@dbrn32
Sorry that was a talk to text typo lol I did mean the 600 not 1600. If I wanted to stick with the 600w MH/HPS would you suggest a smaller tent? Perhaps a 3x3? Or maybe a 2x2 with a 400w MH/HPS? Or do u think a 4x4 would be fine with the 600w just a little weak on the outer edges?
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that should be a justified cost in either system meter’s and chems
The cost of soil is about the same as the cost of an air pumps and stones buckets are about the same price as pots so the start up costs are quite similar overall 
Where you save in hydro is the amount of nutrients used is basically one change every 2 weeks rather than 3-4 feed mixes for same number of plants each plant resides in it’s food not a fresh mix every few days. A good grower feeds their plants 2 times a week on average each feed requires ph adjustment and run off measure so needs same meters and ph up and down. Hydro medium can be washed and reused pumps last years also
So it can be easy to confuse expense but it isn’t as costly after initial investment trust me
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I think you would be ok with the 600 in a 4x4, you just won’t be able to maximize yield per square foot. A standard 600 would push a 3x3, and anything bigger than a 250 in a 2x2 will probably be a pain to manage temps. The smaller you go, led becomes more attractive. You need less light therefore the cost comes down pretty drastically. If you wanted to go 400 watt hid, 3x3 is pretty good. 600 really dials in to the 1 meter squared a little better than 3x3 or 4x4, but is workable in both.
The problem with going from a 1-2 plant grow to filling a 4x4 is that they have entirely different needs. And you put yourself in a position where good enough now doesn’t translate to something that you can easily build on later. Even if you plan to train and veg for a long time on 2 plants, there’s full and then there’s having what you need.
I can tell you how the lights match up in the different size grows all day long. But I don’t exactly feel comfortable telling you to change your tent and light size. That stuff is entirely up to you, and needs to meet your goals. If budget is #1 priority, you can certainly lower the size of your space. That’s probably what I would do. But I also prefer not to do a whole lot of training or run longer veg times. Nor do I need space to walk around in my grow. Some people are completely the opposite, and say you shouldn’t run more than 4 plants in a 4x4 space. Hell I’ve ran 4 plants per square foot. It’s just different styles of growing, and they all have different needs.
Long story short, I would probably nail down your plans a little more solid before you buy anything. Once you have a clear vision of where you want to end up, it should make getting there a lot easier.
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@OldSkunk why not just wait for spring and do an outdoor grow? Can get pounds and pounds for $500.
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I would look at used equipment myself carbon filter I wouldn’t buy used by fir the right price definitely just look at condition of equipment and judge fro there @xDeeTeRx
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I can’t do an outdoor grow where I am currently living. I am surrounded by two-story homes, that can all look directly into my backyard. Plus I don’t really all that much property to begin with, and my two-year-old plays out back… So I really have nowhere I could do it without him running into it, or everybody in the neighborhood knowing about it. 
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@Countryboyjvd1971 brings up a really good point! Things like hid bulbs and carbon filters are consumables, so buying used is kind of a waste. Or at least paying a good amount for them. If you were to buy a used hid setup, I would plan on buying a new bulb or bulbs. And carbon filters have limited life as well. So you definitely want to keep that in mind.
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@dbrn32 exactly what I wa saying brother bulbs and filters are worthless imo used if free fine but I wouldn’t pay for them
A decent fixture and ballast no problem even a used led light that works most have 50000 hr lifespan
a tent in good shape and exhaust fans that run without making noise etc all can be had for a good price why not
Especially if on a tight budget you mak need to replace some sooner than buy new but it will get you started
And in you situation In doors makes sense @xDeeTeRx
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You don’t really need to buy anything but distilled water for the TDS meter. Distilled water is 0 PPM. You should get calibration solution for the pH meter. It can get off calibration by as much as .5
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For right now the ph meter comes with a packet of the 4 and 7 ph solutions to calibrate.
I read that testing the TDS with distilled water can mess it up because the reading is 0 or something like that - but I will need the distilled water to mix with the ph packets to calibrate that anyway right?
I have a question, can you grow freely in your basement? I mean do you really need a tent for stealth and odor control?
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I want a tent in my basement, to keep it in its own environment. It will help with bugs, keeping a steady temperature/humidity, and the reflective sides and bottom will be nice to use as much light as possible.
Plus you will need a completely light proof area for your dark cycles when you flower, which the tent will provide.
If you had an area in your basement, that you could completely shut out the light for 12 hours a day, then I guess you wouldn’t necessarily need a tent. Unless I build a room down there (which I don’t want to do right now), people are in and out constantly turning lights on and off, so I need the secluded space.
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@xDeeTeRx can you box in a corner of your basement with rigid Styrofoam? A 4 X 8 sheet of 1" reflective back is $11 at H.D. and metalized adhesive tape and a straight edge and a sharp knife is all you need. You can get fancy and Gorilla Glue wood supports for hinges and gussets but my first one hinged on tape.
That would potentially give you a much greater vertical height to work with which could be helpful.
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Sorry I wasnt clear about the dimensions. I said 4x4 what I meant is a 4x4x7 which is just about as high as my ceilings go anyways - so id still have the same vert space to play with - I suppose I could just panda film an area but I feel like a tent with vents on bottom and holes for in/out fans for my HID cooling and stuff would be too hard to make and keep light proof - plus i worry about constant access to look at my crop, Id be worried about knocking down a wall or something going in and out! 
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Tents are great but they are another expense and HID’s make extra heat that you will need to deal with in an enclosed area. I am trying to help you with the cheapest setup to help you get up and running is all 
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@xDeeTeRx I have my grow space set up in basement works out great 
Also helps with heat and cooling costs
Since most basements stay at a constant temp or close
I do run a dehumidifier most of the year actually it’s always on just doesn’t run much in winter and I still need some ac in summer
I have three tents in all with 9-10 fixtures so I generate a good amount of heat
In winter I’ll recycle one or two tents and blow exhaust back into room to help heat it so my supplemental heater only runs a little at night when oh get really cold
I exhaust all outside in summer
You’ll love being in a basement good choice for sure
You should rinse your tds Meter in distilled water after use most com factory calibrated but should be checked with proper tds calibration fluid I would check with meter mfg for recommend solution
@Daddy I lined my grow space with thick plastic as a vapor barrier
And I will be redoing my grow room and removing tents just to gain more space and will build a flower and veg room
They sell panda plastic on Amazon you can make a grow room out of that if your not worried about kids entering etc
@Hogmaster used it for his grow room and loves it
So yeah you don’t need tents if your willing to put some time and effort in building a space
But for a first grow a tent works if you don’t like growing you can take it down and sell or store it !
I will continue to grow expand my growing spaces and techniques myself lol
Happy growing all
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Oh my bad @daddy - i didnt realize you were suggesting going w/out a tent - I thought you were asking if/why someone needed a tent! I misunderstood - I can get panda film for about a dollar a foot ($25 for 25x10 at hydro store, prob even cheaper online) so i suppose that would be more than sufficient to make a little room, 4x4 or so, but how to keep it lightproof with just film and tape? Still allowing vents for HID cooling and stuff, ya kno?
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@xDeeTeRx you can get a roll of panda plastic from Amazon for 79$ it would be 10x100 foot roll FYI
I was checking it out a few days ago
You still need to exhaust all that heat outside weather in a tent or room bro
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If you have a window in a corner you could black it out, build a vent panel for the window opening to exhaust the heat and smell then surround the outside with a heavy black poly plastic to keep out light transmission. You could build a large area very cheap.
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I know I need to exhaust the heat either way, but if im doing it myself with panda plastic how do u allow for the ducting to come through and keep it light-proof for the flowering?
@Countryboyjvd1971 @Hogmaster @Daddy @Myfriendis410
Since you guys have first hand knowledge. Any links or ideas for a DIY growspace would be appreciated. Im a visual learner so its hard to imagine me building my own space with Panda Plastic (film) without some pics or videos lol. Im only looking to do a couple plants at first in a 4x4 area - most tents that size are $80 - $100 bucks ao it would need to be cheaper than that to be worth it.
Gonna make a post about additional equipment needed to run in a MA basement. Like heaters, AC, humidifiers or dehumidifiers, etc. I’ll tag a few that I know are from around here but if you are please hop on that thread and chime in.
Thanks everyone!
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