Buy a tent kit or parts individually?

[ABushOfKush]

Have you grown before? Do you have an idea of the max power you’d like to consume? You might find those temps to be a bit challenging with an LED. Not ungrowable, but if you can get your tent running around 80F/27C the plants will grow noticeably faster.

Basically I’m saying a heater may be extremely valuable for plant health and growth rate, but it depends if you can afford the power usage.

[Trueblu8]

@nonamegoat

Thought about a kit for my first one back in March and then opted to buy individually after a lot of research. Flash forward to today and I have two 5x5 and a 5x10. All the tents, fans, controllers are AC Infinity, and I have an assortment of lights. Glad I pieced it all out.

What brands did you go with for the other parts?

[Trueblu8]

@Sbeanonnamellow

Howdy @Trueblu8, I think you would be better off piecing everything together but would recommend to double check prices before purchasing either way.

I think the benefit of piecing everything out individually is that you get to customize and personalize your space more than if you just purchased a kit with preselected items. Ideally I think it would be best to get an idea of the products you’d like for your gardening space and then compare what’s available in a complete kit compared to being purchased individually. I think doing that will make it clear which route to go as you’ll have a better understanding of what you want and need.

You seem to be at that stage of being overwhelmed with the new knowledge and all the different options and styles and varieties of ways you can go with respect to setting up your own personalized space.

My suggestion would be to copy someone’s design that you like. When you see someone’s gardening grow long and think, that’s what I want, copy that one. Or copy aspects of different systems you like and incorporate them into your own unique design.

Seeing someone have success and having a system that you could envision yourself using I think is a great way to devle into a hobby like this. Hope this helps. Many blessings and much love

This is great advice. I’ll try to piece everything together tonight and see how much it cost versus the kit. I assume it’s going to cost more because the parts will be of higher quality versus getting a kit.

[Trueblu8]

@Bayarealivingsoil

Is there heat in the basement?

Ac infinity has a great reputation for moving air but those small oscillating joints aint work. Maybe they’re better now.

Tent. Filter/fan combo. Dry while looking for a light.

With those numbers id look for the hottest led available. Don’t think they list that though.

Peace

The basement is not finished or heated. Someone did recommend going with a hortiluxe HPS with a blue light spectrum for that reason. I know HLG runs pretty hot and they have 25% off right now. Was also thinking about going with AC Infinity 2x4 panel light that has the driver attached for right now until I upgrade to something better. Don’t know how much heat that gives off though.

[Sbeanonnamellow]

Ten characters

[Trueblu8]

@ABushOfKush

Have you grown before? Do you have an idea of the max power you’d like to consume? You might find those temps to be a bit challenging with an LED. Not ungrowable, but if you can get your tent running around 80F/27C the plants will grow noticeably faster.

Basically I’m saying a heater may be extremely valuable for plant health and growth rate, but it depends if you can afford the power usage.

This will be my first time growing indoors and in a cold basement. Might be challenging.

[nonamegoat]

Started with a Phlizon 600w then bought a GML Tarantula 5x5 Ultimate, and recently grabbed a Growers Choice roi 720 until I grab another GML.

[BudLarfy]

I like the idea of a kit but my observation is that they all seem to use an underpowered light for the tent size.

[Trueblu8]

@Sbeanonnamellow

I’ve wanted to recommend HID lighting in your other thread but since it seems like everyone recommends LED arrays these days I figured not to rock that boat.

As others have pointed out, with the cooler temperatures of the basement for your scenario HID lighting may be more ideal as it comes with additional heat. Temperature drives many biological functions and when the lightning intensity is strong and temperatures are low it can cause some distress to plants. I’d recommend to keep the space 74-85F with HID’s if possible, the warmer side with lights on and the cooler side with lights off. Many blessings and much love

What’s the best for this? Gavita? Hortilux? And should I get one of those fixtures where the heat can be vented out of the tent? Or would that defeat the purpose of warming the tent with the light?

[Trueblu8]

@nonamegoat

Started with a Phlizon 600w then bought a GML Tarantula 5x5 Ultimate, and recently grabbed a Growers Choice roi 720 until I grab another GML.

Is GML the best? I was thinking about going with their Tarantula Torch 2x4 light.

[C_in_CT]

The AC Infinity definitely gives off at least some heat. I am running with no additional environmental controls other than my basement dehumidifier, and my basement is pretty warm (because of the dehumidifier).

I have my AC Infinity controller set up to use the exhaust fan to maintain a constant humidity in the tent, but use light intensity to control temp and thus VPD. It’s been on level two for a while because it warms up (and raises vpd) pretty quickly if it’s above that. Plants seem to be thriving, and I’m not trying to push for massive yield, so I’m content with it.

I can turn it on to various settings and measure the temp with an IR thermometer if you want though.

[CADMAN]

@Trueblu8

Ive definitely owned crappy & good quality tents & parts low end up to the high end of things.

Personally Id suggest whatever you can afford to build or buy your setup for growing, whatever that is, its whats right for you.

My current setup is this & Im extremely happy with it.

The tent lighting:

Marshydro FC 3000 (300w - Samsung LM201B) grow light (23" x 21") size.

ViparSpectra XS2000 (240w - Samsung LM301B) grow light (11" X 23.6") size.

Both great lights & I have zero regrets (although I prefer the Marshydro & it does fit inside my tent, barely)

The tent equipment:

AC Infinity 2x2x4’ grow tent. (24x24x48")
AC Infinity Controller 69 Pro (Wifi & Bluetooth)
AC Infinity Cloudline T4 inline duct fan (no scrubber, I just vent directly outside)

AC Infinity CLOUDRAY A6, Gen 2 Grow Tent Clip Fan 6” with Long-Life EC Motor, 10-Level Dynamic Wind Modes & Fan Speeds

( F king Love this fan, I own 4 of them) 1 for the tent and 3 Im actually using in my house in replace of floor fans

KASA brand (From Amazon) 3 plug smart power bar (Wifi controlled) THIS controls everything on my tent via WIFI on my phone from anywhere!

But this is what ive got after YEARS of buying cheaper items, then upgradeing later on. Probably alot cheaper if I had purchased everything in the 1st place lol

Remember, growing Cannabis isn’t a rich mans hobby, its for everyone, regardless of where your starting from. (MY 1st grow ever was inside a $40 pantry with lots of duck tape on it )

Ps. AC infinity has never let me down and has outstanding customer service, Im a lifetime supporter based on my experience with them & their quality products.

[Bayarealivingsoil]

@CADMAN

Gen 2

It stopped working in the middle of a grow. AC wanted me to send it back to get a replacement but I needed air moving so kept it as a nonoscillating 10 speed. They are indeed a good company. Pretty sure my situation was common at the time. First gen problems.

@Trueblu8 HID will save you heating but cost you power. LEDs plus a heater might be cheaper to run but more expensive up front. Get AC infinity or Gorilla Grow tent. AC air movers. Dry your outdoor. Smoke some. Chill.

Peace

[C_in_CT]

Oh one other thought: I bought my tent kit on black friday last year. I don’t recall what the price difference from normal was, but it was significant enough to go ahead even though I didn’t know when I’d actually get the rest of everything together to start growing. (turned out to be july, but y’know )

Depending on how long you want to wait, it’s not that far off and you could get some bargains. AC Infinity or otherwise.

[BTYGMO]

I always tell people to check their local social media site FB or CL and Offer Up… you can get some great gear cheap!!! This will allow you to save some money for the things you will need to spend money on… Yes, of course depends on your experience. Guys with more experience tend to want the more expensive equipment lol…

[C_in_CT]

Shit sorry yet another thought: I went with the ac infinity kit because pretty much across categories, they were considered best or like top 5 that were remotely close to my budget. Maybe not lights, but pretty much most other things. So I figured that was a pretty decent endorsement and went with it.

(that was across many many posts from (theoretically) actual people, not just youtubers or sponsored “review” sites)

[nonamegoat]

From my experience so far, the light has been awesome. The coverage it offers from edge to edge is hard to beat. A few other people online bought them after seeing my grows and they love it too. My next flower run is gonna be under the GML and the 720 in my 5x10, so it will be interesting to see if there’s much of a difference.

[BTYGMO]

You are totally correct about the 1st gen oscillating fans. They totally honored all the defective models so hats off to AC. To me oscillating fans need be paired up and offset to prolong life span. Look at the intended operation hours none are 24/7. Still a good quality company leading the industry. If I just run one I know it’s a matter of time till it’s done lol Cheers everyone!!!

[CADMAN]

@BTYGMO

They totally honored all the defective models so hats off to AC.

This is what happened to me, had two 1st gens, Ac infinity shipped me 2 new models, no issues, no fuss. Amazing.

[Foreigner]

For the record I am rocking:
Mars Hydro tent
Migro Aray
Ac infinity 4” exhaust
HLG 100
Vivosun 4” duct fan (exhaust)
Honeywell ht900 for circulation

I’m very pleased with all of them. Cobbled together.