I Need Suggestions - 1st Time Grower

I hope to start growing in a month or so. My plan is to read, read, read and get supplies along the way. There is so much of everything out there that its overwhelming and I dont know which will best suit me for what Im wanting. All Im wanting is suggestions and what YOU would do. As far as budget goes, I dont really wanna spend more than $500-$600. I make decent money and mainly growing to cut my expense on buying it. Im not trying to be the Walter White of my craft, not yet anyways . I just want a good start. Learn the ropes a bit and then slowly branch out and do my own thing.

I know everyone has their own preference and all of that. All Im wanting basically is names and actual products.

• Im only wanting to have about 4-7 plants.

Im going to be growing indoors, so I was leaning towards a tent of some kind. Suggestions on which 1 or if this is a good idea?
I know plants like different types of light at different stages in their growth. So, I would like to have 2-3 different types of lights. Suggestions?
Meters? What different kinds of meters will I need?
Soil? What brands/types are good all around?

I know the search button works wonders and I plan on using it a lot, but I have trouble knowing for sure if what other posters are doing/wanting even pertains to me. Bare with me please! Im a quick learner and like I said Ive been reading a lot. Its just their is sooooooooooo much information and growing bud almost seems like a surgery. Everything must be clean and sterile. A good routine is needed. The slightest of hiccups could result in death. Basically, If Im going to do it and spend some money on it I want it to be good and done right. I plan on making this a hobby, as Im already excited and I havent even started yet.

Thanks for any and all information and suggestions.

P.S. If you toke and play Xbox360 ( I mainly play sports and GTA V Online ) Add me !

GT - SupeR Ru5ty

What you could do.and i did this go to your hydo store near you take a catalorog look at it andyour reading if somthingssounds good to ya mark it in the catalog or write it down.then compare prices and try to get in your spending limit.

Sorry about the spelling to one to many tokes.

Jumpin Jack said:

What you could do.and i did this go to your hydo store near you take a catalorog look at it andyour reading if somthingssounds good to ya mark it in the catalog or write it down.then compare prices and try to get in your spending limit.

Sorry about the spelling to one to many tokes.

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I cant do that broski. Its illegal here. There are no hydro shops.
Im just more or less wanting opinions and suggestions. No worries about spelling. Im not the grammar police

KeepStickyRolled said:

I cant do that broski. Its illegal here. There are no hydro shops.
Im just more or less wanting opinions and suggestions. No worries about spelling. Im not the grammar police

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not a hydro shop like weed shop... like a store that sells plants and such so you can find lights to grow inside! and all the other necessary stuff to grow indoors... all you have to do is substitute the word pot plant with a different herb/vegetable saying you really like this plant and want to grow it indoors... i did that

KeepStickyRolled said:

I cant do that broski. Its illegal here. There are no hydro shops.
Im just more or less wanting opinions and suggestions. No worries about spelling. Im not the grammar police

Click to expand...

not a hydro shop like weed shop... like a store that sells plants and such ( a nursery) so you can find lights to grow inside! and all the other necessary stuff to grow indoors... all you have to do is substitute the word pot plant with a different herb/vegetable saying you really like this plant and want to grow it indoors... i did that

opps didnt mean to post that twice!

Colorado kush said:

not a hydro shop like weed shop... like a store that sells plants and such ( a nursery) so you can find lights to grow inside! and all the other necessary stuff to grow indoors... all you have to do is substitute the word pot plant with a different herb/vegetable saying you really like this plant and want to grow it indoors... i did that

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My cousin actually works at a nursery. So I wont have to buy things like pots. Im not sure if he can score me any soil or nutrients. Im just starting to try and make sense of everything and how everything ties together. Maybe the soil they use would be terrible for indoor MJ growing.

Is basically all indoor plants grown the same way? My luck, once I tell who ever helps me at the store that I wanna grow _____ plant indoors, would be that things that make that particular plant thrive would be detrimental to my pot plant

KeepStickyRolled said:

My cousin actually works at a nursery. So I wont have to buy things like pots. Im not sure if he can score me any soil or nutrients. Im just starting to try and make sense of everything and how everything ties together. Maybe the soil they use would be terrible for indoor MJ growing.

Is basically all indoor plants grown the same way? My luck, once I tell who ever helps me at the store that I wanna grow _____ plant indoors, would be that things that make that particular plant thrive would be detrimental to my pot plant

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I recommend you dont tell anyone bro...

First of all kudos to starting small, and taking one step at a time.

You said your thinking abouts starting with 4-7 plants. How much dried product do you actually want to aim for? By utilizing different growing techniques and setups your yields can vary HUGELY. One guy might pull a few zips from the 4 plants one guy could pull a few lbs.

You want to be thinking about:

Lighting, Can you afford to go HID lighting? Can you deal with the heat that they will put out?

Heating/Cooling, Are you going to run AC/CO2 or run an intake and exhaust? I would definitely suggest the latter, as it would be the cheaper route. A good exhaust fan and a well placed intake will keep your temps down and humidity under control.

Technique, This is where answering how much actual product your looking to get, and how often, will come into play. At least it did for me. There is so many different styles of growing out there it hurts my head to think about. Figure out what you want out of it and narrow your research from there.

Medium, I assume your going with soil, and with a small budget it's probably the right choice.

Smell, Is this a concern for you or are you sitting on a few acres with no one around? If it is, your going to have to deal with it. I suggest carbon filters hooked up with your exhaust fan.

If I were you I would do some calculations regarding your exhaust fan's CFM for your room size, allowing for filters etc... And also if you go with HID lighting figure out your Watts per Sq.ft if your going to go with CFLs or LEDs maybe use lumens per Sq.ft....I don't know as I went with the HID. That way you can figure out exactly what you need and then hit eBay or Amazon.

Anyway man, I know it's a lot to process, but just start answering some questions and you'll narrow this down fast.

banks dank said:

I recommend you dont tell anyone bro...

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No no no lol Im not telling anyone. the "____" was suppose to be a "Insert any plant kind here" type deal. I was saying that its my luck that Id tell them a plant that is polar opposite of Mary Jane and therefor results in me buying stuff thats NOT good for Mary Jane plants.

Are u handy with power tools and things?

PKHydro said:

First of all kudos to starting small, and taking one step at a time.

You said your thinking abouts starting with 4-7 plants. How much dried product do you actually want to aim for? By utilizing different growing techniques and setups your yields can vary HUGELY. One guy might pull a few zips from the 4 plants one guy could pull a few lbs.

You want to be thinking about:

Lighting, Can you afford to go HID lighting? Can you deal with the heat that they will put out?

Heating/Cooling, Are you going to run AC/CO2 or run an intake and exhaust? I would definitely suggest the latter, as it would be the cheaper route. A good exhaust fan and a well placed intake will keep your temps down and humidity under control.

Technique, This is where answering how much actual product your looking to get, and how often, will come into play. At least it did for me. There is so many different styles of growing out there it hurts my head to think about. Figure out what you want out of it and narrow your research from there.

Medium, I assume your going with soil, and with a small budget it's probably the right choice.

Smell, Is this a concern for you or are you sitting on a few acres with no one around? If it is, your going to have to deal with it. I suggest carbon filters hooked up with your exhaust fan.

If I were you I would do some calculations regarding your exhaust fan's CFM for your room size, allowing for filters etc... And also if you go with HID lighting figure out your Watts per Sq.ft if your going to go with CFLs or LEDs maybe use lumens per Sq.ft....I don't know as I went with the HID. That way you can figure out exactly what you need and then hit eBay or Amazon.

Anyway man, I know it's a lot to process, but just start answering some questions and you'll narrow this down fast.

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Yes, I understand that aspect of it completely and Im going into this with realistic expectations. I mean if worse comes to worse and a plant(s) die or yield nothing, then Ill chalk that up to a learning experience. If we do rough estimates and I harvest 6 plants every 3 months, Id ideally want at least an OZ per plant. So that would be 6 OZ every 3 months. At the moment me and my roommate both smoke and we will both be doing/watching the grow. We go through roughly a half OZ a week. So around 2 OZ's per month. If we go back to the rough estimate of 6 OZ's per month, then I would keep more than I need and sale (hook up) a couple family members. This would only be to neutralize my cost in supplies and electric. Im not gonna get greedy or build up a clientele.

Lighting - Yes I can afford HID. My roommate whom I will be educating and learning with will be home 24/7 too keep an eye on things. Deal with the heat in what way?
Heating/Cooling - Im down to run an intake and exhaust. I havent got to the point in knowing what to buy and how to set it up, but yea I can do it.
Technique - Thats what Im saying. There is so many options at every turn and its overwhelming. Im not educated in very many grow areas. When you say " What I want out of it" what do you mean exactly? Like harvest quicker? Yield more? More potency?
Medium - Yes, I was reading about Black Gold and FoxFarm. Thoughts? Also, I will spend more than $500 overall. The $500-$600 range was more or less the most I can drop at once.
Smell - Well at the moment Idk if Im going to buy a Condo or a House. Smell shouldnt be an issue, but if I think it could be ( I take every precaution because cultivating is a felony here) Ill take appropriate measures.


I appreciate the help in helping me narrow things down. It is a lot to process, but its kinda like my 1st 2 months of Radiology School. Everything is completely overwhelming, but the more you read and learn the more you see how everything ties together.

a mongo frog said:

Are u handy with power tools and things?

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Im no Bob Villa, but Im not a dummy either lol I guess it depends on what was being done?

Also just to give me an idea, because the site doesnt say, how many plants can you grow comfortably in this grow tent?
http://www.amazon.com/Aviditi-PTU-66-Reflective-Hydroponic-48-Inch/dp/B004U6XSRC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1382143888&sr=8-3&keywords=Grow+tent
(Aviditi PTU-66 Mylar Reflective Hydroponic Grow Tent, 48-Inch Wide by 48-Inch Deep by 79-Inch High)


I just searched "grow tent" in Amazon and found the best seller.

KeepStickyRolled said:

Im no Bob Villa, but Im not a dummy either lol I guess it depends on what was being done?

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I was just going to recommend instead of buying a grow tent, u could go buy some 2x2 lumber and build your own small room. let say 6x6 room or what ever size u need. Frame would cost u maybe 20 bucks in wood and another 6 bucks for a box of good wood screws. Then u could sheet the inside with some cheap ply wood, 1/4 would be great. Probably 50 bucks in plywood. So 70 bucks for a state of the art grow room that u could take down when ever u wanted. Just my thoughts. My wife's sister did this and is now growing some wonderful dank.

a mongo frog said:

I was just going to recommend instead of buying a grow tent, u could go buy some 2x2 lumber and build your own small room. let say 6x6 room or what ever size u need. Frame would cost u maybe 20 bucks in wood and another 6 bucks for a box of good wood screws. Then u could sheet the inside with some cheap ply wood, 1/4 would be great. Probably 50 bucks in plywood. So 70 bucks for a state of the art grow room that u could take down when ever u wanted. Just my thoughts. My wife's sister did this and is now growing some wonderful dank.

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I see I see. Well I would consider that route, but I dont have any power tools and dont really have a work station for cutting the ply wood. Im 27 and just now getting a house. Ive been on my own so to speak for awhile now, but never purchased a home and was too scared to grow inside an apartment. Id be fine with spending the extra for a tent, but I dont know if they are worth it ( sturdy and hold up? ) and I also dont know what footage equates to as far as plants go.

KeepStickyRolled said:

I see I see. Well I would consider that route, but I dont have any power tools and dont really have a work station for cutting the ply wood. Im 27 and just now getting a house. Ive been on my own so to speak for awhile now, but never purchased a home and was too scared to grow inside an apartment. Id be fine with spending the extra for a tent, but I dont know if they are worth it ( sturdy and hold up? ) and I also dont know what footage equates to as far as plants go.

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A lot depends on your grow style. For instance if I was u and wanted to get my feet wet, I would through 6 plants under 600 watts in 3 gallon pots filled with fox farm ocean forest soil. First I would veg them for 3-4 weeks then flower. Would get that jacks nutrient that everyone is talking about see what I could do.

KeepStickyRolled said:

My cousin actually works at a nursery. So I wont have to buy things like pots. Im not sure if he can score me any soil or nutrients. Im just starting to try and make sense of everything and how everything ties together. Maybe the soil they use would be terrible for indoor MJ growing.

Is basically all indoor plants grown the same way? My luck, once I tell who ever helps me at the store that I wanna grow _____ plant indoors, would be that things that make that particular plant thrive would be detrimental to my pot plant

Click to expand...

they also sell lights! and also i just bought some fox farm nutrients! they are making my plants grow pretty fast! ive only had my plants for about 14 days and i say they have grown about 6 inches! so i mean thats not too bad! this is the first grow ive ever done and im not doing too bad! and the lights i really dont know too much about! all i do know is you want a light that gets pretty hot while they are still pretty young! but i do know they sell lights for indoor gardens! and what i said, was im just trying to grow some..... Tomatoes! or cat nip! thats what i said! i also said i already had the seeds and such so all i needed was the right things to grow it! and luckily my friend was with me and he showed me some good nutrients! here are some pics of the nutrients and soil i bought! its pretty easy if you are only doing a few plants! and i also only spent about 175$ on all the equipment! lights, soil, nutes, and lights!

KeepStickyRolled said:

I see I see. Well I would consider that route, but I dont have any power tools and dont really have a work station for cutting the ply wood. Im 27 and just now getting a house. Ive been on my own so to speak for awhile now, but never purchased a home and was too scared to grow inside an apartment. Id be fine with spending the extra for a tent, but I dont know if they are worth it ( sturdy and hold up? ) and I also dont know what footage equates to as far as plants go.

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How ow much yield? Are you selling or strictly smoking? If you want a lot of bud... Might as well look into coco hempy buckets... I'm giving them a try myself... I'm switching methods from soil to coco hempy buckets with vertical bare bulb, wall of weed and feeding kiss style. Only thing about this is ph is essential so money on meters is going to be need. I use a 600w. This is my first grow with it, last I used a 400w but the buds weren't how I like them so I upgraded... It just depends how much cash you got, what space, and how much time you really have...

fir3dragon said:

How ow much yield? Are you selling or strictly smoking? If you want a lot of bud... Might as well look into coco hempy buckets... I'm giving them a try myself... I'm switching methods from soil to coco hempy buckets with vertical bare bulb, wall of weed and feeding kiss style. Only thing about this is ph is essential so money on meters is going to be need. I use a 600w. This is my first grow with it, last I used a 400w but the buds weren't how I like them so I upgraded... It just depends how much cash you got, what space, and how much time you really have...

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Not gonna be picky at all to begin with. This will be my very first grow, so Ill be happy to get any lol I dont necessarily want a lot of bud. Quality over quantity. Ill look into anything at the moment. As for the feeding kiss style Im not sure what that is. Have to google it. I dont mind shelling money for meters. My space will be either a large walk-in closet type or a tent in a bedroom. Whats the word on tents? Worth it? What type would I need to house 6 plants comfortably? Ill have plenty of time as well. Like I said. It will be me and my roommate. His MAIN job will be the plants and I work 3 ( gone ) and off 4, so Ill be around a majority of the time.