Gathering recommendations on the best equipment for a newbie setup, without breaking the bank…
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How much money do you have to spend that will tell us how many plants you can grow.
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I’m retired with a nice pension. I like to keep it reasonable. I do have a wife…
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Well you better ask the wife lol.
Good to know, how many plants do you want to grow?
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I want to start learning by growing two to start. Not really looking for mass production.
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That’ll stop you in your tracks
Happy wife, happy life. Got over 40 years in!
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My recommendation if you have the space would be to buy a 2-1 tent, a 4x5. This will allow you to grow 4 in the future but you only have to get the lighting (most expensive part) for two plants to start
Give me a couple. Minutes and I’ll link you up with a parts list.
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You can find complete kits in fact I seen one by spider farm with a spider farm 2000 with tent everything I think it was like $450.
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Don’t buy a spider farmer light…
I’ve seen the “kits” available with all the stuff. Not sure if the quality is there, still researching. Not in a rush but want to be ready when and if things open up here.
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Why?, seen some nice plants grow under their lights.
Set to watching
Found spider kits on wayfair and Amazon under 600$. They state the LED is Samsung
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Welcome to the grow community I have a 4x4 and a 3x3 tent I have 2 HLG 260xl in my 4x4 and 2 HLG 260 in my 3x3 very happy with my grows, there also is a discount code floating around on HLG website good luck with your grow!
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Don’t buy a spider a farmer give me a minute I can help you explain there are cheaper more efficient higher quality lights on the market. Spider farmer is overpriced.
Okay the tent is out of stock right now, it’s a harder size to find so brand doesn’t matter I have a GA and it’s good quality but the vivosuns are fine.
https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Reflective-Indoor-Hydroponic-Growing/dp/B07HQHG311/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=48x60x80%2Bgrow%2Btent&qid=1609890329&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExVk4wNk83WVpSNUU2JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzU4MDAyMUdQNVhRRjA4MjZDNiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzk0MjA4MUdNWUNQOTNSUFNGOSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1
You’ll want to equip it with the AC infinity T6 duct fan as it comes with a smart environment controller, this is a lifesaver and basically essential.
https://www.amazon.com/AC-Infinity-CLOUDLINE-T6-Temperature/dp/B074XBXFPD/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=ac+infinity+cloudline+t6&qid=1609891490&sprefix=AC+infinity+&sr=8-1
You’ll need a carbon filter as well and these are good quality.
https://www.amazon.com/AC-Infinity-Australian-Charcoal-Hydroponics/dp/B07GSKTT86/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=ac+infinity+carbon+filter+6+inch&qid=1609891525&sprefix=ac+infinity+carbon+&sr=8-3
You’ll need some ducting, this black stuff is much more durable and easier to work with sliding it on and off the fittings well worth it.
https://www.amazon.com/AC-Infinity-Heavy-Duty-Four-Layer-Ventilation/dp/B0791V19H7/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=6+black+ducting&qid=1609891699&sprefix=6"+black+duc&sr=8-1
You’ll need at least two clip fans for your two plants, hurricane is a decent brand
https://www.amazon.com/Hurricane-Clip-Fan-Operation-Adjustable/dp/B00IGFJFSY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=Clip+fan&qid=1609891644&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzT0dSMjQ2TFNFOTBUJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjM3NzIzWEpNUkNFMjBLRjVTJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA5OTIyNzVaWEFDS0o2Slk1SjAmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
You’ll want a good humidifier that has % controls to control your environment, also a large tank so you don’t need to change it twice a day or every day. I use this one it’s great.
https://www.amazon.com/LEVOIT-Humidifiers-Ultrasonic-Humidifier-Whisper-Quiet/dp/B01MYGNGKK/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=humidifiers&qid=1609891792&sprefix=Humi&sr=8-5
You will need a quality PH meter this is a very important tool, this is a very good one many of us use.
https://www.amazon.com/Apera-AI209-T-Calibration-Solution-Cleaning/dp/B077Z6LF91/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=ph20&qid=1609892899&sprefix=PH+20&sr=8-3
A tds meter is also a very important tool any cheap one will do this ones pretty common I use it.
https://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sxin_15?ascsubtag=amzn1.osa.a4561ce0-d296-406d-b06c-1ff340917d7f.ATVPDKIKX0DER.en_US&creativeASIN=B002C0A7ZY&cv_ct_cx=Tds+meter&cv_ct_id=amzn1.osa.a4561ce0-d296-406d-b06c-1ff340917d7f.ATVPDKIKX0DER.en_US&cv_ct_pg=search&cv_ct_we=asin&cv_ct_wn=osp-single-source&dchild=1&keywords=Tds+meter&linkCode=oas&pd_rd_i=B002C0A7ZY&pd_rd_r=3ce689b9-c47f-4d46-8ce8-0f2f827c72cf&pd_rd_w=B6ddT&pd_rd_wg=Zrheb&pf_rd_p=d52519ff-b6da-4c82-8d22-ffffa07cc71c&pf_rd_r=BG8XCM50EXVS9WSRBWP2&qid=1609892990&sr=1-2-58695269-0102-48b5-9948-f6c6783c4516&tag=pawtracksdt-20
Now you’ll need a light yes, a spider farm is fine don’t get me wrong but they are over priced Chinese sub par quality marketed in North America heavily.
If you want the best and you don’t want to worry about any issues you want a HLG, horticulture lighting group. The size you want is a 320xl Rspec for that tent, so simply typing in “HLG 320xl Rspec” in google will bring you there.
Now if your worried about the cost then you can get the Chinese knockoff that is still better then a spider farmer and it’s cheaper.
You’ll have to go to Alibaba for this and buy one from kingbright, to do this google “320xl kingbrite” click the first link, then click on the categories section once the page loads and go down to the spot that reads “QB288 board 320” then click “LM301B + Epistar 660nm” then click one their all the same. Now when you send your enquiry ensure your getting the 3500k it’s the best from seed to harvest. It’s more work but it’s about half the price.
These boards are more efficient than spider farmers and cost less for what your getting.
As for medium and pots as well as nutrients that’s a person choice.
I strongly recommend you go to autopot USA and buy a 2 or a 4 “Spring pot system” and grow in coco/perlite mix.
Growing in soil is slow, less yeilds more chances for bugs, stunting stress, it’s more work you’ll need to read the run off etc it’s just alot more hassle for less gains really. The joy of the garden is in the garden watching your plants grow and training them not battling with slow growth and soil issues or bugs.
Any quality nutrient can be used but again the cheapest best mix is Jack’s 321. It’s a 3 part dry nutrient that is very easy to mix.
Google Jack’s nutrients, buy a bag of part A, part B and magnesium sulfate can be found anywhere (Epson salts) jsut don’t use any smelly stuff.
Any questions feel free to ask, I hope you can respect the amount of time and effort I put into this reply for you. I can’t link you to the other sites only amazon sale links are allowed due to forum rules.
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That’s a nice humidifier, wish I could use it, but my motorhome would become a jungle and I think I start wearing camouflage.
With my lights on,RH is at 30% and lights off it goes to up around 50-55%.
The humidifier has a smart setting, you set it at a RH % and it kicks in and out to keep the RH right.
It’s also got a speed mode that’s 3 levels depending how fast you want it to raise the RH.
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What % do you do in veg & in flower?