200-300$$$ budget. What should I buy for a small grow op?

Hey people, I am a pretty new grower and have a crappy little setup in my basement. It was my birthday the other day and I hauled in about 300 bucks. My question for YOU is, what do I need to get for a nice little 2,3,4 plant grow operation? I don't by any means need it to be "fancy". But I would like it to be practical and effective for growing some nice bud. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. I have been growing with CFL's but am open to anything. (I was thinking of maybe getting a small grow box). Let me know....thanks for the help!!!

taknitEZ95 said:

Hey people, I am a pretty new grower and have a crappy little setup in my basement. It was my birthday the other day and I hauled in about 300 bucks. My question for YOU is, what do I need to get for a nice little 2,3,4 plant grow operation? I don't by any means need it to be "fancy". But I would like it to be practical and effective for growing some nice bud. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. I have been growing with CFL's but am open to anything. (I was thinking of maybe getting a small grow box). Let me know....thanks for the help!!!

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you should get a 400 or 600w hps. build a grow box. or con vert a storage cabnet from wally mart or target

Ya, thats basically what I was thinking. Just a nice grow box with a high powered HPS. thanks. any other ideas? good places to get a hps setup?

best deal I have found,

Economy 400 Watt HPS / Metal Halide Grow Light - eBay (item 170212669031 end time May-02-08 04:49:58 PDT)

I also just built an aeroponics system out of the plastic storage containers. you can build it for less than $50 with pump and all. search for "the 30 minute aero build post. With that light, aero setup, and the $40 pack of fox farms nutrients, you can set up a great closet grow for under $200. the light comes with the metal halide conversion bulb for vegging, and the hps for flowering.

htgsupply.com, cheap lights. Unless you already have a cabinet [or more money to spend] just setup in the basement. The box alone adds 100+ to your budget if ya buy it new. And it's a whole lot easier to cool a corner then a box. You can get a light cheap and still have some cash left for other stuff. But if ya build a box your gonna need better ventilation then your cash would seem to allow.
Good Luck
P@ssw0rd

Thanks guys. Love all the info. Ya...I was thinking a actual grow box might be a waist of cash. But going the hydro or aeroponics route might be interseting. thanks.

Dude, just stay with CFLs but buy the book Buds for Less by SeeMoreBuds. Then go spend the rest of your 300$ on munchies cause you'll need it after you grow the SeeMoreBuds way.

400 watts is going to need a proper ventilation system, be prepared to spend at least $100 on it alone.

Ya, I have been having sucess with cfl's so i'm wondering if it ain't broke should I really fix it? there cheap and affective...but I just wonder if i'm going to miss out on bigger yeilds if i just used cfl's and not a powerfull HPS.

I just went to HPS and I haven't been disappointed it with yet

check craigs list.....I bought a 400 watt air cooled hps and 265 cfm squirrel cage fan for $120

You could always try a T5 system to supplement the CFL system you already have.

I'm in the same position your in, I've decided to go for a 400w hps that also comes with the mh bulb for veg and also comes with a timer, I always over sleep, so that'll come in handy.

I'm still a CFL grower, but looking into going the HPS route as well. HTGsupply is cheap, and the staff are very friendly, nice, and super informative. You can get everything from a $99 HPS setup, to a 500$ HPS set up depending on what you want to do. You can get EVERYTHING you need from them.

home depot has a sweet cabinet. its 3x4x7 i think and its like 100 bucks. go to htgsupply get a 250 or 400 hps and a 6" inline fan. pick up a 6"flange while your at HD as well

mstrymxer said:

home depot has a sweet cabinet. its 3x4x7 i think and its like 100 bucks. go to htgsupply get a 250 or 400 hps and a 6" inline fan. pick up a 6"flange while your at HD as well

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I checked home depots website. I could not find the 3x4x7 cabinet. Do you have a link?

dood i cant find it online either. i know i saw it there. its on the same isle as closet shelving and organizers

try and reach 500$ ,A minimum of material gear to grow must be atleast the following if you are growing indoors in a closet or Big box .
-400Hps light 250$ ebay comes with a cool tube
-2 x air intake fan boxes 25$ each
-Mylar reflector paper 15$ a paper roll
-A 6 feet long aluminum air conducts 15$ ( to set up the cool tube air vent)
If u plan on having a grow room on the side these will be needed
-lights i recomend are 200 water Rfls 200$ (fast growth , cheap bills )
-Another 2 x ait intake fan boxes 25 each

basicaly set up an intake on the bottom of ur grow room and another one on top pulling out as ur exhaust and ur shit should work fine .

Persnally, i'd spend the lot on ventilation. That means a decent centrifugal fan, a carbon filter, and a speed controller.

Once you have a good ventilation system, you can add as many cheap cfls as you can fit in wherever you decide to grow, and when you have saved some more money, you can go for an HPS. A decent 6" centrifugal fan will be more than adequate, and with a speed controller it will be nice and quiet, whilst still moving plenty of air.

I agree with Nocturn, air flow is TOP priority, no matter what. If you cannot vent your box/tent/room properly, you results wont be that good. Design around your grow space. Check the DIY section man, its awesome what you can do with basic stuff from L or HD.