Any thoughts on this expensive pre-built stuff

bpiela

bpiela

So, I need another set of shelves to expand my indoor basement grow area.  I just do not have enough area to start all the pepper plants I would like to grow.  I started looking into just getting some chrome wire shelving and doing the rest of the setup using whatever lighting I would need.  But then I saw this expensive unit and I am thinking about it:
 
http://www.growerssolution.com/PROD/ga3-seedling-cart/seedling
 
So, the things I like about it are that it is designed to fit 4 standard 22" x 11" trays across each shelf.  That is nice.  If I use 3x3 pots, I would get 18 in a tray and 72 on a shelf for a total of 216 potential plants.  For now, I do not see needing more than that.  Another thing I like is the Tent accessory.  You can buy a fitted vinyl tent for the apparatus.  If I get aphids, I could enclose the entire unit with the tent and let the ladybugs go wild.  The lighting seems weak.  The lighting comes with ballasts that hold 4 x 48" Wide Spectrum T8 bulbs.  But, then again, I am only using this for growing seedlings.
 
I would guess that the do-it-myself method would give me the most flexibility.  But, let's say that I do the wire shelving.  The 72"H x 60"W x 24"D would cost $235.  Add $90 for those PermaNest trays (I could save big time here with standard inexpensive plastic trays).  If I buy t5 ballasts from Home Depot, they are around $150 shipped so that is another $450.  That comes out to $770 without the cool tent.
 
Am I wimping out by going with the pre-built stuff?
 
Your not  Wimping out , just spending extra money that doesn't need to be spent , to get same results .  But hey , you only live once ! and if its what makes you happy , then go for it bro !         :onfire:
 
Try something like this for shelves from ebay.
Try these for T5 Lamps from ebay
 
GrowRack1_zps8d67f876.jpg
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Here is wisdom.
Take a step back and think about the entire growth cycle of your entire grow. Can you build something that can be adapted to your grow from hook the hardening off.
I dont know what the foot print of you grow area is so I am at a disadvantage from the start of this reply. I make every attempt to save myself a few bucks where ever I can in this hobby as it often allows me to spend a few extra on something else I really need to.
The following pic is what I decided to do from the start of my indoor growing. It may not be what you are looking to do , but it may very well give some ideas.
Light source is a 1000w HID w/variable ballast  and a 1000w HPS bulb with a sunsoaker reflector on a retractable light support system. Table is a 48"x72"x5/8" plywood sheet supported by a gorilla rack shelving system.
 
As a germination / seedling table
20140601_171741.jpg

 
256  peppers on the table
20150327_004503.jpg

 
Brown morugas thriving under HPS
20140628_221931.jpg

 
the room is over 100 sq ft
20131010_183314.jpg
 
winland said:
Try something like this for shelves from ebay.
Try these for T5 Lamps from ebay
 
Click to expand...
 
In the picture, are your lamp ballasts on an angle and do not fit straight in because the ballast is for 4' lamps and the width of this shelf is 48"?  It seems like the standard wire shelving that is 18" deep is the stuff that comes in under $100.  I am liking the 24" depth so that it fits a standard 11" x 22" tray long wise and then if the width is at least 44" across, I could put 4 trays on a shelf.  Looking at the Uline web page, http://www.uline.com/BL_3878/Chrome-Wire-Shelving, the standard widths are 24", 36", 48", 60" and 72".  My space will allow up to 60".  If I want the lamps to be straight, I should go with the 60" width.  When I look at ebay for wire shelving for the size of 72"H x 60"W x 24"D, the least expensive is $250 with castors which saves me around $60 if I purchased at Uline.  
 
I could see this as a good way to go because it allows me to use the shelf for other things if I ever decide to use it for something else.
 
Its all up to you really, I personally already had a steel shelf that i wasnt using much anymore since buying a house. So really all i needed was the light fixtures. All in all so far ive spent probably 100 on fixtures and 50 on my setup. (Shelfs, starter kits, Plastic pots, etc) I personally like to buy and build everything myself because i like to be able to change it when the need arises.
 
CAPCOM said:
Here is wisdom.
Take a step back and think about the entire growth cycle of your entire grow. Can you build something that can be adapted to your grow from hook the hardening off.
I dont know what the foot print of you grow area is so I am at a disadvantage from the start of this reply. I make every attempt to save myself a few bucks where ever I can in this hobby as it often allows me to spend a few extra on something else I really need to.
The following pic is what I decided to do from the start of my indoor growing. It may not be what you are looking to do , but it may very well give some ideas.
Light source is a 1000w HID w/variable ballast  and a 1000w HPS bulb with a sunsoaker reflector on a retractable light support system. Table is a 48"x72"x5/8" plywood sheet supported by a gorilla rack shelving system.
Click to expand...
 
I like what you are doing, but I do have a much smaller area.  Picture two 72" wide shelves against a wall and you are able to stand comfortably in front of them, but you are not allowed to block the walkway in front of them.  That big lamp and area that you are overwintering is very cool.  The seeds on a wood shelf looks difficult to me because they are not sitting in trays, thus watering them must be a pita.  How do you water them?
 
bpiela said:
 
I like what you are doing, but I do have a much smaller area.  Picture two 72" wide shelves against a wall and you are able to stand comfortably in front of them, but you are not allowed to block the walkway in front of them.  That big lamp and area that you are overwintering is very cool.  The seeds on a wood shelf looks difficult to me because they are not sitting in trays, thus watering them must be a pita.  How do you water them?
Click to expand...
I see your dilemma for space then. With that space in mind though, highly consider these plants in 3-4 months. Being in NJ, you will not have the option of moving them outdoors when they start to spread their wings. And spread, they will.
 
Watering?
That process from the inception of this system has been an evolution. I started bottom watering but the handling of cups multiple times got old plus a waste of 2 cups when I thought 1 should do. Then I started using a injection needle for turkey into a drinking straw running the whole vertical span of the cup so water would make it to the bottom of the root system. That still required a lot of trips around the table and time refilling and injecting Then when I got to the point I was growing 300 plants I went to a pump up sprayer with an extended sprayer stem.
 
This is what I'm using http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-48-in-W-X-24-in-D-X-78-in-H-Steel-5-Shelf-MR482478W5/203828250. I have 2 of them. They fit 4 of the 72 cell trays perfectly per shelf. Very heavy duty. I use solo cups once I transfer out of seed trays. I put the cups in the seedling trays. Well actually I put the solo cups in http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/product/1020-trays/seed-starting because they are heavier plastic than the trays in store bought seedling cell kits. I double them just for extra sturdiness. They fit 18, 18 oz solo cups. So 72 cups per shelf. You could fit more if you just put the cups on the racks but I find it much easier to water by just pouring the water in the plastic trays to bottom water.
 
You really don't need t5 lights if you're just starting plants indoors. T8s are more than enough. I use these http://www.walmart.com/ip/Lights-of-America-8045E-Lights-of-America-4-Solid-State-Shop-Light-White/19759624. Carried at most Walmarts. I just hang them from the wire racks  with the hook and chain hardware included. Raise/lower as necessary. I have 2 per shelf and they work great for starting plants. I had nice big healthy seedlings at plant out last year. Had to top some plants twice they got so big. Just popped in a couple 6500k bulbs I got right while I was at Walmart.
 
To finish I put a piece of reflective insulation on the backs to help reflect light back onto the plants. You can also use a mylar emergency blanket.
 
Anyway, that's my setup and it didn't cost me much. Gives me 8 growing shelves (possibly 10) which is more than enough for my 450 plants.
 
This is the one I use, and going to pick up another one tomorrow. I noticed they dropped the price down to 59.00. You could get any of these wire shelving units like folks have posted and improvise the other features pretty cheap. I'm going to try this, as I think it should work based on measurements, but I'm pretty certain you can fit 3 of the Lowes Utilitech brand t-8 fixtures per shelf. They are more narrow than most other brands. I'll update this post tomorrow if it doesn't.
 
Peter S said:
This is the one I use, and going to pick up another one tomorrow. I noticed they dropped the price down to 59.00. You could get any of these wire shelving units like folks have posted and improvise the other features pretty cheap. I'm going to try this, as I think it should work based on measurements, but I'm pretty certain you can fit 3 of the Lowes Utilitech brand t-8 fixtures per shelf. They are more narrow than most other brands. I'll update this post tomorrow if it doesn't.
Click to expand...
 
I have this exact shelf in black. Worked great but the two t8s from Walmart didn't fit well with it being only 18" deep. I switched to the shelves I listed above because the 24" depth on them is perfect for the brand of t8s I have and the 4 trays/shelf fit a bit better with the extra room. Other than that, great shelf
 
Not trying to hijack this thread, but I was able to fit 3 Utilitech fixtures on one shelf today. They are much narrower than most brands of shop lights.
 
qdN5MvUl.jpg

 
hqL2vg4l.jpg
 
rkempston said:
http://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardware/tool-storage/freestanding-storage/muscle-rack-trade-5-shelf-steel-storage-rack-72-h-x-48w-x-24d/p-1444429577785-c-12652.htm?tid=5210908208480067533This is what i use for mine, i just use four shelves and adjust the shelves based on plant height. I also just  attached my lights with c hooks to the bottom of the shelves.
Click to expand...
Same here.

24 inch by 48 inch shelves are a must for me, as I use 6-lamp T5HO industrial highbay fixtures, which are around 23 inches wide, and about 47 inches long.
 
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