Help With Venting and Stank

[CR-PuffnStuff]

I come seeking advice on how to configure a very quiet, and stank free, ventilation system for my enclosed grow space. I will be using a Suncast GS400 resin garden shed (indoors). Internal dimensions are 67”H X 31”D X 49”W @ apx. 60 cubic Ft. I live in an apartment and it will be in my bedroom. I also plan on moving my 55-gallon aquarium in there, and use a noisy air pump to mask any noise. I’ve chosen a silent digital ballast (Lumatek MH/HPS) to power an air-cooled reflector, so heat will not be a big problem. I want to go overkill and invest in an extra large carbon filter as smell is by biggest concern. I need some advice in finding some very quiet blowers for both my reflector and ventilation system and how to configure the venting system. I also plan on using a speed controller to get the flow just right. Also, do you think I can get away with six plants in this space with a 400-watt light, or should I go with four? I could bump up to 600 watts, but don’t want to spike the electric bill too much. Thanks in advance, PuffnStuff.

[AugustWest]

wassup CR.

that sounds like a nice area to grow in man.
Quick question how much weight can you mount to the ceiling of your shed?
Carbon filters can weigh between 40 & 100++ lbs depending on how crazy you go.

if you want to go overkill and not worry about smell 1 bit (which is a huge releif imo), then noise maybe an issue if you don't insulate your ducting. You'll need a decent fan that can run a carbon filter and still be strong enough to keep temps reasonable.

In my 52x52 space i use a 6" vortex blower and a pro 50 filter. The flower room is pretty full of stanky flowering plants and there's no sign of smell at all.

the vortex isn't that loud.. it's more a matter of the sound of the air being pullled through the ductwork. If you can keep the ductwork length to a minimum and use some insulated ducting, then you should be ok with something like that or something a little smaller because your space is a bit smaller.
as far as the light.. i donno i'd go with the 600 if cash isn't an issue. If your worried about the electric company finding out, honestly there is such little difference between a 400 and a 600, there is no way that little bit would raise any red flags at all.

the plant question: it depends on strain, and veg time that will dictate how many you can fit under there. 1 sative vegged for 8 weeks would overgrow that area, whereas 6 indicas vegged for 2 weeks would probably fit in just fine.

anyway i'm not saying that's the best possible thing to go with, but it's something that i've used and it works great for my situation.

sorry to ramble,
peace

edit: when choosing a fan/filter combo, make sure the CFM of the fan matches the rating on the filter.. if the fan is too powerful for the filter it wont work.

[CR-PuffnStuff]

Thanks Mr. West. Mounting the filter will not be a problem. I work in a fabrication shop and can have built, just about anything. Great advice! Especially making sure the CFM of the fan matches the rating on the filter. I could have seen me screwing that one up. I do plan on growing “short” strains (3 to 4 feet) and can afford to go with 600 watts, and have decided to do so. I figure the extra yield will more than pay for the larger light. In fact, I figure the whole set-up, and going with quality components, will cost no more than a few (store-bought) ounces, and after that it’s almost a free ride. I find it funny that tonight, some guy will drink a bottle of booze and beat up his wife, yet we have to hide this shit.

[AugustWest]

i hear ya man.. it's the most fun hobby on earth, and we can't share it with anyone, but we can go out and get shit faced & make idiots out of ourselves legally or smoke cigarettes till we choke to death lol.

good way to look at it man.. one reasonable harvest with 4 mid sized plants will pay for the whole deal with the prices the dealers get for weed these days.

best of luck to ya man. Hopefully you decide to document a grow on here..

[NorCalHal]

In an area as you described you can use one blower for both your exhaust and cooling your lights.
You can use a set up like this: your filter-ductwork to your aircooled lights-thru the lite-to the blower-and exhaust it all out the room. This way you only use one blower and it is dual purpose. The extra bends in the ductwork will help muffle the sound. Also use insulated ducting. Big sound differance.

If you have folks over and are still worried about sound of the blower, you can buy a router controller for about 20 bucks. This allows you to adjust the voltage to the blower and "slow it down" while company is over. But you still get the draw from the blower running. When they leave, crank it back up.