Help with setup type, and costs.

Hey all, i have a few questions regarding what i can afford to grow with the lowest investment possible. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

however i am not willing to spend more than 150$ in total for everything(this is why i need the help)

For starters
i would like to use about a 400watt mh hps combo with a single ballast.(switching out bulbs for veg/flowering.) i might be able to get a used one online for 50$

what is a nice area size for a 400 watt bulb?(my current goal is about 4x4 or 3x3) how many plants would be ideal to grow under 400 watts in a 3x3 space (for optimal yield!!!!)

At the moment i am also aiming for a hydroponic system:
which hydroponic system would be the best for a cheap price?NFT?


i cant build a tent out of spare wood and some curtains, so cost isnt a problem here. if my budget allows i would also like mylar to help out.

However i have no idea about ventilation and heat problems.
If i leave it in a well ventilated room that doesnt go over 90 degrees, will i need ventilation?



Thank you all for the answers. i know a lot may be in the forum, but all the info i know about or anything for that matter in this topic i learned from this site already.
i would just like to know a more specific answer to my questions. Thank you all so much.

Prob avoid hydro just yet, set up could run into the thousands.Just use soil and pots, get an exhaust fan and a new 400w hps only, this will do the job. 400 is better for a 3x3 area. Work on getting 50w per sq ft.

*BUDS said:

Prob avoid hydro just yet, set up could run into the thousands.Just use soil and pots, get an exhaust fan and a new 400w hps only, this will do the job. 400 is better for a 3x3 area. Work on getting 50w per sq ft.

Click to expand...

3x3 feet it is!!! thanks for the feedback i was going back and forth between those 2 lengths and ive finally decided!

but are you sure about the hydroponic? an nft setup requires one pump and pvc so doesnt seem to pricey.

also instead of an exhaust fan what about a reular fan blowing into the tent? is that ok?

Update: official size is going to be 3x3

hydro the nutrients and meters will run much higher than 150 plus the problem/fail ratio is much higher than soil for first runs. you can get away with building a hot batch of soil that will only require water for you first run...youll eventually want to invest to get the best

Find it hard to believe you can do a 400w for 150 or less, but good luck to ya.

man i just have a flour set up and i have all ready broke 750$ the key to this whole thing is, dont rush man, so take your time save up a few pennies, buy the things one at a time, just remeber if your going to do it, do it right, no point in wasting your time, or taking a few baby girls on a rough ride.. patients is key, it will come

i got a simple setup 4 like 130 nutes an a 400w hps im building a grow box from scratch 2 try to use material 4 box that dosent let air in like a tarp so u can control where air is getting in an outage exhaust at top intake at bottom so air flows up getting light heat to flow away from tha plant optimal temp is 70-80 F unless u have a hardy strain that can grow in high temp