The switchable lights, you lose a bit in efficiency but make up for it in always being able to use the proper type of light for your growth stage.

In a small space, shell out the extra few bucks for an air-coolable reflector hood and hook your exhaust fan up to that directly. Heat is your enemy and you can take care of the worst of it this way... read through all the logs and most have one thing in common: Adventures in Bringing Down Temps, lol.

I'm not a huge fan of hydro for noobs... this is just me, and plnety of people like it fine, even on the first try. I just personally prefer a compost based medium for a number of reasons:
Soil is very forgiving, compost even more so
From-seed grows you will end up with males and thus lose efficiency in a fixed hydro setup... solve by doing your first run in dirt, keeping a mohter, and then taking clones to fill your hydro setup on the next run.
Hydro requires more investment than you might think at first- you will need a source of pure water, and the meters and/or kits to test it.

It sounds like your cabinet is a good size though. Have fun with it, that's the most important part.
stinkyattic Reviewed by stinkyattic on . Advice, please... Hello, I have spent the last few weeks just learning about hydroponics. I am really close to starting my first grow and I am really interested in the ultrasonic approach to feeding my plants. Besides that, I have a few other questions. I am going to grow in a 6' tall, 3.5'x2.5' wide cabinet. Will this be sufficient? I plan on covering all the inner walls with something reflective and using a nice sized HEPA filter with adjustable air speeds as an intake for the cabinet(from the Rating: 5