First time with some questions

So I have been doing some reading and I think I have a handle on some things. Others I am not so sure. This place is amazing, but there is so much info that it can be hard searching for it. I have read at least the beginning of all the stickies and i have followed the threads of a few grows.

Here is the plan:
Make a grow box of 1/2" plywood 32" x 32" x 48". Paint the inside white. Install adjustable shelving to lower the plants as they grow
Use 20 bulb 26 watt CFL set up with y splitters. Start with 6500, switch to 2700 for flowering.
Grow 2 plants (white rhino and snow white fems) in soil. Started reading about this, but still have a ways to go with soil set up, nutrients and flush.
Follow DIY plans for a charcoal filter in line with fan.
Try DIY CO2 production.
Veg for 8 weeks on 20/4 schedule and switch to 8 weeks on 12/12 for flowering (this is the plan, reality will depend on the plants). Try LST to maximize yield.
Digital thermometer with 24 hr high low. Humidity gauge. Soil moisture gauge. pH test kit for ingoing/outgoing water.

Any comments on the general plan?
Box size is what fits. Going CFL because it is less expensive and simpler for first grow (I can get 520 watts for $125 with both temp lights and each pair of lights will have a pull for on/off). Again soil grow because it is simpler for first time.

Here is my big question:
The seeds are on their way and I hope to start mid September. The grow will happen in my basement for stealth. I heat my house with wood and the basement becomes quite cool (live in Northern NE of USA) over the planned grow time-guessing it drops to 45 degrees F or 7 degrees C by December. Will I need to add heat to promote growth? If so how?

Can I use computer fans and an inline DIY carbon filter or will there be too much resistance? I could go with an inline fan and duct work-can some one suggest a good cheap 4" fan? Plan to have passive air intake.

Would you say it is very importatant, somewhat important or not very important to have side lighting with CFL's?

Thanks I just want to be able to hit the ground running when the seeds arrive.

Peace

520 watts of cfls would be and assload of lights! and it will be much more than $125. you can get a really good 400w hps for $145 and it comes with hangers, ground timer and a reflective hood unlike the cfls

Yeah it is 20 lights so it is an ass load. I have priced the light set up and I can do it for $125. I thought hps with the ballast, bulbs and everything would be a lot more than $145. I would be interested in going that route for that price. Should I be concerned with a 48" tall grow box with hps? Do you have link for a good price on hps?

Peace

Glad to see you have done some research on growing bud. I suggest an unused closet instead of the plywood box. I grow aeroponic-hydroponics instead of soil, but use the larger CFLs from seedling to harvest, they work great.
Also when you go into the flowering stage, the plants will stretch & grow 2/3rds more. Your grow box may be to small in the end. Room temp will rise abit due to lighting, but nothing cooler than 65 degees F, no hotter than 90 degrees F. You can get the little 8" fans at wal-mart.
Review grow journals when you can, they helped me alot. Hope this was some help. Consider a closet

Thanks for the input on the closet. I looked at some at Walmart and Lowes the other day, but I felt I could do better building one myself:semi-handy. Ok so 65 is the min. temp you recommend. I thought that would be important. Not sure how to heat the space safely if needed. Figure I need to keep air moving for healthy plants so I will be pulling in cool air- planning on passive air intake.

Thought I was all set with CFL, but I have seen some deals for HPS which are not too much more. Better grow qualities and I could add CFLs to compliment. Then I saw LED for about the same price ($160) and I am back to square one on lighting. Here are my assumptions on lighting:

CFL: Cheapest, easiest to get pattern to fully light the box, easily replaceable
HPS/MH: Better grow results, a bit more expensive, may solve temperature problem by regulating air movement, needs a taller box
LED: Best grow results (just reading web site hype), does not need taller box, Long life, no heat issues

Thinking about adding a reptile heater if needed when temperatures cool.

Thanks for the input. Would rather figure things out ahead of time as harvest will come sooner

I came to the crossroads dealing w/lighting before my 1st grow. It's my humble opinion that the larger spiral CFLs @ $24-$28 bucks each are worth it. I grew Grade A bud, had no heat issues or wilting of plants due to over heating, I used two 8 inch fans. My grow journal is attached to this reply, click it to see what came of my CFLs and grow. Good luck

Thanks faderharley for the input. Looked at your journal and those are some very pretty plants you grew. Quite impressed. I can get the 26W CFL cheap ($1 for 2700 and $2 for 6500) so that is why I am thinking of going that way. I know I will pay more for the more bases, but I should be able to get better coverage right. Spent an hour looking at HPS systems and it looks like I would be up over $200 when all is said and done. Read more about LED and not so enamored with those, so swinging back to CFL. Good luck with your new grow.

Peace

i have about 17 cfls up, all 27w floro power not incandescent value. they are about 13 6500k, 2 5000k, 4 2700k
theyre up for vegging as i can dispurse my light more evenly along the plants
also i have 3 more of the 27watts on standby i cudnt fit in
BUT for flowering i have the 42watt cfls which i will put in to give them some more light at the proper light temp 2700k

FYI: you obtain more lumens per watt out of the smaller bulbs (25-40watt) rather than using 1 high powered bulb (40+watt)


Amazon has cfls for cheap
1000bulbs.com also

BUT if you need them fast go to home depot or lowes and they have 4 packs of the 6500k for $11 or 6 of 2700k for $11

ACE does NOT have them in bulk and charge $8 per bulb.

down by the river said:

Yeah it is 20 lights so it is an ass load. I have priced the light set up and I can do it for $125. I thought hps with the ballast, bulbs and everything would be a lot more than $145. I would be interested in going that route for that price. Should I be concerned with a 48" tall grow box with hps? Do you have link for a good price on hps?

Peace

Click to expand...

a 400w hps needs to be 12" away from the tops, you'll have space for a 2 1/2 foot plant if you top it and keep it bushy you should easily be able to get 2 zips per plant.

http://growace.com/product_info/400-watt-hps-grow-light-digital-ballast-reflector-kit.html

the average cfl produces 60-72 lumens per watt, with 520 watts you have 31200-37440 lumens. a 400w hps produces 50000 lumens, which is 25.2-37.6% more effective.

I would consider getting a intake with all those bulbs and a fan blowing on the plants to strengthen the stock or you can just the intake fan for that