Lighting For A Small Closet Grow

Going to be starting about 10 plants from seedform(not feminized, will fully grow however many turn out female we will say 2-6 for (# of plants to how much lighting needed purposes)I will post pics of the setup when it is complete and later pic's of the plants]

Using a 2ft wide 2ft long 4ft tall grow box in my closet made out of a thick cardboard wardrobe box(10$) normally used for hanging clothes in during a move its got a solid metal cross brace that adds a little support and is stong enough to hang just about any light fixture from,

Will probly just line it with mylar unless i can find something more safe to use to protect the cardboard from the heat and reflect light inside the box(open to suggestions) ***?maybe put aluminium foil under the mylar?***

Its possible i can run heat vent tube for hps/mh cooling systems out of the box but it will hafta to blow into the same room the box is in, the room does have a window witch can be open when the lights r running

Going to have to veg and flower in the same box but the plants will/should always be very close to the same stage of growth.

Im looking for some opinions on what u all think would be the better choice of lighting out of these i have been looking at, or any others u think would be better for growing in my conditions. Also im trying to keep the cost around or under 300$ while avoiding making home made fixtures.
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-Combo-
My 1st pick was the spectra max 246watt 4 24w t5 HO/ 1 - 150watt hps combo 2 ft light fixture, 246W Spectra Max Full Spectrum 24000 Lumen 2FT Grow Light - Plantlighting Hydroponics

Pro's: comes with bulbs, it looks like a great light, covers the 6500k for veg with the 4 t5 fluoro's and 2200k with the hps in the middle for flowering and will fit in my box np, has 24,000 lumens

Con's: ***?probly will need more cooling then ventilation and fans because of the small hps?*** the only other prob i have with this is fixture is the position of the lights, and difference in hanging distance to the plant leaves needed from the t5's and hps,
***?Does any1 know if this will matter or cuase problems in such a small reflective area?***
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-Fluorescent-
My second pick was the New Wave 192watt 2ft 8 lamp t5 ho fixture, New Wave 192W 3K/65K 2FT-8 Lamp T5 Fluorescent Grow Light - Plantlighting Hydroponics
or
High Tech Garden Supply

Pro's: comes with 8- 3000k or 6500k bulbs, or 4 of each, all bulbs have same light output so canopy distance with diff lights will not be a problem like with the spectra max, i thought of using this fixture with 8 6500k for veg and then replacing all 8 with 3000k for flowering ***?or should i just get the 4 of each?*** this setup i think will run a bit cooler then pick #1

Con's: doesnt have HPS power, only 16,000 lumen oposed to the 24,000 lumen from the spectra max, requires many bulbs,
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-MH/HPS-
3rd option (***?probly the best but is overkill for my size area?***)was to go with a single 250w 400w 600w or maybe even 1000w hps/mh conversion in a cool tube type reflector if it ***?is possible to keep heat low enough in such a small space?*** (***? is there any material i can use to line the inside of the cardboard box that will be sufficient enough to protect the cardboard from the heat produced by the lights(do not want any chance of it catching fire or burning?***)currently thinking aluiminium foil lined with mylar. will it work?

HTGSupply Ultimate 250w HPS & MH Grow Light
High Tech Garden Supply

Pro's: mh and hps, More HID wattage then the spectra max's singe 150w hps, comes with both mh/hps bulbs

Con's: cost more then the 400watt of the same setup, has no cooling reflector, not sure if my space will make suffecient use of this.
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HTGSupply Ultimate 400w HPS & MH Grow Light
High Tech Garden Supply

Pro's: pretty cheap price(2$ cheaper than the 250watt), external ballast, comes with both hps/mh bulbs

Con's: has open reflector will run at high temp without a proper cooling reflector upgrade like the cool tube, not sure if my space will make suffecient use of this.
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any1 know anything about them Dual Arc bulbs Dual Arc, MH, & HPS Plant Grow Light Bulbs, Lamps, & Supplies from ACF Greenhouses ***?Do u think 2 bulbs is better useing mh only for veg and switching to hps only for flowering, also will the plants have any side effects from the sudden light change from mh to hps?***

Not sure going over 400w HID is a great idea my size area even with cooling tube ect,.. any feedback on this?

Then there are LED's but i hear they are not as good as said to be, what would i need to equal that of HID or T5


24 Watt LEDGrowKit
LED Growlights.com Sales

LED Panels
High Tech Garden Supply

High Tech Garden Supply

Just looking for opinions, maybe "what you would pick" or any other setups any1 thinks is better, this is my 1st serious grow but i have read and understand almost everything im just one of those people who cant make up there mind and am looking for any advice in what light setup to pick

Thanks in Advance to any1 who took the time to read this crazy huge post LoL
P.S this site rocks!!!!!!

Wow that's a lot of product.

I'd get the 2' 8-bulb T5. "Penetration" will not be a problem. My second choice would be a 250w switchable.

Thanks for the response! yea im deff leaning towards the 8 2ft t5's, seems like they will run cooler and be a little more safe for my setup, still looking for more advice tho becuase i still think mh/hps is more optimal lighting even if i use 8 6500k t5 ho for veg and 8 t5 ho 2700k for flowering wouldnt be as good as say a 250w mh/hps switchable not really sure about this but sofar the t5 ho 2ft 8 lamp is looking like the better choice, any1 know what it would take to cool either of these in a 2f long 2ft wide 4ft tall box to the proper temp(78f)?

TheVolcano said:

Thanks for the response! yea im deff leaning towards the 8 2ft t5's, seems like they will run cooler and be a little more safe for my setup, still looking for more advice tho becuase i still think mh/hps is more optimal lighting even if i use 8 6500k t5 ho for veg and 8 t5 ho 2700k for flowering wouldnt be as good as say a 250w mh/hps switchable not really sure about this but sofar the t5 ho 2ft 8 lamp is looking like the better choice, any1 know what it would take to cool either of these in a 2f long 2ft wide 4ft tall box to the proper temp(78f)?

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Oh dude, the T5s will get hot. You will need as much ventilation for them as the 250w, but you can't put a T5 fixture in a cooltube, you know? You'd need about 150 - 200cfm to keep em cool but it really just depends on where you position the tent. If you get the T5s you should consider just getting a mixed spectrum and growing with that.

Anyway the T5s are gonna give you a nice even distribution of light. They hit the plants from so many angles it's (IMHO) better than a 250w on a light mover.

The only time I'd chose HID over T5s is when dealing with 600 - 1Kw or If cost is an issue I'd go with the HID.

Great advice man thanks!!!!

If you get the T5s you should consider just getting a mixed spectrum and growing with that.

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- hmm if i didnt mind buying 8 of each bulb, would the plants benifit from all 8 6500k for veg and all 8 2700k for flower or do i always want some of each spectrum mixed in??? or will using 4 of each be sufficient for my entire grow start to finish?

- any ideas for venting for the t5 fixture? (the less noise the better), i assume a cooltube for a 250w hps/mh switchable would run cooler seeing as the heat source is enclosed in glass with the fan blowing only through the tube

TheVolcano said:

Great advice man thanks!!!!



- hmm if i didnt mind buying 8 of each bulb, would the plants benifit from all 8 6500k for veg and all 8 2700k for flower or do i always want some of each spectrum mixed in??? or will using 4 of each be sufficient for my entire grow start to finish?

- any ideas for venting for the t5 fixture? (the less noise the better), i assume a cooltube for a 250w hps/mh switchable would run cooler seeing as the heat source is enclosed in glass with the fan blowing only through the tube

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8 of the 2,700K will definitely give you more weight. The balanced spectrum would be especially nice for veg though. You could just get 4 extra bloom tubes to switch out the veg tubes when you go to flower.

A 4" Vortex exhausting out the top and a $15 fan speed controller to keep it quiet. Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices You could set a carbon filter outside of the tent with the fan on it to give you a couple extra inches inside for vertical growth. That's how I do mine.

For $20 extra you can get another 100cfm on a low-power 6" Vortex. You might very well need those extra cfm in a small space like that.

Vortex 6 inch 275 CFM Low Power Inline Fan - Plantlighting Hydroponics

Yea ill go for the 6 inch 275 cfm, just to be sure. I was under the impression at first that the t5's wouldnt need such extensive cooling like this and had previously thought that if it did come to that, i would just go mh/hps in a cool tube becuase i heard HID is still the best availabe light for growing, but now im not so sure its better for a few reasons. I have read some people saying they keep there HID almost touching the tips of there plants becuase the cooltube is that effective in extracting the heat that the plant dont burn, would doing this be equal in effectiveness as the wide angle of close light from the 8 t5's making the HID better? Either way i can afford both setups just still looking for the thing thats going to make me say OK thats the light for me, cuase i hate buying something while still thinking the other choice "could" have been better.

You're going have heat issues with either setup, but it will be easier to control with a cooltube plus HID is cheaper.

Which tent will you be using?

my sudgestion would be to build a wooden box from plywood and 2''x2'' lumber... it'll be alot safer.. just incase... but i'd build it about 5 ft high if i was to do it and use a 600watt hps .. add a couple of fans or a cooltube.. and a exhaust or intake fan or both to keep good air flow and temp lower and you'd have the best budd

Nice yeah, good idea i will probly build a new box since either way i go will be too hot for this 2x2x4 cardboard (wardrobe box for moving) I pretty much just saw it an was like wow that would be almost perfect i set it up and it fit like a charm and is sturdy(the crossbar for hanging clothes is rated for 80lbs) i even got 2 for sperate rooms haha! but turned out they dont both quite fit in there,...Was thinking it was ok but i doubt no matter how much alu foil or w/e i line it with under the mylar it still might catch fire er something, i might look into a tent like TheFaux was talking about but im not so sure its a great idea to be ordering almost everything from online if u know what i mean, 600w HID sounds very interesting but is it not too much my closet space(empty) is 5ft tall, 2 inches short of 2ft from the inside of the door to the back wall and 2 inches short of 4ft wide, do u use just hps? or do u have other lighting in there too? think geting switchable mh/hps is better?
Thnx for the Response!!!

well i'd buy a switchable mh/hps.. but you don't have to 600watt will rock the size of that space.. i personally would keep a mom for clones.. but make sure you got enough room for your flowering box 1st... i'd put it about 5ft tall 20"deep and 3ft wide.. you should find another small space to keep a mom with a few cfl's or floros.. the mom doesn't have to be masive just enough to take a few clones off of so you always got a fresh set of female plants to flower... o and make sure that ur flowering box is light proof so you don't let the light from outside interupt the flowering perioid.. o and just to add in my opinion tents are a waste of money... you could build a cheep box from wood fer 1/2 or 1/4 of the price of the tent... plus it's better if you don't want to order off the internet because it's a diy

If you wanna use the whole floor for flowering you should get 2x 150w HPS. Econolite is selling the ballasts for $20. There's a thread around here somewhere. 300w of HPS would be perfect for that space. That's what I would do.

Oh yeah, you guys are more than welcome to stop by my grow. There's a link in my sig so drop by any time.

2x2x4 is very small especially when considering all those different light systems. Can you use the entire closet? MH/HPS is, by far the best, but whatever lighting system you choose, you will need good ventilation. I would use mylar or paint the inside walls white.

Is this your 1st grow? If so I suggest buying a 2 bulb 48" shop light from lowes for 10 bucks, buy soft white and cool white bulbs and grow entirely with that. It wont give you the best results, but it does work and does not produce a lot of heat.

600w kinda scares me but if its the best wattage for that size area im willing to do it with cooltube,does ur setup vent into an attic or anything i have no where to run the exhast tube except to a window about 4-5 ft away from the closet, will this light make my entire room temp crazy high if i dont vent out the window?? it is possible but would rather not have to leave the window open, do u think i could get away with just exhausting into the closet outside the box or maybe lead the vent tube along the floor from the closet to under or near the window its closing in on winter and maybe thinking venting into the room under the window and leaving the window open just a tiny bit to let cold air in, i was planning on running the lights at night so that i would be home for most of the time they were on, Looking forward to hearing more from u guys!!!!! Thanks Again!!!

Dude, forget the 600w for your little closet grow.....400W SMOKES my 4x4x8 unless the ambient temps are very low. I'm talking like 50-to low 60 degrees. In the summer time when the temps were up, I had to add an A/C to my cabinet.

Hey Boneman, thnx for stopping by! my max space in closet is about 5ft tall(theres a removable shelf then the ceiling is angled up to 7ft) and a couple inches short of 4ft wide and 2ft deep becuase of the wooden trim and the bottom and mid level of the closet, this is my first serious grow ive used junk lights be4 and want to get serious,.. im willing to spend around 300 and pretty much looking for the best possible light for my lady's, also i plan on going with the better light setup as to not have to upgrade in the future, i plan on running this same setup for as long as possible without having to modify much later on --- my room temps in the winter seasons are 60-70f and completley A/C'd in the summer around 50-60f with exception of the few days of heat be4 they a/c goes in.
By the way nice grow u got there man!!!!! A+

Thx volcano check out www.htgsupply.com
Tony can hook you up with a nice system for a good price. If you can figure out some air exchange, I would go with no more than a 400w MH/HPS system.

Ive built a bit bigger box as suggested out of wood, its 5ft tall with 5 inch legs on the bottom to have floor space for the coolest air intake possible, 3 ft wide and 20inch's deep, will line with mylar for sure.

If i get the cool tube with a 400w mh/hps what kind heat will the exhaust tube be pushing out,..? will i have to run it to an outdoor source such as an attic or some kind of vent that leads to outside??? the really only option i have is a window about 5 feet away from the box, but what i am wondering is if it is possible to just run the exhaust out of the growbox and into the same room(room is 8 ft tall 12ft wide and 12ft long, maybe just leaving the end of the tube under the window where it is the coolest spot in the room will be sufficient, or will this light setup make my room temp way to hot without going directly out the window?

400W SMOKES my 4x4x8 unless the ambient temps are very low. I'm talking like 50-to low 60 degrees. In the summer time when the temps were up, I had to add an A/C to my cabinet.

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Is that without anything? do you have cooltube?? what kinda heat extraction in your 4x4x8?, by ambient temps do u mean what temp the room the closet is in is normally at?

you can just exhaust the cooltube out into the room.. i do that with my 600watt when it's running.. all you have to do is leave the main room door open for a hour or so to let all new fresh cool air into the main room and your intake fan should give the gro box sufficient fresh air without it being 2 hott