Need advice on a micro grow

[bwanabud]

You are operating under the assumption that HPS is hotter than CFL but that is not correct. There is no getting around that fact...and they are going to cost about twice as much to run every single month. Yes you can do a grow with CFLs, but HPS is going to give you way more bud way cheaper. You are going to spend twice as much on electricity to run CFLs over HPS and probably get 1/2 as much bud. And it is a mistake to believe that a bunch of CFLs are cooler or safer than a HPS. How hot is it going to be when you get 11-12 42W cfls in a 2 x 3 space?

Remember that anyone can make anything look like they want to make it look on You Tube. I can point out downright fraud on there.

It all gets down to the lumens. Lumen for lumen, cfls will run hotter, will cost about twice as much in electricity, will produce less bud, the bud will be less dense and airier, and the potency may also go down. Four bulbs is only going to work if they are large wattage bulbs like a 125W. And 4 125W clfs are NOT going to be cooler, regardless of what you believe. Add up how many CFLs you are going to need--do not scrimp on lumens! You want a minimum of 3000 lumens per sq ft for vegging and 5000 for flowering.

:yeahthat: I'm glad you said it, no one listens to me THG

I'm looking in metal halide and hps. Just need a light that will fit into a small space.

Look at the HPS lites with a multi-output selector, the ballast is adjustable from 50%/75%/100%....you can use the lower settings in vegging.

 

[DeepfriedNugs]

:yeahthat: I'm glad you said it, no one listens to me THG



Look at the HPS lites with a multi-output selector, the ballast is adjustable from 50%/75%/100%....you can use the lower settings in vegging.

I started looking after YOUR post bro.

So an adjustable HPS? What watts for a 1.5x1.5x3.5 foot space?

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

LOL--Bwanabud, well they should. You have done a great job with your grows!

A 250W HPS would cover that space very well. However if you can afford it, I would go with a 400W with a dimmable ballast. A lot of us start out small and end up going larger. I encourage you to put in as large a space as you can--trust me, you will fill whatever space you have and probably wish you had more. Amazon has some good deals on grow lights. Be sure to get an air-coolable hood. This makes all the difference in the world in being able to cool your space.

 

[SpiritualHippie]

My first number of years I scrogged in a small homemade grow cabinet. I had a 400 watt hps bulb with an air cooled hood and a bathroom fan. My growspace was roughly 32" x 42" by maybe 36" tall. That box was so well tuned my temps never went above 72.

Forget the cfls. Go for a 400 watt hps and if you want MH for veg then just buy a MH conversion bulb. The conversion bulb might be more expensive but unless your looking at moving to both a grow chamber and flower chamber there is no need for 2 ballasts.

Scrap the idea of harvesting a couple oz at a time. There is too much time invested in a grow cycle. I easily pulled 1 lb off a 3 plant scrog in that tiny space.

 

[DeepfriedNugs]

LOL--Bwanabud, well they should. You have done a great job with your grows!

A 250W HPS would cover that space very well. However if you can afford it, I would go with a 400W with a dimmable ballast. A lot of us start out small and end up going larger. I encourage you to put in as large a space as you can--trust me, you will fill whatever space you have and probably wish you had more. Amazon has some good deals on grow lights. Be sure to get an air-coolable hood. This makes all the difference in the world in being able to cool your space.

Thanks guys and gals. I appreciate the help.

My first number of years I scrogged in a small homemade grow cabinet. I had a 400 watt hps bulb with an air cooled hood and a bathroom fan. My growspace was roughly 32" x 42" by maybe 36" tall. That box was so well tuned my temps never went above 72.

Forget the cfls. Go for a 400 watt hps and if you want MH for veg then just buy a MH conversion bulb. The conversion bulb might be more expensive but unless your looking at moving to both a grow chamber and flower chamber there is no need for 2 ballasts.

Scrap the idea of harvesting a couple oz at a time. There is too much time invested in a grow cycle. I easily pulled 1 lb off a 3 plant scrog in that tiny space.

 

[SpiritualHippie]

I started looking after YOUR post bro.

So an adjustable HPS? What watts for a 1.5x1.5x3.5 foot space?

FYI your original post had a bigger space than what you posted here. Do not attempt a 400watt light in a 18" space.

 

[DeepfriedNugs]

FYI your original post had a bigger space than what you posted here. Do not attempt a 400watt light in a 18" space.

Would a 250 be okay?

 

[zem]

1.5x1.5 is small, 150 w would suffice, you gave bigger dimensions previously

 

[DeepfriedNugs]

1.5x1.5 is small, 150 w would suffice, you gave bigger dimensions previously

Well I've got a old metal cabinet i can use that's roughly 1.5x1.5x3.5. It'd work well as a closet cabinet. But I've got a couple small storage buildings that would make excellent grow rooms. But they are much bigger then I anticipated using. Like 6x6x8.

 

[SpiritualHippie]

Heres a couple pics of my old growbox

Air cooled hood makes a huge diff. Seperate chamber for electrical. Small computer fan for circulation. Bathroom fan to exhaust.

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[MR1]

Nice job on the box Hippie.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Great grow box in a little space.

I think that you are going to want to go larger than 1.5 x 1.5 unless you are going to do a single plant. And even then. that is pretty small.