New grower, starting 600W small closet grow, need help!

D

d4money1

New Member
Hi guys, I have a closet thats about 2 feet wide x 4.5 feet long (so about 8-9 sq ft) and about 8ft high. I want to start a grow in this closet hopefully fitting 3-5 plants max. I plan on trying to grow feminized white widow and i want a good amount of yield (hopefully anywhere between 4-16oz). I plan on using a 600W HPS/MH combo (i thought bout getting 1000W but i wanna avoid a super high electric bill.

1. I plan on lining the walls with mylar (is that a good reflective material to use?)
2 I plan on starting my seedlings under the HPS at a very far distance of 3 or more ft away because I really dont wanna have to buy CFL lights. but i dont wanna burn my seedlings
3. Do you guys think i could fit up to 5 plants in here using 5 gallon buckets
4. Im probably going to use ocean forest soil since i keep hearing a lot about it...its just EXTREMELY expensive.
5. I want to try and veg these plants for awhile, probably 2 or more months because I want them to get about 4 or 5 feet tall. is that possible in an indoors closet?

do you guys have any suggestions for me? will a 600W HPS/MH be enough to get me that yield of 4-16oz in this closet from 3-5 plants?

most importantly what kind of light reflector would u guys recommend for a closet that size? (air cooled, wing w/o cooling,..etc)

You guys could be a great help to me. Thanks and i look forward to being a part of the community
 
Hey D4 money.....looks like your new here, welcome to the site...

First off I would suggest starting a grow journal here, here is the link of how to get started...
How to Make a Grow Journal

Here by posting all the details, with photos and descriptions people will be able to help you out throughout the process...

Well I'm not a pro by no means, but so far have learned a ton here and you will find the members are really helpful, knowledgeable and good people... I have virtually learned everything I need about growing from this site and the forums are an excellent place to learn...so on to your questions...

1. Mylar is an excellent choice to use for the walls and has a very high reflective rate...I've heard some people also have used those thin emergency blankets with luck... also flat white paint is very good at reflecting, but mylar would be your best option..

2. I've never grown from seed so I'm sure others may be able to help you with this one...as far as I know you definitely want HID lights far from young seedlings...and for the Veg Stage you might also want to check out a Metal Halide, but HPS will be fine all the way thru as well..

3. I have a very similar sized tent that I grow in, mine is 28"x58"x78" and I am able to fit 6 Smartpots in there Size #3 which is similar to a 5 gallon plastic pot size. You should be good to go with the buckets... just make sure they fit before you start your grow...

4. Ocean Forest is good soil...I use it mixed half and half with Happy Frog and so far good results... Have you decided what nutrients you are going to use? are you going organic or synthetic ferts? May want to pick up some extra perlite to mix in, and worm casing's are great for addition to the soil...If your going organic, which I highly recommend, then you may want to add some bat guano's and other additives which you will find on the site by checking out the organic's section...

5. You can veg the plants for quite a while and there are plenty of different methods depending on how you want to grow them... In my grow, I do a SCROG which is a training method for creating an even canopy of buds and maximising your yield in a a smaller grow space... check it out... also look into LST, Supercropping, Topping And FIM as different methods to bush out your plants...really depends on how you want to grow them, and how much effort you want to spend..

As far as your lighting...1 600w would be fine for your grow area, but the sides of your area, being almost 5 feet long, you may need to add some supplemental lighting for best coverage... In mine, which is almost same size, I use a 400w and 600w so I can offer both MH and HPS for dual spectrums of light, and very nice buds.. I would definitely recomend an air cooled hood or cool tube, it makes temperature control much easier.

Hope this helps...
 
wouldnt a cool tube give me a lower yield? and a dual light would use a lot of electricity :( something im now sure about doing in a small either because it might get REALLY hot

also so is there a GOOD cheaper soil alternative? thanks
 
hey d4money, to answer your question, No, a cool tube will not lower your yeild compared to an open faced fixture. Provided that you keep your cool tube's lens clean from dust and debris.
you will need to have vents in your grow space wether you choose to use cfl lighting or hps lighting, the only thing that will defer from the two is size and quantity.

with a 600 watt hps you will be more then fine in that size space, as long as you vent it properly!
you need to have an intake opening somewhere down low on your rm so that fresh cool air can be drawn up from the bottom of rm then drawn up threw the plants canopy and then threw your light and out the rm or just up and out your exhaust port.

you best bet would to take pics of grow space with tape measure so that the people here can help you more easily.
 
I'll toss my 2 cents in d4

1. Like Icemud said, the cheap mylar blanket at Walmart sporting good section is good, but mylar gets a little water spotted if you mist the plants or splash water when watering. I used it with good results, but seem to be doing just as good with out it right now. I grow in a white fiberglass shower stall and it is really bright in there. At least use a good coat of flat white paint.

2. You should probably use the MH for starting and vegging, not the HPS

3. 5 gl buckets should be no problem long as they fit. I also use 4 or 4.5 gl kitty litter square pots, they fit nice and close if needed.

4. I have used several different soils alone and mixed together. If you are going organic, good quality is more important and probably worth the money. Ocean Forest is $22 for 1.5 c/ft here. I like Promix organic ($10) 1 c/ft, even if I don't use organic nutes. I like to mix it with what the local garden shop sells and add some OC+ and a few other ingredients, and it's very simple, just add water. I occasionally add some other things like a flowering nute, molasses, snowstorm etc.

5. Plants 4 or 5 ft tall is to tall. White Widow will stretch and they will get that big, but the light will not penetrate to the lower buds.

I would seriously look into SCROG to fill the space with a nice carpet of buds, especially if you are going to veg for 2 months. Or at least do some LST to them to get the more of the branches and buds exposed to the light. Check my journals. They aren't that long and the pics will show some of what I am talking about.

Plants should be about 18 inches away from a 600W and that light will penetrate about 18 inches down also. You should get at least 8 oz in that space, maybe 12+. And plan on venting, it will get hot in there.

I had a wing reflector that came with the light kit, but made my own vented hood and it works great.

Good luck, and any questions feel free to ask.
 
i dont really have space to put an exhaust fan on the reflector, plus i dont really have a way to get the air our because I cant drill an hole in the wall or door for the fan because its an apartment that i dont own or anything. I really want to keep the closet door closed so no one can see inside, So do you guys think i would be ok with just putting 2 or 3 fans inside the room and keeping the door closed instead of having the 6" reflector fan. Can i just use like 3 fans in the room or would i have to get a standing Air conditioning unit? This is my biggest concern because everything else should set up fine

Thanks, ive included pics of my messy closet (until i start the project) for better reference lol

IMG_0053.jpg

IMG_0050.jpg

IMG_0051.jpg
 
I would think you're better getting a grow tent of some kind. That way you don't need to worry about your deposit. You have vent holes built in to most tents, and you don't need to worry about light getting in or out. Plus I don't see any plug outlets in your closet (most closets aren't wired for electricity), So you would need to run a heavy duty extension cord to it. (a thick orange cord is kinda obvious). Find a corner in your bedroom or spare room that can fit a 3x3 or 4x4 tent and go that route.
 
if you honestly cant vent in or out, and want to keep door closed, you should consider cfl's you can get good yeilds from cfl as long as you do it right!

watch this guys channel, he grows with cfls and does it right, you get quality yeild and decent amount, its just you dont get huge donkey dick colas and monster plants, you just get good, quality, tight (depending on strain) frosty nuggets.

=> grow dank bud with with cfls <=


=> Proff u can grow dank with cfls <=
 
I second the tent idea!! closet will be too hard to keep light out, and temperatures steady...
 
I had another idea guys...What if i open the door and just hang a curtain lined with mylar on the inside in place of the door. That way i can run the exhaust fan w/ carbon filter through a small opening in the curtain and i can close it for light control. What do u guys think?
 
If anything I would get a tent.... especially if your concerned with smell...much easier to contain and control in a tent... but if your just going to use your closet I would suggest mounting some plywood, making a door so then you can cut holes where needed for vents, plus make a door that is sealed from light...when in flower your going to need complete darkness....I don't see how a curtain being your door will work with vents attached to it... but who knows...we smokers are pretty crafty... :)

Curious but how do you plan on hanging your light, ducting, carbon filter and exhaust fan in your closet?

Also, as mentioned before, make sure you have wall outlets in the closet...I'm not an electrician but I would be hesitant on running a 6oow light, fans etc for 18 hrs a day on a orange extension cord..
 
d4money1 said:
I had another idea guys...What if i open the door and just hang a curtain lined with mylar on the inside in place of the door. That way i can run the exhaust fan w/ carbon filter through a small opening in the curtain and i can close it for light control. What do u guys think?
Click to expand...

yeah absolutely, that way you can still have it all hidden inside closet, just make sure door dosent close!! otherwise that rm will get hot because of lack of ventilation.

a tent is nice but youd need way too small of one to fit inside closet n you loose grow space, and you want this hidden so having a tent in your rm dosent work for that haha. i have a tent and its nice but not camouflage thing almost touches the ceiling haha

just make sure that the exhaust vent is up top and intake is down low, but id make lower intake pipe long enough to go threw blanket/mylar and then to a close window for fresh air intake.. ten just let carbon scrubbed exhaust air just enter your rm, it will def help warm up the rm!!

you should prob use a tarp instead of a blanket. blankets promote mold and mildew in humid locations, not saying it would happen 100% guarenteed but its better safe then sorry!
 
ok so ive been listening to everything about tents and i think ill go with a 2x4x7 tent for an additional $100 and just build it inside the closet, that way i can keep the door open but the tent closed while having ventilation running thru the tent and everyones happy :)
 
I think you and I have a lot in common.

Check out my grow...

I had a huge odor problem and I have since sealed the top of my closet and I used poly film to seal the front (amazon.com) also known as panda plastic. Its not expensive at all. I have a piece of board lining the door way and it also helps create the 'tub' where I will place my pots ( the blue area at the bottome. I used smart pots as well and I heard they are the best bang for your buck.



All I used were 6 -4ft. I've heard you can use these just as well during veg to keep heat and cost down. Definitely use an HPS for flowering.

How safe is it to post a grow journal???? I could get in a huge amount of trouble, it's all for personal consumption but still.

:goodjob:
 
d4money1 said:
anybody have experience with grow tents and carbon filters? what do i mount them with?
Click to expand...

I just used some plastic strapping with tie wire to fasten them where needed... Really any durable straps will work...just hang to circles like a cradle for the carbon scrubber at the top of your tent... works great...check out both my grow journals for pics of mine..
 
Use at least a 12 guage extension cord. You have quite a challenge with ur closet. There is an old saying, Don't go broke trying to save a buck.
 
I wanted to add my 1 cent of advice for lining the walls but I see you my go with a tent..If not, I have found that for 25.00 at Lowes you can get the same product that the hydro store sells
716511320017xl.jpg
..You can use cork board pin tacks to mount to wall, leave no holes to be seen when you leave. Walmart also has a 4.00 and 8.00 front car window reflector that work great too. The blanket material I found is hard to clean and hard to mount and withstand cleaning..If it is dirty you loose 80% reflection.
 

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