New to growing and starting from scratch. Going to use this to document how things go.
Using a 3x3 Tent, 20-Bridgelux 560mm eb gen2 strips, and 2-HLG-120H-C700A Drivers.
1st grow plan is 2 ladies, Scrog and see how things go getting my feet wet.
Building light this weekend. Will post pics.
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Sounds like you have a plan keep us updated.
Soil or soil less medium
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I am set to watching. I am new to growing indoors. Hope that you don’t mind if I coma along for the ride.
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Im leaning towards coco and perlite, but I need to do a bunch more reading on the subject. It seems like soil can get complicated. People have their own dirt recipes, pot layering, etc…Coco seems “easier”…if there is is such a thing, but again…more reading needed!
Any suggestions for a newbie?
How many plants do you plan to do?
I think soil is sooooooo much easier actually, it’s a larger buffer and you can buy fox farms or other rich soils and then only need to add nutes when your plants are bigger and stronger more able to handle nutes.
Regardless go with dry nutes that you mix so much better and cheaper, liquid has a shelf life and you never know how old it is, also your paying for water in liquids.
Soil is a bit messy your first time or two around until you learn, it’s super cheap and easy to start though and then once you understand nutes, TDS, PH, buffering, and other stuff you can switch to coco or some other hydro.
If your going to go with more than a handful of plants then I would be looking away from soil.
This form is mainly coco and soil growers with some dwc growers and aquaponics but the way of the future is aeroponics.
Really depends on your budget, how many plants you actually see yourself caring for (I’ll tell you 4 plants can be 1hr every 2 days just watering let alone plant training, trimming, messing with environmental or other issues that pop up.
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@GreenPinkie. I asked the same question before myself and @Carol4486 and @TommyBahama sent me a picture of how to fill my pots, I am using 5 gallon cloth pots. Basically it was half Fox Farms Ocean Forest on the bottom, then Fox Farms Happy Frog and then Fox Farms Light Warrior in the middle. I plan to plant my seeds, after germinating in a solo cup full of Fox Farms Light Warrior, then into a 5 gallon cloth pot with Fox Farms Ocean forest in the bottom half or more, and then Fox Farms Happy Frog on the remainder and leave a divitt in the middle to put the transplanted seedling in the solo cup growing in the Fox Farm Light Warrior.
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You can pack your dirt around a empty solo cup and lift out for a perfect hole for transplant
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Only going with 2 plants. Nothing extraordinary first time around.
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Yeah then go with smart fabric pots and soil.
@repins12 has a good strategy, although I read up a fair amount on this and other forums before and I stick with the 3/4 fox farm ocean forest and 1/4 fox farms happy frog. This whole mix should also have mkyos and added perlite in it so its about 25% perlite, cannabis loves airey soil. Like @Carol4486 said the solo cup trick works well (if your growing photos)
If your growing autos then go with jiffy starter pucks thst go straight into the final pot once they have sprouted out of the starter dome.
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@GreenPinkie. See my post, First Indoor Tent Set Up. I believe it is response number 20 or 21. There is a picture of what I was sent as to soil set up. I hope that this helps.
I tried to download it for you. I don’t think that it worked.
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@GreenPinkie. On second thought. Looks like it did work. I hope that this helps.
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Looking forward to seeing your light in action. I think “easier” is in eye of the beholder. A soil grow requires you to do less if things go well. But also puts you into a position of having less control. Going with an inert media requires you to do a little more, but also gives you a lot more options.
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Weekend Update.
1 of the 2 lights are built
I decided to go with 1"x1"x.125" U-Channel to help disipate some heat from the Strips, however the local metal shop only had enough to do 1…No big deal, I can build the other one next weekend.
(Sorry for the basement carpet shot
)I was hoping to source a waterproof connector local, but Electrical supply people keep looking at me like Im crazy when I ask them or show them a picture of what I want, so Im going to have to order some online. I’ve used some common Twist connectors for now since its just running for testing and temperature measuring purposes. They have been running about an hour now, and the makeshift heatsinks are warmer than I thought they would be.
Some of the build Pictures
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Awesome
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That is fricking Awsome!
Such good light spread, jelly.
I don’t have a shop so I’m buying pre built boards.
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Nice job on the light build.
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90% of this build was done standing on it on the cement floor for drilling. I had nowhere to clamp it to either. A good centre punch and a sharp drill bit made this fairly easy.
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I agree with @merlin44, Awesome job
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Thanks for the compliments on the Light!
For those who come after me and search for a 3x3 setup, here is the itemized list for the build.
Bridgelux 560mm eb Gen2 3500K Lightstrips - Qty: 20
Meanwell HLG-120H-C700A Driver - Qty: 2
1"x1"x.125" Aluminum U-Channel, 24" Length - Qty: 20
1"x.125" Aluminum L-Bracket, 15" Length - Qty: 4
13"x3.5"x.125" Aluminum Plate - Qty: 2
3 Meters 18Guage Solid Strand Wire
Wire Clips - 1 Package
Thermal Tape: Qty: 1 Roll
Nuts & Bolts - Qty: 48/Each
Wago Type Connector - Qty: 2
Extension Cord - Qty: 1
The HLG 260Kit, is Listed at $470CAD. I figured I could do better than that with this build.
Total cost on this came in at $430. Not a whole lot of savings, but a fun Sunday afternoon day drinking in the garage a buddy.
I don’t quite understand lumens, par, uMol…blah blah…Everytime I read something on it all I hear is Charlie Browns Teacher. It would be interesting to know what the output of this light compared to the 260 kit would be. Maybe @dbrn32 would have some insight on it based on specs?
@GreenPinkie One HLG 260xl Kit cost me a little under $399. I bought two for a cost just under $799.
But you did a awesome build. 
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