What's your grow setup?

[wannabeagrower]

For all the indoor growers out there, what's your grow setup? Like tent, light, nutrients, etc.

Outdoor growers, what do you use besides seeds and sun? Like soil, nutrients, bug prevention, etc.

I'm still in the research/planning stage and I think it would help to see what other growers are doing.

[Ckbrew]

Your light is the most important part of the setup, about 50% of your budget. I use SF4000, they work well. tent, most start with a 4x4, get a 5x5, little difference in price, big difference in grow area. Tent can be fleabay cheapo. Coco/p, 3 gallon fabric pots, GH trio, calmag, pH down, prime well water, complete waterproof floor, many small cheap circulation fans, ratchet hangers for the light, 8 inch exhaust fan. Take a look at people's grow logs and see what they are using.

[golfnrl]

I have two tents, a 4x4 and a 2x4. Both are Gorilla grow tents. Both are in a climate controlled lung room (spare BR). I run the autopot system in both tents. A four pot system in the 4x4 and a two pot system in the 2x4. Both have a 12 gallon reservoir and a BlueLab PH controller. Both have a small aquarium pump set to run intermittently a few minutes every 3 hours. I use a BlueLab EC pen and a PH pen.

The 4x4 is for photos, the 2x4 for autos. Both have ACI controllers with a 6" and 4" fan w/ filter respectively. Both have ACI humidifiers.

The 4x4 runs an HLG Scorpion Rspec 600 watt light. The 2x4 runs an HLG 350 Rspec 350 watt light.

I grow in a 5050 blend of coco/perlite in 5 gallon cloth pots in both tents. I use CX Horticulture nutrients. Their full line. I started using CX because Autopot recommended them at the time I became acquainted with the system. Autopot switched nutrient brand recommendations but I never changed because I've had good experience with CX.

I use an aquarium de-chlorinator and supplement every nutrient solution with GH Cal/Mag. I use Mother Earth coco and whatever #3 perlite the grow shop has on hand.

[wannabeagrower]

One thing I'm stuck between is a 2x4 vs 3x3 vs 4x4 grow tent.

It seems like the 2x4 grow tent fits in the corner of a room easy, but the 3x3 and 4x4 can fit more plants.

As someone who's used a 2x4 and a 4x4, do you have any thoughts on how much a difference tent size makes for yields?

[golfnrl]

I switched from a 3x3 to the 2x4 tent. I lost a square foot of floor space but the 2x4 is easier to reach into. When I started growing the challenge seemed to be to grow as much weed as one could grow. I grew 3 or 4 plants in the 3x3, and now only two in the 2x4. Now, it's quality over quantity. So losing that one SF has not really had an effect. I realized that I'm growing for myself and I cannot consume as much as I can grow. Why not focus on the quality? That's the question I asked myself. I grow autos to have a regular harvest and photos for manifolds and sativas.

[Smallgrow]

To jump in I settled on the less common 3x4 as it fits my space. I don’t have a good option for a lung room so I have to cram all the equipment into the tent (which maybe isn’t ideal but it can work). This gives me basically a 3x3 area for the plants and a 1x3 area for heater , humidifier and dehumidifier. If you search my post there are lots of pictures of my setup, it hasn’t really changed in the last 2-3 years
This sized tent is usual sold as a 2in1 with a wall dividing it into separate germination and a larger grow area. The dividing wall is generally always removable so I just dont install it when I build the tent. Currently I have a generic brand off Amazon that’s served me well, but a few of the usual makers have this design too.

[Bowhunterwoody]

Indoor and outdoor soil grower here. I'm not a fan of fabric pots with soil. Watering is a challenge. Vivosun 3x3 tent given to me for a jar of bud grown outdoors. Outdoor grow starts in the tent. I have a spider farmer se3000 light. Ac infinite 4" exhaust fan and filter, oscillating fan, and humidifier also in a climate controlled lung room. 3 gal pots indoors, 15 gal outdoors so they can be moved with the sun. Remember 30 to 50 watts pull at the wall per ft2 of the tent floor if you want to finish flowering indoors. Like other people have said, use as much of your budget as you can on the light. Light is food, nutes are vitamins.

[wannabeagrower]

On thing that confuses me. If I got a 300W LED light, does it matter whether it's from Vivosun, AC Infinity, Spider Farmer, Mars Hydro, etc.?

Or are all the "big brands" about the same as each other per watt?

[Smallgrow]

Obviously people have many opinions on brands but Between those brands if you are looking at their main lines they are all probably fairly close. We always tell people to make sure your talking what the light draws from the wall as it’s not always the same as what the manufacturer claims on the light. Although I expect those brands are not doing that anymore.
You can find many reviews online. these two sources are reliable places for info and have lots of content.

https://migrolight.com/blogs/grow-light-news/the-best-value-grow-light-for-a-4-x-4-grow-tent

https://www.cocoforcannabis.com/equipment-products-guide/grow-lights/

[Bowhunterwoody]

Opinions are all over the place for LEDs, GWE has a few comparisons on the main site. Again get the best you can afford and get the right coverage for your tent configuration, 2x4, 3x3,4x4 etc.

[dmpmfd]

Just a reference link on light selection, LED Selector | Grow Weed Easy

[wannabeagrower]

Thanks, this is exactly the comparison I was looking for.

[Allotrope1000]

Wannabe. Here is my two cents since you also asked for outdoor growers input.
I grow in 10x20x7 polytunnel using 50/50 c/p, GH nutes like Ckbrew mentions above, 7 gallon fabric pots. Perfect for autos.
I also grow photos outside in well amended (friable, well-draining, pH 7.0) garden soil with nothing more than HD 15-15-15, microchorrizae innoculant, then adding (Gasp! How dare I?) Miracle Grow or Miracle Bloom.
I sprinkle coffee grounds and diatomaceous earth monthly all around each plant which greatly discourages insect pests.
Got 30+ ounces from two plants for 2025 summer grow.

I respect the skills of our fellow indoor, lights and tents growers.
For me, growing outside (I have the room) is just much simpler.

A a sidebar, if you want a great site for evaluation of grow lights, go to cocoforcannabis, like Smallgrow has posted above.