HELP! First Grow - Setup Help & Opinions

[rydin4life]

I'm going to be starting my first grow with some Northern Lights auto-flowering feminized seeds. I chose these because they were recommended for beginners on a lot of articles I read, have the effects I desire, and have a strong name behind the strain. I have a few questions that I'd like to ask before I purchase a few items:

Grow Tent
I'm looking at this grow tent: Giantex 32x32x63
Any thoughts before pulling the trigger? I plan on growing 2 plants at a time.

Lighting
I was going to use a bunch of 40w CFL bulbs, but ultimately think that this is the better route: MarsHydro LED
I can always add a few CFL bulbs if I need to, but this seems like a solid start. Will I need an exhaust fan for this? I live by myself with the exception of a few pets so the smell is not an issue, only possible heat build up.

Containers & Soil
I have five gallon buckets, but I have a few questions. I know the containers need to be able to drain out of the bottom so should I plant directly into the 5-gallon buckets and drill holes in the bottom or use a slightly smaller container that fits into the 5-gallon bucket so that water can grain out the bottom of that into the bucket? I also plan on going with a good organic soil from my local Lowe's or Home Depot and mixing in about 30% perlite (70% soil, 30% perlite).

Nutrients
I'm going to go with Botanicare Grow and Botanicare Bloom
Since I have rather small grow, I was going to mix up a gallon jug of the grow and then go with a gallon mix of the bloom. I've read the to 1/4 of the recommended mix. My question is can I just mix up two separate 1-gallon jugs to use when the plants need to be watered? What's a good schedule to water or is it best to go by the feel of the soil?

Am I missing anything? I'm open to any suggestions to make this as successful as possible without breaking the bank!

[Canuck147]

Hey rydin4life welcome to this forum. For 2 plants your startup sounds real good. Go with the Mars - cfl's can be a pain as they need to be within a couple inches of the plant, so you are constantly adjusting them - go with the Mars. Start with the cfl's, if that is what you have. Tent size is good for 2 plants.
Your soil is fine - use the 5 gallon with the holes on the bottom.
Good schedule to water is - water when the plants need it, pay attention to the plants and they will tell you when to feed them. (Drooping leaves)
One thing I will add - after germination, place your little seedling with the tap root sticking out into the bucket you plan to finish growing them in. Auto-flowers don't like to be transplanted.
My $.02

[dontknownuttin]

Get one of these instead! MUCH BETTER QUALITY.

[Canuck147]

I'll have to agree with dontknownuttin here as I too have Gorilla Grow Tent - GROW STRONG

[rydin4life]

Thanks guys. I received input from another forum that my tent is too small for 2-3 plants...basically not tall enough. Do u need higher than 63" with the LED? I can go higher just don't want too wide. The gorilla seem great, but more than double my budget...anything else good for 2-3 auto flowering plants?

EDIT - I found a 24x48x72 tent that might work..will fit whereally I need it and give more height.

[NebulaHaze]

Most LEDs need 18" or more away from the plants. So say your light takes up 8" from the top, and then you need 18" to the plants. A 5-gallon bucket is about 15" tall. So for just the space needed between the plants, the light, and the containers, you've lost 41". In a 63" tent that lets you grow 22" tall plants. It can definitely be done, but it's certainly very tight! A taller tent gives you a lot more wiggle room for plants, fans, carbon filter, etc, and lets you upgrade to bigger lights down the road.

Have you considered an LEC grow light? I only ask because it has similar requirements as an LED (needs to be kepts about 18" away). Though it is a few inches taller than an LED panel, it would fit in your 2x4x6 tent perfectly. Growers seem to be getting better yields and results with them compared to the LEDs, and you also get to see your plants in true color (for both your enjoyment and true color in pictures). But LEDs are still great, too!

[rydin4life]

I've not heard of an LEC to be honest. What is heat like compared to the LED? Also, I'm not concerned about the smell from the plants a's I live alone, but will the heat from the Mars LED and possibly a few Cfl bulbs be too hot in the 2x4x6 tent? I can buy a fan, but ifor only for the smell, I'm not worried about it.

[CCisme]

Hi rydin! Welcome. Im really new to about 6 weeks out from first harvest. Heat has been an issue for me and the exhaust system not only helps the smell but takes all the hot air from the top and gets all the old damp used air out. Id recommend it, you wont have to work as hard to keep hold and maintane temps and rh.

[Canuck147]

The light probably already has fans in it blowing - so you need to exhaust the air out of your tent (I vent 15 minutes out of every 60) not only for the amount of heat that will build up (the humidity from your plants will warm the tent up as well) but to replace the air that your growing plants need. Plus if you have air movement that blows through your plants - you will find how much they love you and grow like the weeds they are. Autoflowers grow real fast rydin4life - I have 4 autos growing and they are flowering at 30 days.
Have fun. As Ed Rosenthal says - "Smoking cannabis is not addicting, but growing it is."

[CCisme]

Love that quote Canuck147 so so so true!

[rydin4life]

Thanks guys. Seeds are ordered so I'll see what I have when they arrive. I'm sure I'll post pics and have questions from the beginning through curing...appreciate the help!