$150 USD - Grow Help

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Last question guys, what fan will be quieter -- Assuming both these are of the 4" variant
The duct fan on the left will be loads quieter than the inline fan unless you get a good speed controller with the inline fan but even then at low speed is still noisier but will move more air I'm pretty sure.

The duct fan is made to move air better on long runs of forced air furnace ducting like into a room addition that's far from the furnace. Doesn't move a lot of air but should be more than adequate for your needs and cheaper too. I use a 6" one like that to push air up under my water heater during the winter to keep the water from freezing up. It still freezes up when it gets -30C or so and the wind is from the north east but I have other tricks to fix that. :)

:peace:
 

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
Can fans are all mostly junk unless you spend the extra $ on a good one. I got a terrabloom that is whisper quiet and has a variable speed control but cost is your entire budget. I still use the inline fan on the right for a filtered intake to the bloom room. Have had the other model too; was so loud it made the floor above vibrate. Ventilation is a very important investment and often overlooked. Good that you are giving it consideration as it is going to be difficult to find all you need at once with your given budget. Aquire stuff slowly and learn to use what you already have on hand efficiently. There are more options available now than ever before but start up costs also keep going up. I think you’ll end up spending much more than you thought you would at the start. Good luck & happy growing
 

Greggl102

Member
Will the 175w MH be too much heat for my closet? I've got a couple household fans, I was wondering how I could allow air flow into the closet, without letting light leak out. I don't have any ideas for any sort of light trap -- any takers?

Also, I'm worried that in the future I will have to relocate -- the fear of losing equipment bugs me.
Would the seemingly less complex ts600 mars hydro light be a better fit for the closet grow? -- If I could get my nutrients, my cloning product, my ph down, ph indictator and growlight to all fit into a toolbox / suitcase or something, that would be nice. -- I mean, I could do without the remote ballast, the dongles, cords, wires and weight -- but it might be beneficial for a spectacular garden!
 

Greggl102

Member
In what event would the 175 watt metal halide need a surge protector? I'm thinking of running it on all the time, I don't want there to be any kind of arcing that could ruin my bulb. Is there a trick to safely plugging into a socket? -- If memory serves me correctly, if the plug arcs in the socket, it could ruin the bulb.
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
In what event would the 175 watt metal halide need a surge protector? I'm thinking of running it on all the time, I don't want there to be any kind of arcing that could ruin my bulb. Is there a trick to safely plugging into a socket? -- If memory serves me correctly, if the plug arcs in the socket, it could ruin the bulb.
I've used HIDs to grow pot since '82 and never used a surge protector. If there is a very short power failure then you should unplug it so it cools down or it will struggle to restart and that could possibly damage the bulb. It's happened to me many times and never killed a bulb and I run 400, 600 and 1000W ones at various times.

I have had plugs arc in the socket so make sure if you get one that it's clean and fits snugly in the plug you push it into. Should not plug it in when it's on. Plug it in then turn it on.

I've also never had one blow up on me but have read about it happening to others. The outer glass envelope is supposed to contain any hot shards of glass should the inner one blow. Get some cheap cotton gloves to wear only when handling the bulb so you don't get greasy fingerprints on it which can weaken the outer glass.

You don't need a special timer for them either. Most are rated at 1875W so a $5 mechanical one will work just fine.

:peace:
 

Treesomewanted77

Well-Known Member
In what event would the 175 watt metal halide need a surge protector? I'm thinking of running it on all the time, I don't want there to be any kind of arcing that could ruin my bulb. Is there a trick to safely plugging into a socket? -- If memory serves me correctly, if the plug arcs in the socket, it could ruin the bulb.
So after everyone’s recommendations you still went with a HPS/MH? So you asked a bunch of questions and took none of the answers so why ask the questions? You can grow anyway you want but if you have it set in your mind to do it a certain way then you don’t need any advice. No one here cares how you grow but that’s like going to the garage because your wiper is broke and everyone at the garage says you need a new wiper and you put a new headlight in because that’s what you wanted to do. Makes sense to me lmao
 

Greggl102

Member
I'm pretty sure the outlet is on all the time. There is no on/off switch on ballast/reflector, -- pretty sure.


so i'm leaning towards a surge protector with a switch:)
 

Billy the Mountain

Well-Known Member
22" ? Any HID is going to burn your crop once its past seedling stage..
22" of total height? OP is fucked.

A small HID is ~5" for the body + another 5" for the hangers = 10"
A 1 gal fabric pot is 6" tall

So about 6" of space between the growing medium and a scorching HID bulb, a seedling would get cooked

There's simply no room to grow anything with an HID light in 22" of vertical space.
 

Greggl102

Member
175 watt metal halide hung from closet pole.
cross breeze from fans
general hydroponics flora series
coco coir
15, 6" diameter pots with drainage saucers
 

curious2garden

Well-Known Mod
Staff member
22" of total height? OP is fucked.

A small HID is ~5" for the body + another 5" for the hangers = 10"
A 1 gal fabric pot is 6" tall

So about 6" of space between the growing medium and a scorching HID bulb, a seedling would get cooked

There's simply no room to grow anything with an HID light in 22" of vertical space.
I ran 1000W HPS in a closed Magnum XXL hood with an 8" Max Can Fan constantly pulling cooler air through and evacuating it to my attic. It worked but was brutal during the summer. My plants could, and did touch my hood's glass so I had some bleaching if I wasn't very careful. During the summer heat I lost density and decreased yield.

However I started my seedlings under a T5 and they didn't get to the MH 400-600W also in a closed hood until they were in veg. I kept that light a good 3' from them. Seeds are relatively cheap and experience is priceless so whatever happens he'll learn what works for him and his environment and what doesn't.

I wish him well and hope he can get it all worked out. I hope he starts a grow journal so we can follow.
 

Greggl102

Member
advice? looking for a budget clip on fan, ratchets and a screw or two I can hang my power outlers off of

going to be doing a vegetative garden, what are some cool crops to do besides butter lettuce, spinach, mint and chives, and rose clones?
lights on 247

should have measured twice to do it nice, it was very awkward the way I tried to fit in the whole 10'x10' sheet into the closet and then line the walls with it and try to gauge how much was needed.

I'm generally bad at wrapping packages, so I knew I was in for trouble'
planned to fold corners at bottom and have a basin,
it wasn't going to fit
 

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Greggl102

Member
I've used HIDs to grow pot since '82 and never used a surge protector. If there is a very short power failure then you should unplug it so it cools down or it will struggle to restart and that could possibly damage the bulb. It's happened to me many times and never killed a bulb and I run 400, 600 and 1000W ones at various times.

I have had plugs arc in the socket so make sure if you get one that it's clean and fits snugly in the plug you push it into. Should not plug it in when it's on. Plug it in then turn it on.

I've also never had one blow up on me but have read about it happening to others. The outer glass envelope is supposed to contain any hot shards of glass should the inner one blow. Get some cheap cotton gloves to wear only when handling the bulb so you don't get greasy fingerprints on it which can weaken the outer glass.

You don't need a special timer for them either. Most are rated at 1875W so a $5 mechanical one will work just fine.

:peace:
I just wanted to highlight what you wrote previously, it has been touched on a few times but needs to be restated every so often, I feel. --


Do you know the why behind this? what happens and how?
 
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