PC Micro Grow

Discussion in 'Micro Grows' started by PsypherE, Feb 16, 2014.

  1. Hey GC!
     
    I have built myself a Stealth CFL grow PC.
     
    I will be using 3 x 23W 2700K and 1 x 23W 6500K.CFLs. i do have a 42W 2400K CFL that i may use if i feel it could use the extra light.
     
    For exhaust i have created a custom carbon filter system using 2 x 120mm and 1 x 80mm PC fans. All three fans are used in a serial configuration. The 80mm fan pushes air through 1-1/2" of activated carbon which in then pulled out of the case by the 2 x 120mm fans that are directly connected to one another.
     
    I also have 1 x 80mm acting as an intake fan that pushes through a light trap and into the case. There is a third 80mm fan that is used for internal circulation.
     
    Right now i have everything i need to start growing except seeds. hopefully in the next few weeks i will get my hands on some. I will be growing in coco and have a few organic nutes that i will be using. in the meantime I have some basil that i just started in miracle grow a few days ago.
     
    Thats all for now, Peace and Love,
    PyspherE

     

    Attached Files:

  2. looking real good bro, im in.
     
    Really wondering wether to do a pc grow as my first just so its a bit more manageable, but the small yield sorta puts me off
     
  3. nice setup ^^
     
  4. cool filter. Though the 2 120mm fans in series are not helping here, you should have some distance between them, because right after the air leaves the fan its a very turbulent flow and the second fan has trouble dealing with that. In the end you get little to no extra static pressure boost from the second fan.
     
    In my fan it will be 120mm fan -> carbon-> 120mm fan.
     
  5. Hey There GC!
     
    So I'm up and running now! I ordered some seeds a few weeks ago and germinated one of the G13 Labs - Auto Pineapple Express.
     
    It seems to be doing pretty good so far.
     
    My plan is to let it deplete the Nitrogen in the soil and go straight to a bloom nutrient blen
     
    I will be using Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Bloom 1-4-5
     
    Between the small pot size and the bloom nutes early i'm hoping i can manage the size of the plant in this mid tower PC case
     
    Currently I have 2 x 23W 2700K CFLs and 1 x 13W 6500K CFL running 18on-6off. I'm hoping this 2700K heavy spectrum will also trigger flowering early to keep the size manageable.
     
    Anyways here are some pics! hope you enjoy! Feel free to comment and provide some feed back!
    2014-04-06 22.27.45.jpg 2014-04-06 22.27.57.jpg
     
    Peace & Love
    Pysphere
     
  6.  
    Even if the spectrum has some effect on when it will start to flower, it is still mostly determined by the genetic makeup. Plus the 2700k spectrum will have adverse effects as it will make your plant stretch way more than say 6500k. So yea, put em 6500k in ! all of them would be best.
     
    Nice box otherwise. How old is the seedling ?
     
  7. Thanks for the advice! I will definitely switch one of the 2700K 23W to a 6500K 23W. I want to keep at least 1 2700K bulb as I believe the spread spectrum will be beneficial to the plant! The seedling is just about 10 days since I put it in paper towel to sprout and 7days since it broke the surface.

    Peace & Love
    Pysphere

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
     
  8. So I switched out the lights and I'm now using a 42W 6500K cfl and a 23W 2700K cfl. Hopefully the few extra watts help out!

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
     
  9. Hey there GC!
     
    I here is a weekly picture update! Hpe yu enjy! feel free t leave feeback
    IMG_20140412_232704.jpg IMG_20140412_232714.jpg 140412_232704.jpg]
    Peace & Lve
    Pysphere
     

    Attached Files:

  10. looks good, but put the plant closer to the light :D like 1-2 inches away
     
  11. Agreed, I usually do about 4 inches, and allow them to grow up towards the lights so I don't have to panic when seeing a plant touching a light.  But they totally could grow an inch in a day, it happens.
     
    I'm doing a PC grow myself, and I'm going to start my thread today.  I'm curious to see your yield in the end, so I'm following you along for the ride my friend.  Good luck and happy growing!
     
  12.  
     
     
    Thanks for the suggestion! 
     
    I moved the plant closer to the light a few days ago and noticed the leaves started folding inwards together down the center of the leaves. I have concluded this was due to heat stress as the problem disappeared once i moved it back away from the lights.
     
    This propted a minor case modification. i tore out the diy carbon filter and have scrapped the filter all together. Instead i created a light trap that should allow much more hot air to leave the case with as little resistance as possible. The new exhaust uses 1 less 120mm fan leaving just 1 x 120mm + 1x 80mm fans. I have included a diagram f the new exhaust!
     
    exhaust.jpg IMG_20140416_221258.jpg IMG_20140416_221243.jpg IMG_20140416_221236.jpg
     
    Peace & Love
    Pysphere
     
  13. Very snazzy.. literally just thought 'looks pretty good, i might try making one..' then remembered i had a server case and a pc case in the shed this whole time... im gonna try joining them side by side to make a wide one lol

    Sent from my GT-S6810P using Grasscity Forum mobile app
     
  14. A wide case like that would be awesome.  I stood my IBM server case on it's end to make the whole thing taller rather than wider, so you may want to try something like that also.
     
  15. Good job noticing that heat stress early...good ventilation is crucial to these small enclosures...glad to hear you got it figured out.
     
  16. Nice idea, especially as they are different sizes..
    I could get a few and weld them all together and make it look like just a pile of PC cases lol.. but with the fans still working...
     
  17. dude that is like literally the same idea i have :D
     
    how awesome it would be to have 2-3 server cases side by side and run a vertical grow in them
     
  18. you could easily do multiple plants in such a setup.  what you may look into is some good steel snips, or a dremel tool, and bore out the side of the server and side of the smaller tower, and use some J-B weld to cold-weld the cases together.  It will be completely sealed, and very strong.  Moving that setup would be a pain though.  I would use one for a veg box and one for a flower box, which is what I have done with mine.
     
  19. you may want to custom make your fan mounts; you don't want your fans daisy-chained blowing through one pc to another...temps would get pretty hot.  a dremel tool is the way to go if you have one, if not, it could easily pay for itself with how useful it would be in this instance. 
     
  20. Whats up GC!!
     
    I have a bit of an update! The plant looks to be doing very well so far. She has started shooting a few pistils and is starting to branch out! In the next few days i will probably be giving her nutrients for the first time other than the amendments that were in the potting soil.
    IMG_20140422_223359.jpg IMG_20140422_223257.jpg IMG_20140422_223250.jpg IMG_20140422_223239.jpg
     
    I also came across an old PC at an E-Waste disposal. So I brought it home and have begun the transition into another small grow box.
    IMG_20140422_223205.jpg
     
    As Always, Peace & Love
    PyspherE
     

    Attached Files:

Share This Page