Seeking Help on 3X2 tent setup

Hello fellow Growmies. I’ve been a lurker for a minute, but I’m finally ready to start my first grow, and seeking input on a couple of issues from you allstars. Thank you in advance to everyone who shares your opinions, and I’ll try to keep it as easy as possible. I enjoy a little DIY stuff, but also do not mind spending $ on quality items. I will try to post a grow diary when I get underway - targeting end of Jan.

ABOUT ME: Consumer of 30+ yrs, but as I’ve learned more and more about the plant (thanks to a lot of you), I’ve fallen face first down the rabbit hole. I’m looking to grow about 24oz per year for my own enjoyment. I am looking to maximize the varietals/effects in my smoke box, looking for the peace and satisfaction of working the little seeds from dirt to ash, and since I live in a prohibition state, I would love to connect with other like-minded people who may live in the area (s/o to the baseball World Champs if you know what I mean :). If there are people who want to trade seeds, talk grows, etc. BTW - I am techno-average and using a VPN to disguise my actual location, so if anybody can see where I am, pls let me know so I can squash that nonsense!!

SETUP: First grow is Jack Herer Autos from ILGM! I have 5 seeds.


  1. So - how many plants should I start with? 2? 3 in that tent?

  2. I know ppl post grow diaries on here, but I can’t find them for some reason. I saw Capt. Cola’s autoflower posts, but couldn’t find the step by step diary. If anyone has a good one for the Jack autoflowers.

  3. Any other advice, words of encouragement, heckles - all welcomed. Thank you

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The light has very disappointing specs. Get an HLG 260. You’ll get a far better light for about the same price.

Save your money. Cannabis should only be watered when the soil has dried out. Soak the soil, let it dry out, repeat,…

Save your money. You don’t have the environment where a plant can use extra CO2.

I’d suggest 1 plant is plenty for that space.

@Nicky is a really good autoflower person.

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I have a 2x3 with what you have plus an intake fan with a empty filter with cloth cover over it to keep dust out hooked to temp controler. 5 gallon oxy pots have a pump in 5 gallon bucket hooked to manifold with 3/16 hose running to each pot. Makes watering easy in that limited space turn pump on couple minutes see water just start to seep out bottom done.
I also have 2 lights 1 for every 2 plants and run 4 plants. Just my way take from it what you will.

PS: I put plastic bags with bottom cut out in oxy pots to block top 4 to 5 inchs of holes so water doesn’t just run out the top main roots are deeper than that anyway.

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I appreciate that - lots of info for me to digest here. I am definitely interested in setting up some sort of auto-watering system. Partly because I’m geeky and partly because with my schedule I like the flexibility and consistency.

“5 gallon oxy pots have a pump in 5 gallon bucket hooked to manifold with 3/16 hose running to each pot.” - do you have a link or specs? Are you running 4 plants in that tent, or multiple grows?

4 at once photos though. I’ll look for links been set up for over a year though.

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Bypass the hlg and get a kingbrite…unless covid shipping has the expected arrival way longer then if so get a hlg or similar ChiLed tech

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Deep Jungle 3/16" I.D. 1/4" O.D. Silicone Black Flexible Airline Tubing for Aquariums, Terrariums, and Hydroponics https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HBSU9EA/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_FT93M87MT0XAZQBJTE2B?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

LUTER 50pcs Irrigation Drip Support Stakes Plastic for 1/4" Drip Lines Tubing Hose for Gardens, Flowers, Plants, Vegetable https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089KGRVK4/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_32VAEZGKAPWHZ5SYNZCA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

One Stop Outdoor (100-PACK) - 360 Degree 1/4" Inch Universal Barbed Drip Emitter - Adjustable Flow 0-18.5 GPH Fit 1/4 (4-7mm) Drip Irrigation Tubing - Professional Grade Drippers for Drip Irrigation https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G3JK6PX/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_B7WR5REY83ZK4KPDARDH?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Already had manifold it has 3/8 in and 1/4 inch out with shut off valves.
Sump pump with adapter kit for 3/8 hose that will suck down to bottom of bucket.
Hope that helps.

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Specifically get the KingBrite 240w with UV/IR - if you search the KingBrite store on Alibaba for the word “drop” the right one pops up - it’s got stupid low shipping ($36) and is super quick to arrive because it’s one of the few models they actually stock in a US warehouse. Shipping time should be ~a week ish, maybe a little more but it’ll be the same as any other US based light.

Edit to add a screenshot of the exact one I mean

Two, no more. I struggle to have 4 in a 4x4. Autoflowers may run small your first go but don’t underestimate them. Also understand that indoors your yield is limited by your square footage, not how many plants you grow. One plant will likely do about as well as two plants in the same space, and two plants would do as well as 12 plants in the same space. Since you have autoflowers and cannot clone them, I’d do a max of 2 and save the other 3 seeds for my next one or two runs.

They don’t really exist. You can find grow journals but honestly we’re all all over the place. The more you interact the more you’ll see people in journals all over talking about any number of peoples’ grows.

I urge you to reconsider. I would highly recommend doing a FIM on your autoflower when it has 4-5 sets of true leaves (not the little round starter leaves/cotyledons). Just one FIM doubles (or more) the available cola space for the plant to grow bud on. More colas = better as a general rule of thumb.

I use rockwool cubes. They work well, the fibers are loose to allow roots to penetrate. I tried root riot cubes but I hate them. Idk why. But either one would be a fine starter plug to drop seeds in so you can move the starter plug into the nursery bags.

Let me be the first to suggest you get another carbon filter to hook up to the exhaust outside of the tent once it’s flower time. I have a carbon filter and negative pressure in my tent and my garage still smells like stinky cheese. A second carbon filter is on my agenda before my neighbors start either complaining about the smell or asking for some. :rofl:

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If you like diy projects i would just build your light with 560mm led strips. You can go from mild to wild if you want, and most difficult part will be assembling frame. If not, lights recommended above are pretty good.

2 plants in there will be plenty, and you probably don’t need 5 gallon pots. I have similar tent and never used larger than 3 gallon for two plants.

I’m not a fan of fox farms soil and would recommend roots organics over ocean forest or happy frog, but you can certainly make any of them work. Also prefer to grow photos over autos, but again just personal preference. Rest of the stuff you have looks pretty good. Growing in soil i wouldn’t plan on getting more than 3 full grows in per year using a single tent. Especially if you need to dry in tent. That works out to be about 8 zips per harvest, not exactly a given in 3x2 tent, but definitely possible with good equipment and a green thumb.

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Man - thanks for all that! Light has been ordered. My head was spinning trying to figure out which LED to go with, so thanks to everyone who chimed in.

Re: Topping or FIMming - thanks for that advice. I have read lots of things about Autos, and was a little nervous topping it since it is my 1st grow. I’ll def take it under advisement and it seems like the ILGM seeds can probably take it.

and THANKS for the advice about the 2nd carbon filter. I feel like everything I read/hear seems to make me feel paranoid that one filter won’t be enough. I can’t imagine what my family situation would be like if the house started to smell like my favorite herb :sweat_smile:

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Thanks - I appreciate the diff perspectives. I only settled on a lot of these items (like FFOF, etc.) thru reading/researching and I needed to commit to a starting point. Since I’m a month out from starting yet, it allows me to be flexible so I’ll def look at the roots organic. Yield thoughts are also good bc even thought I’m not doing this for yield, it’s nice to be able to plan/budget accordingly.

Autos v. Photos right now is just the intimidation factor (Letting it grow too big before flipping light cycles, light leaks, etc). My goal is to “graduate” to photos or maybe run a 2nd tent to experiment with photos.

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The lights mentioned are great I personally have the hlg 260w xl and love it in my 2.5x5.5 tent. Soil I use Coast of Maine Bar Harbor Blend. It has been great to me and all my ladies love it. Also fim or top will be great either or. I prefer photos easy to manipulate and forgive

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All understandable. You have a tent, the only light leak i would worry about would be with passive intake. You can make a light trap there if you have a duct port. Just take insulated or opaque duct and shape like s. After that, the capabilities of any of those scenarios are possible with autos or photos. They are also manageable either way. I prefer the photos because you have the ability to veg longer if need be. Otherwise there is nothing else different between growing a photo vs an auto.

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I thought my wife would make my life living hell when the girls started seeping out past the filter but I was surprised that she just asks me to keep the damn door closed (I grow in a spare bedroom) and later on when one of the plants got too smelly even for me, she proposed getting another tent to put the stinky one out in the garage. But yeah a second filter is gonna be your best friend if the smell can’t be blocked out with a door and some lavender scented spray
(Side note and 100% a plug for this magic- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QDV4D21/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_VSYV6CX9FNX2KKQFDXEX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It’s oil based so it binds the “stink” that is created by Terpenes. I can’t say it’s 100% effective because my sense of smell is seriously desensitized to weed, but I think it’s pretty effective). Oh also don’t spray it on or near your plants. Just around the outside of the room where your tents are. Cuz the odor binding oil stuff can bind to the terps on your flowers and hurt your potency.

Probably. I still advise doing a FIM rather than a top. @MeEasy has a sweet graphic of how to FIM.

Autos are a great learning curve. They’re unforgiving in a lot of ways but they’ll still flower and still give you smokeable weed. I’m glad I started with autoflowers because I absolutely ruined them and I still got a little over a half ounce for all my idiocy. :rofl:

I wish I could go back and buy Coast of Maine instead of Fox Farms. But I also have a personal vendetta against fox farms so you don’t have to take my word for it that there’s better soil out there.

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I’m also using the AC Infinity 6” in-line fan but with with the temp and humidity controller and they are super easy to set up and install. Even on setting 1 it pulls the sides of my tent in for that negative zone, I’ll see if I have a picture, the carbon filter should also come with its own cloth cover, I know mine did. Lol.

If your worried about height can mount it all outside, or the fan inside and filter outside, it’s very versatile and can be set up in a wide variety of ways. As long as it’s sucking fresh air from the bottom and going through the filter should have 0 smell.

As far as location it only shows if you set it in your profile settings. I’m in a semi open state, can buy it at the dispensary on the corner, but the bill got pushed due to COVID to be able to grow it ourselves. Hopefully next year it will get pushed through!

Mine sucks in through a 4” vent on the bottom and the fan pulls out the top 6” vent. Always set to 2 for temp and humidity control plus constant ventilation. After I get a small 4” duct fan the big one will just run if temp or humidity get out of range. I put my fan on top as there isn’t room inside the tent as it’s only 48” tall. Lol it will eventually be my seedling tent. I have the carbon filter for it, but so far haven’t gotten any smell from the tent yet besides when I water with molasses she gets a bit of a sweet smell that day, but that’s it.

Sry for the long post and welcome to the community, glad to have you here, and love the Gronk pun for your user name!

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Have @dbrn32 help you build a light and get 2 autopots.
You’d love it I bet

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Thank you - and to everyone for offering their insight. Glad I came here before starting - rethinking my soil/medium for sure now and glad I got steered towards the right “light”!

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Speaking from experience, this is a killer way to go. Just… think through mounting the lights to a frame. I most certainly did not. My lights are still held together entirely by Velcro and prayers. :joy:

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HA! That’s what I’m nervous about. Definitely intrigued by the idea. Maybe once I get this first Jack growing, I’ll get a 2nd small tent and build a light for that one. I like the idea of having 2 different plants going about a month apart maybe. Further down the rabbit hole we go!

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It devolves rapidly. :rofl:

The idea was “one or two plants staggered.” Clearly that worked well. Not featured: the two clones, 3 autoflowers, 2 reg seeds, and 2 fems up on the second shelf in the right corner.
Not discernable in that forest is: 4 clones, one mother plant, 2 autoflowers, and one fem seed. :rofl::joy::rofl:

Just one or two here and one or two in the flower tent. Right. :man_facepalming:t3:

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