how would you setup these closets. low budget!

[rick3066]

ok have 3 spaces available..one in use. my ceilings are all 8 ft. closet one already has a shelving system..but is the smallest at 18" by 3' by 8'...door #2 is 3' by 3' by 8' with one shelf and one hanger rod going across. and then my current room which is 3' by 5' by 8' ft. so im looking at switching from CFLs to HPS im thinking maybe a 250 watt HPS for flowering...and keep the CFLs for a veg room..im sure someone will post a link as to the sq footage these lamps will cover....thanks in advance all

kepp in mind just want to harvest enough to keep me and my friends in smoke..couple oz a month would be fine..the more the merrier ..I was thinking room 1 might good for lowriders or small plants.

 

[Antics]

Re: how would you setup these closets. low budget!!

You need to look at ventilation if you plant to use HPS. The hot air needs to be completely vented out of the grow area, or it will end up to heat stress, or death. How do you plan to ventilate the grow space?

Harvesting a couple ounces a month would mean roughly an 8-10 month supply of plants. With a good Veg and HPS grow, you can do a couple ounces harvest, but to do this each month, you'll need to have 10-20 plants growing at all times, depending on how well they grow in your environment. As you harvest 1-2 plants, you need to plant 1-2 more to replace them. Then next month, harvest 1-2 more, and plant 1-2 more. It's a constant cycle.

And don't forget after each harvest, they have to dry for a week, plus another 1-4 weeks cure time.

 

[rick3066]

Re: how would you setup these closets. low budget!!

thanks antics...yeah lookin at the t-5 and t-8 setups..no heat issues using CFLs..my current area is open with an open window and fan..is all for ventilation. I dont see how a low watt HPS would heat a 15 by 12 room, but Im a rookie. my current area I rotate lighting 3 times a day to get even coverage. want to get away from that..maybe a 250 watt is more than enough..for each of these areas..I still havent found coverages..didnt you make the switch to HPS?

 

[Antics]

Re: how would you setup these closets. low budget!!

CFLs will still produce heat, as will T5 and T8. Ventilation is still needed, but not as much as HPS.

Your grows are pictured in closets, I assumed the light was going to be in the closet with the doors closed. If the doors will be open, there will still be some ventilation needed.

I'm still using CFLs. I just found some LED GU10 bulbs I had in the garage that I'm going to tinker with and see if I can use them as supplemental lighting.

 

[Governmentchz]

Re: how would you setup these closets. low budget!!

Yeah man. With HPS in those small closets, you WILL need to vent them. I would put a TOPled reflector light in each one and turn the central AC down a few degrees and keep the closet door cracked whenever you can while lights are on (provided it wouldn't cause light pollution to your other plants that might be on a diff schedule). One (or two) of these in there and you may not even need to vent Reflector LED grow light

cheers

oh, 1 more thing; being a stealth grow, in a small closet, you will want to address odor at some point too. Putting a full-on carbon filter rig in there might be a challenge, space-wise as well as noise-wise. You might look into making a small "ONA bucket". You can do it with a large plastic cup and an axial fan from a pc case if that's all you have, but something to think about.

 

[rick3066]

Re: how would you setup these closets. low budget!!

hey thanks man!..I had no idea the HID lights produced that much heat...was thinkin about a 250 or maybe 400 watt..I thought I would get better coverage as well. went and picked a soil tester at local home improvement store, they had 3 pks of 40 watt 2700k CFLS for 14.99.
so I picked up a couple of those. think I will stay CFL for now. no muss no fuss..plus real easy to strategically place. also my PH was 7 on the nose...does that need addressed? and yes she is really starting to smell. also...is unrealistic to want 2 oz per plant?
I got the bug! went to the hydro store...big $$$$$ freakin crazy!

 

[Governmentchz]

Re: how would you setup these closets. low budget!!

A yield of "2 zips per" isn't unrealistic at all...as long as you have decent nutes, good temps, and enough proper light to produce 112g (at least 200 actual watts minimum I'd say, with more adding a higher chance of success). There are other things too that can help swing the pendulum in your favor, but do those things and don't love them too much and don't harvest early if you can help it. Longer veg time equates to larger yields.

 

[rick3066]

Re: how would you setup these closets. low budget!!

again thanks man! ..trying to do my homework,..harvest when she is ready..by trichome..she is gettin frosty!..I figure 8 weeks from this sunday as a target,,,that would be 12 weeks flower only 4 veg. think i will veg another week on my clones for 5 weeks total,,
but i am going to harvest when she is ready..not a cash crop. my bud Antics said he had issues with harvest and curing..gonna try and get ahead of that...rite now she has 240 watts on her,, she looks happy

 

[Governmentchz]

Re: how would you setup these closets. low budget!!

Yep, she looks healthy. What size pot is she in?

 

[rick3066]

3 gal..decided to name all my girls after 1st ladies of USA...meet Lady bird Johnson...sry Im baked

 

[Budworshipper]

Hi there fellow closet grower....

My current ( changing soon ) grow is very similar to yours in all aspects... Apart from its empty at mo..

Maybe my journal could give you some ideas or inspiration..

Whatever you decide, best of luck in your grow journey... May you harvest many buds of pure delight.

 

[Budworshipper]

Healthy looking lady you have there....

 

[Flyinhigh]

My 400 watt hps puts out some heat. More than enough to boost temps in a closet to well over 100 degrees with no ventilation. What I would do would be load the closet down with t-5 lights. You have plenty of wall space to mount a few vertically for supplemental lighting.


Another thing is to get a carbon filter setup in there, atleast in the flower room. I have seen it done in smaller spaces, you just have to be creative. I have to ask, can you cut holes in the wall? And are you planning this as a "permanent" setup?

 

[rick3066]

well flyinhigh,...I know Im gonna keep growing. I didnt think smell would be an issue with just a couple of plants. I was wrong! nope no holes in the walls. this girl is really starting to smell..and I have two clones and another seed vegging. rookie mistakes...I havnt bought seeds yet, are there not strains that are less odorous? ya know my local home improvement store has two bulb 4 ft. fixtures for 9 bucks after rebate. dont the spirals do a better job? gonna take your advice on the filter.

 

[Flyinhigh]

Nice pics rick. And I'm not to sure about the t-5 vs cfl debate, but I know the fixtures are cheap and they cover a lot of area. You might not get the penetration with t-5 but with some supplemental cfl's I'm sure that wouldn't be an issue.

And as far as venting, not to sure how you could get the hot air out without cutting a 4" hole for a duct to fit through. But then again, that's where the creative part comes in

Good luck with your grow, and as always have fun with it.