2x6x7 Closet with No Ventilation but Can't Decide What Lights to Use

Hey guys,

I recently just ordered some nirvana seeds. The strain is Chrystal which is a NLxWhiteWidow hybrid. Ive got a pretty decent sized closet that i know can grow me some fine plants. Its just that i have a few questions about the lighting? I have been reading all about hps and cfls. I feel like i would get the best results with an hps. But then i dont know what size to get. 250watt or 400watt? with no ventilation would a decent circular fan disperse enough air to keep the temps cool? And could i start off the seeds in the flower period 12 on 12 off? This is pretty much the only hold up on my grow. I just need some ADVICE on this lighting situation and i should be under way!!

I have a 600w QUATUM COOL tube in a 4.5x4.5x2.5 with no vent just a box fan outside of it and all is fine except toomany plants only do maybe 5 then u have plenty of room..GL

250 watt would be your max and even then you need some sort of constant air exchange. Even my CFL grows got pretty warm without some sort of decent air exchange.

Ok, so if 250 hps is my max, then what would be the best way to grow my plants? what size containers? How many plants can i grow? Sorry to sound so inexperienced, this will be my first indoor grow. I do however have 2 outdoor grows under my belt.

Also, since i am on sort of a budget i wont be buying any other light than the 250 hps. What is the best distance to keep the light when starting seedlings so it doesnt burn them.

It's quite simple! you can't grow without ventilation.

Even if you were using only clf lights you would need ventilation in the box so if you don't have ventilation, forget about growing anything.

so nothing can be grown from this closet without a ventilation system? opening the doors every now and then wont work?

if i crack the door and let a fan blow in and have 2 or 3 small fans blowing from the inside out, then that should create a decent amount of ventilation i would think. I would have to make sure that no light got in when it is suppose to be dark though.

no, it won't help, you will end up having problems if you don't have a proper ventilation system. And that's even more important if you use hps.

If I go through one of the walls and have a fan blowing in and then have one under it that is taking the air out would that work? The air would be coming from my room which is plenty big and would enter the closet through the top fan and exit through a fan below?

Air coming in should be at ground level and air exhausted should be near ceiling. Hot air rises so you want to exhaust near the top of your grow space.

Cool, do you think that since i now have a good ventilation system that i can go with a 400 watt hps. the closet is pretty big. 2'deep 6'wide 8'tall.

dankchrystal said:

Cool, do you think that since i now have a good ventilation system that i can go with a 400 watt hps. the closet is pretty big. 2'deep 6'wide 8'tall.

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Your gonna want a centrifugal fan with a carbon filter but you've got the idea now. A 400 is good for that space but if you're worried about heat then look into LED.

I great ventialtion system is great and all but there are tons of growers that use a very passive or no ventialtion at all...I just use lots of fans and keep the air recirculating then I open the tent for a few hours each day to exchange the air. I have grown in a similar closet with a 400 watt and had no ventiltion. I just had it open most of the time with a fairly light cotton sheet that was light proof hanging. It was breathable so it kept the temps down.

Of course ventilation is great to have but I'm jsut saying you can get by without it in a closet that size.

ozone is great to exhaust and kill your odors

what kind of fans should i get for this? and with this good ventilation can i grow with a 400 watt hps?

everything depends on if you live in a house or apartment. Apartments can be tricky especially with wise-ass neighbors. Noise and smell can bring a knock on the door, even the lowly apartment maintenance man is not to be trusted. As for ventilation, go with the tried and true. Windows are an easy grab, but disguised as an AC unit might suffice. Otherwise be careful of dryer vents, often they are wrought with temperamental clamps.

Smaller grows are easier, even with the aromas. I have used a variety of filters in the past. Sometimes I will use home made carbon filters and fan units, other times, I just plug in the ol' F'Breeze with a carbon insert. As for lights, CFL's stay relatively cool and don't draw much power. HPS bulbs are great, you can fry an egg on one, but make sure you have it cooled with a seperate tube.

You can buy really nice fans at any local hardware store. I bought one that has a small stand that allows it 270 degrees of rotation. Check for CFMs that is cubic feet per minute of air moved. The higher the better.

So just to clarify and be sure, if i go through the wall and put 2 in the wall, the one on bottom will bring air in from my room and the other on top should bring the hot air out of the closet. Keeping the closet with the 400 watt hps cool enough. Or should i try to rig the exhaust fan so that it is really close to the light that way it sucks up the heat and takes it out?

Anymore clarification on the exhaust system? And how far should I put the 400 watt hps over the seedlings?

Keep the 400 watt atleast 2-3 feet away as long as your hand doesn't feel hot when you pot it under the light above the seedlings. It's totally up to you if you wanna use an exaust or not. I have one big fan in a 5 x 5 tent and it's got 11 plants in it right now with the temps not being an issue at all. I open my grow tent fora few hours a day but I have a piece of b/w poly a few feet out lined up so any escaping light can reflect back in.

Here are a few pics of my plants. I'm using one tiny finy that is rigged to blow on the light directly beside it and one on the ground angled to circulate air around the room