First timer, wanna know if this will work (I'm a cheapo)

[EpicOfMan]

Ok, so I love to smoke, and I don't live at home, but I have roommates in a mutually rented house. I'm going to set up a grow operation in my own room, and I'm planning on growing just two plants for personal use.

Now, I'd like to do this correctly, but also as cheap as possible. My plan is to get a cheap 250 watt hps from inside sun, and order some seeds from Hemp Depot. For the veg phase, I was going to buy four "cool white" flourescent lights from my local store. They are 37 watt, standard flourescent, but they are cheap and easy.

To grow my babies, I was going to buy 2 large pots (probably 5 gallon or the biggest I can get), topsoil, and I already own some cheap Miracle-gro fertilizer, a 24-8-16 for veg and 15-30-15 for flowering.

I'd like to know if people think this set-up will work, and mostly if the four flourescents are good enough for veg.

My grow spot will be some smallish nook in my room, and I'm a bit worried about stuff overheating as my room gets hot (80-90+ degrees) in summer and I have no ac. I'm planning on having fans on stuff 24/7 also.

I think this will be pretty cheap and effective, but I'd like to hear other people's opinions, especially whether or not the 4 flourescents are good enough, or if I should try something else. I'm getting the flourescents because I've read that hps isn't so great for vegging. I think I can manage getting everything for ~$200-$250, which seems like a good deal to me.

EpicOfMan Reviewed by EpicOfMan on 05-20-2007. First timer, wanna know if this will work (I'm a cheapo) Ok, so I love to smoke, and I don't live at home, but I have roommates in a mutually rented house. I'm going to set up a grow operation in my own room, and I'm planning on growing just two plants for personal use. Now, I'd like to do this correctly, but also as cheap as possible. My plan is to get a cheap 250 watt hps from inside sun, and order some seeds from Hemp Depot. For the veg phase, I was going to buy four "cool white" flourescent lights from my local store. They are 37 watt, Rating: 5

[cyphercrash]

2 Plants You should go with Compact Floros. 42watts each times 10. floros do not penetrate and the 42 watters will take you from seed to harvest.

[stinkyattic]

Personally I think it's wrong to put your roommates at risk-- they are on the lease too and would get in trouble or at the best evicted if you have a problem.

That being said, your temps are much too high to even consider a grow. You are looking at spending over $100 just on an a/c plus the cost of running it even to bring yourself into the range where a grow is possible.

[Storm Crow]

Also, I have read threads where folks were less than pleased with Inside Sun's service and quality. Run a search on them.

[EpicOfMan]

I searched threads with Inside Sun and it seemed that they took awhile, but the service was reliable and the stuff worked. Also, my roommates are not at risk because we all signed the lease individually, and individual renters are not a family, so I'm the only one to get in trouble. Also, those temps are daytime temps; I live in northern US and it just gets that hot sometimes.

Someone suggested 10 42 watt CFLs. Will that do me good, and about how much do those cost?

[4x5]

just get the hps and use it all the way through, adjusting/wiring 10 cfls isn't worth the hassle, use the cfls to light the house, hps for the mj

[EpicOfMan]

I've heard that hps isn't so good in veg. If I put the hps on a 12/12 timer, along with two flourescent tubes on 24/7, would that be okay for veg, or would the 12/12 hps stress the plant out somehow? (The flourescents are on the whole time, so the plant should stay in veg I think)

Also, what gives off a lot of heat, the ballast or the lamp? I'm asking this question because it gets hot sometimes in summer, and I'm a little worried about heat problems. If I have a fan on my babies 24/7, would that be okay for a 250 watt hps?

Finally, has anyone ever looked into putting a big block of dry ice in their growroom? I think it might cool off the room, and add valuable C02. I'm not sure how expensive dry ice is though.

[sorry_whaa]

They say Stinky Attic is the best here for advice. I have a few questions as well. I have been reading my ass off in these fourms and for some reason I cant seem to understand what all of these numbers and shit means when it comes to lighting. If you guys remember me im the dumbass who put 13 plants in a 2 1/2 gallon pot and thought I was doing something. I killed them all and now I have to start fresh. Im only planning to start with 1 plant tho. Everyone is telling me to use a 400 watt hps bulb. What do you guys think about that?

[Abunai]

CFLs are awesome for veg, but I prefer MH (gets really hot). For two plants, a 250W HPS will do for flowering, but I prefer 400 >D, that'll be hella bud. Since your room gets pretty hot, I'd stick with a 250W. Also, if you check out craigslist.com, you can find a cheap ass indoor AC or perhaps invest on a portable AC that has a vent tube that'll go along the window. 400W is going to increase your temps by around 10 I think, you'll want temps around 70-80. Over 84 I think will be way too damn hot, and the way you get past that I hear is adding a CO2 system (which is expensive).

You should definitely invest on an window AC or something! Fans will only blow around the air, it won't cool anything down unless being vented out or some shit like that. The ballast will get pretty hot, but not as hot as the lamp/reflector.

Also, before you use your good seeds, try with some schwag or bagseed just to get the germination/seedling stage. For beginners, this is very difficult because you have to see how much water and how your environment affects them.

[sublimebudsmoker]

so you want to be cheap like me? im not cheap by choice but when in need youll do the deed you can go down to walmart there in the auto section youll find a light its really just a clamp with this roundish half bowl looking like thing it has a lite socket with the cord, you can also get a grow bulb there also for like $5 and some change the same with the light also.....the bulb is blueish in color here at my store they have two kinds ones like a reg. light bulb except for the color and the other light is like a flood light thats flat on the bottom(i havent used that kind) right know im using a reg. light bulb(100watts) heres a pic