bert,

the carbon filter will get rid of your smell problem 99.99% as long as you dont have many leaks on the tent. you can run the exhaust fan all the time now your roots are down. i have an ozone generator and hardly use it ever.

You must suck through the filter not blow.

The light... I appreciate you cant afford this all at once. the lights you have now should do the job this time. but I was really trying to put you off ro water as a priority, other things would better your grow for the money.

On the subject of topping, some strains don't like it, chronic for example, produces less when topped so get to know the strain before you go too crazy!

Yes, sounds like a good way to harvest, cool, dry and dark.

Subzero.