First Time Grower - Starting Concepts

[TheGeek]

First time grower (legal in MA).

Where am I now? I have the medium for my grow cabinet. I am trying to go "stealth" until my girlfriend's kids are out of the house (15 & 17). The 15 year old smokes (she is dead set against it and not too happy about my growing because she doesn't condone her son doing it) and the 17 year old has a god complex and will destroy anything he believes to be against his morals (but that is best for a therapist). Needless to say, my only concerns is the 15 year old raiding the stash or the 17 year old sabotaging the stash.

Here is the grow cabinet (an old hardwood dresser)"

Concepts:

Gut the "Grow Area".
Spray interior w/ Flexseal (eliminate light / odor)
Line interior w/ emergency blanket/space blanket/reflective blanket material.
Thinking 2x (VIPARSPECTRA Reflector-Series 300W LED Grow Light) would be nice, it would fit perfectly where the drawers are.
Thinking Bluetooth (water/fertility/temp) monitor for each plant (starting w/ 2).
Intake and exhaust will be 80mm fans using PVC and activated carbon traps (homemade) for odor control.

Doing research on soil and fertilizer, will update this thread throughout the process of the build and how it works, so hopefully people can help me along. Any feedback or anything I may be missing overlooking going into this build?

 

[lootznbootz]

Love the idea!
Had a dresser very similar to it and thought about it
I see diy grow spaces in everything i look at lol
Subbed

 

[rastapops]

Better get dwarf strains short just for that kind of grow...good luck

just started growing med for my PTSD!

 

[TheGeek]

Update:

Grow Area is 32" H x 32" W x 16" Deep

Additional Lighting Area is 5" H x 32" W x 16" Deep

Gutted the "grow area" and did the first application of flex seal. I'm thinking one more coat around the "edges" and then a full paint coat.

(Question: What strains do you suggest for a 32" grow area?)

 

[TheGeek]

I'm now thinking I should have maybe used a primer first or caulked the outside w/ a clear caulk? Oh well, this coat is only to help eliminate light and odor leaks, I still have to line the interior w/ mylar. Should I leave the top area as is and mount the lights there or should I remove that completely?

 

[lootznbootz]

Do you mean removing the space so its all 1 space 37" x 32" x 15"?

 

[TheGeek]

Do you mean removing the space so its all 1 space 37" x 32" x 15"?

That is correct, I was going to leave the wood and carve holes for the lights to align flush with the wood. Now that I think about it, doesn't make much sense to keep that wood there.

 

[lootznbootz]

Ok yea i see what your saying now...
Yea id take it out only because i worry about the heat collecting in such a small space...
Tho led doesn't produce much

In such a small area
the heat the light produces plus the heat from the unit itself

Id want as much air movement as possible

Thats just my opinion tho

* i have never used leds in my personal grow.
A friend of mine uses them and loves them.
he uses a homemade box, little bigger than yours
Thats where i saw the idea to covert my dresser like yours.
So ive done the research just never applied it personally...

But my opinion still stands
Take it out lol

 

[TheGeek]

I was in Lowes yesterday and looked at this for ventilation:

Still going back in forth on lighting, but I am almost certain I am going with LED as I can let the buds get closer and just put something like a shelf of chicken wire or a grate 6" below the lights.

 

[lootznbootz]

I was in Lowes yesterday and looked at this for ventilation:

Still going back in forth on lighting, but I am almost certain I am going with LED as I can let the buds get closer and just put something like a shelf of chicken wire or a grate 6" below the lights.

I use one of these for active intake at the bottom of my tent.

I would get a 6 in tho...and maybe a 4 in to pull air in at the bottom
How many cfm is it rated at?

Youll need to guarantee you can move enough air in and out to maintain temps and keep a fresh supply of co2

I was in Lowes yesterday and looked at this for ventilation:

Still going back in forth on lighting, but I am almost certain I am going with LED as I can let the buds get closer and just put something like a shelf of chicken wire or a grate 6" below the lights.

 

[TheGeek]

65 CFM free air to maximum boosted air 80 CFM

I just read elsewhere that you want passive intake and forced exhaust or else you risk "odor leak". So maybe I will look for a 6 or 8 as exhaust only and make a filtered passive intake on the bottom or lower back of the cabinet.

 

[Velk]

First time grower (legal in MA).

Where am I now? I have the medium for my grow cabinet. I am trying to go "stealth" until my girlfriend's kids are out of the house (15 & 17). The 15 year old smokes (she is dead set against it and not too happy about my growing because she doesn't condone her son doing it) and the 17 year old has a god complex and will destroy anything he believes to be against his morals (but that is best for a therapist). Needless to say, my only concerns is the 15 year old raiding the stash or the 17 year old sabotaging the stash.

Here is the grow cabinet (an old hardwood dresser)"

Concepts:

Gut the "Grow Area".
Spray interior w/ Flexseal (eliminate light / odor)
Line interior w/ emergency blanket/space blanket/reflective blanket material.
Thinking 2x (VIPARSPECTRA Reflector-Series 300W LED Grow Light) would be nice, it would fit perfectly where the drawers are.
Thinking Bluetooth (water/fertility/temp) monitor for each plant (starting w/ 2).
Intake and exhaust will be 80mm fans using PVC and activated carbon traps (homemade) for odor control.

Doing research on soil and fertilizer, will update this thread throughout the process of the build and how it works, so hopefully people can help me along. Any feedback or anything I may be missing overlooking going into this build?

There's a
Quote in the bible about how God gave man
Seed to bare plant and herb I'm sure that will
Silence his godly ways hehe


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[lootznbootz]

65 CFM free air to maximum boosted air 80 CFM

I just read elsewhere that you want passive intake and forced exhaust or else you risk "odor leak". So maybe I will look for a 6 or 8 as exhaust only and make a filtered passive intake on the bottom or lower back of the cabinet.

EXACTLY!!! Now your cookin! Lol

 

[TheGeek]

So basically here are some updates:

I currently removed the top section of the dresser, now a 37" x 32" x 16" open space.
I caulked the interior lining of the drawers and once dried, I will finish painting w/ flex seal.
The interior will be lined with Mylar.
I will use a 6" or 8" exhaust fan w/ carbon filter.
Using LED Lights (possibly adding additional vertical lighting).
Using 3 gallon fabric pots.

I'm hoping this will be sufficient for growing 2 plants at a time, providing me with 1/4 to 1/2 ounce of personal use (stash) a week between grows.

 

[akjhdiu3g23t]

I'll be watching this one. I'm always looking for additional grow areas. Looking good so far.


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[TurboBucket]

My two cents as a guy who deals with airflow for a living. You basically just need more exhaust than intake to prevent odor leaks. Those inline fans are going to make a little bit of noise and a 120mm PC fan will produce similar results to the numbers you posted. I would think a multiple PC fan setup would likely suffice and provide more balanced airflow. But the inline will be easier to source locally Just some thoughts. Best luck.

Sent from my Turbo Bucket

 

[TheGeek]

This project has not been abandoned, I just moved forward with a grow tent as everyone had something to say about the height limitations of the dresser, which I don't think is going to be a problem, since I am starting with feminized / autoflower seeds. My current configuration is a Vivosun 4'x4'x6' tent w/ 1000watt switchable HPS/MH balast and I have a single T5 on top of the dresser for seed germination while I finish up the project. The mylar just came in, so as soon as I install it this weekend, I will have more pics.