New closet grow room - Help is appreciated

atomic_nebula

New Member
Hi Folks,

This is my first post here, like to share some of experiences and my plan to build indoor grow closet.

Just a quick background, I used to be a heavy smoker over 10 years ago, stopped it, i actually couldn't hear the word w33d without need to puke
until few months ago i had a chance to smoke medical grade and felt really good.

A month ago I gotmyself 10g's of medical weed, smoked it slowly and decided that If i want to smoke I better grow my own stuff without involving anyone in RL.

So i started to learn by myself the whole growing indoor concept, photosynthesis, strains etc... and came up with the following plan:


I plan to build an indoor growing closet and would like to hear some tips and comments from you guys ;)
  1. FAMI FAA14 Metal Closet - Netto size 995/500/1850mm WDH
  2. Exhaust: S&P TD250 SILENT (24db) + CanLite Carbon filter 300 or Phresh Filter 400
  3. 600W LED (540w real) 11-band 630nm:660nm:610nm:585nm:460nm: 430nm:380nm:740nm: 6500k:12000K:14000K=2:3:1:1:2:1:1:1:1:1:1
  4. Reflector - Astro Diamond (For the inner closet) 7sq/m
  5. DIY SCROG Net
  6. Intake: air grill with filter (60x60?) or 200m rounded vent
  7. AirPot 15L (3 units) 31.5cm
  8. Independent watering system - two options:
  • Claber Oasis self watering - it's cool but i don't think that constant slow dripping is good
  • DIY water pump with digital timer, need to be reallly slow pump with computer that can trigger it per minute - i believe that a 2l per pot each 3 days should be enough.
9. Power line timer - starting at 18/6 and moving to 12/12 in flower stage.

So basically i plan to put the water can on the bottom of the rack in a shelve (30cm~) and on top of it a shelve with the pots.

install the LED's, glue the reflector, make sure that everything is sealed and there's no light leakage including extra rubber sealing for the doors

drill a cup hole for air intake and exhaust.

(I want everything to be inside the closet, hidden and with minimal noise...)

I do still some help with the following topics:
  1. Sensors - soil moisture sensor, PH, temp+humid?
  2. Acoustic sealing?
  3. Is there a safe light to work with during night hours, I don't want to mess up the grow room if i need to do maintenance at night.
  4. recommended soil? something generic/DIY
  5. Feeding - http://www.powderfeeding.ch/store/short-flowering.html should be good enough?
  6. light distance guidelines - I've seen many threads and none are really clear

So... that's my plan ;) if you guys have any comments/ideas i'll be very glad to hear.
 

_MrBelvedere_

Well-Known Member
  1. Sensors - soil moisture sensor, PH, temp+humid? the handheld ones on amazon with top ratings are fine. AcuRite for temp/humid.
  2. Acoustic sealing? After you build it this could be addressed as needed...
  3. Is there a safe light to work with during night hours, I don't want to mess up the grow room if i need to do maintenance at night. Greenlight CFL bulbs on amazon and headband greenlight lamp
  4. recommended soil? something generic/DIY 50/50 vermiculite and perlite is easy peazy for first time grow.
  5. Feeding - http://www.powderfeeding.ch/store/short-flowering.html should be good enough? Never heard of that one, would recommend FoxFarms for first grow.
  6. light distance guidelines - I've seen many threads and none are really clear The goal is simply to try have a canopy where all plants are the same height. So for a first grow would suggest growing all "pure" indicas clones of one variety. That way you know they should grow uniform in height. In a small closet you can pack them very densley as possible and flip them when they are 5 inches tall. No training required. They should all do the two week stretch after you flip, and all be the same height in your scrog net. Then, you can adjust the LED easily so the top of canopy is receiving uniform light. :)

    It looks like you already got a great grip on it. Parts list looks great. :) Does that help?
 

Medallica

Active Member
Everything looks great.

I wouldn't worry about a water sensor. After a couple grows you'll never over or under water. General rule of thumb here though, if the soil is damp less then an inch down but dry on top, you still don't need to water quite yet. you'll get a feel for it.

Ph in your water. fish store. They sell tests rather cheap. Look for one that tells you between a 5.0 - 8.0ish range. You want your water at a Ph of about 6.0 - 6.5 for soil. Hydro needs a slightly lower Ph, the soil acts as a buffer so you require a higher Ph with soil.

Soil Ph If you care for some reason. Garden store might sell DIY soil test kits. Shouldn't be an issue though, as long as you don't go crazy on nutes.

As far as temp/humidity, almost any thermometer/hygrometer will read it accurately. For your vegitating plants, you're looking for a temp between 72f - 78f usually. Flowering you want it a tad cooler then Veg, 70 - 76 is usually suggested.

Though each strain can have slightly different requirements. so if you can check with the breeder, or someone who grows your strain, then do it.

Some growers like to drop the temp a couple degrees at night (when lights are off). Not needed, but it can help. Dropping the temp at night can help the colors show, if your strain has some natural purp for example. Just don't freeze your poor babies.

Humidity I have seen lots of different opinions on. Some people don't even bother with humidity.

Personally for veg, I keep it around 55% Then 45% for flowering.

If you know when you're planned harvest is, then here's a tip for you! A week or so before you harvest, lower the humidity as much as you can. The extreme dryness premotes natural resins, making a stickier, tastier bud.

I personally like to tend to my plants every day, as it lets me watch for problems before they get bad :P No grow is entirely perfect, though most issues wont effect the end result, if you deal with them quickly

Enjoy your efforts!
 
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atomic_nebula

New Member
Thank you for the great tips guys, really appreciate it. It's all come down to some test & trial, can't avoid that, I also think that's where the fun resides.

Did any of you ordered from GHS or DINAFEM, I really interested in the dinafem CBD strains... never had any experience ordering from them, i also don't know anyone who does, It is extremely illegal in my country so i'm a bit concerned.

Last one - can i take off seeds from my plants and plant them or there some kind of degradation through time?

Thx!
 

Medallica

Active Member
Sorry for such a late reply. Was in the process of moving :P

Personally I have never ordered seeds online, though I know a few people who worship online seed banks. Although I believe most of them state that its not their fault if your country takes the seeds over legal reasons.
Look into it though, when my buddy ordered, he got his seeds INSIDE a pen xD

Here is the issue with seeds from your plant. A female plant only produces seeds when a male has pollinated it. Us growers USUALLY try and avoid that. If she's producing seeds, her bud wont be as potent, or as tasty.

Male plants are known as hemp, and do not produce a high when smoked. Just a headache.

So yes, if you get seeds from your bud, you can grow them. But keep in mind, about half will be useless male plants. You will probably want to remove any males as soon as they show their gender, unless you are trying to get seeds.
 

atomic_nebula

New Member
Sorry for late reply as well! ;) but all is good.

I finished installing the cabinet, acoustic management is superior.

I have one major issue, The 720w Apollo LED i ordered seems to release a lot of heat, not sure that my S&P 160 CFM can exhaust all this heat.

I'm a bit disappointed as bottom of the rack reaches 37c and I'm very concerned to start any growing with those temperatures.

any suggestion will be highly appreciated.
 

Medallica

Active Member
If you're also trying to deal with humidity, they have humidifiers that release a "cool mist". That could be one possibility.
Of course the best solution would be to get more air flow, and get rid of that hot air.

Also, if its really hot in the middle of the day, but cool in the morning, and evening. You could try having your dark period during the hot part. No lights, less heat.

Other then that, I'm stumped. But anything over 26c is way too hot. You'd be smoking them as they're growing ;)
 

atomic_nebula

New Member
damn, I'm way over it... my room temp is around 26-29 I'm installing AC unit soon to keep it around 20c. lots of computers and huge monitors here spreading a lot of heat.

I replaced my S&P inline from 160/100mm to 250/100mm it works better but still not optimal, this is the cabinet design btw:

it's a lame sketch, but i think to drill more 4" 's on the top shelve, or fans to take the heat from the main area.

I also think to add a front cover from top shelve to bottom shelve, so airflow will be more accurate.
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