Help setting up Homebox XS

cflfridge · Dec 19, 2008

Hey guys I'm really new around here and extremely new to growing. I have tried to setup two grows with friends before but I'm looking to do it on my own with good equipment.

So this is what I thought I would start with...
http://www.buy-the-homebox.com/shop/product_family_homebox_xs.html

I figured this would be good because first off all its made to grow. I won't have to worry about light leaking or anything to. Also its small and kinda stealth I can put it in my closet and not worry about it.

I have a couple questions thought.
1 Is there going to be any smell of MJ if I put a carbon filter on it ?
2 How loud is it going to be because of the fans ?
3 Is it possible to setup a hydroponic grow ?
4 What is the best option lighting wise ?
5 Is 2-3 plants viable option in such a small area if the plants are SOG/LST/ect. ?

If anyone has any links to grows with homeboxes or these tent grows I would appreciate posting them for me. I searched but a lot of people I'm guessing show in the pictures its a homebox but don't put it in the post.

Twistyman · Dec 19, 2008

cflfridge said:
Hey guys I'm really new around here and extremely new to growing. I have tried to setup two grows with friends before but failed to ever actually get started so I'm looking to do it on my own with good equipment.

So this is what I thought I would start with...
http://www.buy-the-homebox.com/shop/product_family_homebox_xs.html

I figured this would be good because first off all its made to grow. I won't have to worry about light leaking or anything to. Also its small and kinda stealth I can put it in my closet and not worry about it.

I have a couple questions thought.
1 Is there going to be any smell of MJ if I put a carbon filter on it ?
2 How loud is it going to be because of the fans ?
3 Is it possible to setup a hydroponic grow ?
4 What is the best option lighting wise ?
5 Is 2-3 plants viable option in such a small area if the plants are SOG/LST/ect. ?

If anyone has any links to grows with homeboxes or these tent grows I would appreciate posting them for me. I searched but a lot of people I'm guessing show in the pictures its a homebox but don't put it in the post.

I've not used tents but I'd think that hydro might have a humidity problem in that small a confined area... Fans are fairly quite.... as for lights I'd think a 400w hps would be maximum, but if you email them they may have that answer for you... pot will smell..some strains more then others(never used carbon filter, no ex.)... I have heard mixed opinions on tents...etc..
Luck with your plans...

GypsyBush · Dec 19, 2008

cflfridge said:
So this is what I thought I would start with...
http://www.buy-the-homebox.com/shop/product_family_homebox_xs.html

I figured this would be good because first off all its made to grow. I won't have to worry about light leaking or anything to. Also its small and kinda stealth I can put it in my closet and not worry about it.

I would save the cash and go for one of these...

Gypsy's 600 watt Home Made Grow Tent

cflfridge said:
I have a couple questions thought.

Ok, let's have 'em...

cflfridge said:
1 Is there going to be any smell of MJ if I put a carbon filter on it ?

Late in the flowering stage, if you use an appropriate sized filter and fan, there should be no smell OUTSIDE of your tent, but it WILL reek inside and when you open it...

cflfridge said:
2 How loud is it going to be because of the fans ?

Fans are loud... you can get a bigger fan than you need and use a speed controller to slow it down... I believe a fan running at 80% will see a noise reduction of about 50%...

You can also build muffle boxes around the fan, but yo have to be careful not to overheat the fan motor...

cflfridge said:
3 Is it possible to setup a hydroponic grow ?

Anything is possible! I deff recommend hydro over soil...

Check the GrowFAQ for a wealth of info... I suggest DWC (Deep Water Culture) for a newb...

cflfridge said:
4 What is the best option lighting wise ?

HPS, don't let anyone fool you... you are doing a small grow, and you want the most you can get out of it...

NOTHING compares with the efficiency of HPS...

My tent is 36x20x54 and I use a 600 watt HPS... which a lot of people say is ridiculous... but not my plants...

A cooltube is a very good way to keep the heat down... you can even make one at home... (check my signature)

I would go with no less than 250 watts in a cooltube... 400 would be even better...

check this site for supplies... they have been very good to me...

400 watt High Pressure Sodium Ballast Kit

CoolTube 6" Reflector

cflfridge said:
5 Is 2-3 plants viable option in such a small area if the plants are SOG/LST/ect. ?

Ok... those are all very diff techiniques... almost opposite of each other...

You need to do some reading and figure out if you want to have "more smaller plants" or "less bigger plants"...

My tent holds 16 lollipops...

cflfridge said:
If anyone has any links to grows with homeboxes or these tent grows I would appreciate posting them for me. I searched but a lot of people I'm guessing show in the pictures its a homebox but don't put it in the post.

Save your money, build the tent, use the cash for you lights and fans...

cflfridge · Dec 19, 2008

gypsybush;

thanks for all the info !!! :shock:

That is a awesome build but honestly i don't think i could pull off doing a DIY like that and do it as well as that. Will getting this tent be equivalent to what you built there and I can add a light control and some other hardware ? I think I would rather pay the extra cash and buy something already done for me so I know its done rite and works well.

Would it be possible to grow three plants weilding 2oz/each under a 250w HPS without a cooltube? Is it possible to run a 400w HPS without a cooltube ?

Also concerning mounting the light, I am under the impression that the homeboxes have everything you need to mount a light in the box you just have to buy the balest and hook that up and its done?

One more thing to ask you so I don't ware you out. IF i put a carbon filter on my exhaust and use negitive pressure and the intake built into the homebox and the exhaust is just blowing back into the room, will this cause any problems?

Isthisnametaken · Dec 19, 2008

cflfridge said:
gypsybush;

thanks for all the info !!!
That is a awesome build but honestly i don't think i could pull off doing a DIY like that and do it as well as that. Will getting this tent be equivalent to what you built there and I can add a light control and some other hardware ? I think I would rather pay the extra cash and buy something already done for me so I know its done rite and works well.

I think his is slightly larger but you will get good results with that tent.

Would it be possible to grow three plants weilding 2oz/each under a 250w HPS without a cooltube? Is it possible to run a 400w HPS without a cooltube ?

2oz is a little on the high side of what plants yield. I have read that it's usually more around 1oz. You can run a 400W w/out cooltube but you will likely have heat problems. I highly recommend them. While mine is running the tube is barely even warm to the touch with a 400W. You really should be able to fit alot more than three plants in there. Six should be no problem.

Also concerning mounting the light, I am under the impression that the homeboxes have everything you need to mount a light in the box you just have to buy the balest and hook that up and its done?

Not sure I would call the manufacturer.

One more thing to ask you so I don't ware you out. IF i put a carbon filter on my exhaust and use negitive pressure and the intake built into the homebox and the exhaust is just blowing back into the room, will this cause any problems?

Not sure why you would want to do that. With the carbon filter attached there should be no smell and no reason to blow exhaust back into the room. The more fresh air with CO2 that gets into the cabinet the better. You could also add an ozone machine to control smell if the carbon filter doesn't cut it.

GypsyBush · Dec 19, 2008

cflfridge said:
gypsybush;

thanks for all the info !!!

You are quite welcome... I have some spare time today, and don't mind helping out... :leaf:

cflfridge said:
That is a awesome build but honestly i don't think i could pull off doing a DIY like that and do it as well as that.

Can you wrap a present? Make folds and operate a roll of tape?

Then you can build one...

All I did was set up the frame and wrap it like a gift box... the zippers are super easy..

Did you follow the link to the tent build?

Step by step there...

But it's all you...

cflfridge said:
Will getting this tent be equivalent to what you built there and I can add a light control and some other hardware ?

Mine is a bit bigger... yours is 23x23 and mine is 36x20...

Light control? do you mean a timer? sure you can add one... actually you will need one..!

As for other Hardware, you will be hard pressed to find the space in such a small tent... thing will most likely have to be outside...

cflfridge said:
I think I would rather pay the extra cash and buy something already done for me so I know its done rite and works well.

It is not a machine or anything, but if that is how you feel, go for it, but I would get the biggest tent you have space for...

I'd hate for you to spend your cash and realize it should have been a bit bigger...

cflfridge said:
Would it be possible to grow three plants weilding 2oz/each under a 250w HPS without a cooltube?

Too many variables, but is it possible??? Sure, if you get everything right...

and any HID in a small environment will cause heat issues... in a small tent, you will need an air cooled reflector...

The way I do it is... I try to keep the plants healthy and happy, in the end, whatever they give me is a present... I expect nothing...

I take care of my plants because I love them... they show me their love in the form of buds...

I have never been disappointed with my harvests this way... in fact, I have only been surprised at how generous some of them have been to me...

cflfridge said:
Is it possible to run a 400w HPS without a cooltube ?

In such a small tent... maybe if you move up here to Alaska and set it up outside... there is just too much heat coming from any HID... it will build up and cook everything...

cflfridge said:
Also concerning mounting the light, I am under the impression that the homeboxes have everything you need to mount a light in the box you just have to buy the balest and hook that up and its done?

A tent is just a tent.. it comes with nothing, unless you buy a package with everything included...

Your light set-up includes: the bulb, the socket, the ballast and the wires...

They have to match... for example... 600 HPS bulb with 600 HPS ballast

250 MH bulb with 250 MH ballast .. check?!?!

cflfridge said:
One more thing to ask you so I don't ware you out.

Ask away... I may not have the time, but I will help as much as I can...

cflfridge said:
IF i put a carbon filter on my exhaust and use negitive pressure and the intake built into the homebox and the exhaust is just blowing back into the room, will this cause any problems?

If you have a carbon filter of the appropriate dimensions, and you make sure that your exhaust is NOT being sucked back in, it should be no problem...

What you need to avoid is re-circulating hot air in your tent...

Just make sure you dump the hot air away from your intakes and it should be A-1-OK!!!! lol...

I will stii be here for a bit... hit me back...

Gypsy... :weed:

GypsyBush · Dec 19, 2008

Isthisnametaken said:
I think his is slightly larger but you will get good results with that tent.

It is... and I agree, other than you will probably want a bigger one for your next grow...

Save cash by not upgrading 23.7 times...

Figure out what you want to do and set your self one step bigger...

You will either upgrade or quit growing... upgrading less times will save you money...

Isthisnametaken said:
2oz is a little on the high side of what plants yield. I have read that it's usually more around 1oz.

I give love to my plants...what they give me is a gift... not a reward...

Isthisnametaken said:
You can run a 400W w/out cooltube but you will likely have heat problems. I highly recommend them.

100% agreed

Isthisnametaken said:
While mine is running the tube is barely even warm to the touch with a 400W.

I have a 600 watt HPS in my cooltube and I can put my FACE against the glass with no ill effects... they work very well when set up right...

Isthisnametaken said:
You really should be able to fit alot more than three plants in there. Six should be no problem.

well, that will depend on strain and how you grow...

One topped and LST'd plant may take up the whole tent... or you may fit 10 lollipops in there... it really depends on what and how you are growing...

Isthisnametaken said:
Not sure I would call the manufacturer.

A tent is just that, a tent... it comes with no fans or lights or anything that is not a tent...

Some places offer complete packages, but that is buying the package, not just a tent...

Isthisnametaken said:
Not sure why you would want to do that. With the carbon filter attached there should be no smell and no reason to blow exhaust back into the room. The more fresh air with CO2 that gets into the cabinet the better.

I think you may have confused the room for the tent...

He is saying that he will dump the hot exhaust in to the ROOM where the tent is located... not back into the tent....

Isthisnametaken said:
You could also add an ozone machine to control smell if the carbon filter doesn't cut it.

If you use the right size filter, there is no not cutting it...

The proper set-up will give off ZERO smell, I have seen rooms with multiple 1000 watt HPSs flowering pounds of bud and you could not smell a thing unless you were IN the room...

Cheers... :eyesmoke:

cflfridge · Dec 19, 2008

thanks for all the information again !!! :hug:

If I get a 400w HPS ballast do I need to get two different kinds of lights for veg and flowering?

Doing DWC with the tub and a bubbler, does the bubbler make any sound? Loud?

Do i just throw my nutes into the water?

I'm thinking if I can get three plants at 1oz each every harvest that would be enough bud for me because I'm only growing for a stash to have and of course because it sounds fun to grow. So if I can get that from this tent I should be good to just keep it till.... well forever.

What do you think is the best way to keep the sound undercontrol fan wise?

Can I grow any strain I want or am I resctricted by the size of my tent? Are the lowryder strains potent? Also what is autoflowering?

I'm reading through all of the f.a.q. link you gave me and learning alot I had no idea about :hump:

does anyone have links to homebox grows and setups ?

thanks again :bigjoint:

GypsyBush · Dec 19, 2008

cflfridge said:
thanks for all the information again !!!

Sure... I am glad to be able to help every once in a while...

I owe a lot of what I know to the members here... Just make sure you remember the newbs once you get your shit dialed in... :weed:

cflfridge said:
If I get a 400w HPS ballast do I need to get two different kinds of lights for veg and flowering?

Many ballasts are switch-able, meaning they can run both HPS and MH...

I don't bother with the MH... the HPS will vegg just fine, but with slightly more stretch than the Metal Halide...

I only vegg moms, and I love the extra stretch for doing lollipops...

If you are going to have only one light, HPS for sure...

cflfridge said:
Doing DWC with the tub and a bubbler, does the bubbler make any sound? Loud?

I can hear it in my room, but if I turn a fan on (just a house fan), the noise is imperceptible

cflfridge said:
Do i just throw my nutes into the water?

Yeah... this is where you start to wear it thin... this stuff is easily found with a little research...

99% of what you learn should come from you reading on your own... the last 1% will be very specific and educated questions...

I don't mind telling you the info, but you may find not every member will be willing to answer such basic and easily answerable question...

Check... I am not trying to be mean... just giving it to you straight up...

Anyways, back to the nutes...

Yes, you add them to the water, and I suggest you get a Ph/PPM meter...

There are many kinds, but I would recommend a "continuous meter"...

Every time the probes dry out they need to be calibrated, but with a continuous meter the probes stay in the water, needing calibration and maintenance much less often than the hand held meters... also called pens...

With a TDS/EC meter you get a reading of PPM (Parts Per Million), and that allows you to precisely control your nute levels... so you can give your plants all the food they need, without the risk of overdoing it and burning the plants to a crisp...

I use a Hanna Grocheck, and I am very happy with it...

This site has it for the lowest price I have ever seen ...

http://www.gchydro.com/HANNA+GroCheck+Combo+Meter+-+pH+&+TDS+Meter.html

cflfridge said:
I'm thinking if I can get three plants at 1oz each every harvest that would be enough bud for me because I'm only growing for a stash to have and of course because it sounds fun to grow. So if I can get that from this tent I should be good to just keep it till.... well forever.

Take a peek at this here... Get a harvest every 2 weeks

For a personal stash, a variation of this method seems to be the best...

You can really cram a lot of lollipops in there... there is no concern for the bottoms, as the are stripped clean...

And a perpetual harvest is also good in a sense that you are only a couple of weeks away from some smoke, at any given day...

I bet you can fit a good 30 to 40 lollipops in there... and you could harvest 10 every two weeks or 5 every week...

It does take a little time to get it all set up, but once you are up and running... it's an easy flow...

And you can do it with any kind of grow... soil, aero, dwc, ebb 'n flow...

You really ought to look at all of Al B. Fuct's threads, that dude knows his shit...

cflfridge said:
What do you think is the best way to keep the sound undercontrol fan wise?

The first step is to get a FAN MOTOR SPEED CONTROLLER, not a light dimmer... and fans that are bigger than what you need...

Then you can dial the fan speed way back, cutting the motor noise considerably, while still meeting you ventilation needs...

Second, you can build a muffle box around each fan using cardboad and foam, but you will then need to rig a small PC type fan to cool the fan motor... running an electrical motor in an enclosed space, allowing heat to build up is like asking for a premature failure...

I know... it's ridiculous.. a fan for the fan... but silence is not cheap, nor simple...

cflfridge said:
Can I grow any strain I want or am I resctricted by the size of my tent?

I would say you can grow any strain, but with that said...

Say you choose a Sativa that can reach 12 feet tall... it's not gonna fit, is it?

But you can top it, train it and even get 12 feet of plant in there, just not standing up straight...lol...

cflfridge said:
Are the lowryder strains potent?

Never tried them, can't say...

cflfridge said:
Also what is autoflowering?

There are 3 types of Cannabis, Sativa, Indica and Ruderalis...

The first two start the reproductive cycle (flowering) based on the number of hours of darkness... around 12 hours of night will trigger hormones within the plant that tell it winter is coming, time to reproduce...

Ruderalis on the other hand, does not have the luxury of waiting for it to start getting dark... being native of higher latitudes, it protects itself from winter by triggering the reproductive hormones based on a number of days since hatching...

Therefore, even if kept under constant light they will still flower, or rather auto-flower...

cflfridge said:
I'm reading through all of the f.a.q. link you gave me and learning alot I had no idea about

Read on Brother, read on...

cflfridge said:
does anyone have links to homebox grows and setups ?

Sorry man, I don't... but remember, every grow has something to offer you, learn from them all and apply what works best for you...

cflfridge said:
thanks again

You are welcome...

Make sure to exhaust your research before spending money... sucks to waste money...

Cheers... :weed:

Manijak · Dec 20, 2008

cflfridge said:
does anyone have links to homebox grows and setups ?

http://www.buy-the-homebox.com/shop/downloads.html

Can this help you?

Help setting up Homebox XS

cflfridge

Active Member

Twistyman

Well-Known Member

GypsyBush

Well-Known Member

cflfridge

Active Member

Isthisnametaken

Well-Known Member

GypsyBush

Well-Known Member

GypsyBush

Well-Known Member

cflfridge

Active Member

GypsyBush

Well-Known Member

Manijak

Active Member