Beginner Help, First Grow few questions

hey guys, me and my mate love the forum we have learnt so much from here!, theres just a few questions i would like to ask for my friend who's starting his first grow very shortly

he's bought one of them grow tent kit's off ebay (UK)

it consists of:

1.2 x 1.2 x 1.85 secret jardin tent
600 watt EuroLux HPS Bulb with Ballast
Euro Reflector (With the V in the middle)
Pair of Easy Rollers
1x 5" Vents TT (2 Speed) Fan and 5" Prima Klima carbon filter kit (including 3m aluminium foil ducting and 3x clips)
also he has added a timer and hygrometer


basically he want's to start with auto-flowering seed's, mayb 3/4 in the tent.. he plans on a 18/6 light cycle

he will add anymore bits that are needed (such as DIY CO2 generator, Air intake cooling fan)

his problem is he doesn't know what soil to use, what nutrients and why and also if the PH of his water would matter with auto-flower seeds, he's thinking of using 3 gallon pots

any help would be greatly appreciated!

start off with fox farms happy frog, add perlite in maybe a 5:1 ratio. so like 80% soil 20% perlite.

you can buy the fox farms trio on amazon for 45 bucks gets you grow big, big bloom, and tiger bloom. that's a good starter kit for a first grow. that's what I'm using.

I would think pH matters for all plants to some degree, I'd get a test kit and try to water with around 6.5ph water.

3gal pots will be fine... with 3 or 4 autos in 3gal pots under a 600w you could pull almost a lb if you don't fuck it up too bad. but don't expect greatness on the first round... it'll just disappoint you.

ty very much! some great advice!, my friend has'nt done any type of gardening/growing before so has no ideas about nutes and ratios, thnaks for the advice!

5:1 ratio simply means for every 5 units of soil add one unit of perlite.

so if you're mixing into a large bag or whatever just take a cup of some kind and scoop 5 cups of soil then 1 cup of perlite... continue until the bag or bin is full and then mix it. there's your soil.

and nutes is simple, if you buy the fox farms trio they send you a chart with it, you can also look it up online. it tells you exactly how much of what and when to use it. I would recommend starting at 1/4 strength from what the chart tells you and work your way up to full strength