600Watt HPS

[tokealot]

Hi guys n gals. I am an outdoor grower but, I want to try growing indoors like a cupboard grow. I have read lots about lights, growing bases, ventilation, PHs, fertilisers etc. I have read most of the forums here as well and added advice to them where I could. I am hoping there are some NQ people out there who have cupboard grow experience. Just basics on how to start and what I need realistically and the rest is up to the live-and-learn path.

 

All replies appreciated.

[pipeman]

OK, here is a very basic setup:

 

Cupboard, 450deepx900widex1600high minimum interenal growing space dimensions - slightly bigger would be better

400W Son-T-Agro light kit, including remote ballast and reflector preferably air cooled type

hooks & chains to hang hood

flat white paint to paint out the inside of the cupboard

3-4 pots with saucers - square makes better use of space

50/50 perlite/vermiculite to fill pots

canna veg & flower nutes from a hydro shop

ph meter and ph down/up a good idea but not necessarily essential

extraction fans. a bathroom exhaust in top, or a couple of 100mm fans, one out the top and one extracting through the hood with a bit of ducting. Can buy fans and ducting to suit at a hydro shop

thermometer that record min/max temps

24hour timer for light 18/6 veg 12/12 flower

extension chord & power board

small oscillating fan for inside of cupboard

watering can

water

mj seed

 

basically just paint out your cupboard white. cut large holes at least 2no 100mm holes at bottom for passive intake. hang light & hood inside cupboard, ballast goes outside. test run with fans, add fans as necessary to keep temps below 30 degrees.

 

Ideally you are aiming for 24-27 degrees

 

adjust light height so that when the back of your hand is level with top of plants its not cold but not hot, just comfortably warm. Mix nutes as per instructions. If using PH meter you are aiming at a range between 5.2 & 6.3. Hand water once a day at beginning of light cycle. If you're home and remember probably be better to water a couple more times during light cycle.

 

thats it. sky's the limit....

[budsta]

Also, I gotta admit, sillica solutution(I can't remeber how to spell it) is a great wayto strengthen plants. I'm sure many of you use it already, but damn, I am a believer now. That shit just plants so virile. I can't explain it, just makes em look like plastic plants. Anyhoo....

 

Peace Out

 

Dirty Deed

hey guys,

what is this sillicon solution stuff - I've never heard of it?

Do you mix it in the nutes or like silicon gel you spray on stems to stop big buds droppin?

Please explain, I really have no idea what this is

 

be happy

[hydrodude]

Is just another additive :-) only this one says Caution S5 on the front :-) With the Dutch master one u use 2ml per litre of water :-) works out very cheap. The main use for it as i understand is it prevents Bud mold which is a very good thing :-)

[Guest weekprik]

most nute mixes contain enough so you dont need any silica products just make sure your nutes have it,

I use Amsterdam indoors and this has a decent quality of it,

if your nutes dont have it take a look at budlink,

 

its just sand particles made very small.

[barefoot]

hi guys.

what do you make of this

A 600 Watt High Pressure Sodium Kit consists of Reflector, Ballast and Lamp. It also comes with a dual spectrum lamp. The 600 watt Kit covers an area of 1.5m x 1.5m.

 

Key Benefits

Promotes Flowering & Fruiting in one Lamp.

Up to 30% more blue light

Good growth rates

 

This was taken from http://www.hydroponicsupplies.com.au/prod01.htm.

will the light specified do what they claim. (They are my closest safe hydro shop in 400ks) the area it's gunna cover seems a bit excessive to me.

[pipeman]

If you work on 40watts per square foot which as a rule of thumb is the minimum amount of light for flowering a 600watter will cover 15 square feet. 1.5m x1.5m is 25 square feet, so yeah that is stretching it.

[Guest weekprik]

it must be a sont-agro bulb, they are pretty good but just because its got 30% more blue doesnt mean it can do a larger area.

[Tom]

It's best to work on 50w per square foot, you will get a much superior and vigorous grow with less stretching than you would at 40w which is the minimum requirement.

 

http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/contrib/ruinkai/coolgleamA.gif

[Seeker]

at where I brought my stuff. 400w and 600w are exactly the same price.

hey, some people say minimum 20watt per sqaure foot, some people say 40w, some say 60. doesn't matter how much you light you give your plant artificially, it's hard to much nature sun light. so the idea is to give as much light as you can while able to keep the temperture within the acceptable temperture.

 

I agree with what tom said, if you seperate your lights might give you slightly higher yield, and able to cut down harvest time in half.

 

but I think if you are able to build a grow room that fits both lights will give you better grow room effincency.