Just getting started

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum and I'm beginning the design of my first grow room. I currently have a cabinet with a height of 68'', a width of 27'' and a depth of 18''. I am planning on making the top portion of the cabinet (18'') my vegg area and then using the left over 50'' for the flowering part on the bottom. I am aware that I have to make sure everything is sealed so no light breaks through to the bottom part. Lining the walls with mirrors is an option, would that be better than painting the walls white, or putting some reflexive sheets on it? I plan on growing some bag seeds to start and after I harvest that I will be planting AK47, Skunk, and White Widow.

My major question is how many fluorescent tube lights should I buy if I'm purchasing:

24" Verilux 20W Fluorescent Tube - 6200K | Fluorescent Grow Lights

I plan on only using the tubes for the vegg area, and for the flowering area, the first grow light that comes up in the following link after you scroll down:

Pulsar Two-Way HP/MH Mini Plant Grow Lights by Sunleaves at Home Harvest Garden Supply

My ventilation system is already set up and if pictures of the cabinet are needed I can post them. So how many tubes should I buy, and will my plants grow alright with the lights I have selected? Any opinions and help is greatly appreciated!

Welcome to the forum. Don't use mirrors. They absorb the light. Your idea might work if you didn't have to put you plants in pots with something for the roots to grow into. Think about it. You take clones and start them vegging. How tall do you think they will get while you flower for 8 weeks or so in the bottom. VV

Well, what besides pots could I use?

mirrors are shit they reflect less than 55 percent of light, use mylar 2mm thick, its good stuff, as far as what to grow in, i use pots and a 6ft aquarium for hydro grow, both are good, i prefer soil, less chemicals needed
remember, simplicity

Yeah, I don't want to grow hydro
Where can I get some of that mylar?
And I'm still wondering if my lighting will provide me with some nice yields or if I should change it or not?
Thanks for the help so far

I would really consider this light instead of the one your planning on getting. Switchable ballasts are not as efficient and you do not need one because you will have a vegging area. All you need is a good hps.

Plus this is a bit cheaper High Tech Garden Supply

Yeah, that system is better, thanks a bunch nowstopwhining. What if I was to use that system for my entire grow, vegging and flowering? I would have to buy a MH conversion bulb to use with the hps ballast right? Perhaps that would be better because I'm a first timer and am not made out of money. Maybe after the first harvest I could buy the fluorescents and set up a separate vegging area.

When during the growing cycle does the plant start to smell most rancid?
Also, can some one explain or find something to introduce me more to the idea of the female and male plants, along with cloning please?

Anyone..

Monsterweed said:

Anyone..

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Honestly since that is a blue spectrum enhanced hps I linked you too, it could be used for both veg and flower and save you money. Buuut yes you could get a mh conversion bulb for the hps setup to save money

Alright, I've decided to go with the sea of green method, use the cabinet to grow 3-5 mothers, have a shelf above them for my clones, and running separate ventilation/exhaust systems.

How many CFLs would it take to grow the mothers successfully and what would be a good number to use for my clones if theres about 30 of them? Would it be more efficient to use the tubes?

If I make a mix of 50% promix, 35% perlite and 15% vermiculite as my soil should I be buying nutrients to add and are there other mixtures that will produce better results in root development and yield?
Is it a good idea to use a layer of hydroton on top of my soil to encourage further root growth?

I am making a flowering box 6' long, 3' tall, 2' wide, and lighting it up with either three 400Watt HPS grow lights, or a 1,000WATT HPS. Which set up would produce better results?

Anymore help is greatly appreciated and thanks everyone who's helped me out so far.
So am I on the right track?

Bump.

Anybody listening still?

Monsterweed said:

Anybody listening still?

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Im listening but i just grow in mud and i dont use cfls so cant be of much help there really.

As far as i know though adding an extra layer of perlite to the top of your soil is good for creating an atmosphere for your plant.
Use mycorihazl to help develop great root systems in your plants,mollases will help to bulk up your plants.

Dont put a 1000watt hps into such a small box 400watts is about the most youll get away with assuming you dont want it to catch on fire lol

Why thank you. How much heat do HPS lights usually give off on average?

Monsterweed said:

Why thank you. How much heat do HPS lights usually give off on average?

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I don't know the exact figures and all models would differ i assume,you'd have to check that at the manufactures site.

1000watt hps tubes give of a lot of heat though and unless you have some kind of specialist cooling system i wouldn't put them in a cupboard sized box.

The kind of growbox size that you seem to be talking about usually only have specialist flouro tubes in them,if you cooled the box adequately i am sure you could get away with some cfls and a 4oowatt hps in there.

So does anyone have an average temperature the lights run at?

Monsterweed said:

So does anyone have an average temperature the lights run at?

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Im not to sure but i think on average they generate slightly less heat than their wattage i.e. 1000watt bulb will generate about 900watts of heat.
But im not to sure really