Jumping in! Need help and advice!

Coodah

New Member
Hello fellow farmers, I've contemplated, researched and read enough and I'm ready to make a move. Here's my scenario below, if I miss anything please ask..

Available grow area: roughly 9x9 (small extra bedroom)

Budget: smedium to get started $800-1000

Preferred lighting: ordering a 1200W LED with veg/flowering modes

Grow type: hydro -- simple DIY bubbler system using Roughneck totes or 5 gal buckets. Clay as the medium. Starting from seeds.

I live alone with few visitors that would be on the top floor so sound isn't an issue, like everyone else though smell could be.

The room has white walls, I would like to avoid constructing a tent. I know the lost of reflection will cost me in yield.

Cooling: I will need to order a portable or window AC. The room is on the top floor and that floor in general is already warmer than the main or basement due to heat rising.

Prior experience: grew a couple harvest years ago using a prefab hydro closet system by a company called Sun Systems I think.

My goal/dream: although from what I've read this far it seems extremely far fetched I would like to have an annual yield somewhere in the 8-10 lb. range. I will only being using a portion of the room for my first grow and I will use that harvest to invest for my next.. and so on.

Question(s):
1. All things considered is my goal totally out of reach, even if we start the year time frame AFTER the first harvest when I would be utilizing more of the room with a more adequate setup?

2. What strains give the best yields from prior experience?

3. In an attempt to focus on harvests and yields, what's the shortest, yet productive time frames I could/should use for veg and flowering stages?
 

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
I second the above.. I'm already getting a bad feeling about a 1200w LED with veg/bloom switches. Throw up a link.
You also want to think about heat more, without a real mini split AC and sealed room with co2 your going to want a good fan and filter to extract the heat.

The goal is not out of the way with the right lighting.
 
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nevergoodenuf

Well-Known Member
Another this I would avoid on you first grow is hydro. Start in soil and get everything else dialed in before you start learning hydro (you need to maintain PH/PPM's at key levels for success). $150+ of your budget will be spent on a PH tester and a PPM tester. Soil is much more forgiving. I have lost a whole DWC grow in 2 days because a pump failed.
As stated above, run from any light that hints one wattage in it's name (1200w), but in fine print has an actual draw of half or less. Also avoid most red/blue panels for many reasons. The biggest to me is that it is very hard to see problems/bugs/etc. without turning of the light and using another light to go over your plants.
Save for a minisplit. This will be the most cost effective cooling solution if your goal is to grow for more than a few runs.
As for strains, pick one or two strains that you know you like or find a very short flower time strain and do more plants less veg time for a quicker return. Another thing, once you are flowering start your next run in a 2'x2' tent to reduce turn around time.
 
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