Cuboard Grow Room

[wickedbong119]

Hey Guys

 

Im new to this site, thought I might just give a big hey and just say I am very very happy I found this site! I am currently nutting out my first grow, and even though I just spent last night reading as many old posts as I could on heaps of different topics, I think I need a bit of help on a few little things, so here we go!

 

The proposed grow room is a cuboard that is in a small office like room on the top floor of a two storey house, it is in the corner of the house and windows face the back yard. The cuboard has a width of 2100mm, a depth of 440mm, and a height of 1790mm.

It also has a vent in the bottom right hand corner.

 

So now you know the lay out, this is what I was thinking. 3 plants, start them with a light my mate used to grow a few years back (I think its a fluorescent) for them to get a bit bigger and then when I get more money get a good light for them to flower under. At the moment im thinking of just putting them in pots (Ive got perlite, potting soil, worm castings, builders sand and some fertiliser for the pots) and thats about as far as ive gotten.

 

So please feel free to comment on how I could improve this idea and expand on it!

 

Cheers

[Gazza2001au]

if u want to use the whole area run 2x 400w lights in cool tubes or block off half the area with panda film and run 1 light in a cool tube u will need cool tubes for this area as its only 440mm wide or u could use the whole wardrobe with one light on a light mover option is up to u you will need an exhaust fan and if smell isnt a big issue (bedroom door closed) just use a bathroom exhaust fan and use the vent as your inlet (only use the vent if u know where it leads u dont wanna be invaded by bugs) i find when growing in an unused bedroom with a grow chamber inside of that room smell isnt a big issue if it will be for you look into a centrifugal exhaust fan and a carbon filter and just my opinion i'd toss out the soil u can make a hydroponic system from bunnings for around $25 per DWC bucket or go with coco and perlite its the same as soil as watering goes but you'll get alot better plants i love the shit its very forgiving and if u have the old batton style fluro they are only good for seedlings or cloning if your on a budget and cant afford the HID lights + fan + filter etc... just invest in a few compact fluro lamps (CFL's) 100-130watt are the ones to go with one lamp will cover around 40x40cm's of floor space and there intense enough for good veg

[wickedbong119]

First of all thanks for the quick reply gazza2001au!

 

In regards to the CFL's are you talking about ones you find in your average home, or special stores, and are any lamps ok for them? Second what do you mean when you say light mover option? Also Im a bit unsure on the whole ventilation front, I thought I was meant to be using the fan to get the air out of the grow room, otherwise how do you use carbon filters to reduce smell?

[Gazza2001au]

In regards to the CFL's are you talking about ones you find in your average home, or special stores, and are any lamps ok for them? Second what do you mean when you say light mover option? Also Im a bit unsure on the whole ventilation front, I thought I was meant to be using the fan to get the air out of the grow room, otherwise how do you use carbon filters to reduce smell?

the CFL's are simular to the house hold CFL's just on a larger scale the brand Spectrum make a 130watt and another chinese company make the 100watt they screw into a hydroponic shade lamp holder and plugs into the walls power point with a $7 universal connection as for the light mover you get a long rail i think they come in 2 meters lenght and u cut the rail to the length to fit your growing area than u stick a small motor onto the rail this little motor plugs into a power point and moves your light right across your growing area so u only need 1 light to cover a lot larger growing area that would need more than one stationairy light and for the ventilation this is how u can set it up u place the fan high up on the wardrobe or at the highest point possable to suck out all the hot air than u put a carbon filter on the back of the fan so the cold air will be sucked thru the vent up thru the growing cupboard than thru the fan and than thru the filter and out into the big room this cycle goes on for as long as your lights are on or continously 24/7 what ever u prefer

[wickedbong119]

Ok, thats cleared it all up, thanks for your help on this one, i might just start looking into buying my equipment now, many thanks!

[TD.]

In regards to the CFL's are you talking about ones you find in your average home, or special stores.

try and buy the powerful CFL bulbs off Ebay. Like This One i dont know what country your in so the voltage is something u gotta look at, either 110/115V or 220/240V

 

Also Im a bit unsure on the whole ventilation front, I thought I was meant to be using the fan to get the air out of the grow room, otherwise how do you use carbon filters to reduce smell?

 

see how the carbon filter is slipped on the back of the yellow centrifugal fan and secured with duct tape. what happens is the air is sucked out of your grow room and into the carbon filter, its then recirculated back into your room usualy feeling cooler and with no smell. the fan&filter combo can be in your growing space or somewhere else with the help of some ducting but using ducting reduces suction power.

Edited January 19, 2009 by TD.

[wickedbong119]

Im in Australia, so voltage should be ok, I was just thinking about getting it all second hand from people on this site. And thanks for the ventilation clear up, I actually still had it wrong, lucky you cleared it up!

[nitram]

Hi wickedbong119,

 

There r a lot of things to consider as you put together things essential. Make a list of things that are consider essential, considered important, and things you can live without.

 

Planning is the key. Make sketches of your design and price alternatives to products (will save you $)up for consideration.

 

"essential items" apart from a plan.

 

1) LIGHT (ie 400w HPS - (A GOOD GENERAL ALL ROUNDER VEG & FLOWER)

 

2) VENTILATION & FILTRATION - Various types of fans R availiable (centrifugal, MixFlow (good volume flows & handles carbon filters well))

 

Considered Important

 

1) Reflective surface for interior of grow space - various materials are availiablle (Mylar/flat white paint ect)

 

2) Room Size - has implications for items #1 & #2 above (light coverage & air exchange)

 

Think macro and not micro (ie light rails/2xlights ect.)

 

Getting your design right (ie. sufficient ventilation for your location if heat is an issue)

 

There is no such thing as too much air (excxhange) for your grow. but you will need to clean it beforwe you eject it out into outdoors(where ever).

 

All the best for your build.

 

Nitty.

Edited January 19, 2009 by nitram

[TD.]

also dont forget about CO2 levels. last thing you want is a drop in relative CO2 content.

[wickedbong119]

Alright guys, Ive read all your advice (all seems pretty good) and Ive thought it out again! What about a 400Watt HPS for lighting, a spectrum customline C200 centrafugal 150 watt, 220l/s for ventilation, running the fan with an odour sok as exhaust to a small cuboard on top of the wardrobe that is the same dimensions, just 63cm tall, having the fan suck the air from the top of the grow room out into that with the odour sok on it, and then the small vent in the bottom corner as passive air intake. And also an oscillating fan blowing directly on the plants for air movement, as well as the whole cuboard lined with mylar (whats the place to get this cheapest?) and panda film on the floor to protect carpet. The plants will still be in the soil mix.

 

So, what do you guys think, is it a good plan?

 

cheers