Hey there guys! I've done a lot of thread searching and research and i think i've about got a setup in mind. I want to have everything planned well ahead though for a smooth grow! So far i've got a 35"x22"deepx50"high cab in the building...I've got 3 CPU fans pumping 118 CFM each at the top back of the cab out a window, and 2 CPU fans at 118 CFM also at the bottom for intake. Will this be enough ventilation for the area? I used a calculator i found on a grow journal here and found one would be enough but that seemed a bit off to me For seeding/veg i was planning on using just basic 8-42w CFLs, the 150w equivalents.. I saw TripStick had pretty damn good grow using them on his journal http://forum.grasscity.com/indoor-grow-journals/407430-new-medical-cab-bag-seed-125w-cfl.html Would 8 of these seed/veg 3 baby girls? And i plan on moving up to a 150 HPS as Trip did but would enough CFLs do the trick also? Im on a pretty tight budget. Also, i found a few things about it but wasnt able to get a true answer... has anyone had success putting carbon filters over CPU fans? Im gonna get back to working on my cab in the meantime! Any tips/help would be awesome!
TH- Like you I planned on exhausting with CPU fans and had it all set up, but it didn't work very well for me. I hooked up 6 50cfm fans in an array and they just didn't have the power to push through my homemade carbon filter. I'm much better off now with a cooltube exhausting through a single 6" duct with a 6" inline fan and clamping the filter on to the end. You seem to be definitely on the safe side for cfl lighting for veg. I've used 100w (true, not equivalent) per plant with good results. Good luck man keep us posted.
Also man I feel better recommending at least a 250w hps in that space for flowering. My cab is like yours but 20" longer and I wouldn't go any lower than my 400w.
The CFM rating on a set of fans should really be taken with a grain of salt. The computer fans are not made to be pushing against any resistance and when you introduce some they will simply not have the power. If you want to move some air on the cheap then the stanley blower is the way to go IMHO (Google). I can't speak directly to growing with CFLs but I veg under 6 4' standard flourescent tubes without any issue (40w each, 240w total). Those lights provide plenty of space to veg as many plants as i can fit on a 5' by 3' table so you should be just fine. Hope that helps.
Thanks guys! Glad to hear the lighting will hold up, as far as ventilation goes ill have to start looking into a good blower or an inline fan then! My only concern about either of those is noise level im not neccessarily going for a stealth grow but this is going in my own room and would like the exhaust as quiet as possible, anyone have any reccomendations? The search begins! Hopefully i can snatch some pics of my cab Im pretty happy with it so far
Just found a 6" inline duct fan... 180 free air CFM... im not sure how much the carbon filter would slow that 180 down but would that be good enough for my 35x22x50 cab?
Must be the fan I have and it keeps temps, with my carbon filter on and with ambient outside temp at 72F, at about 83F with my 400w HPS.
try a vortex brand inline fan. t hey are preety quiet. the small area, means you can go with a smaller one. like 220 cfm. i use a 440 cfm,l but my room is 11x11. still, i run it at about 50% = 220, on six inch ducting and a 31lb carbon filter. my light is a 600 hps. (plus supps).