Growing in South Western U.S.

[Trying2Learn]

How, High are You?
I will be moving in the next couple months to the S.W. United States and I'm looking for some grow tips/help to get started. I have a few questions but I'm also open to any information I have overlooked that could help me be successful. Some possibly useful info: Looking at a 4x4 grow tent and a full spectrum light around 650w. Apartment will be on top floor of building. All bills paid on current apartment in regards to water and electricity, but not a guarantee for future apartments so being conservative. To knock out a few questions I have:
*Living soil vs. Synth Nutes? Any experience/recommendations for growing in an apartment?
*If not "living" soil; Coco coir(perlite mix?) vs, Potting soil? Ease of use? Forgiveness of mistakes in photos vs. autos?
*Any tips for controlling humidity and temps in an arid climate where night temps can swing 20+ degrees? (Got a couple VPD charts saved, working on my understanding)
*Drying in tent vs. in room/closet? challenges?
*Seen a lot about RO water, can filtered tap water be as viable? (Yes, I know people have grown with tap water or well water forever, just looking to get as much info as possible.)
Would it be harder to overcome total loss of electricity (for hours) early or late in grow cycle?
*What is one thing that most 1st time growers overlook?

To knock out a few questions you may have:
*1st grow in 15 years.
*lease does not mention prohibited growing.
*Eventually want to press hash for wax, but for now just personal flower smoke.
*Will have carbon filter, as well as possibility to vent out of window or bathroom exhaust.
*No lung room, studio apartment around 450 sq feet.
I apologize for all the questions or incomplete questions. I just like to do as much of the research and groundwork that's possible before I kick off a project.

[Bluey]

I take it you will be growing photoperiod plants and not Auto?

Assuming the above and growing in coco or coco/perlite mix...add the following
An Apera ph60 ph meter and ph calibration fluid
A good EC meter ie BluLabs to measure nute mix
A decent camera and something for macro to see trikes and post pics here
If not connected to a drain you may want a wet & dry vacuum cleaner, they are great regardless
Re de/humidifier, you may need both or none. I don't grow in your climate and you won't be sure till you see how everything works together anyway.
Plant ties for LST
A management plan for waste disposal.
An auto watering system with nute tank???
Trimming scissors
Lots of mason jars

plus what I just remembered
Plant yo-yo's
Scrog net
Ratchet hangers for tent flexibility
Measuring jug and/or syringes for nute measurement
Hygrometers/thermometers and I recommend a few cigar oasis ones

[Trying2Learn]

Yes will be growing mostly photos. May do an auto run or 2 but photos are the goal. Thanks for all the info. Starting a checklist.

[golfnrl]

I've not grown in an apartment but I'm wondering if it's much different than a lung room.
I started off in soil. Now use 50/50 blend coco noir/perlite. I use mineral based nutrients because I grow in the Autopot system and organic nutrients aren't recommend for that. I like the ease of use and control this system allows. I tended to love my plants to death growing in soil by overwatering. For a 450sf apartment, I'm thinking invest in a large room humidifier, I like the ultrasonic kind. IMHO you can chase VPD settings or you can follow general cannabis climate guidelines. If your grow climate is good your VPD will be as well. Cannabis likes what people like, right? Mid 70's F for temps and mid to high 50's for RH. I've dried in a tent and a closet, but not a tent in a closet. . Haven't noticed a difference in the drying time. I prefer to dry in a tent because the odor and environment is easier to control. RO or tap water? I like tap water and an aquarium product to remove the chlorine, or you can let the water off gas for a few hours. Tap water is less expensive and less hassle than RO. The question about electricity is a tricky one. There are a lot of factors to consider but generally, overcoming loss of power is easier in the beginning stages of your grow as your plant will have time to recover, if it's a photo period plant. Auto flowering plants would still have some time to recover early on but only a fraction of the time a photo period plant would have. Autopot is a gravity feed system and has no moving parts. Early Veg and late flower, when the plant is growing slower, I can be away from my plants for about a week without worrying about watering them. It's hard to choose a single factor that new growers tend to overlook. Based on personal experience I'd suggest choosing a grow medium and grow method and learn about it before you invest any money. Do you plan to hand water? Have you considered hydroponics? I stumbled across the autopot bottom feed/wicking/gravity system trying to figure out how to set up an auto watering system. Thoroughly consider your budget when thinking about equipment. Buy the best quality that you can. It may be more costly up front, but will pay off over the long haul. I've only ever grown in Gorilla grow tents. They're pricey but worth the money. I use HLG LED lamps. There's lots of information and opinions about grow lights. Buy the best quality that you can afford. As you might already know the Growweedeasy web site has a vast amount of information about all of this and the folks on this forum are a wealth of knowledge as well.

[Trying2Learn]

Amazing info here. Definitely looking into hydroponics. I've seen a few people mention autopots and they look like something I want to work into my grow. Even if its something I have to save for. Really appreciate the insights.

[Gingerbeard]

I am as far southwest US as you can go and 1.5 miles from the ocean. My apartment is about 450sf, 'third' floor. About our only environmental difference is I have a 3x3.
Coco is good for beginners. I started in soil because I have grown stuff all my life. By the end of a grow I was using fertilizer because the typical soil leeches out all it's goodness because most packaged stuff is only good for veg. I had to wait for my plants to get an issue before realizing they were in need. With coco, I know what nutrients my plants are getting from the get-go.
Expect temperature and humidity fluctuations. If you are comfortable in your apartment, your plants probably are, as well.

[Trying2Learn]

Haha damn, that's crazy similar. Really appreciate this. Trying not to overthink it and just enjoy the learning process.

[Rootsruler]

How, High are You?
I will be moving in the next couple months to the S.W. United States and I'm looking for some grow tips/help to get started. I have a few questions but I'm also open to any information I have overlooked that could help me be successful.

Lived in SoCal for many years.

Some possibly useful info: Looking at a 4x4 grow tent and a full spectrum light around 650w.

Good choice. My suggestion would be to look at AC Infinity and buy one of their tent kits, without the light if you want to use another, but wattage for your size tent is good.

*Living soil vs. Synth Nutes? Any experience/recommendations for growing in an apartment?

Synth. I find it easier to steer my grow rather than already having inputs in the soil I can't control or know when they'll deplete. Nutrient ions, in their absorbable form, are the same regardless of how they were derived. Your plant can't tell how the ion was derived.

*If not "living" soil; Coco coir(perlite mix?) vs, Potting soil? Ease of use? Forgiveness of mistakes in photos vs. autos?

Potting mix will be your most forgiving media. It'll buffer your feed solution if you're out of range and make up for whatever nutrients you may not be giving it that it needs through the natural breakdown of organic matter to a certain point. Coco coir requires more frequent waterings and tends to be mag deficient but has better O² exchange than potting mix.

Use some sort of inoculant if you go soil to improve nutrient uptake and organic matter breakdown. I like to use Xtreme Gardening mycorrhizae for the fungal colony and AN Voodoo Juice for the bacterial colony.

*Any tips for controlling humidity and temps in an arid climate where night temps can swing 20+ degrees? (Got a couple VPD charts saved, working on my understanding)

Download VPD charts from the Dimlux site. Correct VPD depends on leaf temps as well as air temps and the differential between the two so you need to know leaf temps to know the correct VPD to be at. Dimlux has charts for various differentials. Laser thermometers are around $20.

If you want to be able to automate humidity and temp control buy a controller with a probe and it will adjust fan speed to keep your environment within range. I have an AC Infinity T6 6" fan and controller 67 in my 5 x 5. I set my parameters on the app and set it on auto. Anytime it goes outside of those parameters it will actuate the fan to get them back in range. No manual intervention needed. I'm assuming your apartment is temp controlled so it will act as the lung room.

The controller also controls my ACI T3 humidifier so the humidity parameters I set in the app will actuate the humidifier if the humidity level drops below my setpoint. Once again, zero intervention from me other than making sure the water res is full.

*Drying in tent vs. in room/closet? challenges?

If your plan is to run a perpetual grow then room/closet but if not your tent and its gear should be able to stabilize the environment you want to dry and cure in.

*Seen a lot about RO water, can filtered tap water be as viable? (Yes, I know people have grown with tap water or well water forever, just looking to get as much info as possible.)

RO water is good if your muni or well water tests high in solids. You can obtain water reports for free from your local muni on request. Otherwise I would go with tap as it contains minerals like calcium and magnesium that your plants can use and will lessen your cal/mag consumption. Some muni's use chloramines to clean the water so you may want to "gas" the water to evaporate the chloramines before you feed it to your plants. Usually, 48 to 72 hours is enough time.

Production facilities use RO water because they have more to lose if their crop dies or something in the water reduces the ability of the plant to max out its performance. For tent growers the loss is minimal.

Would it be harder to overcome total loss of electricity (for hours) early or late in grow cycle?

Total loss over a few hours is no big deal other than if the environment went extreme either hot or cold. Lights off for a few hours will impact the grow minimally.

*What is one thing that most 1st time growers overlook?

The 2 biggest mistakes I see newbs make is watering practices and correct light output for the stage of growth the plant is in. Learn to water cannabis correctly and how to setup your light to expose your plants to the required amount of light they need to thrive.

To knock out a few questions you may have:
*1st grow in 15 years.
*lease does not mention prohibited growing.
*Eventually want to press hash for wax, but for now just personal flower smoke.
*Will have carbon filter, as well as possibility to vent out of window or bathroom exhaust.
*No lung room, studio apartment around 450 sq feet.
I apologize for all the questions or incomplete questions. I just like to do as much of the research and groundwork that's possible before I kick off a project.

Best to exhaust the air in the tent outside so try and setup an exit point for the exhaust fan so that it doesn't end up back in your apartment/lung room.

[Trying2Learn]

Legendary. Appreciate the step by step breakdown. Definitely putting AC infinity towards the top of the list.

[Trying2Learn]

I appreciate you all beyond belief. You've given me a ton of great info to lead me in the right direction.