Light and heating/ac requirements

  • Thread starter Delthala
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Delthala

Delthala

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Hey guys,

I'm getting prepared to do my first grow which won't happen for a while as I'm still reading about nutrients, etc.. I plan on growing in soil in a 4x4x7' tent. Currently I'm trying to figure out lighting and heat/ac requirements. I've gotten a ton of conflicting info making things hard to decide. That being said, I was looking at the spider farmer sf-1000. I was thinking of getting 2 of these for good coverage. Do I really need that much light? I saw they had a good micromole rating which is what I was going off of although independent tests show it's about half of what they advertise. What would be a decent setup if that's not ideal? Also, what is a good way to heat and cool the tent? I'll be insulating it and it sits in my garage which isn't heated. I figured it would be better to do it there as the air is exchanged easily by opening the door. I've had a massive amount of conflicting info in trying to size a unit that does heat and cool.
 
BigCube

BigCube

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You would need 4 sf1000 fixtures, and even then it would be a little short of what you need in a 4x4.

For led, you need 30 to 35 watts per square foot.

4x4=16

16x30= 480 watts of led minimum.
16x35= 560 watts optimal.

An sf1000 is 100 watts.

I would suggest 2 x 240w kingbrite quantum boards if you want budget price and name brand parts.

For heating you can just but a thermostat and a small oil filled radiator heater.

For cooling, you want to avoid direct air exchange with the outside. Intaking the air from room the tent is in is desirable. But if your garage gets too hot, you're going to need to cool it down. A window shaker ac unit is about the cheapest option.

I have seen built a box that has an ac unit and a heater in it with a thermostat. The one I saw was made of MDF but I was told they are usually made of metal for hvac guys? Anyways it had a 6" in and out. And the guy had it ducted to his tent. It just sat in the floor next to the tent.

IF you do intake air from outside directly like opening doors and windows to let in the outside air, you risk mold, mites, and dozens of other pests. It would be best to have a decent filter inline.
 
Dub_City405

Dub_City405

919
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As far as lighting go with LED. Look for 1 light example the gavita 1700e. Will give you top quaility maybe not as much weight depends on strain. And you wont have to buy another light again.

Leds dont need heat or ac. If the temp in house is 70 degreess and your moving the air around at a high rate.
 
BigCube

BigCube

2,676
263
As far as lighting go with LED. Look for 1 light example the gavita 1700e. Will give you top quaility maybe not as much weight depends on strain. And you wont have to buy another light again.

Leds dont need heat or ac. If the temp in house is 70 degreess and your moving the air around at a high rate.

He's in a garage that is not climate controlled.
 
Delthala

Delthala

4
3
You would need 4 sf1000 fixtures, and even then it would be a little short of what you need in a 4x4.

For led, you need 30 to 35 watts per square foot.

4x4=16

16x30= 480 watts of led minimum.
16x35= 560 watts optimal.

An sf1000 is 100 watts.

I would suggest 2 x 240w kingbrite quantum boards if you want budget price and name brand parts.

For heating you can just but a thermostat and a small oil filled radiator heater.

For cooling, you want to avoid direct air exchange with the outside. Intaking the air from room the tent is in is desirable. But if your garage gets too hot, you're going to need to cool it down. A window shaker ac unit is about the cheapest option.

I have seen built a box that has an ac unit and a heater in it with a thermostat. The one I saw was made of MDF but I was told they are usually made of metal for hvac guys? Anyways it had a 6" in and out. And the guy had it ducted to his tent. It just sat in the floor next to the tent.

IF you do intake air from outside directly like opening doors and windows to let in the outside air, you risk mold, mites, and dozens of other pests. It would be best to have a decent filter inline.
Sounds like I need to put a mini split in the garage haha. Might as well now. Gives me all the more reason to.
 
coherent

coherent

146
43
I have a mini split in my grow room area and it works great. In my case the area can go from extreme heat to extreme cold depending on the season. Because of this it's more of a necessity than just something that helps. It really depends on your specific location and weather to determine if needed. If your garage is prone to periods of too hot or cold, it may be a great option and even a requirement. You may be surprised, but the plants can tolerate fairly cold and hot temps. Folks grow outdoors with temps near freezing and in heat in the 90's or 100. You may find your plants will do fine and thrive. Will they be the absolute best at extremes? No of course not, but the trade off of grow quality vs cost to make it better may be an unnecessary expense.
 
Delthala

Delthala

4
3
I have a mini split in my grow room area and it works great. In my case the area can go from extreme heat to extreme cold depending on the season. Because of this it's more of a necessity than just something that helps. It really depends on your specific location and weather to determine if needed. If your garage is prone to periods of too hot or cold, it may be a great option and even a requirement. You may be surprised, but the plants can tolerate fairly cold and hot temps. Folks grow outdoors with temps near freezing and in heat in the 90's or 100. You may find your plants will do fine and thrive. Will they be the absolute best at extremes? No of course not, but the trade off of grow quality vs cost to make it better may be an unnecessary expense.

I've been debating this for a while already haha. It's time to pull the trigger on it solely for the garage itself. I will probably start trying to grow regardless to see how well I can do prior to putting one it. That being said, I'll be looking for an ounce at harvest or at least trying to get really close to that. It'll be unreasonable starting off but I'm sure after a few grows behind my belt I will get there
 
Delthala

Delthala

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3
I can't figure out how to edit my reply. I was thinking a pound not an ounce haha. Is 1lb unrealistic?
 
BigCube

BigCube

2,676
263
I can get just over a pound out of a 3x3x6 tent using 2x240w kingbrite quantum boards.

So it should be possible for you to obtain.👍

You can pretty much count on a gram per watt if you stick to the formula 30 to 35w per sq ft. I average around 1.5g per watt. It is really more about the quality and quantity of light, assuming you're watering and nutrients are good.
 
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