ok i just bought a 400w HPS and ballast (both used ), and im planning on starting a small grow. By small I mean like 4 -5 plants (soil, bagsees, maybe some clones). But the thing is i dont have a lot of room! So my question is, will a 400w hps in a small closet (1.5'w, 1.5'l , 5'h) put out to much heat to be usable?? im planning on using fans and ventilation but im not sure what scale of ventilation im looking at?? can i just use a large computer fan for outtake, and a small computer fan for intake? or will i need bigger ones? thanks
I beleive you may need more than that. computer fans do not move alot of air. will the air be cool, like AC, that u are pumping in? I use these fans i get at the appliance store. Im pretty sure its the same deal as the "inline" you see advertised.
I realize Im runing twice as many watts as you, but your space is pretty small. as you can see mine is not at the top where it needs to be. that would help if you could put the fan right above the light.
That;s a pretty small footprint for 400w, so yes heat probably will be an issue. And like most closets that small it probably has no venting, so no way for air to get in or out of there without chopping the walls or door. You will need good airflow for plants to breathe and temp control. It is a part of the equation that a lot of people want to just ignore because they have space that can't accommodate it easily but can otherwise fulfill many of the other variables in the equation, but you can't just ignore one piece and expect all the rest to work. I agree you will need more than a computer fan or two, but just as importantly as the size of the fan is where it is drawing air from and blowing it to -- must draw in from outside of that closet and then exhaust out of the closet.
i guess i neglected to mention that I CANNOT put holes in this closet... but i thought of a good idea, what if I got a big piece of plywood, cut some holes in it for fans then stuck it over the opening of the closet and left the door open? that would probably work.. right? also can someone name a good brand or type of fan that would keep my closet at a good temp? (with a 400w hps in a 1.5, 1.0, 5.0 closet)
It's really going to mostly be trial and error. Get a thermometer and look on ebay for cheap Dayton blowers or Vortex fans. 400w HPS puts out a lot of heat in a confined space. Without ventilation you'd be looking at 100+ degrees easy, and dead plants. The plywood idea will work if you do it correctly. But keep in mind you don't want any light leaks, so it will probably be a pain in the ass. Might as well just buy or find an old cheap door and get some weather stripping if you're going to go that route. Can you cut a hole in the ceiling and vent into the attic, and then patch the hole later on? If security isn't a problem (which I'm assuming it isn't since you want to put a piece of plywood in place of a door with holes cut in it for venilation) you should look into just buying a large cabinet that can sit in your room and grow in that. Good luck. Edit: I just read your demensions... 1.5' x 1.5' x 5'? That's more of a kitchen cabinet than a closet. With a 400w HPS that's going to require some DAMN GOOD ventilation. Edit part 2: And yes I think that's going to put out too much heat to be usable. Like I said you should look into buying a large cabinet for that 400w, or a different, bigger space. Or get a smaller lamp or some CFL's. And how the hell did you plan on fitting 4 or 5 plants in a 1.5' x 1.5' floor space? Are we talking meters here?
well sorry yeah its not really a cupboard its like a seperate wood thingy that my grandpa made, but i CANNOT cut into it, so yeah
That's what I'd do in your situation. Get some 2x4's, some plywood, some flat white paint (for the inside of the cabniet as a reflectant), some hindges, and BAM. Grow some herb. Makes me wish I could get back into things. I hate waiting to move. Have fun!
Depends on how handy you are, tools available, etc. You may be better off buying a pre-fab cabinet from someplace like Home Depot, Ikea, etc. There is a series at Home Depot from a company called Mills Pride that is famous for being converted to grow boxes, the C13 in particular.