StinkyAttic, xCrispi, Zandor, ANYBODY who may be able to help...

Hi, this is my first post. Ive been researching for about a year now and planning, and I will be taking the plunge to Hydro. Ive read pretty much every thread/post by you guys and Latewood, and I think that all of you have great information. I will be using a little bit that ive learned through each of your posts.

Ive done some outdoor planting, but never anything indoors yet. I have decided on DWC, and I am about to complete my order for supplies. I am thinking of a 5X5X6 room in the basement, the ceiling is a little over 6 ft, so I can make the sides wider if I have to. Im thinking 4 to 6 plants would be ideal, but my main question that I cant find a definitive answer on is: What size light to I need? I originally was thinking the 600W Digital Lumatek, but some posts/threads say this is not enough light, others say it is fine. I dont know if 1000W would be better or if 600W would be fine.
I respect all of your opinions, and was curious what you guys or anybody else might suggest. Sorry for ranting, just wanted to get the opinions of the people who seem to make the most sense to me consistently in my readings. Thanks again, and anybody else feel free to chime in too... I will keep up on this thread, or can be reached by email at my s/n@potdotcom peace... Mayhem :jointsmile:

I dont know if it matters, but I will be constructing the room of 2x4s and black and white poly. I saw a few threads on this and it seems like the best way for me to do it. I will be using an oscillating fan, as well as a stanley blower modified for exhaust, and a homemade carbon filter. 5 gallon buckets with the G.H. Dual diaphragm air pump, and Latewoods nutrient guide. Just need to know which light would be adequate. Thanks again...

more light is always better as long as you have good ventilation

I concur with WH for that # of plants 1000 would be the way to go but that will generate substantial heat in that space your going to use so venting is key

Good luck

Whats up Mmayhemm ,
As a general rule ppl. try to shoot for 50 watts per. sq. foot .
5 ft. X 5 ft. = 25 sq. ft. X 50 watts. = 1250 watts . I'd go for the 1000w. hps or a switchable ballast . I have good luck w/ a EYE hps hortilux bulb start to finish .

What type of hood / reflector do you plan on using and how are you gonna cool it ?
1000w in 150 cubic foot of space will rock if you can keep temps down , but I sure don't see 4-5 plants in it . They get crazy huge fast , you'll see .
Peace
Crispi :thumbsup:

Thanks for all the quick responses and information. I'm limited on my vertical space by the height of the ceiling, but the length and width could change. So I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm open to suggestions. As I stated this is my first indoor grow, I'd like to create the most efficient space possible. Crispi, what would you suggest for 4-5 plants, or would 1 or 2 in the 5x5 be just as good as 4-5 plants that weren't as big? Thanks again everybody

I was leaning towards either the lumatek 600 or the lumatek 1000 with an 8 in aircooled reflector. Any opinions on whether this would be the best option? I heard these have better light distribution to more plants than cool tubes and can be placed closer to the plants.

A 1000w switchable over 5 or 9 5-gallon pail DWC pods is appropriate for that space. More plants if you veg for a shorter time. With low ceilings, veg should be short or you should consider a SCROG.

1 or 2 plants in that space would only make sense if you did a screen of green.

Ok. So its pretty clear to me now that I will need the 1000 rather than the 600. I'd like to have the fewest amount of plants possible to have a large yield. Latewood stated he was doing 1/2-3/4 lb. Out of each 5 gal. Bucket by following his formula. I'm thinking if I follow his formula and guidelines, I should be able to do half of what he does. So if I do 4-5 plants or maybe 6 I should be able to harvest 1lb? I don't want to scrog or sog, maybe fim or lst instead and just have big trees? Thanks again for your help everybody.

Hey Mmayhemm ,
Are you gonna use unsexed seeds , feminised seeds , or clones ?
If your using std. unsexed seeds I'd def. do a cpl. extra buckets to compensate for the males .

Image Reaper is finishing up his 1st cab. hydro grow as we speak . I think his cab. is 2ft deep x 4 ft wide and 6ft tall and 400w.- and he's lucky to have fit just the 1 g/h power grower / glorified waterfarm in it . Look see -> http://boards.cannabis.com/hydroponi...ydro-grow.html

Plan on huge humidity too , anything over 45% is risky during flowering due to bud rot / mold . I think using the poly for walls will be to your advantage as far as the heat situation , heat will go right thru it unlike wood / particle board . :thumbsup:

Digital ballasts = only 1-2 yr. warranty . No use of a generator , and you need a very clean / constant power supply or voltage fluxuation right from the pole can kill a digi ballast . Keep the ballast outside the cab. to help w/ heat too .

My rooms only 6 ft. tall too . It sucks . = Come dig my basement out an extra 2 ft. and repour the floor for me bro. ;) This is why I chose cooltubes over a conventional a/c hood . I cant keep the lights over the canopy in late flower , if you look at my grows in late flower - plants are on either side of the lights w/ lights dropped well below the canopy so the bottoms of my plants get as much light as the tops and rotate buckets 90 degrees every cpl. days . This - I'm sure lengthens flower time = oh well .

Stinky / Scrog - We don't know if they're using clones or not . Scrog in a confined space is scary . Hard to cull males once woven in the screen . And way hard to do maintence in the event you have to get inside a bucket to screw w/ airstones etc...

Regardless of topped , sog etc... keep in mind 6ft. - 1ft for buckets - 1 ft. between plants and lamps - 6-10 in. for thickness of whatever hood / reflector you choose only leaves 3-3.5 ft. for plants . So plan on flowering early like Stinky said . Indica Dom. will prob. be to your advantage too .

Peace bro.
Crispi :jointsmile:

The first round will be with seeds, maybe feminized, maybe not. Then the 2 best will be continued with clones in a perpetual harvest with a seperate smaller chamber for the moms. I'm planning on one strain for pain relief/insomnia, and one for a more uplifting daytime high. Maybe Afghani and NYC Diesel or Haze? Gonna order seeds soon so they should arrive around the time I'm finishing up the boxes...

Anybody with dwc experience have any suggestions on strains that do well and are heavy yielders? Definitely need something for pain and something else more uplifting for the daytime. Thanks

Sorry to be posting so many questions, but I just had a thought. I know the more light the better, so here is my question. Would I be better with 5 buckets under 1 1000W lamp, or 5 buckets surrounding a vertical 250W or 400W lamp with an additional 600W lamp above? I'm thinking this might help the lower branches develop a lot better and help me to achieve more weight with less plants?

6 feet of vertical space is difficult. The way i see it you have 2 choices

option 1
Vertical hanging light(s): either 1 1000W HPS, or 1 600W HPS and 1 400W MH Both being cooled by the same fan and encased in cool tubes.
reflective material on the walls
DWC Buckets (probably 4, one in each corner of the space with light in the middle)

This is pretty Low stress, little maintenance, cheap. This will grow a pound if you are somewhat competent. May take a try or 2.



Option 2:
SCROG that area.

each bucket should have its own screen.
Light should be horizontal in a hood and air cooled.

This will easily produce a pound if you make it to harvest. I would more likely guess you at 1.5lbs this way. IT IS WAY MORE MAINTENANCE. Any time you SCROG you have to be hands on with the plants and it takes time. You get rid of a lot of the lesser crappy buds doing it this way though.



I would go with option 1 and take life easy.

Thanks bachelor. Yea, I don't really feel like messing with screens and all that for my first indoor. Which do you think would be better, one 1000 or the 600 up top and the 400 below it? Also, what if I shaped the room like an octagon with 5 equal sides, or maybe with 6 equal sides? I could then put either 5 or 6 plants around the light/lights, one in each corner, right? That might help guarantee a good yield for me I'm thinking...

Any thoughts on this? Im thinking instead of a square shaped room, if I make the room shaped like
___
/ \
\___/

Sorry for the crappy drawing, but if I make it like that with a plant in each corner, and lights hanging in the center, would that be better or not as good as a traditional square shaped room? thanks again for your help everybody, just want to finalize the plan and get things started.

There is no replacement for displacement...The more light the better. If you can control the heat of the 1000 go with it you will not regret it. I just went with a 1000 and its winter so I actually have to HEAT my room. Summer I'm going to be in the venting stage bigtime...hehe

Go with a simple 1000 overhead and 4 plants to start. Once you get a successful grow under your belt, then experiment. Everytime make little changes until you've got it tuned perfectly.

6 feet is short but you'll do OK. Veg until they are 12 to 16 inches tall then switch to flower.

I started with a NL from Nirvana, it was pretty forgiving and a good producer. Two plants yielded over half a pound under a 600 watt.

Don't worry so much about the under canopy getting enough light. Trim that stuff off and let the plant produce more on top instead.