Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

d luv said:
Hello Roseman my name is Jim and I joined this forum today just to be able to get in contact with you and pick your brain. I have been really studying your Deep Water Culture tutorial and am truly amazed. I have been wanting to attempt my first grow for years but have been scarred to fail. I was looking at buying a 6 plant setup from stealth hydro, but then found your thread. I have decided to go with the Rubbermaid tub 6 plant setup you have outlined thoroughly in your thread{thank you very much). This setup will be placed in a 45L x 23 1/2W x 80H closet. Will I need any type of ventilation as it is just a plain closet now?
Instead of using the cheaper CFL lights I was wanting to get your recommendation on either a 600watt HPS or 600 watt ML light for this setup as I want to have the option to expand my setup as I continue to learn in the future. I honestly will take any recommendation you give to heart as your knowledge in this area has me in awe. I am a complete newbie and would truly appreciate some of your input. How much will all the material run me without the lights as I am looking to get started asap? Also after you recommend a type of lighting, would you happen to know a good place to purchase? thank you so much for taking the time to read and respond to my email. Any help or insight you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Please PM me so I can give you my contact info
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d luv, nice to meet you. my name is Rose, really, even my dad called me Rose. I appreciate the flattery.
The closet you described will NOT need any ventilation except for an oscilating fan, IF 1, you keep the door open, 2, you go with CFLS , as I did..

If you close the door and use CFLS then a cheap and simple vent will be needed in the ceiling. IF you go with that 600 watt HID light, (or even a 250 or 400 ) you will need a much more elaborate venting system, a very strong powerful fan, and a filter. That VENTING will run you an average of $200 -$250 with the fan. Thats why I use CFLs. For the one tank, a 250 watt will do fine, a 400 watt much beter and the 600 is over kill for one tank.
Costs? I listed all that in the tutorial, around posts # 65, to #68.
Less lights, about $130 to $190. With CFL lights, $190 to $260. Not too bad tho for 1/4 to 1/2 lb of dried manicured buds.
I buy everything at stealthhydro and get a 10% discount by using the word Deep Water Culture.

I can only offer advice on this site, but I am very gldd to do that. Plus I am part of the team, Deep Water Culture and there are 100 of them glad to help out too.
Frist grow, first time, keep it simple as possible is my advice. Start with a kit and SH nutes, CFLs and no venting and get your hands wet first. Then expand as you learn.

Read the tutorial again especially about the lights on page 5 and 6.
til later,

Peace,bro.
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

That's exactly what I did, bought the SH kit, found Roseman's tutorial and the rest is history. Keep it simple to start, you'll change every grow. I bought the 400w mh/hps but today that is sitting on the shelf because I'm now growing with 3- 1000w hps.

You'll evolve, start simple, learn your stuff and the second grow will be the money grow! Good luck!
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

Ditto for me except the expansion to the 1000's and an itermediate step to a 250 hps. KISS method at first is the way to go. For a space that small a 250 would work just fine. Less heat also. With an open door and max air it's very doable. Intake down low blowing into the closet and one mounted high aimed out the door with an oscellating fan positioned between the top of the plants and the light is my def of max air.

Whatever HID you get, get the ballast that has a switch to use both MH and HPS. There is a great value in learning to grow with CFL's to start. If you do get an HID eventually you can use the cfl's for side lights and you'll know how to use them. Keep in mind that CFL's last about 2 grows before replacement is advised. They will light up but the lumen loss that the plants like is degraded after 2 grows.

Good luck and we will stand by to help as needed.
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

So if I use the CFL's in the tutorial I will have to keep the closet door open at all times? If you guys think the CFL's are the way to go then I will buy them this weekend. I just had a chance to buy a 250 watt HPS from a friend for $125. I just want to make sure that I have an effective light setup for these six plants without having to do major modifications to the closet like an exhaust fan or anything. I have no problem running a fan inside the closet but would like to be able to keep the door closed if at all possible , if not then oh well. I think I am going to buy feminized seeds just to ensure i get six females in my first grow. Thank you all again for the help.
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

Also should I get 8 65 watt CFL'S with 4 65 Watt CFL's or the 250 watt HPS for $125 and use the money saved and add some CFLs to go with it?
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

You may or may not need to keep the door open. It depends on the type and wattage of the cfl's you buy. The bigger one's over 65 watt do put out some heat. I also have some 40 watt that produce too much heat. They are Eiko brand and do not have vents in the ballast. Be care of those and look to make certain that the cfl's you buy have a vented ballast.

The door does not need to be open all that uch but you do need a source of fresh air for plant health. If possible you can also cut a hole in the door and install a vent. Those vents are available at Home Depot and Lowe's.

The 250 would defininately require and open door at best. Before I installed my 400 I had a fan down low blowing into the closet ( could also be positions just inside the door) and a fan up high inside the grow room aimed out the door to exhaust any warm/stale air.
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

Thank you mostly crazy. A vent in the door coulod be possibly. I want to start this weekend and am just wondering if I should spend $139 on the setup from SH and buy my friends 250 watt HPS, or build the setup myself and go with the CFL's Roseman recommened in my previous post? I can run two fans as you suggested Mostly Crazy. I just would like to know what option you experts think I rookie like me should go with to get started asap.
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

I'd start out with the basics. You are going to add things as you progress as a grower. I started with cfl's only for my first 4 grows or so. On the 250 I had to keep the door pretty much wide open to deal with the heat. I'd go with the 65's. Get a mix of cfl's. Some 6500k and some 2700K. You'll use a majority of 6500k's in veg and then a majority of 2700's in flower. It is best to have a reflector for each one to maximize the light produced. The 3 in 1 from sh is a good top light but side lights are needed as the plant grows tall to put on some promising bud sites.
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

Is side lighting necessary for the whole grow or just more important in flowering?
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

More important when they get size which is in flower. During veg you want to use pruning techniques like topping, fimming and supercropping to get an even canopy. You can use a side light here and there to encourage some undgrowth to the canopy but proper pruning is more effective.
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

d luv said:
So if I use the CFL's in the tutorial I will have to keep the closet door open at all times?

I did my first grow in winter time, with one tank, starting with two 85s in VEG, and added two 65s when I started Flowering, finished with 4 plants, using a total of 4 bulbs and I kept the closet door closed with NO heat issues.

My last grow, I used slightly over 1,000 watts, about 12 bulbs I think it was, 9 plants in two tanks and one bucket, and I could not close the closet door, it would have been too hot and besides, the cloest was too full of plants to close the doors.

Answer is depending on size of closet, is it VENTED? number of bulbs, how many fans, time of year, winter or summer, central air conditioning or central heat, wattage of bulbs, etc, etc


If you guys think the CFL's are the way to go then I will buy them this weekend. I just had a chance to buy a 250 watt HPS from a friend for $125. I just want to make sure that I have an effective light setup for these six plants without having to do major modifications to the closet like an exhaust fan or anything. I have no problem running a fan inside the closet but would like to be able to keep the door closed if at all possible , if not then oh well. I think I am going to buy feminized seeds just to ensure i get six females in my first grow. Thank you all again for the help.
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I 'm reasonable sure the 250 watt HPS would demand venting and an open closet door.
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

d luv said:
Thank you mostly crazy. A vent in the door coulod be possibly. I want to start this weekend and am just wondering if I should spend $139 on the setup from SH and buy my friends 250 watt HPS, or build the setup myself and go with the CFL's Roseman recommened in my previous post? I can run two fans as you suggested Mostly Crazy. I just would like to know what option you experts think I rookie like me should go with to get started asap.
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I am absolutely positivly sure I 'd never buy a USED Light. Just because it puts out light, doesn't mean it puts out the same lumens as it did when it was new.
For only $100 more, you could get a 400 watt MH- HPS cooled system with two bulbs.

And listen to MC, he is VERY knowledgable and experienced with both kinds of lights.
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

MostlyCrazy said:
I'd start out with the basics. You are going to add things as you progress as a grower. I started with cfl's only for my first 4 grows or so. On the 250 I had to keep the door pretty much wide open to deal with the heat. I'd go with the 65's. Get a mix of cfl's. Some 6500k and some 2700K. You'll use a majority of 6500k's in veg and then a majority of 2700's in flower. It is best to have a reflector for each one to maximize the light produced. The 3 in 1 from sh is a good top light but side lights are needed as the plant grows tall to put on some promising bud sites.[/QUOTE

So should I get the SH multi spectrum setup for $299 and step up to the deluxe package configuration for $369, or will I be fine with the SH setup for $189 and adding some CFL's? If I went with the deluxe should I still add some CFL's? I will take your advice and go the CFL route so I can keep the door closed. For the $189 and $369 model exactly how many CFL 6500k's and 2700k's will I need? Any extras at SH you think I should add in like a PH meter/strips or a pro drainage kit? Sorry for all the questions fellas , I just want to make sure I get a decent setup and results for my first grow. Thank you all again
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Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

I'm not a big proponent of getting a lot of gear before you learn to grow. I went through that process myself and bought lots of stuff I no longer use. Decent results is a matter of opinion but you can definatly grow a nice crop of premium buds on your first go round using cfl's. Try to hit somewhere between 3000 and 5000 lumens per square ft. I'd keep my cfl size at 65 watts or less per light.

If you go with bigger lights or even that 3 in 1 you will need significant ventilation options and that was when I went looking for deal on lights, vented hoods, etc. A lot of growers use this site for deals on lights.

High Tech Garden Supply

Time now to figure out where you would position a big light and where you might have to drill to vent it. Most lights use a 6" hood and a few use the 4". The 6" is better at moving air for 400 watt lights and larger.

I would get the pro drainage. It helps come res change time. The drains used to be substandard but now are top notch and worth the $10. I'm always in favor of getting a good ph and TDS meter. Those are the tools that will make you job easier which generally results in a better crop. You'll need a timer and a temp/humidity gauge and the ones they sell are good.

Remember you will get a 10% discount with the discount code - Deep Water Culture

Just keep asking questions! It's ready, aim, fire!
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

d luv said:
MostlyCrazy said:
I'd start out with the basics. You are going to add things as you progress as a grower. I started with cfl's only for my first 4 grows or so. On the 250 I had to keep the door pretty much wide open to deal with the heat. I'd go with the 65's. Get a mix of cfl's. Some 6500k and some 2700K. You'll use a majority of 6500k's in veg and then a majority of 2700's in flower. It is best to have a reflector for each one to maximize the light produced. The 3 in 1 from sh is a good top light but side lights are needed as the plant grows tall to put on some promising bud sites.[/QUOTE

So should I get the SH multi spectrum setup for $299 and step up to the deluxe package configuration for $369, or will I be fine with the SH setup for $189 and adding some CFL's? If I went with the deluxe should I still add some CFL's? I will take your advice and go the CFL route so I can keep the door closed. For the $189 and $369 model exactly how many CFL 6500k's and 2700k's will I need? Any extras at SH you think I should add in like a PH meter/strips or a pro drainage kit? Sorry for all the questions fellas , I just want to make sure I get a decent setup and results for my first grow. Thank you all again
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I can't tell you any better or any different than MC told you.
No matter how you start, you will eventually learn more and evolve. If you start with test strips, sooner or later you will want a meter. And when you do get a meter, don't get a cheap one, get one with batteries, and calibration solution. Right now, you might not even know what calibration solution is, or you might not have a great understanding of pH, and I do not know your budget. A KIT comes with test strips, at a reduced price.

Those 3 in one 105 watt bulbs clumped together do put out heat so I do not recommend them.

I'd start with the $189 kit plus a few add ons. And shop for cheaper 42 and 65 or 85 watt bulbs. Thy can be found.

MC told you right, for sure.
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Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

Thank you very much Roseman and MC, i will go with the $189 setup with the extras you suggested. Exactly how many of each type of CFl should I add to the SH setup? I will order the kit, pro drainage, Hanna digital PH meter, and dual spectrum II lights. Do I also need the $70 Digital TDS/Nutrient Meter or can I get by without it? Thank you guys and have a great weekend
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

d luv said:
Thank you very much Roseman and MC, i will go with the $189 setup with the extras you suggested. Exactly how many of each type of CFl should I add to the SH setup? I will order the kit, pro drainage, Hanna digital PH meter, and dual spectrum II lights. Do I also need the $70 Digital TDS/Nutrient Meter or can I get by without it? Thank you guys and have a great weekend
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Let me jump in here and say those dual spectrum II lights from stealth hydro are awesome. They are all I use when I veg. I do one res at a time and they work great just the 2 of them. More light is better but they are all I need.
 
Re: Roseman's Deep Water Culture Tutorial, SH Kit & DIY

Depends on the budget and how easy you want to make it on the tds meter. If budget allows you might want to pick up a couple extra dual spectrum II bulbs. Save on shipping and you can get some reflectors at HD or Lowe's and use them for side lights later (buy the good one and not the cheap one's). I'd make them the 2700k (flowering)bulbs so you can throw some power at it when it is most important. The plants can veg in the 50-50 split just fine but come flower time the more light the bigger and denser the buds will be. Also remember to get the temp/hygrometer if you don't have one. They are almost a must.
 
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