Nobody went far talking about odor control. I have a 3x3 with a growbright 4" inline fan with carbon filter. They cost about $140 U.S. dollars and have about 170 CFM. The fan works well to suck in the sides of the tent giving negative pressure, but does not solve the odor problem. I sealed the room from outside with exception of the AC and my wife still says she smells the plants outside. She also makes it a point to tell me she smells it every time we walk into the house together. The first recommendation to me was to add a fan controller to slow the fan ($20) the second recommendation was to use two carbon filters one inside the tent and one outside ($80 +ducting). Doing my own research, my room (10x11x12) needs at least 352cfm to exchange the air in the room 3 times in five minutes to control odor (6"inline fan w/xxl carbon filter 454 cfm $230) . I could be wrong about the exchange rate for the air, but the main point is don't skimp on Lights and odor control. You may have a small budget, but its even smaller compared to legal cost because the wrong person smelled it! Another ounce of prevention would be to make sure you figure in the cost of insect control, better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. What water are you using? A PUR water filter ($20) will go a long way as apposed to buying filtered water.
Try bartering or trading or even looking around the house for something to sell. If you know other users ask them to invest and share the first crop or two in exchange. You may not be able to crowd fund, but a community garden is another thought if you have a close enough friend or two. Do you have a nearby hydroponic store or nursery? Visit them and ask if they have samples of nutrients or plant boosters. You can even go as far as contacting the Nutrient manufacturers and ask for free samples.
Thanks, you raise many good points that've been weighing in the back of my mind.
A forum member will be kindly donating a 5" systemair extractor which will be extremely helpful, but i still need to get a good quality carbon filter (presuming a 5" systemair will fit any filter) and effective one's don't come cheap at all. I've read a glass of vinegar in between the pots every few days is effective, but i suspect instead of just masking the smell it needs eradicating entirely before it even gets in to the attic. Then again, i'll be using a 600w HPS and i have no tent, so i'll be forced to grow auto's and considering their small size and yield perhaps they'll emit only a small amount of odour,
We've wanted a water filter for years but every time we tried to save for a decent one we got hit with a gas or electricity bill, we've lost heart and given up on that futile endeavour. I was intending to get a big plastic bin, fill it with tap water and leave it open to let the chlorine gas off and use that water.
There are no decent shops i can reach around here without impossibly expensive taxi's except B&Q where i intend to get my soil from, for nutrients i planned to just collect worm castings and a handful of chicken shit in the water each time. Apparently i need predator bugs, but i can't get them around here, so i'll just have to risk it, having no choice as things stand.
We have nothing to sell, my sound equipment is fully functional and tweaked but it's battered from years of use and so will mean selling it for shit prices.
A community garden is out of the question as i may be forced to cause serious life changing harm, i want to avoid having to do this at all costs.
On the positive side at least i should definitely be able to start a half decent grow by 2022
Thanks again.