First time grow set up advice..250w or 400w for a 0.6 x 0.6 space?

[OzzieWauie]

Hey guys! Happy Growing! I've been doing quite a lot of research, looking through the forums and I think I've found the perfect community of Pros and would love to get your thoughts on my set up plan 

 

What do you guys think of...

 

0.6m x 0.6m x 1.4m grow tent

250w HPS/MH Light + Cool Vent Reflector

50:50 Coco:Perlite mix in 12L pots

 

Thinking of 2 to 4 autos in this space.. I wonder if 4 is too many?

 

Do you think 250w is enough or should I go for the 400w HPS/MH?

 

Now that we're going into the cooler months, I'm wondering if I'll need a duct fan to control the temperature. Does the 250W and 400W give off a lot of heat? I'm thinking the 400W will need some temperature control in a 0.6 x 0.6 x 1.4 space. 

 

I'm a total noob so any advice would be greatly appreciated!! 

 

 

[Sir PsychoHashy]

Hi Ozzie, welcome aboard.

 

There is a growroom calculator in cannaversity, but I'll describe a comparison setup for you as an example.

 

60 deep x 120 wide x 160 high tent, with a cooltube and 150mm extraction fan, hooked up to an adjustable digital HPS ballast.  @ 600w the heat just cannot be controlled, and it's excess light anyway.  @ 400w, the heat can be controlled, but only if ambient temps are not too high.  @ 250w temps are nicely controllable and can even be sorta manageable with ambient temps over 30 degrees.  I only use that tent for seedlings/clones, and have found 250w to be enough for that footprint, but would definitely put it up to 400w if I tried to flower anything out in there.  I intend to use this for auto's at some point, but would never do more than 3 in there, more likely 2.

 

60x60x140 is a smaller space, so heat control will be more of an issue.  No matter what wattage you go with, or type of light, you need an exhaust fan to replace the air in there if nothing else, and to suck air through a carbon filter if you don't want smells getting out during flower.  I would recommend 250w as a maximum, with a decent exhaust fan.  I would also suggest that even with auto's, 2 at the most in that space.  That should be manageable, but in reality that tent is only really suitable as a nursery or cloning tent.  Better off going with a 100x100x200 tent running 400w as a minimum flower space and keep the small tent with a fluro for seedlings/clones.  You will lose a good 40cm of height just by putting a light in there, plus the height of the pots, which won't leave much space for the plants to grow upwards before getting too close to the light.  And it doesn't take too much branching to fill in 60x60cm either.

 

Best of luck with your grow.  Start up a diary here when you get your grow on, and you should get plenty of advice and encouragement.

[OzzieWauie]

Hi Ozzie, welcome aboard.

 

There is a growroom calculator in cannaversity, but I'll describe a comparison setup for you as an example.

 

60 deep x 120 wide x 160 high tent, with a cooltube and 150mm extraction fan, hooked up to an adjustable digital HPS ballast.  @ 600w the heat just cannot be controlled, and it's excess light anyway.  @ 400w, the heat can be controlled, but only if ambient temps are not too high.  @ 250w temps are nicely controllable and can even be sorta manageable with ambient temps over 30 degrees.  I only use that tent for seedlings/clones, and have found 250w to be enough for that footprint, but would definitely put it up to 400w if I tried to flower anything out in there.  I intend to use this for auto's at some point, but would never do more than 3 in there, more likely 2.

 

60x60x140 is a smaller space, so heat control will be more of an issue.  No matter what wattage you go with, or type of light, you need an exhaust fan to replace the air in there if nothing else, and to suck air through a carbon filter if you don't want smells getting out during flower.  I would recommend 250w as a maximum, with a decent exhaust fan.  I would also suggest that even with auto's, 2 at the most in that space.  That should be manageable, but in reality that tent is only really suitable as a nursery or cloning tent.  Better off going with a 100x100x200 tent running 400w as a minimum flower space and keep the small tent with a fluro for seedlings/clones.  You will lose a good 40cm of height just by putting a light in there, plus the height of the pots, which won't leave much space for the plants to grow upwards before getting too close to the light.  And it doesn't take too much branching to fill in 60x60cm either.

 

Best of luck with your grow.  Start up a diary here when you get your grow on, and you should get plenty of advice and encouragement.

 

Thanks so much for your input Sir! 

 

I'm definitely going to take your advice and go for a bigger size, that would be so depressing to see my ladies outgrow their space 

 

Now I'm thinking of going with a 1m x 1m x 2m size space, 3-4 auto plants(?), 400W HPS/MH light...but debating between a cooltube or a coolvent. I read that the vent type is better at distributing the light around the space.

 

Also tossing up between going with a magnetic or digital ballast, the price difference is quite significant . Is it worth going with the digital? Not quite sure what the difference is..

[Dingo-2008]

Have a good read up on the difference between the Digital ballast an the mag ballast they will explain it a lot better than I would to you,But I would deffinetly  go for the Digital ballast with the adjust able wattage switch on it like the lumatek has on them an there is quite a few other Digital ballast out there that are good as well,But make sure you buy a globe that is made for the digital eg= to run off them digital ballasts.if you try to use a normal hps globe in them they will not work =fire the globe up that is.

 

Buy the 600watt digital ballast that has the adjustment switch in it so if the 600watt is giving off to much heat you can just adjust the wattage switch down to 400/watts an it will run cooler for you less heat in your grow room tent.

 

Hope this helps you a bit.

 

Regards Dingo-2008.   

[OzzieWauie]

Have a good read up on the difference between the Digital ballast an the mag ballast they will explain it a lot better than I would to you,But I would deffinetly  go for the Digital ballast with the adjust able wattage switch on it like the lumatek has on them an there is quite a few other Digital ballast out there that are good as well,But make sure you buy a globe that is made for the digital eg= to run off them digital ballasts.if you try to use a normal hps globe in them they will not work =fire the globe up that is.

 

Buy the 600watt digital ballast that has the adjustment switch in it so if the 600watt is giving off to much heat you can just adjust the wattage switch down to 400/watts an it will run cooler for you less heat in your grow room tent.

 

Hope this helps you a bit.

 

Regards Dingo-2008.   

 

Hey thanks for chiming in Dingo! Yeah, everything I've read up on said digital is much better...been looking around online and all these places are selling Growlush products. I've never bought anything from them so don't have an opinion, but a lot of people have been saying that it is really shitty. Read good reviews on Lumatek though!

 

For a 1mx1mx2m space, I was thinking of going for the 240w/400w dimmable digital ballast, I thought the 400w/600w version would be too much for this space...?

[Sir PsychoHashy]

Haven't used mine a lot yet, but have been happy with the performance/reliability of the Lumatek digi so far.  I personally don't have a problem with using mag ballasts, they work fine, and I'm not sure that the digi's make enough difference to plant performance to get excited about it while there is such a price difference.  Mag's seem to be better at abuse and harsh environments as well from what I've heard.

 

Biggest advantage with digital is being able to switch the wattage, which was the only reason I got one.  I went with the Lumatek 600w one that can be switched between 250-400-600-and super lumens or whatever it's called.  Figured that the small extra cost over the 400-600 was worth it for the extra flexibility as I can use it for everything from the seedling chamber to the flower tent as needed, and switch it right down if the weather gets too hot.

 

Avoid anything electrical with the brand Growlush, it just isn't worth it.  Plenty of online options for better gear if your local stores only stock shite.  I know it's more expensive, but it is cheaper and more effective in the long run.  Initial setup costs for growing indoors is high, but the money you save on buying buds once you get your first harvest in pretty much covers it, and it's all gravy after that.

[Ford Fairlane]

Fyi, I have a lumatek digi balast 250\400. I ran a normal ventura 250w bulb no probs at all In a similar sized space. Search "dow griary" and look for my fridge build. I had no dramas with temps through winter, and reckon I could have got away with 400w, but tbh in that space 400 was not necessary. Now in a bit bigger space running a 400w gavita digi.

[weedlaweeder]

I use cob led no heat

[OzzieWauie]

Haven't used mine a lot yet, but have been happy with the performance/reliability of the Lumatek digi so far.  I personally don't have a problem with using mag ballasts, they work fine, and I'm not sure that the digi's make enough difference to plant performance to get excited about it while there is such a price difference.  Mag's seem to be better at abuse and harsh environments as well from what I've heard.

 

Biggest advantage with digital is being able to switch the wattage, which was the only reason I got one.  I went with the Lumatek 600w one that can be switched between 250-400-600-and super lumens or whatever it's called.  Figured that the small extra cost over the 400-600 was worth it for the extra flexibility as I can use it for everything from the seedling chamber to the flower tent as needed, and switch it right down if the weather gets too hot.

 

Avoid anything electrical with the brand Growlush, it just isn't worth it.  Plenty of online options for better gear if your local stores only stock shite.  I know it's more expensive, but it is cheaper and more effective in the long run.  Initial setup costs for growing indoors is high, but the money you save on buying buds once you get your first harvest in pretty much covers it, and it's all gravy after that.

 

Definitely keen on going with the 1 x 1 x 2m tent and I'm leaning towards the 600W Lumatek digital ballast for this space...I really like the idea of being able to switch between 250-400-600! Hopefully it lasts me a while.

 

I'm looking around for a 600W HPS bulb (not sure if I'll need a MH bulb for autos)..debating between the GE Lucagrow, Gavita Enhanced, and Philips Son-T to go with the Lumatek ballast. Anyone have any experience using these bulbs? 

 

I've been looking on e bay for an air cooled reflector..but I get the feeling that a lot of these are Growlush hoods (some sellers don't disclose the brand). Do you guys have any thoughts on Growlush Air Cooled Hood Reflectors? Or have any brands that you recommend?

 

Thank you guys!

[OzzieWauie]

Fyi, I have a lumatek digi balast 250\400. I ran a normal ventura 250w bulb no probs at all In a similar sized space. Search "dow griary" and look for my fridge build. I had no dramas with temps through winter, and reckon I could have got away with 400w, but tbh in that space 400 was not necessary. Now in a bit bigger space running a 400w gavita digi.

 

Hey Ford, I just took at look at your dow griary, freaking awesome! Thanks for sharing

 

For a 1m x 1m x 2m space, I think 400W is about right..or the minimum(?)..but is 600W too much? I'm a total noob so please excuse my ignorance