first growbox needing some tips..

i'm just a beginner at growing indoors, but from my first growbox set up I can see alot of problems. So i'm already working on my 2nd one.
This one I'm going to make out of a home entertainment center. its about 5ft high and about 5ft wide. I'm wanting to put 2 - 600w hps and mh lights in it, a few fans, I'm really not worried about odor control I live in the middle of nowhere so its not really an issue. I'm going to line it with mylar. I'm going to put 2 doors on the front for easy access to the plants. Since I'm really just starting out i'm not gonna mess with cloning just yet I really just wanna get the hang of things.
I drew an outline of how it kinda looks/is going to look on ms paint

Now I'm not sure where to put my fans at. I'm hoping that I can get by with just 4 fans, I would be using 4 6" inline duct fans, I'd use 2 fans for exhaust and 2 for bringing in fresh air, 2 for light 1 and 2 for light 2. So I could really use some advice about the fans.

The hard part is this next part. With as many watts as I'm going to be pulling my breaker box isn't gonna support this. Actually, with these old ass wires in my house it'd prob start a fire, and who wants that. So I've been wondering what I would have to do to wire it to a propane or natural gas generator or something similar - also because I don't want my electric company catching onto anything. This is really where I could use any suggestions or hear about anyones experiences of doing it this way.Or would it be best to just have a 2nd meter put in, if I do that where do I go from after that? Would I have to have a breaker box for that or could I just plug in and go. I could tell the electric company the hook up is for my parents camper but thats not where the electricity will actually be used. I did search for the threads but it either isn't in here or I wasn't using the right phrases so if it's already been answered, sorry guys.
 

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mrmadcow

Well-Known Member
exhaust fans should go at the top to draw out heat w/ your intake at the bottom but w/ that much lighting, you will need cooltubes or vented reflectors.
a generator will cost alot more to run than buying from the power co. -like triple or more. and a unit made to run 12 hrs a day or more for months at a time will cost a few grand.most cheap ones are designed to be used occasionally,for power outages and such.
a new meter & service for this?? a dedicated outlet run to a new 20 amp breaker will be fine. if your panel can't handle 1 new 20 amp breaker,it should be upgraded.not left in use & add a 2nd meter & box for a single 20 amp grow.
consider using LED lighting,they claim a 90 watt UFO puts out as much usable light as a 4-600 watt HPS w/ almost no heat. I am currently planning a box for a friend about 3x5x7 tall and am researching LEDs- the UFO seems to get good reviews & while it retails for $300++, I have found several on Ebay for under $150, about the price of a 600 hps. I will be getting 1 at least, havent decided to go w/ 2 or 1 and a 400w HPS.
 
I've decided with just using electricity. It will cost less in the long run anyway lol. I like the idea of getting a 20 amp breaker for it like you mentioned but I'm not sure, if I do that can I just wire that to my lights etc without using the electric from the outlets in my room? I just don't want a fire, and I'm trying to do this as energy efficient as possible because of course I don't want a red flag from the power company and have the DEA show up out here. lol any ideas on what the electric bill might do, I would be running like a max of 3000w is that too suspicious

this is my first grow so I don't know anything about the LEDs but I've looked into them a little. I decided to go with the HPS and MH lights because there seems to be alot more info on those than the LEDs.
 
The UFO thing looks really cool, especially if a 90w puts out as much as a 600w HPS. I'm definitely gonna look into those more. Can you use the LEDs for flowering time too or do you still need to get the HPS light for that. Of course I want the best possible yield I can get, lol
 
after researching further into the LEDs I think I'll go with those because they pull less energy, and because I've seen a few successful grows on here using the LED's. I think I'm going to start out with 1 90w LED ufo and 2 plants (or do you think I could possibly have 3 and still have a good grow), and slowly upgrade to 4 90w LEDs.

I'm still looking into different soils, after going through many grow journals I think I'd like to try coco coir. Problem is you can't really find that around here, all you have to pick from is like wal-mart and lowes. If anyone reading this knows of anything almost as good that I could most likely find locally let me know PLEASE.

As far as nutes go, I'm gonna look into Earth Juice, my ex has his medical marijuana license and highly recommended it. Anyone have good results from it?

I have finally decided on what strain I'm going to start out with. I'm gonna try some white widow, I like what I've read about it and the THC percentage level is awesome as most stuff around here is only about 5% so this should be refreshing.

I'll post pics of the box as I go, I'm trying to get started on it today but getting help with cutting the wood is like pulling teeth
 

mrmadcow

Well-Known Member
3 plants should be no problem to start & when they get bigger,add a few CFLs or another UFO & yes they can be used for budding.
for your first run,consider bagseed,it doesn't hurt as much when you discover you F#@ked up and killed them.
as for the electric,a 20 amp breaker will handle about 2000 watts & if you go w/ LED lights,it should be plenty.have an electrician or handyman add the breaker,run a line to your room and install a couple outlets on it.tell him its for a PC server,TV entertainment center or whatever hobby you want.no worries about the power company until you get up over 4-5 1000 watt lights. a hot tub will draw way more than what you are planning.
 
Yeah I'm gonna go with the LED's and a few (up to 5) CFL's.
Last night really sucked for me. There were 2 cops sitting outside of my house and well, I live in the sticks and thats HIGHLY odd. lol I freaked out and flushed 6 plants I had started under flouros.
Turns out, my stupid neighbors decided to argue and call the cops. It was very sickening to have to flush my babies. This was my absolute first grow and I was so proud of my little plants.
 
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