I genuinely appreciate what you are doing here,
Icemud (curious handle, btw). Both you and those commenting are providing useful info to me as I research before my first attempt at grow.
A little personal background:
I found out, about eight weeks ago, that something in cannabis allowed me to sleep more than 4 hours at a stretch for the first time in over 20 years (since traumatic brain and spinal injuries suffered in a rear-end car accident). The roach-induced sleep experience actually brought me to tears when I awoke after 8 hours of genuine, rejuvenating SLEEP! I felt "normal" for the first time in decades. I can't begin to explain how incredible that felt.
That one roach (offered to me by a total stranger) set me on a Google Quest to find out more about this stuff. I researched medical benefits of cannabis chemical components, Michigan Medical Marijuana Card requirements, etc.
I got my Michigan Medical MJ Card two weeks ago, and was ready to hit the Amazon Purchase Button to speed my "researched" first grow room necessities ... a fast and loose, Dollar$tore/HomeDepot CFL & shiney foil, VERY low budget tiny closet affair with no idea where to get decent quality seeds or clones.
WHEW! Try sayin' all that in one breath!
Don't even talk to me about water or stink ... or farggin' NUTES!!
Luckily, I stumbled across a handful of intriquing inter-linked YouTubes, blogs, forum discussions, etc., which caused me to postpone hitting that dreaded Amazon Purchase Button.
It was quickly dawning on me that my low budget approach would cost me far more in the long term than if I just jumped straight to the rational Sweet Spot for my needs. Even though getting me to that "rational" Sweet Spot would require some serious belt-tightening due to increased initial expenses, as well as delaying my first grow gratification (OR disappointment) indefinitely, I am becoming more and more convinced that my decision to postpone my first grow is the correct decision.
What convinced me that postponement was a good idea? Two things:
1. I was becoming intrigued by many things in the Cannabis Realm and KNEW that I would be in this for the long haul ... and I wanted to do it right.
2. My recent experience in transitioning from smoking tobacco to vaping e-cigs taught me a few lessons ... not the least of which was that IF I had skipped ahead to the then E-cig Sweet Spot (identified through rational Google/research) in the E-Cig Realm, I could have saved hundreds of dollars (and a lot of disappointment and distraction) over what I spent while taking the Low Budget (Scenic Tour) over the last year and a half.
Well ... THREE thingies. As with the recent explosion in E-Cig Technology, Cannabis Grow Technology seems to be SCREAMING along on many levels ... and will likely accelerate for years to come. Lower prices and/or better quailty, etc.
OK ... FOUR thingies!
Postponing may well have spared me some serious legal heartache and pain. It appears that having and using a Medical Marijuana Card here in Michigan may NOT be as "legal" as I had thought. It appears that there is a lot of
SLACK in the way that police, judges, prosecutors, employers and landlords can interpret, and even
ABUSE the Michigan Medical Marijuana Laws.
In short,
the LAW is NOT SETTLED on this issue in Michigan. Innocent Med Card holders have been physically, financially, and emotionally damaged due to the vagaries of the existing Michigan Marijuana Laws.
I would encourage new Michigan Med MJ Card holders to look closely at what our "Real World" Legal Rights are, rather than blindly acting on what WE HOPE The Law is (as practiced in the Real World ... TODAY). It's still an Underground/Shadowy Community here in Michigan. We are still under threat ... under threat of Legal, Workplace, and Housing abuse. It's UNSETTLED LAW here in Michigan.
Be on your toes ... Sativa? Get Smart ... and SHARE your Smarts with others.
Honestly ... Last One! ... I've lived with my pain and other related issues for over twenty years ... I can man-up for a few more weeks
My biggest concern involves the increasing INTRUSION by Big Business and their multi-level Government lackeys.... like Monsanto, Michigan State Legislators, and local law enforcement entities. I'd honestly HATE to see this gorgeous
"Grass Roots Community" succumb to Stockholder and Electoral Greed.
LOL ... tl;dr
Hey! It's my first post! I'll try to be more brief in the future. I'm here and elsewhere for the duration, so re-familiarize yourselves with your Scroll Key
Again ... Thanks to ALL here who do so much for so many of us.
...DimWit
My people scores are through the roof and into the stratosphere though. I found sales more satisfying when it was our own stuff I was peddling, which threw me right back into artistic, another high score. 
