Looking for advice on my first cheap setup

I'm planning on growing in my attic and I've come up with a rough list of what I'm probably going to use, but before I buy anything I want to get some feedback because I'm not sure on some things.

I'm hoping to do 5 or 6 Diesel Ryders in the hydroponic Emily's Garden - http://www.hydrofarm.com/pb_detail.php?itemid=2157

I think CFL lights would be the cheapest lighting I can get that would give average results, but I'm not sure how many I would need and of what wattage for 5/6 plants so I was hoping to get advice for that. I also have a few fluorescent lights lying around I could use in addition to CFL, but I know those aren't too great. Lighting is probably what I need the most help with right now. I know the more I spend the better the result will be, but since this is my first grow I would like to only spend around $50 on lighting if thats possible, maybe $100 if I really need to.

Since I'm trying to cut cost I would use tinfoil to box in plants and have an intake/exhaust fan with a homemade carbon filter. I'm hoping this will keep the temperature low enough in the summer because I know attics can get pretty hot.

For the water I was just going to let tap water sit out for a day to get the chlorine out.

I haven't looked at nutrients yet, but I think I'll be able to find good ones by just searching the forums.

Any feedback/suggestions would be great, thanks.
 

violator kush

Active Member
idk i'd start with soil first, but there cheap hydro systems there one a ebay for 24 buchs holds like 7 small to med plants, cfls are a good pick up for starters and what about a fan or two man, fans are important
 

bwatte

Active Member
I would use some T5 lighting for vegging. It is very forgiving for newbies because you can basically set it right on top of the plant. CFL's are good, but you need quite a few of them for 5-6 plants, and have them in the right spots. Using T5's you will have tubes, so it will be easier for you to get the coverage you need. I have a 4' 8 lamp light and that thing easily vegges 8 plants. I use cfl's for some side lighting once they get a certain height. good luck and give hydro a shot
 

bwatte

Active Member
house and garden nutes are good too, I prefer them over GH. Go to the house and garden website and they will set you up with a custom feed schedule
 

nelsonjacob

Active Member
soil growing is funner, i think and until you get the hang of the plant and the senses of it along with the signs of the plant before you go into hydro.
 

TheFucknChrOnic

Active Member
your most likly going to end up getting cfls im sure,so if u do get them from 1000bulbs. com. get the 105watt in 5000-6500k spectrum. there like 16 bucks each or somthing like that. aim for 1 of those per plant and like violator said,no foil. use white poster board or paint the box(if your making a box)flat white. heat is def goin to be an issue in the summer no matter how good your intake and exhaust is,unless of coarse your pulling the intake air in from outside. if you do that with some fans and maybe a DIY chiller,you should be good. good luck!
 
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