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indoor Beginner First Indoor Grow Project - Questions

Hey guys and gals,
 
I'm a complete beginner looking to get into the indoor pepper growing game and after devouring as much info as I could on here and youtube etc. I think I'm ready to give it a go.
 
I live in a small apartment in NYC with not much space and with not much direct light exposure (no south facing windows, and my north facing windows are slightly obscured by neighboring buildings) so I figured a grow tent with some good lights would be my best choice. I did some searching online and these seemed like good, albeit expensive choices for a tent and light:
 
https://www.amazon.com/Quictent-Eco-friendly-Reflective-Hydroponic-Obeservation/dp/B00WOBXXVQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518706485&sr=8-3&keywords=quictent&th=1
 
https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector-Spectrum-Indoor-Plants/dp/B01B4GQ6MO/ref=sr_1_4?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1518707024&sr=1-4&keywords=viparspectra&th=1#customerReviews
 
Does anyone have experience with these grow tents or lights? are they worth it?is there a more affordable solution that will still give me the same benefits?
 
Ideally in a 2'x2' grow tent id like to be able to grow two-three plants from seed to maturity completely indoors, do you guys think this is viable in such a small space? I'm going to try a reaper, habanero and  plant. I got seeds from puckerbutt, anybody have experience with their seeds? I'm sure they are probably overpriced because of the hype but I imagine they are quality. 
 
If anybody with more experience growing peppers completely indoors can let me know if I'm on the right track to producing beautiful pepper plants indoors please let me know!!! greatly appreciate any tips or feedback as I have never grown any type of vegetative plant before and with so much info out there it can be a little daunting to start. 
 
Thanks!!!!!!!
 
huda  :fireball:
 
 
 
dragonsfire said:
 
thanks for the tip. do you use that light throughout the entire process from seedling to adult?
 
and how tall are your plants if they are in a a fish tank? ideally I don't want to have a really tall grow tent in my small apartment if I don't really have to so if I can manage a DIY grow box that has a smaller footprint id be psyched.
 
would love to see pics of your setup!!
 
cheers
 
With proper pruning and careful selection of the right varieties you can grow peppers in a very compact space. Habaneros will grow nice and short naturally, but can use pruning. Reapers on the other hand like to grow tall and produce a high crown unless you top them. Don't be afraid to prune and remove foliage or things will get crowded pretty quickly in a 2 x 2.  I would suggest 2-4 plants for that size of grow area if you want them to produce in significant numbers.
 
hotsaucehuda said:
 
Hey guys and gals,
 
I'm a complete beginner looking to get into the indoor pepper growing game and after devouring as much info as I could on here and youtube etc. I think I'm ready to give it a go.
 
I live in a small apartment in NYC with not much space and with not much direct light exposure (no south facing windows, and my north facing windows are slightly obscured by neighboring buildings) so I figured a grow tent with some good lights would be my best choice. I did some searching online and these seemed like good, albeit expensive choices for a tent and light:
 
https://www.amazon.com/Quictent-Eco-friendly-Reflective-Hydroponic-Obeservation/dp/B00WOBXXVQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518706485&sr=8-3&keywords=quictent&th=1
 
https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector-Spectrum-Indoor-Plants/dp/B01B4GQ6MO/ref=sr_1_4?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1518707024&sr=1-4&keywords=viparspectra&th=1#customerReviews
 
Does anyone have experience with these grow tents or lights? are they worth it?is there a more affordable solution that will still give me the same benefits?
 
Ideally in a 2'x2' grow tent id like to be able to grow two-three plants from seed to maturity completely indoors, do you guys think this is viable in such a small space? I'm going to try a reaper, habanero and  plant. I got seeds from puckerbutt, anybody have experience with their seeds? I'm sure they are probably overpriced because of the hype but I imagine they are quality. 
 
If anybody with more experience growing peppers completely indoors can let me know if I'm on the right track to producing beautiful pepper plants indoors please let me know!!! greatly appreciate any tips or feedback as I have never grown any type of vegetative plant before and with so much info out there it can be a little daunting to start. 
 
Thanks!!!!!!!
 
huda  :fireball:
 
 
 
 
That tent is a 2x2" so i would probably go with a more powerful light
 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015FLSOCE/ref=psdc_14252961_t1_B019ETLC7M  In the description they say " 2x2’ flowering coverage at 18”." so i would not go for something lower power than this unit
 
Also a tip, do NOT neglect ventilation. It is much more important than u'd think so get some sort of fan in there.
 
Light, air movement, and humidity are all crucial when growing indoors. If your tent is sufficiently ventilated, the humidity inside will be close to the humidity in your apartment, which tends to be on the low side for plants.

I would suggest buying a cheap hygrometer to measure the humidity in your tent when the light is on.

Also, I understand your desire for a short grow tent, but think about how quickly that height disappears when growing indoors:

1 foot for the pot (at least by maturity)

Whatever height of your light itself (LEDs like you are looking at are at least slim - probably not much more than 6" or 8" here)

Height above your light, necessary to both hang it and not have it directly against the top of your tent (at least 6")

The distance from your light to the tops of your plants (I believe most LEDs need at least 1 foot to 18"? I may be wrong about this.. I use mostly HID and fluorescents)

The height of your plants themselves, which for smaller peppers grown in pots should be 2 feet at least, maybe 3.

Add that all up: 6 to 7 feet of ceiling height needed for the mature plants.

I do think your estimate of 2-3 plants for that area is appropriate. I have found that 4 fit well into a 3'x3' (9 square feet).
 
ok awesome thanks for sharing the info guys, i ended up getting the 450W light and a fan as well for circulation.  I already have a hygrometer and humidifier that i use for my guitars so i can probably use that to maintain the proper humidity in the grow tent. 
 
will update this thread with pics once i set everything up!!!
 
thanks  :P
 
I love this thread - apartment growing in the city no less.  Well, I retired and got an RV and have been successful with reapers and tabassco on the move.  The last couple years down south have been hurricane alley.  I started carrying 2 reapers in my trucks back seat.  Folks would ask, is that your pet? I'd pull in somewhere take 'em out  - sun and water them.  Yes, I love my plants. lol
 
Today, I am starting 4 different kinds of peppers.  Dragon Cayenne, Habanero, ghost, and reaper.  We'll see!  I normally soak the seeds in carbonated water - then plant.- something from my hippie days.  This time I am trying seeding soil.  I will get 'em going and find a willing farmer.  RV traveling farms are not the best thing.
 
Good luck with your plants bro. 
 
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