help me design my grow tent

greetings all! looking for a little bit of help from some of you more experienced gardeners. I've grown a time or two before, however this will be my first go in a tent as well as hydro. I'm planning on 5 gallon bubble buckets. I'm hoping you all could give some input on what you would do to maximize efficiency while being simple, and not complicated.

Here's what i'm working with. My tent is 2x4x5. I should have gone with a taller tent but this is what I've got. 600w MH/HPS. My ventilation is adequate to keep temps in optimal range. I also have all of the necessary equipment for 5 gallon bubble buckets. I would like to do a RDWC setup so I don't have to change out individual buckets. As you can see in the picture, 4 buckets and 1 18 gallon reservoir fit "perfectly". However Im smart enough to speculate that 4 full grown plants nearing harvest in that space might not bring the best yield.

So here's my options:
1) build the RDWC system exactly like it is and go to town with 4 plants?
2) build the RDWC system almost like it is and go to town with 3 plants in a v-shape?
3) build the RDWC system almost like it is and go to town with 2 plants in a row?
4) do 4 individual bubble buckets non-recirculating? 3 buckets? only two?

Here's the catch. The 18 gallon reservoir, (IF rdwc was the best option), would have to stay in the tent. non-negotiable. Also, no real interest in SCROG at the moment. I'm using pretty much everything that I have on hand for this first go around.

I could do two 18 gallon tub grows if I needed to, but i'd prefer not to mess with tangled roots...hence the individual buckets.


No idea exactly what I'm going to grow, I just want to get my stuff setup in place to maximize the efficiency of my space also while being simple, since this will be my first hydro grow. KISS. I know I could do less plants with longer veg times, or more plants with smaller veg times, etc...

so...what would some of you more experienced growers do with the space and stuff I already have? how would you set it up?

Any suggestions would be great!

I would do 2 individual 5 gallon buckets and call it a day. Longer veg, LST, SCROG....Each plant can easily fill a 2x2 area under that light.

Man your setup is exactly what I'm thinking about.. I'm talking about exactly the same. Good to see, because i think 2 buckets would be better... maybe some LST. What are your goals for yield? I'm definitely going to be following this thread. I still think I'm going to go with the bubble buckets and not ebb/flow. Think i could get the water temp under control. (Was my main concern)

i've done individual bubble buckets (5) under a 600 but it was in a 4x4 they were indicas. a single sativa does real well under a 600. you could go from 1-4 buckets in there depending on the strain. i know thats a tough answer so since your not sure i'd say build it with 2 as well.