Hello 420 Forum!
Been getting some amazing information and knowledge from this forum and it has inspired me to start growing my own meds. I'm fairly confident that with the info this forum provides, anyone can grow successfully, but I still have a few questions!
It's a long read, sorry, I like to plan, organize, and be prepared! Please skip to the very bottom of this post if you want to bypass the novel and go straight to the questions I need answered!
Here's my plan, I'd love some advice and tips...
The Location:
Existing 2' x 2' x 8' finished alcove inside a large walk-in closet. Hidden from site, it's the perfect location! Walking into the bedroom, you'd have no idea this space existed. Great stealth but small size.
The Plan:
Build a 2x2x4 grow box. Grow 2-3 plants at a time using a low growing strain, top 'em and then LST to maximize yield in such a small space. The hope is for a yield of 50 grams between 2 plants. Seem reasonable? I might add a separate Veg box in the remaining 4' of vertical space in the future. This would help create a perpetual grow setup with monthly harvests.
The Design:
This grow box is designed to be completely customizable and modular, so it can easily evolve as the grow season progresses. LST screen, CPU fans, and lights are all attached to separate 24" wide wooden 1"x1" square dowels. There are wooden slats nailed to the side walls of the box every 6 inches. The LST screen, CPU fans, and light modules can all rest on these side wall slats and act as a ladder, moving lights and fans up and down as the plants grow. Should make things very organized and easy to reposition.
When the front door is in place, this box will seamlessly integrate into the current closet wall. The only evidence of a grow box will be the front vent.
Potting/Nutes:
I plan to use pots and a 75/25 coco and perlite mix, flowering out in 2 gallon pots. Any reason I can't transplant my seedlings straight into the 2gal pots and start vegging?
Looking at Fox Farm Nutrient Trio pack, made for soil. That's 1x 32oz bottle of each formula and is about half the price of the Advanced Nutrients Hobbiest kit I was also looking into. I could use some more tips on using nutrients, especially since my medium is coco/perlite, not soil.
My local coop market down the street has a reverse osmosis filter that I can fill up with and bring gallons home with me, for free! I'll be using this water and most likely lowering the pH to 6.0 or so.
The Venting/Smell:
I'm in an apartment in a city, so venting and smell are a big concern. My plan is to build a DIY Carbon Filter based off many posts and youtube videos I've seen, it's quite easy to do. My box is a total of only 16 cubic feet, so my ventilation will be a 120mm 70CFM computer fan attached to a small 12" long, 4" diameter carbon filter with a 90 degree elbow. This will vent out the top of the box into the closet. The closet I is roughly 50 sq./ft. and has double sliding doors that are always closed.
I plan to use a vent at the bottom of the front door, to act as a passive air intake. I'm not worried about light getting through the slots, since this entire grow box lives inside a closet which has no lights and the window is blacked out. I can also either partially block the air vent or add a fan to help regulate air flow into the box and control temperature.
The small CPU fans are simply to circulate air, evaporate droplets off leaves and help strengthen the plants. They will all be usb fans and will plug in to a USB hub, so all 4 fans are powered and controlled by one hub and can be synced with the timer. Should these fans run 24/7 or should I turn them off during dark stages?
I also plan on hanging a few carbon bags in the main closet, to ensure my clothes don't skunk up too much more than they already smell! Any other tips to help block the smell?
The Lights:
I plan to use CFL's since it's such a small space and a cheap first build. I also don't want my electric bill noticeably increasing. I'll use mylar blankets to cover the entire interior of the box, all 6 sides, as well as create a reflector hood above the CFL's. I'm shooting for around 10,000 lumens to achieve 2,500 lumens per sq./ft., is this enough?
Veg Stage:
Use 6x 26watt CFL at 6,500k each with 1,600 lumens for a total of 9,600 lumens.
Flower Stage:
Use 6x 26watt CFL at 2,700k each with 1,750 lumens for a total of 10,500 lumens.
Would adding a few more lights in either or both stages increase my yield significantly? I could easily modify my light to handle a few more CFLs for example and increase my overall lumens in both veg and flower stages by 30% or so. I could also add side lights. Will it improve my results or do I already have plenty of light?
CO2 Levels:
When researching how to maximize yields in small grow boxes like mine, I came across some info about CO2 being needed, which is why constant fresh air is so important. I'm wondering if I'll have any CO2 issues because I'll be growing in a stale closet, with no open windows or flowing air?
Could I utilize a technique like misting leaves with carbonated water, or brewing alcohol within the grow room so it'll give off CO2 regularly, or mixing vinegar and baking soda to create CO2 and flow it into the grow box. Would this benefit? Is there such thing as too much CO2 for the plants? I think I'm being a classic first time grower, over thinking things!
Questions:
-Do I need to vent outside the house or just outside the grow box?
-50+ grams between 2 plants in this box seem reasonable?
-Should I run fans over the plants during dark stages?
-Is 10,000 lumens in a 2'x2'x4' grow box w/ mylar everywhere enough light?
-Is adding CO2 via a tank or spraying CO2 water on leaves worth it?
-Any reason I can't transplant my seedlings straight into the 2gal pots and start vegging?
-What's the best, simplest Nutes kit I can get for a good price? Fox Farm trio?
Thank you so much in advance!
Been getting some amazing information and knowledge from this forum and it has inspired me to start growing my own meds. I'm fairly confident that with the info this forum provides, anyone can grow successfully, but I still have a few questions!
It's a long read, sorry, I like to plan, organize, and be prepared! Please skip to the very bottom of this post if you want to bypass the novel and go straight to the questions I need answered!
Here's my plan, I'd love some advice and tips...
The Location:
Existing 2' x 2' x 8' finished alcove inside a large walk-in closet. Hidden from site, it's the perfect location! Walking into the bedroom, you'd have no idea this space existed. Great stealth but small size.
The Plan:
Build a 2x2x4 grow box. Grow 2-3 plants at a time using a low growing strain, top 'em and then LST to maximize yield in such a small space. The hope is for a yield of 50 grams between 2 plants. Seem reasonable? I might add a separate Veg box in the remaining 4' of vertical space in the future. This would help create a perpetual grow setup with monthly harvests.
The Design:
This grow box is designed to be completely customizable and modular, so it can easily evolve as the grow season progresses. LST screen, CPU fans, and lights are all attached to separate 24" wide wooden 1"x1" square dowels. There are wooden slats nailed to the side walls of the box every 6 inches. The LST screen, CPU fans, and light modules can all rest on these side wall slats and act as a ladder, moving lights and fans up and down as the plants grow. Should make things very organized and easy to reposition.
When the front door is in place, this box will seamlessly integrate into the current closet wall. The only evidence of a grow box will be the front vent.
Potting/Nutes:
I plan to use pots and a 75/25 coco and perlite mix, flowering out in 2 gallon pots. Any reason I can't transplant my seedlings straight into the 2gal pots and start vegging?
Looking at Fox Farm Nutrient Trio pack, made for soil. That's 1x 32oz bottle of each formula and is about half the price of the Advanced Nutrients Hobbiest kit I was also looking into. I could use some more tips on using nutrients, especially since my medium is coco/perlite, not soil.
My local coop market down the street has a reverse osmosis filter that I can fill up with and bring gallons home with me, for free! I'll be using this water and most likely lowering the pH to 6.0 or so.
The Venting/Smell:
I'm in an apartment in a city, so venting and smell are a big concern. My plan is to build a DIY Carbon Filter based off many posts and youtube videos I've seen, it's quite easy to do. My box is a total of only 16 cubic feet, so my ventilation will be a 120mm 70CFM computer fan attached to a small 12" long, 4" diameter carbon filter with a 90 degree elbow. This will vent out the top of the box into the closet. The closet I is roughly 50 sq./ft. and has double sliding doors that are always closed.
I plan to use a vent at the bottom of the front door, to act as a passive air intake. I'm not worried about light getting through the slots, since this entire grow box lives inside a closet which has no lights and the window is blacked out. I can also either partially block the air vent or add a fan to help regulate air flow into the box and control temperature.
The small CPU fans are simply to circulate air, evaporate droplets off leaves and help strengthen the plants. They will all be usb fans and will plug in to a USB hub, so all 4 fans are powered and controlled by one hub and can be synced with the timer. Should these fans run 24/7 or should I turn them off during dark stages?
I also plan on hanging a few carbon bags in the main closet, to ensure my clothes don't skunk up too much more than they already smell! Any other tips to help block the smell?
The Lights:
I plan to use CFL's since it's such a small space and a cheap first build. I also don't want my electric bill noticeably increasing. I'll use mylar blankets to cover the entire interior of the box, all 6 sides, as well as create a reflector hood above the CFL's. I'm shooting for around 10,000 lumens to achieve 2,500 lumens per sq./ft., is this enough?
Veg Stage:
Use 6x 26watt CFL at 6,500k each with 1,600 lumens for a total of 9,600 lumens.
Flower Stage:
Use 6x 26watt CFL at 2,700k each with 1,750 lumens for a total of 10,500 lumens.
Would adding a few more lights in either or both stages increase my yield significantly? I could easily modify my light to handle a few more CFLs for example and increase my overall lumens in both veg and flower stages by 30% or so. I could also add side lights. Will it improve my results or do I already have plenty of light?
CO2 Levels:
When researching how to maximize yields in small grow boxes like mine, I came across some info about CO2 being needed, which is why constant fresh air is so important. I'm wondering if I'll have any CO2 issues because I'll be growing in a stale closet, with no open windows or flowing air?
Could I utilize a technique like misting leaves with carbonated water, or brewing alcohol within the grow room so it'll give off CO2 regularly, or mixing vinegar and baking soda to create CO2 and flow it into the grow box. Would this benefit? Is there such thing as too much CO2 for the plants? I think I'm being a classic first time grower, over thinking things!
Questions:
-Do I need to vent outside the house or just outside the grow box?
-50+ grams between 2 plants in this box seem reasonable?
-Should I run fans over the plants during dark stages?
-Is 10,000 lumens in a 2'x2'x4' grow box w/ mylar everywhere enough light?
-Is adding CO2 via a tank or spraying CO2 water on leaves worth it?
-Any reason I can't transplant my seedlings straight into the 2gal pots and start vegging?
-What's the best, simplest Nutes kit I can get for a good price? Fox Farm trio?
Thank you so much in advance!
