Stealth SCROG box

[Guest nick_milligan]

ok im planning to build a stealth grow box in an old dresser so i guess the dimensions would be about 2fw x 2fd x 4fh. it will be set up for SCROG growing in soil.

so here are the questions:

1)i was planning to have two 100w hps lights mounted on top with holes cut through for the light to cut back on heat, but after reading for a while on overgrow im starting to think about putting in some of those energy saving bulbs that screw into normal light sockets. Should i stick to hps or move to fluros? or a combination of both, and where should i have my fluros positioned for best effect? above or below the screen?

 

2)because i am growing from seed, not clones i am having them in seperate pots with seperate screens, to make it easier to remove any male plants if that happens. so, how many plants should i put in here? and will 6" deep pots be big enough for the plants?

 

3)Will a passive air intake with 1or 2 pc fans for exhaust and a pc for airflow inside the box be enough?

 

4) what hieght above the plants should i have the screen? after reading the forums i was thinking about 9" above the soil, will this be enough? and what hieght above the screen should the lights be for best effect.

 

5)last one, what would be the best way to train them on to the screen? should i FIM the plant or just top it when it reaches the screen and then train all the following branches into it too?

 

anyway thanks for the help and anything else i think of ill post soon

[Guest weekprik]

1)i was planning to have two 100w hps lights mounted on top with holes cut through for the light to cut back on heat, but after reading for a while on overgrow im starting to think about putting in some of those energy saving bulbs that screw into normal light sockets. Should i stick to hps or move to fluros? or a combination of both, and where should i have my fluros positioned for best effect? above or below the screen?

 

depends on what plants you want to grow, to grow MJ your closet is too small, but if you insist then you will need at least a 400watt HPS prefer with sontagro,

you WILL need a fan at the bottom of the unit sucking air in, and an exhaust fan sucking the air out of the unit, Bunnings have 250mm bearing fans for $17-00,

energy saver bulbs wont grow shit, 100watt wont grow shit, a combination of Fluros approx 500watts worth ie 4 tubes, with the 100 watt might be ok?

if just using fluros put them side ways at the back ie standing on their sides,

 

2)because i am growing from seed, not clones i am having them in seperate pots with seperate screens, to make it easier to remove any male plants if that happens. so, how many plants should i put in here? and will 6" deep pots be big enough for the plants?

not really, you want 8" unless you are only growing to about 2 ft tall plants, Why bother growing from seed?? it wastes alot of time and money, not to mention your growing something your unsure of????????

 

3)Will a passive air intake with 1or 2 pc fans for exhaust and a pc for airflow inside the box be enough?

might be if your going with your initial thoughts, but your best off usuing the $17-00 exhaust fans,

 

4) what hieght above the plants should i have the screen? after reading the forums i was thinking about 9" above the soil, will this be enough? and what hieght above the screen should the lights be for best effect.

 

ok as i see it, the screen should be 12" to 15" above the pots,

the lights need to be a close as you possibley can without touching or burning the plants, If your using a HPS get a light spreader and if your using a 400HPS which you should then it needs to be 3 foot above the tips of the plants at all times (unless there is too much heat for the plants),

 

5)last one, what would be the best way to train them on to the screen? should i FIM the plant or just top it when it reaches the screen and then train all the following branches into it too?

 

yeah the best is to top it as it hits the screen, then train every new lat after that, Make sure you only veg till 80% of the screen if full MAX, otherwise growth during the flower stage will be affected, at 80% go 12/12 with ya lights and keep training this will result in 100% full screen at harvest.

 

What are you growing in?? soil or hydro??

if your new to growing then i suggest hydro and a truncheon to test the nute strength, also a Ph tester to keep the PH right.

 

if in soil i suggest you add perlite to the soil at 70/30 mix, I dont like straight perlite for newbies as its too easy to burn the plants.

 

I wouldnt grow from seed, buy yaself some clones mate, they are worth the $$ and will give better results and NO crap plants only good soild females.

[Sensei_Sativa]

yes but it all has to start somewhere, getting the clones of the plats in the first place....

 

thru my grow i find that fluroes are more then adeqauet when vegging, if they are kept as close as possible to the plants in co-operation with reflective tape on the tube itself, the best fluroes to get would be compac, energy saving, highest wattage possible for size of bulb. universal positions, high lumen output, cool white, and just pack em in your grow space

 

but for the budding stage, definantly a hps, and 100w is adequet for that small space, barely, but within limits

 

you would only need a 150 / 250 cfm fan, make yourself a carbon filter, there so easy and very effective

 

\

[Mick666]

Im vegging clones i got from SPC a few weeks ago under 2 18w cool white fluros and 1 14w warm fluro and they are going pretty good.... this is my first grow tho.... im using 50/50 coco peat/perlite and hand watering.

 

I plan on buying a 400w HPS in a few weeks then moving the ladies to my flo room vegging for another week or 2 then switch them to 12/12

 

If you are going to go Compact Fluros just goto Kmart or somewhere and buy a cheap lamp.... best way to get wired up sockets... I payed 6bux for a lamp... or i could of payed 10bux for a socket without wire.... and i even got to smash the lamp up which just made it even more fun

 

Anyway that was alot of rambling..... If you already have seeds might as well use them specially if this is your first grow..

 

Good luck!

[pipeman]

weekprik I think you've said that some things there that aren't quite right.

 

first of all that closet i not too small for a scrog. If you have a look through overgrow you will see many successful scrog grows of that size or smaller.

 

you don't necessarily need an intake fan, although they make things better, and you don't need a 400watter. you can grow very respectable bud off small HPS lights. It all depends on how much you want. If you don't want a lot of bud you don't need a big light.

 

you said that a 400watt light needs to be 3 foots about plants, more like 300 to 450mm I think you mean.

 

and nick, although you can get away with a scrog that low it will be tricky as a first grow I'm guessing. Go to a salvo store and pic up a decent sized double wardrobe for $50. It will make growing much easier whether you're scrogging or not.

[Luke Skywalker]

if in soil i suggest you add perlite to the soil at 70/30 mix, I dont like straight perlite for newbies as its too easy to burn the plants.

 

Perlite is probably the easiest of all hydro media to grow plants in when used alone. The only reason you would burn plants is if you add too much ferts, it has nothing to do with the media type.

[merv]

Man I hate perlite, that shit gets everywhere...

 

Go the rockwool and clay pebbles... ..

 

everyone has their fav hey ::

 

speaking of small SCROG.. Ive seen a pretty amazing setup ( Not unlike my own , only this one is smaller ) in a converted PC.... It contained 4 x 18x 18" fluoro's , 2 each side, and a 70watt HPS at the top... it was quite a nice little setup... whole thing was in a tower-case..

 

anyway, it all boils down to a few questions you need to ask yourself..

 

1. How stealthy do I need to be ?

2. and how much to I need to grow ?

 

If your only growing for yourself, and obviouly you and only you know what type of demand that it going to be.. and if its not entirly necessary to be complty stealthy, then take pipemans advise,and goto St.Vini's or the Salvo's and pick yourself up a cupboard....

 

Then take a look pip's and FoL's and Tom's Grow's...

 

Toke up my friend - Merv

Edited May 20, 2003 by merv