First Stealth CFL Grow - Various Questions ??

[Pepe]

OK, here's my plan - at this time I am not really trying to produce anything, I just want to gain growing experience. But it will have to be a stealth grow as my room mates don't want me to grow in the house. I would like to grow in the closet with DWC.

I would first start to grow a single plant in a 5 gal bucket. Over it, I'll use probably 3 CFL lights, wattage will be as high as the box can handle without heat problems. As soon as the plant has reached a size big enough to get 3-4 babies from it, I will chop it down and get some clones out of it.

Then I let the clones root and reach a size of no more then 5-6 inch tall. They will then be transfered to the bucket in a SoG style grow ...... I know I know, 3 plants don't make much of a SoG grow but I have my reasons.

So to make it simple - a 2x2ft(5 ft tall) grow box with CFLs. Used as veg for the mother, turned into a 12/12 SoG with maybe 3-4 clones.

Questions:
- How much CFL wattage can I keep in there without heat becoming a problem?
- Will 1 or 2 CPU fan running half speed be sufficient to keep the heat down?
- In this size grow, what kind of odor control method should I use? Will an ionizer do the trick?
- Not wanting to grow from bagseeds, where can I get good quality clones in Canada?
- Can you foresee any problems with this kind of grow?
- What kind of CFLs would you recommend for the veg and the flowering periods?

I was thinking about either Purple Haze or Blueberry or NL for this grow.

Cheers,
Pepe

[mad4reef]

More than likely your roomates are going to find out. It is really hard to hide. So, if that is going to cause a big problem for them or you I would not grow there.

To answer your questions though...

- CFLs generate very little heat. In that space you could probably put 4-6 26 watters, or one big 100W. Maybe even more. Like I said, they put off very little heat.

- Yes, two CPU fans (one intake the other exhaust) should control any heat issues.

- I am not a big fan of ionizers. You could try ONA. (Odor Neutralizing Agent) (Google)

- I don't know about clones, but you can get seeds from lots of places. I think there is an entire forum dedicated to it on this site.

- No, other than pissing off your roomates. Lots of people grow like that.

- I only use CFLs for clones, so I will let someone who grows with CFLs start to finish answer the last question.

One more thing. You said that you were going to hack the mother to take clones. You know that you don't have to kill her to take clones right? You could keep her alive with minimum effort to produce clones indefinately.

Also, you may want to start your first plant in a bucket smaller that 5 gallons. Start with like a quart and work your way up. I am not sure if it makes a huge difference, but I have always believed that if you let the roots stretch out too far, it will detract from the growth above the soil. And, afterall, we don't smoke the roots.

Good luck.

[Pepe]

Originally Posted by mad4reef

More than likely your room ates are going to find out. It is really hard to hide. So, if that is going to cause a big problem for them or you I would not grow there.

Well, I share a house with an other guy. He is scared that if the cops find out he is going to loose his house. Of course that's a retarded idea, nobody is going to take his house over a room mate growing 3-4 girls, but never the less, I can't reason with him.
So I was thinking that if I make the grow pretty light proof and keep it in the closet than all will be fine. He would have to come in the room and into the closet and then into the grow box to find it.

But he accused me of going into his room and opening/closing his blinds while he is not around - paranoid idiot, I tell ya! So he went ahead and installed a lock on his bedroom door so now that gives me an excuse to do the same with my door. I figure as long as it makes less noise then a computer with it's fans then all is fine. I am probably just going to use my really big can filter with the fan at the lowest setting to take care of the smell, hopefully that will do and it won't be too noisy.

One more thing. You said that you were going to hack the mother to take clones. You know that you don't have to kill her to take clones right? You could keep her alive with minimum effort to produce clones indefinately.

Well, I know I don't need to kill the mom, I just have only one grow box which is 2x2ft area. Also I want to grow SoG style, eventually a much larger grow, maybe one or two 4x4 E&F tables with two HPS 1000W lamps so I want to get familiar with cloning and SoG right away. Of course I am only going to grow a few plants in this house, once I have gained some confidence, skills and equipment I'll move elsewhere ..... away from the paranoid freak.

Also, you may want to start your first plant in a bucket smaller that 5 gallons. Start with like a quart and work your way up. I am not sure if it makes a huge difference, but I have always believed that if you let the roots stretch out too far, it will detract from the growth above the soil. And, afterall, we don't smoke the roots.

Thanx, I'll keep that in mind.

Cheers,
Pepe

[MadforBush]

Reef already answered most of your questions, just thought id put my 2 cents in.

The only problem i see you having is that unless you have some awsome odour removal method, its gonna smell, for example if you open that closet door, then your room door, you will stink out the hallwall.

As for the CFL's, you want 6500k (blue) for veg, and 2700k (red) for flowering. It sounds complex, but its really just a case different colour temperatures (k - or Kelvin) produce a different kind of light, read http://forum.grasscity.com/general-i...cfl-guide.html for more info.

Also, you want to get about 80-100 watts per plant, they will grow with less though, if you check out my journal on my sig, you will see the growth difference as i add more CFL's.

There are some awesome 105 watters on Ebay which will be perfect, just search for CFL bulb/lamp or something like that.

Good luck man

~Bush