My Grow Tent

Sorry for large photos. What should I resize them to for forum quality viewing?

I recently built a new grow tent (the old consisted of clear super thin plastic, and was very inefficient). The dimensions are 36"x56"x67" (WxLxH). Main construction consists of 2x4, 1/2" plywood, and 6 mil black plastic.



Lighting is a 48" 4 bulb florescent fixture (used in office buildings) with alternating daylight and warm light tubes. It is suspended using light duty chain from hooks in the ceiling and a 2x4 that is secured to the fixture. I have left room for the ability to add a second and or third (if mounted vertically) light fixture along the rear wall if additional light is needed.



Intake consists of two 2x6 floor registers with filter pads inside, the exhaust is a Kool Operator JR fan (8" with 1,100 max cfm). I have not added a carbon air filter yet but do plan to use a DIY one soon. To round out the intake and exhaust system I plan to add an oscillating fan in front of the intakes to aid in circulation.




Three sides are 6 mil black plastic that has been stapled every 2-3 inches and then duct taped in a over laping pattern 2 layers thick. The ceiling and rear wall are 1/2" plywood and the floor is just concrete. For the front opening I used Velcro that is both sticky and stapled to the frame and then a 3 layer edge of duct tape on both the inside and the outside with the Velcro stuck to that. Absolutely no light leaks from the edges once it is sealed up with no cords coming through. Though I do plan to silicone the floor ceiling and rear wall joints to further seal them more from bugs than light escaping.


Currently I am holding temps at...

Temp above lights (on wood) -76*
Center of light fixture (metal part)- 85*
Soil (appx. 6" from light)- 82*
humidity- 51%

These numbers are with the exhaust on high and the tent sealed off with both vents wide open.

Suggestions and comments are all welcome and appreciated.

SC

I would like some opinion on my set up...

Prior to this site and the wealth of knowledge I had made the assumption that while using florescent, I would not get the yield of HID lights but I would still be able to produce a quality product. However now that I have read a little I am questioning my thinking. So what say the masses am I going to be disappointed by my florescent lights?

What sort of modifications or alterations would you folks suggest for my setup?

Instead of using a dark plastic (which absorbs light), you should use a more reflective surface so your set up is more effectively illuminated. You might even want to consider using a light reflective surface on the floor below the plants. Just a suggestion.

I agree. Go to wal-mart and buy some emergency blankets and duct tape it to your 2x4s or the black polyfilm. Its like 3 dollars for a huge 3x8 sheet.

I plan on doing that today all the walls floor and the cieling will be covered in a shiny new reflective material. gonna see what else my stores might have

I have the same vacuum, lol.

Looks good. Like said, go with some mylar.

Maybe a 400 in the future?

I am looking into upgrading the lighting and am in the process of deciding between CFL's and HID.

Cost verses output and such. I prefer to build things my self and a CFL hood is well within my range of skills to build cheaply. But then the output of HIDs is a big factor in going with them. I still have a lot of research to do on the whole subject.

this looks good. very nice.
If you have the vertical space available, I'd go with an HID light. They penetrate the canopy, whereas t5's do not.
Also, it looks like you have a t8 fixture? Those bulbs look bigger than t5's.

If you do grow with fluorescent lights, you will need to SCROG them to get a lot of canopy really close to your light.
Nothing more than a foot away from your t5s will be worthwhile.

They are the standard shop lights. How would i figure out what T they are? I will look into SCROG, thanks. Currently the lights are about 2-3 inches from the plants and will be that close all the way through harvest. I think that after this harvest I will do some saving and look into the HID's I just don't want to run the electricity too high.

they have t12 t8 and t5.

I think you multiply 1/8th inch by the number, and thats the diameter of the bulb?
So a t8 is 8 X 1/8 = 1 inch diameter.

what strain?

ha hes got the panda paper backwards

HaHa!! there is no panda paper its black poly plastic that makes up the exterior of the tent. Mylar will be tapped to the inside walls and ceiling.

Currently I have 4 White Widows growing, check em out here....
https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/470746-how-do-they-look-2-a.html

little small but they are from seeds and will prolly be nutrient stunted as I started feeding way too early, and transplanted too soon as well.

I am thinking that as soon as the plants get tall enough, I am going to add two more 4 bulb lights vertically to the back wall.
Would it be better to have them all come on/off at once or the top first then the back two an hour or so later/ earlier to kinda simulate the sun rising and setting?
Then I figure I will rotate the plants a 1/4 turn every day to evenly distribute the light to all sides.

SC