I've a question in regards to my new project.
I'm trying to grow a few vegetables that are not exactly 'growable' where I
live, and so I decided to try and re-create their eco-system indoors.

I am almost done, I've made a cupboard out of wood and literally no external
light comes into it, on each side of the box I've installed a fan so that
air can circulate in and out, and I've installed a not-so-elaborate, yet
reasonable watering system..

Now comes the tricky and as I am about to find out, not so fun part..
Lighting.

The box itself is 4' wide, 2' deep and about 4 1/2' high. It's farely big.

The inside has been painted white so that light will reflect.

I've been told that growers have a MH set-up for seedlings and vegetative
growth, and HPS for flowering.
Now.. HID lights are extremly expensive, at least where I am at..
I'm not exactly sure if I am in the right NG, but I'll ask anyway..
I live in Melbourne, Australia and.. I don't know of many places where they
even sale these lights.. I've been looking around websites, and a cheap one
(which you can switch from MH to HPS) retails at around US$300..
Around AU$500, and is more than what I can afford..

Does anyone know if a: i NEED to have these lights, or they're just the
recommended types?
b: a place where I can find either cheap ones, or second hand ones?
c: the direction to the correct forum where this question can be answered
properly? :P

Thanks for your time and help..

"Peter Pan." eroyeeatoptushome.com.au wrote in message
u...
I've a question in regards to my new project.
I'm trying to grow a few vegetables that are not exactly 'growable' where
I
live, and so I decided to try and re-create their eco-system indoors.

I am almost done, I've made a cupboard out of wood and literally no
external
light comes into it, on each side of the box I've installed a fan so that
air can circulate in and out, and I've installed a not-so-elaborate, yet
reasonable watering system..

Now comes the tricky and as I am about to find out, not so fun part..
Lighting.

The box itself is 4' wide, 2' deep and about 4 1/2' high. It's farely big.

The inside has been painted white so that light will reflect.

I've been told that growers have a MH set-up for seedlings and vegetative
growth, and HPS for flowering.
Now.. HID lights are extremly expensive, at least where I am at..
I'm not exactly sure if I am in the right NG, but I'll ask anyway..
I live in Melbourne, Australia and.. I don't know of many places where
they
even sale these lights.. I've been looking around websites, and a cheap
one
(which you can switch from MH to HPS) retails at around US$300..
Around AU$500, and is more than what I can afford..

Does anyone know if a: i NEED to have these lights, or they're just the
recommended types?
b: a place where I can find either cheap ones, or second hand ones?
c: the direction to the correct forum where this question can be answered
properly? :P

Thanks for your time and help..

Nope, you won't need those lights, fluorescents will work, unless what you
are trying to grow is marijuana! ;-0

John

"John Watson" wrote:

-snip-
Nope, you won't need those lights, fluorescents will work, unless what you
are trying to grow is marijuana! ;-0


They'll work with that, too. [so I've heard.g] What I also
'heard' was that closing the whole box in might work to keep things
out of sight, but the unmistakable smell will escape no matter what
you do.

For growing great, healthy looking, but not all that great tasting,
tomatoes, I've added a 60watt incandescent to a pair of 4'
flourescents in a 6' grow box. [I used shoplights- which go for about
$10 USD- & whatever bulbs were in them]

I heated mine from the bottom with an old waterbed heater under a 3-4"
sand bed.

Jim

"Jim Elbrecht" wrote in message
...
"John Watson" wrote:

-snip-
Nope, you won't need those lights, fluorescents will work, unless what you
are trying to grow is marijuana! ;-0


They'll work with that, too. [so I've heard.g] What I also
'heard' was that closing the whole box in might work to keep things
out of sight, but the unmistakable smell will escape no matter what
you do.

Aha, spoken like a man with vast "growing" experience! ;-)

John

For growing great, healthy looking, but not all that great tasting,
tomatoes, I've added a 60watt incandescent to a pair of 4'
flourescents in a 6' grow box. [I used shoplights- which go for about
$10 USD- & whatever bulbs were in them]

I heated mine from the bottom with an old waterbed heater under a 3-4"
sand bed.

Jim

"John Watson" wrote in message
news:31lEc.489$%_6.185@attbi_s01...

"Jim Elbrecht" wrote in message
...
"John Watson" wrote:

-snip-
Nope, you won't need those lights, fluorescents will work, unless what
you
are trying to grow is marijuana! ;-0


They'll work with that, too. [so I've heard.g] What I also
'heard' was that closing the whole box in might work to keep things
out of sight, but the unmistakable smell will escape no matter what
you do.

Aha, spoken like a man with vast "growing" experience! ;-)

John

For growing great, healthy looking, but not all that great tasting,
tomatoes, I've added a 60watt incandescent to a pair of 4'
flourescents in a 6' grow box. [I used shoplights- which go for about
$10 USD- & whatever bulbs were in them]

I heated mine from the bottom with an old waterbed heater under a 3-4"
sand bed.

Jim



Hhm.. Well, I don't suppose anyone has experiences in growing pot without
having to go through the expense of buying hid lighting?
Suppose I could buy a kit and put it together..

"Peter Pan." eroyeeatoptushome.com.au wrote in message
u...

"John Watson" wrote in message
news:31lEc.489$%_6.185@attbi_s01...

"Jim Elbrecht" wrote in message
...
"John Watson" wrote:

-snip-
Nope, you won't need those lights, fluorescents will work, unless what
you
are trying to grow is marijuana! ;-0


They'll work with that, too. [so I've heard.g] What I also
'heard' was that closing the whole box in might work to keep things
out of sight, but the unmistakable smell will escape no matter what
you do.

Aha, spoken like a man with vast "growing" experience! ;-)

John

For growing great, healthy looking, but not all that great tasting,
tomatoes, I've added a 60watt incandescent to a pair of 4'
flourescents in a 6' grow box. [I used shoplights- which go for about
$10 USD- & whatever bulbs were in them]

I heated mine from the bottom with an old waterbed heater under a 3-4"
sand bed.

Jim



Hhm.. Well, I don't suppose anyone has experiences in growing pot without
having to go through the expense of buying hid lighting?
Suppose I could buy a kit and put it together..

I was only kidding with you, I really don't know but you could probably
google "pot cultivation" for info.

John

"John Watson" wrote in message
news:TRrEc.1964$XM6.84@attbi_s53...

"Peter Pan." eroyeeatoptushome.com.au wrote in message
u...

"John Watson" wrote in message
news:31lEc.489$%_6.185@attbi_s01...

"Jim Elbrecht" wrote in message
...
"John Watson" wrote:

-snip-
Nope, you won't need those lights, fluorescents will work, unless
what
you
are trying to grow is marijuana! ;-0


They'll work with that, too. [so I've heard.g] What I also
'heard' was that closing the whole box in might work to keep things
out of sight, but the unmistakable smell will escape no matter what
you do.

Aha, spoken like a man with vast "growing" experience! ;-)

John

For growing great, healthy looking, but not all that great tasting,
tomatoes, I've added a 60watt incandescent to a pair of 4'
flourescents in a 6' grow box. [I used shoplights- which go for
about
$10 USD- & whatever bulbs were in them]

I heated mine from the bottom with an old waterbed heater under a
3-4"
sand bed.

Jim



Hhm.. Well, I don't suppose anyone has experiences in growing pot
without
having to go through the expense of buying hid lighting?
Suppose I could buy a kit and put it together..

I was only kidding with you, I really don't know but you could probably
google "pot cultivation" for info.

John





I've a few books, all that tell me that HID lights are best.. They don't
really say much about alternatives..