Not so surprising. The mass of earth under your feet is much larger and warms and cools at relatively glacial rates compared to a 5gal pot of thinned soil exposed to the air on all sides.
Nope... not surprised at all.
Radogast's Hi-Brix Basement Grow - New Location - New Soil - New Experiences
Not so surprising. The mass of earth under your feet is much larger and warms and cools at relatively glacial rates compared to a 5gal pot of thinned soil exposed to the air on all sides.
Nope... not surprised at all.
- Thread starter
- #182
Regarding watering and feeding
I just watered with 1/4 transplant 2 days ago. The soil is mostly saturated. Should I top water with GE - at a higher than normal strength?
Leaves of AK47 XTRM (the most affected)
Leaves of Buddha's Gift (the least affected) with a ladybug
I just watered with 1/4 transplant 2 days ago. The soil is mostly saturated. Should I top water with GE - at a higher than normal strength?
Leaves of AK47 XTRM (the most affected)
Leaves of Buddha's Gift (the least affected) with a ladybug
- Thread starter
- #183
Regarding temperatures
I guess it's time to get serious about temperature control
You have an important element in that photo that I don't have - a tent.
I have an oil heater that I used in my former 8x8 basement veg room. I had it set to mantain 66 degrees.
My former 4x8 basement flower room needed cooling when running either 1 or 2 600W HPS. Temps stayed about 64 at night without supplemental heat. I still have the HPS lights, but I was planning on waiting until the girls were nearing flower.
- - Just yesterday I installed a 6" heater duct from the central furnace to a previously unheated 1/2 bath.
If I reposition my 6" exhaust fan, It would be possible to route a similar duct from the house central heating to the grow area. There would be a 2-3 foot drop from the heater box to the grow room.
There is already a box heater duct connected to the central heating in the ceiling of my basement room. It woul dbe possible to tap into the box duct, but again the warm air would have to drop into the room. Also I would have to add some sort of one way valve to stop aromas from traveling from grow room to the living room fed by the box duct when the furnace is not blowing.
If I use the electric oil heater, I' will need to add walls or a tent to confine the electric heat to a smaller space than the full 18x12' ? grow room. If I do that, I might as well build seperate veg and flower rooms.
so ....
Any suggestions on what I should do to provide heat?
Does anyone have experience in making heat fall down from either a dedicated duct or a shared box duct?
Will one of those wimpy duct fans be enough to do the job?
Will a continuously running duct fan create enough positive pressure to prevent aromas travelling the other direction up the duct?
I guess it's time to get serious about temperature control
I was wondering about those night temps. I believe Sativas can deal with a cool night better than Indica, but a plant is cold blooded in a sense, right? Low temps can starve and kill. Especially the soil, eh? So, I've moved my tent to accommodate the environment. Glad to hear your dealing with the same sorta issue there rad. I was battling with a 12 volt heater, kept crapping out the fuse soooo, Ventless wall unit with optional stand, gas or lp, with thermostat, 200 bones with 2 year replacement plan. Home depotIt's summertime in that tent!
Peaceful blazing
You have an important element in that photo that I don't have - a tent.
I have an oil heater that I used in my former 8x8 basement veg room. I had it set to mantain 66 degrees.
My former 4x8 basement flower room needed cooling when running either 1 or 2 600W HPS. Temps stayed about 64 at night without supplemental heat. I still have the HPS lights, but I was planning on waiting until the girls were nearing flower.
- - Just yesterday I installed a 6" heater duct from the central furnace to a previously unheated 1/2 bath.
If I reposition my 6" exhaust fan, It would be possible to route a similar duct from the house central heating to the grow area. There would be a 2-3 foot drop from the heater box to the grow room.
There is already a box heater duct connected to the central heating in the ceiling of my basement room. It woul dbe possible to tap into the box duct, but again the warm air would have to drop into the room. Also I would have to add some sort of one way valve to stop aromas from traveling from grow room to the living room fed by the box duct when the furnace is not blowing.
If I use the electric oil heater, I' will need to add walls or a tent to confine the electric heat to a smaller space than the full 18x12' ? grow room. If I do that, I might as well build seperate veg and flower rooms.
so ....
Any suggestions on what I should do to provide heat?
Does anyone have experience in making heat fall down from either a dedicated duct or a shared box duct?
Will one of those wimpy duct fans be enough to do the job?
Will a continuously running duct fan create enough positive pressure to prevent aromas travelling the other direction up the duct?
Bumble
New Member
Oh man, 18x12 takes a nice furnace to heat up. To be truthful, I would try to portion a bit off so you can control the climate. Or, aclimate the whole area with proper heating for the winter. Without proper climate control(not perfect), you'll have sub par growing. And possibly having to trouble shoot issues that are disguised as possible malnutrition due to growers error, when, in reality, it's just to dam cold to grow healthy and vibrant plants. I was told this by a fellow grower here on Tuesday . Proper Environment 1st. Hope you can get it remedied! Insulated duct from your central heat to a homemade tent/closet for the winter? Hmmmm
Peaceful blazing
Peaceful blazing
- Thread starter
- #185
Insulating duct is not the issue - it's only 4 feet from the heater to the thick brick wall of the grow area.
Hot air going DOWN after it leaves the heater is my concern.
I guess I'll go ask the home improvement stores about the proper way to heat a basement man cave.
Bumble
New Member
Hot air can be blown down. You just need adequate push from your blower. 4ft seems short enough distance to run forced air. But, running off a thermostat that is not directly present my give you issues as well as it terminates the heat according to where it's located, like say upstairs.
Peaceful blazing
Peaceful blazing
And if you talk to the heating guys, they'll tell you that you should know what you're doing before you poke holes in ducts and add extra runs. You can have problems with return airflow as well as not enough pressure to get to the end of the original run.
Honestly, a tent isn't that expensive, and it takes care of temp, humidity and odor leakage, all at once.
Honestly, a tent isn't that expensive, and it takes care of temp, humidity and odor leakage, all at once.
KingstonRabbi
Well-Known Member
Even cheaper than a tent is panda plastic and 2x2s or other light framing. less than $30 for 25'x10' sheet. $12 for light proof zipper for door. Plus it's quick and easy to reconfigure if you decide to change layout or multiple rooms.
Heating basement from central heating is iffy. It's good enough to keep pipes from freezing but usually not consistent enough to create stable temps for plants with thermostat so far away.
Whatever source of heat you use, a slow fan will create enough circulation to pull heat down from ceiling. So location of duct vent is less the issue than consistent heating. If you have time and desire for major project...
Or keep it simple to get temps up as quick as possible. Small heater and fan and any sort of tenting material to define smaller space.
Personally I like the flexibility of cheap temporary solutions. I keep changing things around too much.
Heating basement from central heating is iffy. It's good enough to keep pipes from freezing but usually not consistent enough to create stable temps for plants with thermostat so far away.
Whatever source of heat you use, a slow fan will create enough circulation to pull heat down from ceiling. So location of duct vent is less the issue than consistent heating. If you have time and desire for major project...
Or keep it simple to get temps up as quick as possible. Small heater and fan and any sort of tenting material to define smaller space.
Personally I like the flexibility of cheap temporary solutions. I keep changing things around too much.
I've created a walled off growing area with 2x2 wood framing and "double bubble" reflective insulation. It comes in big rolls of various widths. Really easy to use. Heat provided by a small oil filled electric heater and AC provided by small window unit.
Simple... functional.
Simple... functional.
Tomula
Well-Known Member
Man, heating basement, that's gonna be tricky one! You are gonna need some serious fan, to keep it even. Did you checked for any leaks? I do recommend tent as it was said, they are pretty cheap. Rabbi is right, wood and foil works great too. But it does take time. Happy growing man! 
KingstonRabbi
Well-Known Member
Even better!
Noob4x4grow
New Member
Sorry to read about your heating issues Rad. I bet you have a solution to this problem that will blow us away though. I am looking forward to what you come up with. I grow upstairs in my house in a closet and a tent. So, I don't have the same problem that basement growers have. Good luck with your plants. I hope they make a full recovery. You have Doc helping you so it should right itself soon.
Cheers Rad
Cheers Rad
- Thread starter
- #193
Panda plastic and a cheap temporary solution - I can do that !!!
The HVAC in that room is iffy. I looked at 3 HVAC ducts going the width of the room and a crossover pipe between 2 box section ducts. They all look like intake. I could do more analysis to be sure, but It's time to invoke the spirit of my dad, the former duct tape and bailing wire farm boy.
Small oil filled heater - confined space - got it!.
No A/C needed, but a exhaust fan is already installed.
Sorry to read about your heating issues Rad. I bet you have a solution to this problem that will blow us away though. I am looking forward to what you come up with. I grow upstairs in my house in a closet and a tent. So, I don't have the same problem that basement growers have. Good luck with your plants. I hope they make a full recovery. You have Doc helping you so it should right itself soon.
Cheers Rad
A "solution that will "blow us away" - NOPE - can't do that one today.
I totally appreciate the input, and redneck'd together a quick and dirty solution to my heating problem. Thanks for the isnspirations.
My solution was to hang previously used 10x25' panda plastic stapled to the joists to create a 'room' around the growing table with space enough for an oil heater, a chair, and fans. Steady temps today of 72 F.
Redneck walls inside the grow room surround the plants clustered under a light fixture.
(Ignore the LED lights, they were wrapped inside a box with the panda film as packing material.)
I dropped Panda film around 3 sides of a rectangle around a chair, a light, water, and the table with plants.
The 4th side of the rectangle is an exhaust fan going through a brick wall.
Phresh filter and 6" flex duct (surprisingly quiet
)
The phresh filter cover that arrived was 6x16" for a 6x24" filter. I covered almost half the filter with aluminum foil held on with aluminum duct tape.
When the filter starts to clog, I'll remove the foil, move the filter cover, and have clean charcoal to filter the air
Now THAT'S the way to do it Rad. 
Theborn420
Well-Known Member
Where there's a will... Keep pushing Rad!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using 420 Magazine Mobile App
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using 420 Magazine Mobile App
Bumble
New Member
- Thread starter
- #197
Seedlings - day 39 after planting
Amherst Sour Diesel
Amherst Sour Diesel
AK47 XTRM
AK47 XTRM
Buddha's Gift
Buddha's Gift
Borderliner (21 days since planting the seed)
Temperature and humidity ( After this photo, I turned the oil heater up one degree.)
Amherst Sour Diesel
Amherst Sour Diesel
AK47 XTRM
AK47 XTRM
Buddha's Gift
Buddha's Gift
Borderliner (21 days since planting the seed)
Temperature and humidity ( After this photo, I turned the oil heater up one degree.)
Isn't it amazing how they all take on an almost signature "kit look"? They've come through the adjustment period well Rad. How are you holding up? 
- Thread starter
- #199
Isn't it amazing how they all take on an almost signature "kit look"? They've come through the adjustment period well Rad. How are you holding up?
Today was my first day after retiring from the university. The girl went to school and then the 3 of us went out to breakfast at a local diner. I dressed in a black shirt, gray top hat and cane. The cane head (Dr Plague) was loose, so I reglued it after breakfast. Then the wife and I went to a DAV thrift store where I bought a pair of humongous looking snowboots (Cabelo's.) The wife bought a few tops. We proceeded to the ReStore (Habitat for Humanity home decorating thrift store) where we picked up a printer's drawer and some light bulbs. After a little rest, the wife and I went to an auction where we bought: a wood outdoor recliner and 2 chairs, some garden low fencing and decorations, a wing chair, 5 decorator shelves, New Orleans posters and original paintings, seashells and a few decorative items.
I guess I'm adjusting and holding up. My former boss called tonight, wondering if I worked today because he saw my name on an email. He and his senior employee are off work until next week, leaving everything in the hands of a longtime, but still junior, employee. I think he had been drinking. My wife thinks he wanted to see if I would answer the phone in case of an emergency this week. - I took it as permission to have a double vodka during the auction.
ummm ... What was I supposed to be adjusting to? Did I forget to hold up something?
Congrats on your retirement Rad! 