Picking Out a Light Setup

So 2012 is going to be the year of my first grow. While i have done all my studying on outdoor growing for this summer, i am going to try an indoor grow or two to hold me over until it is warm enough to plant outside. I am planning on getting a Persy box which comes with a fan and is 8 feet tall with a 2ft by 2ft base. My question is when i buy the box i have the option to also buy a 250W CFL(dual spectrum) or 150W digital hps or 250w hps. I'm pretty sure the 250 hps is the best choice of those three but from what i've read isn't that not enough wattage? should i buy the light setup separately?

You would most likely save money by shopping around for what you want.
Where do you plan to exhaust the heat to? 250 should be big enough, but bigger is better if you can keep it cool, not saying stick a 1000 in there, but a 400 watt would work great.
there is a best deals thread on here, pretty long at this point, but a good place to look for deals, let me know if you want a link....

http://www.amazon.com/LED-Wholesalers-GYO2002-Hydroponic-Reflector/dp/B003810CVA

how does this look? just need to make sure that it would fit. I plan on keeping the box cool with a carbon filter and a couple fans that come installed in the box. Also if i wanted to switch from cfl to hps when i switch from vegging to flowering would i have to buy two setups?

junk go with a name brand, sunsystem, euro system,hydrofarm, or even lumatek or phantom somthing like this also is a good choice..all you would need is a timer for 12/12
http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-HTGSupply-400-watt-High-Pressure-Sodium-Grow-Light.asp

they sell fan and carbon filters also go with a 4inch inline fan not a booster and mout it on the top hot air rises

A 2x2x8? That's about 1 plant maybe 2 but not that big. The cost of HPS and cooling fan won't pay out. Your looking at a $50 increase a mounth. 3 mounths of that and you might get 1.5oz but if it's you first I door grow 1oz or less is my guess. It's cheeper to get panda plastic from the hydro store line a closet and use cfl orT5 lights. That's the only way your gonna save money and have herb.

full of purple said:

junk go with a name brand, sunsystem, euro system,hydrofarm, or even lumatek or phantom somthing like this also is a good choice..all you would need is a timer for 12/12
they sell fan and carbon filters also go with a 4inch inline fan not a booster and mout it on the top hot air rises
http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-HTGSupply-400-watt-High-Pressure-Sodium-Grow-Light.asp

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So he should buy a name brand ballast but cheap out on the carbon filter?!?!?
Are you serious?
I have a no name ballast i have been using for more than two years, and odds are it was made in the same factory with the same specs as one you mentioned, this is extremely common in China.
Carbon filter on the other hand is the one place you should not skimp, make sure its as big as you can afford, because this is your lifeline, whether keeping cops or rippers out, it is worth every penny.

TruenoAE86coupe said:

So he should buy a name brand ballast but cheap out on the carbon filter?!?!?
Are you serious?
I have a no name ballast i have been using for more than two years, and odds are it was made in the same factory with the same specs as one you mentioned, this is extremely common in China.
Carbon filter on the other hand is the one place you should not skimp, make sure its as big as you can afford, because this is your lifeline, whether keeping cops or rippers out, it is worth every penny.

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I have a few no name ballest as well. Cheep filters go out fast. Spend money on them. And always try to max out the airflow. Ie 400 cfm fan get over 400 cfm filter. Even if you need to down size the ducting. Never match. You will over work the fan and waste money on filters. In long run cost you more the the 20 buck upgrade.

TruenoAE86coupe said:

So he should buy a name brand ballast but cheap out on the carbon filter?!?!?
Are you serious?
I have a no name ballast i have been using for more than two years, and odds are it was made in the same factory with the same specs as one you mentioned, this is extremely common in China.
Carbon filter on the other hand is the one place you should not skimp, make sure its as big as you can afford, because this is your lifeline, whether keeping cops or rippers out, it is worth every penny.

Click to expand...

his box is only 2x2 its not all that big of a box.

For growing 1 plant I think the 250w HPS is your best option. a 2x2 is freakin' tiny. 2x2x8 feet tall sounds like something I'd want to grow one plant, maybe two in. With a 250w light in that size space I'd be looking to get 4 oz's.

full of purple said:

his box is only 2x2 its not all that big of a box.

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No matter how big, you should never skimp on a carbon filter and by going with a htgsupply filter is skimping. This is your lifeline, spend more than you can on it, you will never regret it.

I got a 60x60x140cm grow tent last year and got a 125w dual spectrum cfl with a cheap hand held fan to get fresh air in 1 side vent n just left top vent open, (no carbon filter lol mum wasnt to happy)At the end of the grow I had over 40 grams dry so dont listen when people tell you to buy name brands its all down to the effort you put in