exhausting the room and scrubbing the air: your space is tiny, so I would do what others have said on here and price out building a scrubber/fan setup verus buying one. On the intake side i would start with a passive vent somewhere low in the tent. The go scrubber near ceiling of tent>>>>>inline fan>>>>>hot air exhausted out to waste. Or use hot air for warming needs.

I priced bulb, 400 watt ballast, 6" cooled reflector= $206/mh and $259/hps. A 4" inline fan is $70x2= 140+260+$400 your gonna need another $100 buck for supplies. You could make some of this stuff and save. GL

c

what site were you lookin at for those prices mountainfarmer