Crucial Grow Box Design Questions

Discussion in 'Grow Room Design/Setup' started by Jazz-, Aug 16, 2008.

  1. Greetings, been lurking on these forums for a while and I've decided to invest some of my time and money into small-scale growing. However, I do have some questions regarding light, heat, and space. I have two different blueprints for my grow cabinet and would greatly appreciate insight and advice on one of them at the moment, as I've never grown before (indoors) and do not know if these plans are realistic.


    BluePrint#1

    • Small Wooden Laminated Cabinet (Assembled Height/Width/Depth in inches)= 32 H/24W/11.65D
    • 400w Cool Tube Reflector/ Switchable Ballast (Cooltube Reflector is 20 inches long and about 8 inches in height( for a 6" ventillation duct fitting)
    • 1 400W HPS light (For Flowering)
    • 1 400W MH light (For Vegetation)
    • (Exhaust) 465 CFM Dayton Blower (Connected to end of Cooltube Reflector via ventillation duct and blowing hot air inside outside.
    • One 4"Intake fan or passive intake(Probably will use a fan in order to reduce temps as much as possible)
    • 2x11.5 Scrog Screen Placed 19 inches high (Assuming 1 gallon pots are 7 inches high, which allows me 1 foot of plant growth and 6 inches of empty space between the light and the plants when fully grown)
    • Flat White Paint on the walls ( To reduce the chance of heat spots and keep the cabinets temp as low as possible)
    • 2 Potting Mediums (Approx. 8 Inches wide by 7 inches deep, 1 gallon)
    For this blueprint i am very concerned of overheating problems, hence the need for a 465 cfm fan in such a small place, and an intake fan. However, it's size is perfect for concealability, and wonder if this set up could be successful.

    is 400w too much for a 2 8/12 x 2 x 1 area?

    Is 1 gallon of soil enough to sustain a 1 foot large cannabis plant through vegetation and flowering?

    Is 17 Inches enough space to grow a 1 foot cannabis plant and implement a scrog screen?

    I want as large and as fast a yield as possible and am worried that 250w lights would take longer to grow and I would have less bud. (Also note that I have never seen a 250 w nor 400w nor any hps or mh lighting system before, meaning I have no idea as to the heat this equipment gives off.) Advice is well appreciated.

    Also, if it helps, heres a view of the cabinet i would like to grow in (Hopefully this is not a violation of Board rules, as I am not advertising or marketing, but seeking to create a more visual image for advice-givers deciding whether my schematic is reasonable or not):

    http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/...ode+matchall&recN=112813&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber


    Thanks in advance
     
  2. #2 HydroGanic, Aug 17, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 17, 2008

    Oi...

    My opinion?

    400W is too hot for that. 2 150W's would suit you much better with less heat.

    Intake is too small. Need more intakes or a MUCH larger size to feed a 400cfm+ fan...

    Go shallow water culture since dirt would grow way too slowly... :(
    I used a Rubbermaid container that held 10 gallons that was only 7" tall and it worked out beautifully for 4 plants. (Can't recommend the Lucas Formula enough for beginners at hydro either. Even experts use that formula and it is simple enough for a 12 year old kid to mix up and use properly.)

    The answers to many of your questions can be readily found HERE!

    Make sure you come back to GC to discuss what you've learned and to get help with the more technical questions you'll have at that time. :)

    GROW ON!
     

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