Gathering supplies for first grow, any advice is appreciated

Leaf Lung

New Member
Hello everybody! I'm excited to get started! So far this is what I have:

(Veg)
2x2.5x6'11 gorilla tent
Advanced Platinum P150 LED (http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Platinum-P150-12-band-Grow/dp/B00NTBVEGQ)
4" Soler & Palau TD-100XS (http://www.amazon.com/Soler-Palau-TD-100XS-In-line-Exhaust/dp/B007PCZ574)
4"x12" Phresh carbon filter (http://www.amazon.com/Phresh-701003-Carbon-Filter-12-Inch/dp/B007ZU6IUY)

(Flower)
2x4x7'11 gorilla tent
Advanced Platinum P600 LED (http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Platinum-P600-12-band-Grow/dp/B00NTC2XRO)
Atmosphere vortex S-600 (http://www.amazon.com/Atmosphere-S-600-Vortex-S-Line-Ultra/dp/B00EIRU2YU)
Phresh 6"x16" carbon filter (http://www.amazon.com/Phresh-701005-Carbon-Filter-16-Inch/dp/B004FVJK60)

Two HydroFarm 7 day timers (http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-TM01715D-7-Day-Digital-Program/dp/B001BPOBTY)
AcuRite wireless indoor/outdoor temp/humidity sensor (http://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-00611A3-Wireless-Thermometer-Humidity/dp/B001B35APA)

What I Need:

Seedling/clone dome (http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-CK64060-House-Heat-Included/dp/B0006VK68E)

I'm planning on getting 6 packs of these to hang the light, fan and filter in each tent (http://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Horticulture-Stainless-Adjustable-Lifetime/dp/B00M38V3L2)

This tray for the bottom of my flower tent to catch excess water from the smart pots (http://www.amazon.com/Botanicare-Grow-Tray-4-Feet-White/dp/B00CJIBMIK)

I can't find a 2x2.5 tray for the veg tent anywhere online. Any suggestions for the runoff water in there?

Stealth is a factor so I'm getting two of these transformers, one for each fan to control speed without humming and making more noise (http://www.amazon.com/Variac-Variable-Transformer-300va-Output/dp/B006NGI8VS)

I also know I need some 4" and 6" insulated ducting to help dampen the noise from the fans even more.

After gathering that I will still need to build my soil. I'm planning on using no-till organic growing methods and looking to grow 6 plants starting from seed at first, then taking a clone of each one to veg as they move to flower to have a semi-perpetual grow going. First my seedlings/clones will live in a clone dome with heat mat under, then I'll start veg in 1 gallon smart pots after they root, move to 5 gallon pots after the first month of veg, then move them to the flower tent after the second month of veg. They will go straight into 10 gallon smart pots as soon as I move them to flower until finish. Are the pots going to be too big for my spaces? Is there anything else I'm overlooking? Is it necessary to reinforce the gorilla tent frame corners with tape before hanging anything in them? Thanks for any info!
 

tydot

Active Member
I just started flowering my plants from first grow. Only advice I would have is for germination. I recommend just sticking the seeds directly in the soil right off the bat. About a 1/4" deep. I did that and they broke soil in less than 72 hours. I know there are lots of methods but this is the simplest and you avoid handling and damaging the taproot this way.
 

Leaf Lung

New Member
I just started flowering my plants from first grow. Only advice I would have is for germination. I recommend just sticking the seeds directly in the soil right off the bat. About a 1/4" deep. I did that and they broke soil in less than 72 hours. I know there are lots of methods but this is the simplest and you avoid handling and damaging the taproot this way.
Thanks, I'll keep that in mind when I finally get it all together. Can't come soon enough!
 

tydot

Active Member
I feel ya, I spent about a month getting supplies and couldn't hardly wait to get started myself. I'm about a month in. Can't wait for the reward at the end. Good luck too you
 

Leaf Lung

New Member
Not sure how long it's gonna take me to get all the ingredients for my soil and organic teas together after I get all the equipment I still need, but I'm shooting to have my beans down by May. Thanks again and good luck with your harvest!
 

kmog33

Well-Known Member
Hello everybody! I'm excited to get started! So far this is what I have:

(Veg)
2x2.5x6'11 gorilla tent
Advanced Platinum P150 LED (http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Platinum-P150-12-band-Grow/dp/B00NTBVEGQ)
4" Soler & Palau TD-100XS (http://www.amazon.com/Soler-Palau-TD-100XS-In-line-Exhaust/dp/B007PCZ574)
4"x12" Phresh carbon filter (http://www.amazon.com/Phresh-701003-Carbon-Filter-12-Inch/dp/B007ZU6IUY)

(Flower)
2x4x7'11 gorilla tent
Advanced Platinum P600 LED (http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Platinum-P600-12-band-Grow/dp/B00NTC2XRO)
Atmosphere vortex S-600 (http://www.amazon.com/Atmosphere-S-600-Vortex-S-Line-Ultra/dp/B00EIRU2YU)
Phresh 6"x16" carbon filter (http://www.amazon.com/Phresh-701005-Carbon-Filter-16-Inch/dp/B004FVJK60)

Two HydroFarm 7 day timers (http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-TM01715D-7-Day-Digital-Program/dp/B001BPOBTY)
AcuRite wireless indoor/outdoor temp/humidity sensor (http://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-00611A3-Wireless-Thermometer-Humidity/dp/B001B35APA)

What I Need:

Seedling/clone dome (http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-CK64060-House-Heat-Included/dp/B0006VK68E)

I'm planning on getting 6 packs of these to hang the light, fan and filter in each tent (http://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Horticulture-Stainless-Adjustable-Lifetime/dp/B00M38V3L2)

This tray for the bottom of my flower tent to catch excess water from the smart pots (http://www.amazon.com/Botanicare-Grow-Tray-4-Feet-White/dp/B00CJIBMIK)

I can't find a 2x2.5 tray for the veg tent anywhere online. Any suggestions for the runoff water in there?

Stealth is a factor so I'm getting two of these transformers, one for each fan to control speed without humming and making more noise (http://www.amazon.com/Variac-Variable-Transformer-300va-Output/dp/B006NGI8VS)

I also know I need some 4" and 6" insulated ducting to help dampen the noise from the fans even more.

After gathering that I will still need to build my soil. I'm planning on using no-till organic growing methods and looking to grow 6 plants starting from seed at first, then taking a clone of each one to veg as they move to flower to have a semi-perpetual grow going. First my seedlings/clones will live in a clone dome with heat mat under, then I'll start veg in 1 gallon smart pots after they root, move to 5 gallon pots after the first month of veg, then move them to the flower tent after the second month of veg. They will go straight into 10 gallon smart pots as soon as I move them to flower until finish. Are the pots going to be too big for my spaces? Is there anything else I'm overlooking? Is it necessary to reinforce the gorilla tent frame corners with tape before hanging anything in them? Thanks for any info!
I would just get a 2x2 trey if you want, but if you're running pots you can just get disk trays the size of the pots for underneath. The key is to not water so much that you have crazy amounts of runoff. I try for 0 runoff when I water.
 

Leaf Lung

New Member
I would just get a 2x2 trey if you want, but if you're running pots you can just get disk trays the size of the pots for underneath.
The disks sound like a better option than the $80+ for each tray while losing 3 inches of space on each side of the floor of my veg tent with the 2x2 tray. Especially if they aren't completely necessary. Gonna hit up a gardening store for the disk trays. Thanks!
 

Traplife

Well-Known Member
All i can say is i've bought a lot of led panels, and i even looked at those Platinum leds, and my best advice is that those old 3w,5w,10w diodes are obsolete technology that wont be worth much in a couple years. The future of LED horticulture (as of now) is COB technology. I almost spent $1800 on a BlackDog LED panel, then i learned they contain the same Epistar 3w chips as my $130 Mars Hydro LED panel!
Please do a lot of research when it comes to purchasing LED grow lights. Most of them are overpriced and contain the same parts as much cheaper lights. I ended up buying these lights from @GoGreenLEDs and so far i am extremely pleased. If you stop on over at the "LED and other lighting" forum those guys can teach you a lot, especially about DIY COB fixtures.

as a side note im not sure if you really need a carbon filter in your veg room if you're worried about privacy.:bigjoint:


good luck with your grow though it will turn into an obsession trust me :blsmoke:

IMG_1350.JPG
 

Leaf Lung

New Member
All i can say is i've bought a lot of led panels, and i even looked at those Platinum leds, and my best advice is that those old 3w,5w,10w diodes are obsolete technology that wont be worth much in a couple years. The future of LED horticulture (as of now) is COB technology. I almost spent $1800 on a BlackDog LED panel, then i learned they contain the same Epistar 3w chips as my $130 Mars Hydro LED panel!
Please do a lot of research when it comes to purchasing LED grow lights. Most of them are overpriced and contain the same parts as much cheaper lights. I ended up buying these lights from @GoGreenLEDs and so far i am extremely pleased. If you stop on over at the "LED and other lighting" forum those guys can teach you a lot, especially about DIY COB fixtures.

as a side note im not sure if you really need a carbon filter in your veg room if you're worried about privacy.:bigjoint:


good luck with your grow though it will turn into an obsession trust me :blsmoke:

View attachment 3643490
I've got no doubt those LEDs are sick, but I've gotta start somewhere and I don't have the funds to drop on lights like that right now. The lights I got cost me half what those do. After they start paying for themselves I can start upgrading stuff. Also I had heard some plants can smell durring veg so I got the smaller filter just to be 100% safe.
 

Leaf Lung

New Member
To put things in perspective I'm going to be running both tents in my small (9x9 i think?) bedroom, exhausting them directly into the bedroom air, so if there's any smell at all it will fill the room instantly and start creeping into the hall, which is the worst case scenario.

The thing I am most concerned about right now is my container size vs. tent floor space. Would it be more practical to go from 1 gallon to 3 gallon after a month of veg then flower in 7 gallon ones if I'm gonna be doing 6 at once? Can anyone who's grown in similar spaces/containers tell me which would work better? Thanks!
 

Traplife

Well-Known Member
I've got no doubt those LEDs are sick, but I've gotta start somewhere and I don't have the funds to drop on lights like that right now. The lights I got cost me half what those do. After they start paying for themselves I can start upgrading stuff. Also I had heard some plants can smell durring veg so I got the smaller filter just to be 100% safe.
I understand, but im saying those platinum LEDs are overpriced for what they are and how much power they put out. look up Mars hydro, you can get way better ppf readings at your canopy for less that those lights. but COB is def the future, but if you're tight on cash, trust me you can get good results from a cheapy mars hydro.
 

Leaf Lung

New Member
if you're tight on cash, trust me you can get good results from a cheapy mars hydro.
I already have the lighting, tents, fans, and filters on my list. $ isn't an issue per se, more $ just means it would take more time to start up. I already put little over 2Gs into everything and still need to put like over $300 more into the transformers for my fans, six 1/4" ratchet hangers (one pack for each light, fan, and filter in each tent), a power strip, clone dome and rapid rooters, 4 and 6 inch insulated ducting, disk trays for my pots, the smart pots themselves, a big plastic container and air pump for bubbling my teas, and possibly some other stuff I'm forgetting or overlooking right now. After gathering that equipment I will start building my soil and getting organic ingredients together to make my teas.
 
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