Intake/Exhaust Setup

[take2hikes]

Hi all,
I have a grow room that I've been making modifications and "enhancements" to for the past year. I currently have an intake fan running during the light cycle of my flower room, and a large carbon filter and fan that is "scrubbing" the air within the room.

My question being, is this ok? Or is it necessary to have the air being exhausted as well?

If this is not ok, or not ideal, my second question would be if adding CO^2 to the equation would alleviate this issue and allow me to continue not exhausting the room.

Thanks in advance for replies!

.t2h

 

[PrairiePoet]

If you are trying to keep the smell down, then you have your air setup no tin the best configuration.

Pushing air into the grow room (intake) creates a positive air pressure in the grow room. Air will leak out of the room where ever it can, bypassing your carbon filter.

Pushing air out of the grow room (exhaust) creates a negative air pressure in the grow room. Air leaks will be inward, ensuring that all air leaving the room goes through the carbon filter.

Scrubbing the air inside the room is a waste of time and money. You want to scrub the air as it leaves the room.

I would modify your room following the above.

 

[take2hikes]

Thanks for the reply!

Odor wasn't my primary concern so much as just making sure the plants have enough CO^2 to feed off of. As far as this is concerned do you think I'm ok?

If I do end up getting CO^2 and a controller, I'll most likely have make it exhaust again, seeing how I think it only fills the room every so often. Is this correct? I've never used it before.


.t2h

 

[PrairiePoet]

Thanks for the reply!

Odor wasn't my primary concern so much as just making sure the plants have enough CO^2 to feed off of. As far as this is concerned do you think I'm ok?

If I do end up getting CO^2 and a controller, I'll most likely have make it exhaust again, seeing how I think it only fills the room every so often. Is this correct? I've never used it before.
.t2h

Exhausting is also to keep the temperture and humidity at stable points. If you use CO2, then you need to stop exhausting air, as it depletes what you just put in. But then you have to deal with heat and humidity. With a CO2 setup, you don't exhaust. The controller will maintain the CO2 level (higher than ambient air).

And yes, I think you are ok on the grow.

A totally closed system requires a lot more work and design. In my opinion way more than the casual grower is able to do.

 

[take2hikes]

Prairie,
Ok. Well I think mine is fine then just adding fresh air during the light cycle. I took out the exhausting with adding a CO2 controller in mind, I just haven't gotten around to it. I need to research the best ones, while hopefully still being affordable. I also need to figure out how much CO2 I'll need per harvest.

It is a lot more work to have a closed system, I agree. My setup is 40 in veg and 40 in flower, so I'm not sure what constitutes a "casual grow". I've been involved in some warehouse operations as well, and am hoping to get something started on a larger scale with a friend soon. I've only been doing this for a little over a year, taking advantage of it being legal where I'm at. Everything I know is from self experience, and each harvest has been progressively larger.

Originally I was going to have a "coach", but instead he set me up incorrectly and then left me high and dry. The forums seem to be mostly crowded with 2 kinds of people, the ones who think that it's super easy and the plants practically grow themselves, and the ones who have a lot of experience but aren't saying anything.

I'm a full time student for Computer Science and have been reading over some of your postings, and am quite impressed. It'd be nice to have someone to bounce some ideas off of!

If you, or anyone, has experience with White Russian, I'd love to know some more about it. I've done a little research but it's hard to find legitimate sources. I currently have these in veg and they will be ready to flower in about 3 weeks.


.t2h

 

[PrairiePoet]

Originally I was going to have a "coach", but instead he set me up incorrectly and then left me high and dry. The forums seem to be mostly crowded with 2 kinds of people, the ones who think that it's super easy and the plants practically grow themselves, and the ones who have a lot of experience but aren't saying anything.

I'm a full time student for Computer Science and have been reading over some of your postings, and am quite impressed. It'd be nice to have someone to bounce some ideas off of!

If you, or anyone, has experience with White Russian, I'd love to know some more about it. I've done a little research but it's hard to find legitimate sources. I currently have these in veg and they will be ready to flower in about 3 weeks.
.t2h

The Coach!! I have a friend that went through that also. Except this coach showed up at 3:00 am with a bottle of RoundUp, feeling he wasn't get his share of the harvest. He thought he could waltz in and kill the whole grow. We all need friends like that.

Never grown White Russian, so I can give you any help with that. Did you search through the grow journals?

Being a public forum, there several kinds of people that post. Sometimes I'm here daily, other times it might be a week or so between. All depends on what is going on in life at the moment. I'm sure it is the same for the more experienced growers on here. It is also around harvest time (or ending up) for many, so they are busy.

I'd be happy if you want to bounce things off of me. If I can help, I will. If not I'll let you know.

 

[take2hikes]

I suppose learning for yourself is as good as any. Definitely makes you understand it a lot better, but even if he had been around he incorrectly set up my room anyways, costing me about an additional $5,000.

I'm searching the grow journals now. From what I've read they don't get very tall. In my experience the taller the better. So I'm going to try and persuade them as tall as possible, and have only topped them once (for various reasons).

I'm sure we'll be in touch ;-).

 

[Cona]

What I do is source many many forums and I also downloaded and watched all the growing videos currently on all the torrent websites. This was a big help with understanding soil PH and general things. I like to read everyones threads then take a step back and analyse everyones advice then take the majority rules way. If 15 people have said that soil PH needs to have runnoff that is PH 6.2 - 6.8 and 3 people argue that it needs to be 5.5 in soil then go with 6.2 - 6.8...then check your work yourself to make sure its all correct. Never put all faith in one person. Everyone has their own growing style and I have found a very comfortable groove with my growing. You will get there....just get a few cycles done. Ive been growing for 1 year and am doing much better then when I started. Each plant is a lesson to build on. Each time it will get better. Also...if it aint broke dont fix it. I like to experiment with a few plants changing my tea recipes and new organic extracts (boosters) but I never do all my plants. Not until I know what works.

Anyway...if you want to grow organically in soil then I can help with some advice...but like I said...read many many threads and learn that way.

Good one sir!

Cona

 

[take2hikes]

Cona,
Thanks for the response. I've thought of trying soil in my upcoming "investment" that I'll be doing with my friend. Another friend of mine has used soil with fine results. Basically my thought on soil is that it's easier in terms of PH, could be possibly worse as far as insects, and requires a 2x day watering (is that correct?). Although from your post it seems you probably do have to handle the PH after the first couple weeks and the soil is exhausted.

I currently use Ebb and Grow buckets and have good luck with them. Originally I thought that this setup would be easier, but really I think it's rather comparative once you factor in the cleaning and disposing of the hydroton. At least soil you don't have to rinse...

I've also done an experiment with "Deep Water" with 5 gallon buckets and each having its own air stone. The results were good with that as well, but once you start incorporating a reservoir it gets quite a bit more complicated, not to mention having to have an air stone for each bucket. It just makes the entire preparation and cleanup process a lot more difficult.

I may actually start another post for advice on soil / deep water / ebb and grow. I'm having trouble creating a new thread on the server though, so I won't be able to link. It will be in this same Grow Room Setup section though.



.t2h

 

[Cona]

I use Subcools supersoil recipe and his technique but also add some AACT teas. Subcools supersoil is great. Marijuana plants love the stuff and you can just do the supersoil and water if ya want. No need to check PPMs and PH is really forgiving. You include dolomite lime in the recipe and then I just make sure my water has aerated for 24-48 hours and the ph is 6.5 ish. I just add 1 shot glass of budswell to the water and that makes the ph just about 6.9 then I just add 4-5 drops PH<down and its 6.2-6.5 which is perfect for watering subcool pots. The plants make huge colas with many budsites. The lower budsites are much bigger for me also.

Google Subcools supersoil if you are not familer with it. Also he has vids on Youtube showing how to mix the pots up correctly. In my opinion...its simply the best method for organicly grown weed. They make even new growers look like they have been doin it for years.

Cona