starting a new 900cf room, i need advice on some gear.

[phyfer666]

hello guys/gals, i'm starting a new room and would like to get some of you to point me in the right direction when it comes to the equipment,,, this is what i am planning..

600 watts nextgen ballast.
co2 generator.
fuzzy logic environmental controller'
american hydro 3x3 ebb and flow table
can fan.
carbon filter.
all in one PH, Temp, and TDS, meter( any sugestions on the best one?..)

also which lightshade would you guys recommend?
the room is 900cubic feet, what size of ducting should i go with 6" or 8"?

Also what else should i consider? is there anything missing?

NOTE: i will not be using a intake fan, i will be ducting my air in from my basement...

 

[TheGanjaMan]

Everything sounds good. I would not invest in a co2 system for only one light. You could buy more lights and get more yeild for less money. The blue lab testers are the bomb and trust me you pay for what you get when it comes to testers. I recommend the Magnum XXL air cooled hoods. If your going to stick with one 600w then run 6" intake and exaust. The only thing i see you are missing are res, and nutes. Hope I helped.

TGM

 

[convex]

900 cf is roughly an 8x10 room.
You will want some poly to reduce your bloom area to suit a 600w footprint.

 

[phyfer666]

thanx guys for responding, so if i ran two 600 watt lights i would get more bud than one 600 watt and co2?,,, is there a reason that c02 is not a good idea, i thought i would get a 30% better yeild, also i was looking at the bluelab meters, their meter "the gardian" does not show TDS, but it shows EC, i was thinking about going with the Nutra-Dip Continuous Tri Meter -pH/TDS/Temp, this is lazy of me to ask when i could read up on it but how is EC controlled???? One more ? if i use Magnum XXXL 6" Air-Cooled Reflectors the exhaust is what goes hooked up on the hood am i right and if so can i use the one can fan to vent two hoods? sry if i sound like a newb but i wanna get this right, i've grown before in DWC but i'm slowly gaining enough skill to take on a larger project..... i'm also useing 30 gal res,,,,, with AN nut package,,, i know they are overpriced but ive had good results with them,,,,, i greatly enjoy everyones input.

 

[DoubleDub]

adding another light will give you a 100 percent increase. Adding C02 will probably give you a 5-20 percent increase.

Now if you do plan on using C02 you need to consider some design elements. First off with c02 your room needs to 99 percent sealed. There has to be very little if any air escaping your room for it to be worth the extra cost. This is know as a closed growing environment. This typically means you need to air cool your lights, use AC, and your probably going to need a dehumidifier as well. If you are not going to use C02 your going to need ventilation. Nice fresh air full of c02 needs to constantly be brought in from else where.

As far as meters go I am a loyal Milwaukee customer as I believe they make the highest quality equipment with the longest life. Don't go the cheap route on a ph meter. You get what you pay for and cheap ph meters brake all the time!

Build your room with the anticipation of adding one more 600 because that room can handle 3. Line them up in a row and utilize two or three of the walls already in the grow to help contain the light.

Also I am a huge fan of coco coir. You might want to consider that as I believe it is the most fail proof hydro setup.

Best of luck man

 

[lollipopman]

i have 2 6" magnums, just ordered my third one, running 1 1000 hps and 1 600 hps going to add another 600.. my fan is a 6" from htg that works great just for the 2 lights hoping i can add the third one..lol... heres a link for the fan i got....

 

[phyfer666]

thanx a million dub,,, yeah i don't think that co2 is gonna be used in the room at first,,, i don't wanna over do it, as we all know thinking we can handle more than we can usually ends up with unwanted results,,, now what i was thinking is adding a intake fan, well not thinking i;m gonna have to with two 600 watts,,,but i got another ? for a 3x3 table two 600s are enough, right, but for the size of the room three 600 watt lights would be max,,,, now i was thinking later on down the road i'm probaly gonna set up another 3x3 table,,, would this be too much for 3 lights? if so would a good inline fan be able to vent 3 lights????

 

[DoubleDub]

no that's not correct. Each light needs its own 3x3 table at the very minimum. Ideally each of those lights cover 3.5x3.5 to 4x4. What I meant by saying to design your lights in anticipation of upgrading is to cover a 3x6 area with those two lights and be ready to make your light/plant area a 3x9 space with three tables all in a row against the back and side walls.

You should read this book

Indoor Marijuana Horticulture By Jorge Cervantes

I know its a 300 page book and sending you off to read so much is a lot to ask but it will truly help in the long run. If you follow that book you will spend less time fixing and more time growing.

Also use your light cooling fan to double as an air outtake. A nice 6in inline will be plenty. Also a trick I've always done is use the exact same brand and model fan for intake to ensure the air pressure balanced.

All your questions and many many more are answered in the above book. Happy reading

Oh yes and one last piece of advise that can not be stressed enough. Don't go half ass on anything. Make sure everything is secure neat and clean. All electrical should be nicely fastened with zip ties, all surfaces should be clean to prevent mold and pests, you should be in your room regularly even if it's automated, make sure all fans ducting and equipment is fastened correct so it does fall in the future, use large hose clamps to secure all ducting, Water should always be controlled never overlook a leak, etc etc. Enjoy the hobby, have fun and be sure to keep the farm updated.

 

[DoubleDub]

Oh and one thing jorge fails to mention is line your hoods up in a fashion that make the ducting between them straight. If you dont youll have a giant s shaped mess

 

[phyfer666]

thank you my friend you have been helpful.

 

[Gray Beard]

Not cutting corners is the best advise yet. Do it right. When it is all done and running, before any plants are in, turn lights out in the room, sit down, smoke a bowl and check for light leaks. Do this while the sun is still up and all the lights outside but near your room are on. It takes about 5-10 minutes for your eyes to adjust. You might be surprised. I learned the hard way.