in the middle, as well as the light, is for growing lots of clones or plants at the vegetative stage. For flower that tent isn't big enough to accommodate what it can put out in veg. It also does not include the light for flower (at least another $100?, hopefully the ballast is dual), and no exhaust fan - it is critical when they begin to smell. (CAN fan is around $200, plus a filter that's about 8" diameter and 15" long).
That does seem pricey, but I didn't spend a long time with it. AND, I am a maker kind of person, so I tend to build what I can.
Used flourescents for a time, but got a chance at a better tent, light, ballast, fan, filter, cooltube, duct, and a few misc hangers, soil, etc for about $1000. Made a growing table out of pvc with a net strung across. The platform holds rubbermaid 10 gallon roughneck tubs. I start somewhere else, and use discarded laundry soap containers (2 1/2 gallon plastic rectangle) to plant in, put those in the rubbermaid tub.
Duct goes out and up. If you wonder whether a good fan and filter, and proper venting is important, you can ask your neighbors.
Both of those, however, use an HPS light, which burns 600 watt bulbs. Which most people think is relatively easy to spot. The bulbs lose 5-10% of their efficacy in the first year, so they do wear out.
An LED might be better, but most of the affordable ones could result in 1/2 the yield one is used to. Still, better than jail.
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