Complete Newb Planning A Very Small Grow

HAHA , no I suppose I won't end up ever doing a PROPER newb grow then.
Between odor,venting,light leaks, DIY wiring concerns (fire), temp and humidity concerns we decided to go moderate or go home.

The biggest problem is that the nearest hydro shop is over 6 hrs away so I need to order a lot from the Internet. Can't even find cheap 3 gallon pots around here.

I am likely going to go with a 400w MH HPS Switchable ballast , any comments on the wattage for the space (1m square).
Also anyone have a soil suggestion? I was looking at miracle grow organic potting soil.
 
oh god no mg soil or foods...bad stuff. they only have 3 of the 17 elements a plant needs to be the best. yes they grow but why live on mc donalds???...all the y use is N/P/K in their stuff.
for soil use sunshien #4 or promix hp or bx...way more soil than you get with the mg and is real soil...actualy concidered soiless as there realy isnt any soil in it


so the ballast???...digi or maganetic. i suggest digi for better efficiency. and wouldnt even bother with the mh as i said in last post on last page...430 watts for that size room...3 gal pot is huge for that veg timne. i use 2 gal and run under 4 x 600 watts. 1 gal per month or foot of growth is avergae. you dont have the power to grow them taller with a 400...flower at 8 inches
 
Thanks Medi 1 you have been awesome to help me out like this (everyone else also awesome).
Yea I am looking at a "real" light now my wife had concerns about my handyman ability to wire in 3 cfl bulbs per plant. We figured it would end in fire
 
some old advice form a hippie buddy dood of mine...spend cheep spend twice....

i run the quantum ballast. can run at 250/400/600 watt both 220 110 and mh or hps. i have 5 of them and love them. not sure where you are but i give 20% off on orders. but if your far the shippin may eat that up.


someones going to jump on me for pluggin my shop again.....lol...just tryin to help a guy out is all.
 
That advice is exactly why we are going with "real" equipment. We don't want to be spending over and over on soil, seeds, upgrades to venting, torn poly, shoddy workmanship (have I mentioned I can't swing a hammer).

Want to PM me your shop I like to keep all options in mind.
 
In the lumatek 600W will a 400W bulb also run? For the price dif I see on these may as well leave a little upgrade room.
 
ya most switchable digfi run 3 diff wattages....yoyu do need diff bulbs. not run same bulb and just swicth the switch..i dont like lumatec all that much. they run hotter and makes for less lumens at the bulb. heat causes lumens loss. the quantum has a fan inside to help cool and are way smaller
 
never heard of them. i juist googled them and i dont think 150 will get you a qualtiy ballast. cant honestly say but thats cheeper than a mag ballast. and i see a somewhat lie in their adds. saying its the only ballast that can be mounted verticle/...any ballast can be mounted that way. its the bulbs that make the diff not ballast. it does have a decent warrantee but when you break it and need to ship it its going to cost ya. just some things to think about....looks huge to
 
Arg, this is far more difficult than it should be and mostly because of where I live. I went to all the "garden centers" , building stores, agro co-ops, and walmarts in the city and the only brands were MG and Shultz. Nothing that I see people suggesting all the time.

And the biggest pot I could get for less than 15$ a pot was a 2.8G pot, so frustrating.
 
ya i hear alot of places only carry it in the summer times. its everywhere out here.
a pot 3 gal pot costs 15 bucks.,..what..holly crap. should be under 2 bucks, i think i pay about 1.25 for 2 gallon, its just cheep plastic.
 
Thats just it, nobody has 3 gallon pots that are plastic right now everyone has giant ceramic ones or 1.5 gallon pots.

I picked up 4 2.8 Gallon round buckets from the dollar store I figure I can use in a pinch , if not it was only 4$
Not going to do me a lick of good if I can't even get dirt.
 
well if theres a dollar store im sure they have some sort of bucket or plastic garbage can or similar to use as a pot. just drill holes in the bottom for drainage. a pot is a pot. ...realy wally world dosent have pots??..m,an choices realy do suck near you.
 
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