Max capacity/setup advice for 2.5' x 2.5' x 5' grow tent?

[7munkee]

I don't do that style anymore either. It's a hassle watering and it makes too much yield. A guy can only use so much, then it just goes in the compost bin.

Yeah, one 5 gallon pot for me. Only problem is, if things go south, you lose it all.

But I turn what I dont smoke into butter and give it away to my daughter in law. She loves making edibles.

 

[ArtfulCodger]

The only part of your setup I'd reconsider immediately is the light. I wouldn't flower 7 square feet with a 100W light. I want 35-40W per square foot, shaped the same as the tent (square, in your case). If you like Spider Farmer, their SE3000 could pull everything you can fit in that tent. In Mars Hydro, the TSW2000, FCE3000 or FC3000 would work well. I know it's more money, but you'll make it back with the additional yield in your first harvest. And then some. Yield is a function of light. Plant count is up to you. More plants = smaller pots, shorter veg. You could fill your tent with one plant in a 3 gallon pot, easily. Top it three or four times, veg it until you have half of your footprint covered, and scrog it down. Hang your light at the top of the tent and run it on a progressive. Don't veg hotter than 50% of your max flower light. Lots of ways to grow...that's the way I'd do it.

 

[growsince79]

The only part of your setup I'd reconsider immediately is the light. I wouldn't flower 7 square feet with a 100W light. I want 35-40W per square foot, shaped the same as the tent (square, in your case). If you like Spider Farmer, their SE3000 could pull everything you can fit in that tent. In Mars Hydro, the TSW2000, FCE3000 or FC3000 would work well. I know it's more money, but you'll make it back with the additional yield in your first harvest. And then some. Yield is a function of light. Plant count is up to you. More plants = smaller pots, shorter veg. You could fill your tent with one plant in a 3 gallon pot, easily. Top it three or four times, veg it until you have half of your footprint covered, and scrog it down. Hang your light at the top of the tent and run it on a progressive. Don't veg hotter than 50% of your max flower light. Lots of ways to grow...that's the way I'd do it.

I missed the 100w light part. I agree thats not enough for 2.5 x 2.5. 150w minimum; 200w would be plenty.

 

[Dub_City405]

6 plants. 5 gallon pots.

 

[phxazcraig]

My two cents. You have two big limitations in the tent itself. Obviously, 2x2 is small, but another issue is that it is quite short at 5 feet. Just from the height I wonder if you would be best off doing autoflowers, to keep size down. A lot depends on hot hot your light is and how close to the top you can mount it. I have a 4x4x7, and I've got about 18 inches used at the top for the fan, though I suppose I could re-engineer things a bit. Anyway, it was fine for my first crop of 4 autoflowers, but my second crop of photos stretched a surprising (to me) amount and caused me to have not enough space left at the end. Fortunately I have a dimmer control (and PAR meter) so I could dial the power where it needed to be even with only a foot or so clearance. (600w HLG LED).

One thing I've learned, or been told, is that it doesn't matter so much how many plants you have in your tent for yield, it matters how much square footage you have. (Adequately lighted square footage, and it sounds like your light is a bit small here.) I'm growing 4 plants this time around instead of the 5 I did last time. A pot in the center of the tent just makes it a real pain to get in there to clean or trim the back row. My idea is that by topping and training, I'll get the same canopy coverage out of 4 plants that I did previously with 5. And if I were to take the time to do the training, it is my belief that I could get about the same yield from a single plant, just slower.

 

[Microstraincollector]

2x2x4 with 3 Plants in 2 Gallon pots under a sf2000 - lots of training - Sea of Green style... It can be done. It wasn't excruciatingly difficult, watered every three days or so, used Advanced Nutrients Hobby Level. I am a quality over quantity guy, just got lucky with three females out of a pack of regs... None were weak enough to cull...

 

[Clase]

2x2x4 with 3 Plants in 2 Gallon pots under a sf2000 - lots of training - Sea of Green style... It can be done. It wasn't excruciatingly difficult, watered every three days or so, used Advanced Nutrients Hobby Level. I am a quality over quantity guy, just got lucky with three females out of a pack of regs... None were weak enough to cull...

Smart move putting in that sf2000 instead of the 1000...Def help with that flowering. I need a stronger light myself...I have the sf1000 in a 2.5x2.5 x63

 

[Microstraincollector]

Had the 1000, saw the error of my ways, new light came, dialed in the feedings and they took off.

 

[Clase]

Had the 1000, saw the error of my ways, new light came, dialed in the feedings and they took off.

Did you just get another sf1000 and join em together?

 

[Microstraincollector]

Rehomed the 1000, bought the 2000... I dislike a ton of wires everywhere...kicks my OCD into overdrive

 

[D_Wizard_of_Oz]

I don't do that style anymore either. It's a hassle watering and it makes too much yield. A guy can only use so much, then it just goes in the compost bin.

Uhhh...I have a compost bin you can throw it in...