First time growing questions :)

[onmikesline]

Hey guys I been looking for a long time now about what to use and not to use and its coming down to the point that I'm looking for a full kit for the first time, I have $500 dollars to spend on something to grow them. my main concern is noise from the Lamps, do they? but anyways here's what i found and I'm starting with 3 female seeds


The system 6 is a great economical starter system. Great for beginner level gardeners as well the experienced gardeners. This system includes a 2' 4 bulb MaxLume fixture with grow bulbs, a 3x3 grow tent, C.A.P. DWC 8 site hydroponic system and the Technaflora Recipe for Success Starter Kit.

or


System 7 comes with an HID lighting system and all the accessories you need to get your garden through to harvest. This system includes a 3x3 grow tent, C.A.P. DWC 8 site Hydroponic system, Technaflora Recipe for Success Starter Kit, 6" C.A.P. ValueLine Blower, 6" Filter, 6" clip fan, 6"x25' Ducting, 2 6" Duct Clamps, C.A.P. 600w Switchable ValueLine Ballast, C.A.P. LumenAire 6 and a 600w MaxLume bulb.

this is from the site discount-hydro.com, it wont let me link sites.

Thanks for your help and i hope to order the right supplys this week

[rara]

hey onmikes I would say that sometimes these kits arent as good as they seem .. but I'll have a look at the links later and see which one I'd buy.
anyone have any experience with any of this kit?

[rara]

peronaly with a budget of 500 dollars I would go for the hps kit although I would brobably add on a heat cooled reflector to help with heat management

[lbezphil2005]

Hey guys I been looking for a long time now about what to use and not to use and its coming down to the point that I'm looking for a full kit for the first time, I have $500 dollars to spend on something to grow them. my main concern is noise from the Lamps, do they? but anyways here's what i found and I'm starting with 3 female seeds


The system 6 is a great economical starter system. Great for beginner level gardeners as well the experienced gardeners. This system includes a 2' 4 bulb MaxLume fixture with grow bulbs, a 3x3 grow tent, C.A.P. DWC 8 site hydroponic system and the Technaflora Recipe for Success Starter Kit.

or


System 7 comes with an HID lighting system and all the accessories you need to get your garden through to harvest. This system includes a 3x3 grow tent, C.A.P. DWC 8 site Hydroponic system, Technaflora Recipe for Success Starter Kit, 6" C.A.P. ValueLine Blower, 6" Filter, 6" clip fan, 6"x25' Ducting, 2 6" Duct Clamps, C.A.P. 600w Switchable ValueLine Ballast, C.A.P. LumenAire 6 and a 600w MaxLume bulb.

this is from the site discount-hydro.com, it wont let me link sites.

Thanks for your help and i hope to order the right supplys this week

So you've never grown any other way before? the reason I'm asking is because you might want to try soil or coco your first go round. Unless you can devote an awful lot of time and not leave your grow for a while, I'd recommend maybe grabbing a few 7 gal smartpots and a couple bags of fox farm ocean forest, something like that - roots organic, whatever soil you feel comfortable with. Hell, I'm afraid of growing hydro, myself - can't afford to lose a whole grow in a ph drop or something like that, lol, which would probably happen, to me.

That said, I like the store, discount hydro - I've ordered from there before, pretty reliable. And I'd go with the hps, too - I grow with led's but id only use cfls for vegging and germinating, not flowering - no penetration unless you dangle them right into the plants. That 2ft 4 bulb fixture is almost identical to what I use in my germination/veg room. It would only veg cannabis for a little bit - my veg area is a "bonzai" veg area, I keep everything small until just before flower, they get transplanted the last time and rooted for 3 weeks before getting flipped. I get them up to 12 to 14 nodes, even more - 18 to 24 inches tall is as tall as I can veg for. Hopefully this helps you out, bro. And with that small tent (3x3) you could get away with a 400 easy and get good results - not quite as good as with a 600, but if you get the right bulbs for it - plus you can use the newer cmh bulbs with a magnetic ballast, might be just the thing.

[Fly By Night]

I agree, for a first time grow, I'd avoid hydro for now.
Pro-Mix and grow bags/nursery pots, with GH Maxi series powders.
Cheap, easy, and most important, EFFECTIVE!!
Spend the extra money on lighting and cooling.

I like www.plantlightinghydroponics.com

[Fly By Night]

After looking that system 7 kit seems priced right.
However, I priced out this, all at PLHydro.
Hydrofarm daystar 6 in aircooled 400w hps $220, 6 in Vortex $145, Gro lab 4x4 tent $195, maxi powdered veg and bloom nutes $20, 25 3 gallon gro bags $8, 6 in ducting $22. That's $610, vs $700, for a better quality light, fan, and tent. The tent is bigger too!
You would need to get a filter, still, but factor in the better quality stuff, and IMO, it makes up for it.