First Timer - question about lights

[The Hash Nibbler]

That growlush kit for 339 is good value man, not the best ballast, but will do the job, and ya get a tent too... bargain!

Then ya need a carbon filter, this takes smell away from grow room air when vented outside... and the centri fan keeps the air moving through it.

I have a bathroom set up for smoking bongs/joints/hash, but the filter and fan are on a stand, this goes into the hole where the exhaust fan is, Usually 200mm hole. The intake air will get in under the door, just seal any extra vents on the roof, or ya suck warm air into the room.

 

In my signiture below is a tutorial on tent set up, have a read, may help ya understand, as there are pictures and stuff.

 

Peace. Nibbler.

[simonH]

Thanks man. Just found a full kit which includes everything:

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/400w-cooltube-kits-and-duct-fan-Ventilation-System-Grow-Tent-Hydroponic-setup-/251238441297?pt=AU_Seed_Starting_Hydroponics&hash=item3a7efa6151&_uhb=1#ht_514wt_1251

 

Seems like good value, and its in a tent!

 

So the carbon filter stops the smell of the weed going outside, and arousing suspicion. Good idea then!

 

Any advantage of using a tent as opposed to a small room for just one plant. Done one or two plants generate a lot of smell when growing? Can I get away without a tent for now and just use a pedestan fan and carbon filter? (not sure where to put carbon filter if doing this)

[The Hash Nibbler]

Mate ya can grow em in ya bathtub in pots if ya like, but a well set up grow area with a tent will allow you to keep light off the plants while ya do stuff in the room, especially in flower.

 

Just watch them cheap carbon filters, I got one, carbon fell out, because they dont put a filter in em, just dumped carbon straight into the metal surround, dodgy....

 

rest of kit is ok, imo, at least to get ya started.

 

Carbon Filter attaches to centrifugal fan, and in your set up, will be ducted into the roof thru old ceiling fan hole.

Oscilating fan is just for moving air around plant(s).

 

Peace. Nibbler.

Edited March 21, 2013 by The Hash Nibbler

[merl1n]

Hey Simon,

Well there is a lot of differing info around here, so here's my 10cents worth.

Dont even bother with ya CFL's. They maybe cheaper on power but the quality of bud is way less. Yes you can run HID from start to finish, MH is great for the grow but not so great for flowering. HPS is great for flowering but not as good as MH for the grow cycle. I use 2400watts HPS from start to finish, less pissin around than changing bulbs/ballasts. The "Cannaversity" tab at the top of the page has a calculator for light and fan sizes vs grow space. Go have a look. 

You don't have to go 'all out' from the start. The cost can be a bit much. I started small 1 x 400MH then worked my way up over the years, making improvements and buying better equipment as I went. I know of fellas who paid out thousands for their setups and then gave up. Lucky for me they gave their equipment to me ( its always good to have spares )

Now darkness is VERY important. During your grow period you can get away with a bit of light leakage, but in flowering you need TOTAL darkness. Plants flower when the light period is 12/12 interrupting the 12 hours darkness stuffs up the plants flowering, stresses out the plant which can result in shitty fluffy bud.

As for your fans, you need fresh air from outside. I've heard of people buying a tent setting it up in a room and venting the tent into the room but not venting the room itself. Then wondering why the plant has died. Also you need a circulation fan, something to move the air around in your tent. I use 3 pedastal for this. they blow through the plant canopy. This does two things, moves the air within the room and strengthens the stems of the plant as it flexes. Carbon filters are great for smell and yes one plant can create a huge odour and if you are in a built up area people can and will smell it. I live in the sticks so smell is not as much of a problem for me as the farm smells mask it a bit. When I was in town I had a neighbour who came out in hives due to the smell, but there were 6 growers in my street so nobody knew whose it was coming from.

 

Hope it helps

Merl1n

[simonH]

Thanks again guys. Good point about venting the room!

 

Since I'm using autoflowering seeds for my first go, the darkness and that isn't as important, so I'll focus on getting the lighting and airflow right, then worry about the rest of the stuff as I get more money, and work out things like smell and so forth. Im now considering my bathroom with the window might be better, for ventillation and fresh air purposes, as I live on the bottom floor of a 3 storey apartment thingy, so if i vent in the toilet through the exhaust fan, might not work very well?

[AlwaysBeCool420]

Hi Simon,

              I have tried auto's before and have had problems getting them to germinate. I had a thought (I'm not sure if I'm on track or not) but certain plants need certain things done with the seeds to aid germination. Auto's have Ruderalis in them which comes from places like Siberia where it is cold all the time. I think if you put the seeds in the fridge for a week before you try and germinate, you may have a better result.

Cheers ABC

[pisspotgrower]

Comon buddy......get a carbon filter from the star is a must..given the smell isnt to bad in veg but as ya growing autos 1 day yall wake up n the smell will be heeps more potent...if someone smells it, ya gona get a knock on the door n get taken away in cuffs.

 

No way in the world would i even start up a grow without 1.....

Maybe wait till ya have saved up abit more cash.

[simonH]

Yeah I do wanna get a carbon filter, just wondering how I would use it without a tent? Say I'm growing a bathroom, with a window, how would I set it all up? I can see how in a tent you would, as its all sealed, so you basically only venting clean air outside, but other than that?

 

Also, in my toilet, I have that one vent thing, as the pic I posted above (copy and paste the imgurlink)

 

This thing doesn't have a fan, but sometimes i feel air coming through it. Its the only vent like that in my house, and I live in a small apartment building. So wondering what that vent actually is for? I can also here water and toilet flushes sometimes, so presumably there are water pipe there for the upstairs ppl?

Edited March 21, 2013 by simonH

[pisspotgrower]

Just pretend the bathoom is your tent...If ya gona decitate the bathroom to growing cut a hole in the roof put a fan in the roof space, have the duct coming into the bathroom conecting to your carbon filter.

 

I personally dont like venting warm air out the window, not sure if it really exists but people say infared will pick you up this way and also the noise of the air flowing out could be conspictious because will look wieard with it blacked out .

 

Into the roof is best and safest option unless ya living in an area with no neighbours

[simonH]

So vent warm air into the roof cavity that I currently have? Basically have a fan that sucks air, passes the air through a carbon filter, and then expels it into the roof? Then Ill also need a fan to suck in some air from somewhere?

 

What sort of fan can I get that will do the job? If I'm in a room with no windows, how can I get fresh air in?

 

I live in a compound, my house aint on the street, and my apartment is the lowest one, so its semi underground - i.e you walk down to get into it.