Rightyo, i'm looking at a very small grow to LST/SCROG, It's going to be in a cabinet with an area of 50x50cm. Height is not an issue as the cab is 7+ feet tall - i may even run two layers of flowering in it eventually.. initially my mum/clone/veg/drying cabs will all be in the same cabinet - easier to smell proof that way and more stealthy. Probably going to go on a DIY hydro or aero setup - I'm pretty good with the DIY so setting all this up isnt a problem

I've never grown before, but have been reading up on lights and have decided on a HID array - can't be bothered messing around with enviros or anything like that. My working is that my grow is approx. 3 sq. feet.

So i've decided on an array roughly 150-200w for this grow, but the info that MH lighting produces denser buds has thrown me a bit.. My options are:

150w SON-T
OR
100w SON-T and a 70w MH.

I did consider 70w HPS, 35w MH but by my working that isnt enough light. I also considered 100/50 and 70/50 but 50w MH bulbs are like rocking horse shit as far as i can see

I'm going to be building my own light hood, to be air cooled, and will probably fit both bulbs if i go for two, in the one hood. I'm probably going to add a little UVB lizard CFL too, but thats all sorted.. its the main HID array that i'm not sure on... MH bulbs are twice the price of HPS and i'd need two ballasts etc but i do like the idea of a fuller spectrum and the denser bulbs.. i'd also get 20w extra lighting..

decisions, decisions.. HELP!!

250 watt HPS.

It's only a tad smaller than half of my grow and you have plenty of headroom.

Aye but i'm also considering the ventilation (noise is a issue) and the fact that i will probably end up with two flowering layers and dont want 2x250w lights - its a small cab not a growroom

isn't 250w rather overkill for such a sized grow? i know i ain't gonna get massive crops out of an area like this, and 250w = like 80+w per square foot and i just dont have the space to support that much vegetation.. i know lighting is key but i'd rather have smaller bulbs closer to the plants than large bulbs a couple of feet above the plants...

I'm looking at these small bulbs due to the small surface area i have.. i got the feeling 2 50x50 grows under ~150w each (50w per sq. foot) will yield better than 1 50x50 under 250w. I can't run 2x250w.

I've done 4 grows in a similar space. (x2)

The correct working distance will be approx 9 inches.

I would aim for a dished profile to make the most of the lamp.

I reckon the ideal space for a 250 is 24 inches by 18 inches.

Click to view attachment

I would keep it simple and use only 1 layer - you would get at least 4 ounces every 16 weeks.

You could have a small pre-vegging area below and knock a couple of weeks off (from seed)

You'll need decent ventilation if only to deal with the pong - 4 ounces will stink a house out.

that's the problem.. i smoke going on for a half ounce a week so that much isnt enough.. Doing two layers isnt much of an issue, one set of extraction, some cleverly placed pc fans, one pump, one res, one airpump etc.. I'm going to get/make a decent carbon filter and see if i cant figure out something quiet to do the fannage.

the dished profile is something i had thought of doing but didn't know it was workable, all the scrog stuff i've ever seen was on a flat screen - i thought the effective surface area would be increased like this. gracias for that advice i will be doing that whatever lights I go for. I also thought about putting some vertical screen below the main canopy and putting some little lights facing up, really close to the screen for leaves and such.. couple of 20w CFLs in my homemade reflectors or something like that.. part of the point of this grow is to see what can be done with readily available, not suspicious small lights and very stealthy small cabinets. Like i say it's going to be one level at first just to see what i can yield - even a few oz would help - wouldn't be spending all my wages on head medicine..

I reckon if i can get close to 1g/w on ~150w in a hydro/aero setup that would be wicked.. even 0.5g/w would be good... Have seen people getting 1g/w in soil under smallish lights so

Yeah i agree, i'd go for the 250hps and build a nice veg cab in the other space with your halide and flouro. Think that would work great. Then you can take cuttings and supply ya sen with a constant, consitant crop every 2 month like compostverte said.

Im using cupboard 50cm deep 70cm wide and about 5ft high, 600w hps and blue 125w enviro.

Lights are about 40-50cm from top of canopy

100mm ruck extraction and 3 oscilating fans....no intakes i just leave one half of cupboard open.

Temps are high..average at 30c now its getting warmer

Im sure you would be fine with the 250w considering
But i mean its what ever you thinks best man, for your situation on a whole jus remmember more light=more bud

Hope this gives you some idea