First Time Grower Thanks To High Times Dope Cup! And I have no idea where to start!

Hi, Me and the wife went to the Dope Cup this weekend got super toasted seen everyone walking around with these plants. High as a kit we figured it must be easy to grow everyone is getting them so we grab 4 (cherry ak, double sour, sky walker and one other i cant think of right now) i think the double sour is a teen the others are clones i think thats what he said. We got them on Saturday and we have them in a box with a lil led light and a lil fan. I hope we havent destroyed the plants im ordering a grow tent tomarrow and any advice on what all i need to get and what is most important right now would be greatly appreciated. And what should i do while i wait for my grow tent should only take 2 days with amazon is the box ok, should i put them in the sunlight, how often to water lol Sorry just tickled at what we have got our selfs into lol. Thanks for any help have a blessed day!

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If you got the space get a 4 by 4 tent you can never have enough room and I would recommend getting a CMH grow light you can get a 630 water for about two hundred and fifty bucks or a lot of people have been using Quantum boards I personally like to CMH

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Sorry about the double post, you’re also going to want either 5 or 7 gallon fabric pots some good quality soil or get some promix or coco coir and nutrients I use the General Hydroponics Flora Trio have good results with it easy to use

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@SmokeOne Welcome to the forum and the pool, you sure did jump into the deep end. Don’t worry you came to the right place. The plants look like they have been watered recently so you have some time. When they are in little be careful not to water them too much. Too much water and it will keep the oxygen away from the roots and kill them.

A quick list of things you are going to need. This is not all inclusive just off the top of my head.

A good attitude
A tent, what size did you get?
Pots fabric work really well and I like 5-gallon pots but others like different sizes
Soil to grow in. Do not get miracle grow. Like @HornHead said Foxfarm, ProMix work well.
Nutrients
A pH meter and tds meter these are almost a must.
The best light you can afford I have HLG leds and love them light is critical
A couple of fans
Humidity temperature gage

Gosh there is more but I can’t think of it all right now.
Read Roberts Grow Bible Download the Marijuana Grow Bible

Another place to look is grow weed easy just google it.

Read, learn and ask questions.

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whats the recommended height? Since this was a unexpected thing im trying to do it as low cost as possible and upgrade later if i actually make it to the finish line. i was looking at a cheap wakyme 600w LED light just to buy me some time to save up for better equipment. But I will put the two lights you just recommend on my wishlist.

Another way to think about it is if you buy a less expensive light now you’re going to spend more later on a better light. Just get the better light now and save the extra. Another option is to go to a local grow store. A lot of times they have a kit set with all the things you need. They are usually discounted in the kit.

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thanks for that list, didnt get my tent yet im looking at this tent https://www.amazon.com/Yaheetech-Hydroponic-Indoor-Seedling-Plant/dp/B073S53WPG/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=grow+tent&qid=1553726481&s=gateway&sr=8-14 or a 32x32x63 and this light Amazon.com

i plan on upgrading everything if i can manage this first try.

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If you go the Amazon route, I’d either get viparspectra or roleadro. I recommend the 600w 2nd generation one. I have 2 of the 300w and like them

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With Amazon LEDs you normally want about 50 true watts per square foot not what’s advertised. The one that you are talkin about if you read into it only pulls 96 Watts that’s not even enough for a small 2 by 2 tent and really I would go with multiple 300 watt lights over a 600-watt one you can spread your lights a little more and have a bigger footprint

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i was looking at that roleadro. what do you like about it is it that much different then this cheap one Amazon.com

ok i guess thats why they say stay away from amazon lights lol. thank you for that note

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The single most important item (after the strain of cannabis) is your lighting. Inadequate lighting will not give you good results. Spend the money now and you won’t have to buy it twice. I promise you will.

Whatever soil you choose you should plan on sooner rather than later. They are all likely ready. When you do choose soil it really is best to get one optimized for cannabis. You ain’t growing tomatoes. Scott’s “Black Magic”, Roots Organics, Promix, and Fox Farms all have good soils to choose from. Be sure whatever you get is soil and not media like coco coir. Soil can contain that but needs organic material and buffers and fertilizers to be a viable soil.

Your impulse buy is going to cost you some money up front unfortunately. If you pick this up and understand it, you can have a very rewarding hobby.

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can i make it 2 weeks without a tent if i spend the money now on the light and soil? and what led would you recommend if i go all in?

The rule of thumb as @HornHead has stated is 50 true watts per foot square. Your 2x4 tent is 8 square feet made a little more difficult to light since it a rectangle vs square (my opinion). The light you are looking at draws 96 watts from the wall. That is the wattage you are concerned with not what they advertise. So divide 96 by 8 and you get 12 watts per square foot. Can you grow with this light sure you can. If you are going with the 2x4 tent I would recommend this light but I like leds. @HornHead as recommended a 630 watt my CMH light. The quick amazon search gave me lots of CMH options just remember the bulb(s). One reason I like the led is I don’t have to worry about heat. CMH can produce heat I the tent.

Amazon.com

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I’d go with the 32x32 and a 315 watt cmh will light it up nicely. You’ll also need a 4-6" inline fan for air movement (drawling fresh air in) and a 6" clip on fan for inside. If smell is a problem, get a carbon filter too

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LED is the way to go but DO NOT waste your money on a cheap China burple paperweight like I learned the hard way for $150. Spend the most you can buy buying an Horticultural Lighting Group light. The are the cheapest per TRUE efficient watt power of any LED on the market. The light @Bubblehead recommends can also be parted together and built DIY for much cheaper. Each of those boards are good for a 2x2 flower so if you went with a 4x4 you would need 4 of those boards @ Horticultural Lighting Group for $69/each. And for 2 board you would need a $57 HLG240H-C2100A driver. You will also need a heat sink. I used a sheet of 1/8” aluminum. You can also buy heatsinks from HLG. Each board takes 175-200W of power/board.

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@WickedAle when I need more light I’m going to copy yours!

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Ultimately your yield will be determined by the watts from the wall. TRUE watts from the wall of 35-50W/ sqft will yield ~1 g/watt. Most burple lights on Amazon are not marketed with TRUE WATTS from the wall. They are not efficient and generate heat and not light.

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@SmokeOne since you basically need everything and are on a budget, I think the best solution for you is here:
Go to growershouse.com and paste this into the search field:
4-x-4-grow-room-1000w-hid-soil-complete-grow-tent-package

That’s a very powerful light, and includes everything else you need except for some soil and a pH meter, at a pretty great price.

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Just beware that HID/MH generates A LOT of heat. They are $ for $ cheaper and some will say better than going LED, but you will have to vent the heat outside.

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