Greetings all; I will be starting my first grow soon. I did post this in the wrong forum earlier and instead of bumping that I'll post it where it should go 
I have a few pertinent questions regarding some choices in equipment for the grow.
I will be growing these plants in an underground circular room with a diameter of 7ft. The room houses a 10 gallon sump pump, so most of the space is quite free. I painted the walls in flat white a few months back and have exhausted the room for the last few months. I plan on growing ten plants in here, each in a 5-gallon pail, and all will be in the center of the room. The room is 7ft high with a slopped/concave ceiling that goes up to about 10ft high in the center. In the center is a hole about the size of a manhole cover, this hole is covered with thick ply and leads to a large raised platform in the garage. I plan on hanging the HPS light from this, on a pulley system, and will also make (3) 4in holes in the wood. Two of the holes will be for intake/exhaust for the HPS light and the third hole would be for room exhaust... though I am uncertain if I need this.
I am tossing between using 600W and 1000W HPS and am uncertain which to use. I would like to use the 1000W but do not want to look suspicious to the power company as I live in a town (not a city) and the local power company is the city. I use between 800 and 1200 kwh per month right now and have been for a few years. Would cutting back on the space heater (dropping down from 1200 to 800) and adding the 1000W light be suspicious?
Next I am curious to know how hot the room might get if I am exhausting the sealed lights and have the ballast out of the room. Would I need a room exhaust?
I'm curious as to how the carbon filters work... does that large filter I see at HTG Supply fit on the end of the exhaust... is that the last thing in the chain? Where would I put something like that? Also how loud are the fans that push about 250cfm?
I also plan on adding a CO2 generator to the room, and will have a humidifier in there as well. The room will be more or less completely sealed.
About lighting, when doing say the 16/8 lighting do I need to do 16 on and 8 off in a full manner or can I do say 2 on and 1off through a 24 hour time period?
In the end... if I go the 600W would that be sufficient for 10 plants... obviously 1000W would be better. Are my concerns about the 1000W valid?
Any comments or recommendations on the grow room appreciated!
I have a few pertinent questions regarding some choices in equipment for the grow.
I will be growing these plants in an underground circular room with a diameter of 7ft. The room houses a 10 gallon sump pump, so most of the space is quite free. I painted the walls in flat white a few months back and have exhausted the room for the last few months. I plan on growing ten plants in here, each in a 5-gallon pail, and all will be in the center of the room. The room is 7ft high with a slopped/concave ceiling that goes up to about 10ft high in the center. In the center is a hole about the size of a manhole cover, this hole is covered with thick ply and leads to a large raised platform in the garage. I plan on hanging the HPS light from this, on a pulley system, and will also make (3) 4in holes in the wood. Two of the holes will be for intake/exhaust for the HPS light and the third hole would be for room exhaust... though I am uncertain if I need this.
I am tossing between using 600W and 1000W HPS and am uncertain which to use. I would like to use the 1000W but do not want to look suspicious to the power company as I live in a town (not a city) and the local power company is the city. I use between 800 and 1200 kwh per month right now and have been for a few years. Would cutting back on the space heater (dropping down from 1200 to 800) and adding the 1000W light be suspicious?
Next I am curious to know how hot the room might get if I am exhausting the sealed lights and have the ballast out of the room. Would I need a room exhaust?
I'm curious as to how the carbon filters work... does that large filter I see at HTG Supply fit on the end of the exhaust... is that the last thing in the chain? Where would I put something like that? Also how loud are the fans that push about 250cfm?
I also plan on adding a CO2 generator to the room, and will have a humidifier in there as well. The room will be more or less completely sealed.
About lighting, when doing say the 16/8 lighting do I need to do 16 on and 8 off in a full manner or can I do say 2 on and 1off through a 24 hour time period?
In the end... if I go the 600W would that be sufficient for 10 plants... obviously 1000W would be better. Are my concerns about the 1000W valid?
Any comments or recommendations on the grow room appreciated!
