Ok, so I recently decided to start growing with the legal limit of 12 plants. I wanted to make a sketchup model of everything beforehand to work out any logical kinks and build efficiency before actually spending the money on it =]. This is my initial concept sketch: I plan to use cfls in the 3x3x2 seedling/clone box and hps in the 3x3x4 veg and 3x3x6 flower box. The middle area will be a gentle co2 distributer. Main purpose is to add a little something extra for the plants and act as a shelf. I haven't researched the size pots they should be in much, so I assumed 1x1x1 would be sufficient for veg and flowering stages for indica/hybrid plants. Let me know if you think otherwise. And this is what I've done with the design, though I paused here due to lack of knowledge: Planning on putting ventilation next. Please let me know if you have suggestions other than the sketch. Also, feel free to tweak this design, just please show me the progress =] I learn best through example. Final sketchup and shopping list will be made available free for use.
Worked on it some more after all. Added pots for scale (decided on 3x3x3 ones for the seedlings) Shrunk the co2 compartment a bit and added a door (hidden here) Added tentative ventilation holes in seedling chamber. O2 intake on the left and passive exhaust on top.
I suggest focusing more on ventilation than extra co2. You will likely get all the co2 you need from the ait exchange, and it will also help with your temps. HPS in such a small grow chamber will create a lot of heat. It looks good though.
Thanks =] What I was thinking about was using the co2 chamber as an active air intake, while having an active oxy intake near the roots on the opposite side, and a passive exhaust with a carbon filter (maybe) on the top between the lights. I'll see if I can get some preliminary work on that tonight.
2ft will be plenty height for a clone cab if you use t5tubes , giving an extra height in your veg chamber , looking good much better planned than my first diy groom . What size lights you plan on running ect,
As in you're not sure what to use? Or? For your design, I would recommend a 600w hps in the flower chamber. The Veg chamber could use a 400w MH or about 400w (actual watts) cfl's or t5's. The clone/seedling chamber doesn't need a ton of light. Aim for around 200w (actual watts) cfl's or t5's for that space.
Sounds like a plan. I need to find what I'm actually going to buy for this stuff so I have a prototype list/budget =P It's taking a while. I might actually have to redo some of it because some of the panels are off-axis, making it difficult to edit. Let me know if you guys have any specific product recommendations. (Cheap but effective as possible)
I suggest looking on craigslist or any other "used buy & sell" website in your area for equipment that might work. Also, a lot of hydro stores sell used gear too, and a lot of them are willing to barter or take less $$ just to move the stuff.
Alrighty. I haven't gotten to the new model, but I found most of the products I'm going to use (at least for comparison). Thanks to that, I managed to draw up an almost to-scale rough layout. Let me know what you guys think. Also, the veg and flower exhausts are active, but the seed intake is active. It is only the active vents that have filters. All vents will have cover flaps too.
Started a new shell from scratch. This time, I'm saving all of the components I use to make updates easier. 'Tis late, so this is as far as I got tonight. Made the basic shells plus the light support for the flowering chamber. I'm going to create the flowering chamber model first and create the rest later. I'm aiming to build a prototype of the flowering chamber when the sketchup is complete. It should be about 500-700$ (lights are ~250$) to build it and grow 4 plants from seed to flower as a test run, maximum. Here's the pic:
Hi guys! Didn't get a bunch done today, but I will have more free time soon. Thinking about adding the connecting shelves and intake boxes next before I do ventilation. Updates! -1000w HPS light -2x4's for the water seal -water sheeting -5g pots -material colors =3 Iso Xray view, and a front view with Steve for comparison.
Looks nice. I am assuming soil? Without seeing the specific numbers for the ventilation exhausts and intakes, did you ensure the intakes are twice the exhaust for each chamber? With multiple active exhausts it looks like the bottleneck is in the intakes, especially if you are using filters on the intake which will reduce flow further. Are you going to just bolt the modules together to make it "portable?" I cant wait to see it done.
Yep, it's soil =]. Thanks for the info on the ventilation. I'm going with active intakes and passive exhausts. The flower chamber will have ~180 CFM for 54 cubic feet. The veg chamber will likely end up ~120 CFM for 36cuft, and the seed chamber ~60 CFM for 18cuft. (On that note, I have a 4" exhaust for the flower chamber, should I up that to 6"?) As for making it portable, yep. Just put it together and stick it on wheels =]. I'm going to try using pallets for the wheelbase. Today's updates: -Shelves; 1x accessories, 1x nutrient storage, power strip area(s) -CO2 and O2 intake boxes -Ventilation holes for flower box Let me know if you guys have more efficient shelving ideas. I'm thinking about removing the bottom power strip shelf (for the sake of space) and making a space for it to hang (2x4 maybe?).
You are going to be using some serious power in lighting. Be very careful with electricity circuit planning. I am assuming you are using 120V 15A circuit. I apologize if you already know about electrical wiring, but I just want to make sure. On a 120V circuit, the 1000W light and ballast will draw around 8-9 amps during ignition. The 400W will be 3-4 amps. On a 15 amp circuit, you should not really use more than 13. Those two lights alone are going to be pushing the limit on a 120v 15A circuit if you have nothing else on it. I would put the lights on separate circuits for safety. I am also assuming that it is going in your residence and that there are other draws on the circuit. Most homes don't have an unused circuit just waiting for a grow operation. You will probably need 2 120v 15A circuits. BE VERY CAREFUL IF YOU CHANGE BREAKERS. Simply replacing the 15A breaker with 20A breakers may be very dangerous. If your wiring is 12 gauge, you are fine. If it is 14 gauge, putting it on a 20A breaker is a code violation and a risk of FIRE. Remember, the breaker is designed to be popped before the any other part of the circuit burns out including the house wiring. Going to 220V circuit, the amp draw will be cut in half and would be a great option if you have one available. Look at the spec sheets on all the gear you are using and add up the total amps and plan from there. Finally, I would make sure your outlet is a GFI outlet. With all that power and water, it is well worth the $20 to prevent an electrocution. There is a reason bathrooms, aquarium pumps, and other appliance around water are required by code to use GFI. For that reason, I would also move the lower power strip up. Also, you are going to have massive heat. There are people here that know a hell of a lot more about lighing than me. However, 1000W in a 3x3x6 seems like way too much. Definitely will need at least 6" ventilation and that is still probably not enough. Be safe.
I don't know jack about wiring actually, so that helps. Though I don't understand much of it. (My solutions to circuits/breakers messing up is turning it off and back on again, usually xD) The only deciding factor I had with choosing those lights was proper lumens. I'm not sure if having reflective mylar on the inside would change the lumens any. On the bright side, due to finances, only the flowering box will be used in the prototype. I have some time to work out the wiring kinks for the other boxes. I am also going to remove the power strip shelf to make room for the other shelves. I'll just mount them in appropriate places during building =].
Ok, here is the easier to understand version. 1) Go to your breaker box and find the breaker that controls the outlet you want to use. There should be a number on it, most likely a 15 or a 20. That is how many amps you can use before the breaker trips (theoretically). 2) Turn off that breaker and figure out everything it powers. If it powers high amp items like portable/window ac units, microwave ovens, high powered stereo/entertainment systems, etc, you are already drawing a lot and need to either pick another circuit or move the equipment off it. Try to unplug, remove as much as you can from the circuit. 3) Look at the label/manual on each piece of equipment and get the amp draw at 120v AC (what your house uses if you live in the states). See this example. See where it says 3.3A (120VAC)? That means it draws up to 3.3 Amps. 4) Add all the amps together for every piece of equipment in your grow and add that to everything else that is on the circuit. 5) Make sure that number is below 12 for a 15A circuit or 15 for a 20A circuit for a safe margin. Otherwise you may have to deal with breaker trips. At best it would suck to see that your lights and fans were off the whole day. At worst, if the breaker is not doing what it is supposed to then you risk overloading the circuit and causing a fire.
You are awesome at explaining things, good sir. I'll probably map all that out once I find out where I'm living this year. This, (the 1000w one) is the light I plan on using for the flower chamber. For the prototype, I'm buying both the MH&HPS bulbs. Updates: -Cord hole for flower box -Made the 4" exhaust into 6" -Removed power strip shelf (will be mounted instead); made more space for other shelves -Doors! -Hinges and thingies (Per law, all doors must be lockable. Using long padlocks through handles) I am having trouble figuring out the doors for the CO2 and O2 boxes. Let me know if you guys have ideas =]
Aside from the pallet wheelbase and tweaks, the sketchup is done! Next up is going to be material lists and estimates. Also, the lights are a pretty heavy load for the full setup (apx 1850w), so let me know if anyone has a good wiring idea for the box itself. Updates: -Seedling/clone chamber; vegetative chamber -250w CFL in s/c chamber; 600w MH in veg chamber -3" exhaust in s/c; 4" in veg -Intake box doors -Pots and water trays for s/c and veg -Moar cord holes (turns out the cords are 12' ) -Intake vents for s/c and veg -Plants X-ray: Front X-ray: Back: (This was my solution to the door problem. Front CO2 opens, and both open in the back.) Front: Open front:
i would suggest no intake fan as it will create turbulence in the box effecting the natural process of hot air rising. instead use a passive intake and a larger out take fan too.