Tent size recommendation

Hi Everyone,

I was looking to start a small grow indoor (tent). I have never grown Marijuana but did live on a farm my entire life. I am planning on having 3 plants (5 gallon pots) per tent and was wondering what size you recommend for dimensions? I was thinking a 48" x 48" would be good but not sure if it will be overkill. I am planning on going with either a 1000-1200 watt LED so I have plenty of light. For a plant I am thinking of going with GG4 as many of my friends have recommended it. My eventual plan is to have 3-4 tents with 3 plants in each so as soon as I harvest one tent I can swap the next tent without effecting ones I want to stay in vegetative state.

Thanks,
Newbie

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I like my 4x4 tent. I currently have 4 plants in mine. For light…please take a look at the HLG ones. For a 4x4 tent 2 HLG 260xl rspec light kits is perfect for that size of tent. Sure they will set you back vs cheaper quality of lights but 1 successful grow will pay for the lights.

I got 8 z’s dried and cured off my GSC Beast. You have to watch the cheaper priced lights because the watts they list is very misleading. If they say 1000 watts it maybe pull 150 true watts if you are lucky. Probably more like 100 which won’t really grow good and abundant crop.

Welcome to the community.

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How much dry bud are you looking for or expecting to get per harvest? 3 plants not very definitive, as they could be really big or small. There are members here that grow 6+ plants in a 3x3, and there are members that fill 4x4 up with a single plant.

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My suggestion is to get a little bigger tent than you think you need. A 2’x4’ tent “can” grow 3 plants, but I’d get the 4’x4 for the extra room. You never want to crowd your grow.

As for lighting, you first need to decide on tent size.

For the basic amazon blurple panels you’ll need 50 ACTUAL watts at the wall/sq foot of flowering space. Not the marketed watts, but the actual draw.

For more efficient lighting like qbs, bridgelux or plc strip lighting you’ll need 30watts at the wall /sq foot.

Feel free to ask questions. Most of us have been down this road and can help you avoid pitfalls.

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Welcome to the community I know you said you was leaning towards a 4 by 4 tent, I think is a good choice I suggest getting the tallest tent your space will accommodate hopefully 7 Foot, to allow for hanging lights an exhaust fan an still have room to veg. A proper amount of time.

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I believe you should go with 4x4. I’m a fairly new Grower myself. I started with 4x4 and already moved up to 4x8 tent. Definitely research lights, Again being new you’ll learn a lot on this forum. This can be a little overwhelming, take the time to read threads and ask questions. Good luck and Welcome to ILGM FORUM.

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Thank you for the replies. I am looking to maximize my yields per plant without breaking the bank. I was planning on going with a 4’x4’x8’ feet tall tent but I keep seeing different sizes recommended. I am hoping to get 15-20 ounces a tent (first grow I know won’t be awesome). I wasn’t aware of true watts so I learned something new to watch out for.

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Definitely do not buy a light until you get affirmation here. So many members got duped by misleading claims on Amazon LED listings. We’ll make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

Have you set a budget?

Welcome to the forum!

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My first grow went great. Had 4 OG Kush autoflowers. All four looked like they would yield 5-6 oz per plant. What I didn’t know is how much lighting affects yield. Those huge buds were light and fluffy. I think I ended up with 3 or 4 oz total. Once I upped lights on my next grow, nugs were nice and tight and considerably more dense.

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Welcome to the forum!! I would definitely go with the 4x4, I have a 2x4 closet and a 3x3 tent, I really want that 4x4 lol, it doesn’t seem like a huge difference to have an extra foot each way, but that is 7 sq ft. of extra space vs the 3x3. As far as lights go, there are some very knowledgeable folks on here that can point you in the right direction.

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@NoobNE best suggestion is to figure out your budget for lighting, and figure out how many tents you can afford to light.
Just being realistic, because lighting should be most of your budget.

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I was hoping to spend around $500 - $600 USD for the entire tent setup. I am not including the plants and the stuff for them like soil in the 500-600. If I find stuff cheaper than that I might go ahead and pick up a second setup if it won’t cost much more than my target amount.

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https://www.amazon.com/BAVAGREEN-Dimmable-Meanwell-Driver-Spectrum/dp/B07XQ87NC6/ref=asc_df_B07XQ779ZV/?tag=&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385169514948&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17578041541315994561&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030673&hvtargid=pla-835101408950&psc=1&ref=&adgrpid=80078690138&th=1

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In that price range I’d look at the Mars Hydro TS 1000 and TS 2000. When people say “they’re not as good as HLG or (insert premium brand)” what they should say is “they’re not as energy efficient, but they will still provide the same sufficient light to grow quality flowers.”

You can possibly build a light that’s on par with the HLG kits and beats the Mars Hydro for price, but my observation is people spend quite a while waiting for the components they need to be in stock. The Mars lights are available all day long.

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Welcome to the group! I would run two, 2x4 tents :+1:t2: Perhaps three.

Since that unit is 2’x2’, I doubt it will fully flower a 4’x4’ tent. Look at the corners.

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Get the biggest one that you can afford and that fit in your space . Growing is addictive, you will want more. I started with a cabinet, I was just going to grow one plant …now I’m in a 10x12 room lol @NoobNE

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But you wouldn’t recommend a light that’s oversized for the tent they’re buying, right?

In this case, they have a reasonable but not generous budget.

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No definitely not. Match the light to your space. Just suggesting to look into the future a bit so your not buying things twice :v: @NoobNE @KeystoneCops

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You got me considering this light. It looks to be a good deal but not seeing a lot of info or reviews on this that makes me pause. Are you going to be getting a light from them?

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