This is going to be my first grow So how does this sound…I Built a stealth cab with a cabinet from home depot, 24" wide 16" deep and 33" tall. It is white melamine inside and out so I figure that will be reflective enough. I installed 2 computer fans (one inlet one exhaust) rated at 28 CFM. I have light proofed the cab with weather stripping and used elbows on the intake and exhaust to prevent light leak. I found a light on E bay , according to the description "this light uses a new light technology called FluoreX - it not HPS or MH - it has the same light spectrum as a MH light. Has a Kelvin rating of 6500 and puts out over 8,000 Lumens based on a study conducted at Stanford University. Blue/White Full Spectrum Light so commonly found in Metal Halide bulbs but only draws 65 watts of electricity - which only costs pennies a day to operate. I am ordering some lowryder seeds and plan to stick with these primarily…until I get more adventurous. I plan on using organic soil. I am looking for input on the size of the pots for the lowryders. I plan on using basic miracle grow type ferts (or the many other off the shelf types I have seen on the forum). Lastly I picked up some activated carbon filters for a kitchen range hood at home depot as well. I was going to put these inside the cab to help with odor control. As a full blown NOOB any input on my set up would be greatly appreciated.
How much $ was that cab? I might consider going to buy one myself. As for the light, if you haven't bought it yet, I would buy something else. It looks to be basically just a compact flourescent light, which you can get a bunch of for cheap from home depot, lowes, or walmart. Light is going to be your most important factor here, so the higher you go the better results you're going to get. I'm not sure how much you're willing to spend, but you can get a 400watt hps that will work great for 90 bucks at www.insidesun.com. I have this light and it's doing great. If you want to spend lower then I would just get a bunch of compact flourescents to line the inside of your cabinet. Honestly, the lowryder strain and crosses are popular simply because they attract new growers who have to be stealthy and like the idea of the plant finishing quickly, because it autoflowers. I consider them to be more of a novelty... sure, it's interesting, but the end result is not that great. For their price, you could buy much better strains. If height is the issue, then read the descriptions carefully and pick out a mostly indica strain that stays short. It will take about an extra month than the lowryder would, but your yield and potency will be much higher, and I think that's what really counts in the end. The lowryder plants are cool because of how they work, but their yields are small and the potency is pretty weak. A lot of people don't really research them. The reason they autoflower is because they have a lot of genetics from ruderalis strains. Ruderalis would be considered the 3rd species of cannabis if they made it official, the other two being indica and sativa. Ruderalis plants are much less potent and often autoflower. They made the lowryder strain by crossing and creating hybrids with ruderalis strains repeatedly until they stabilized it. I would never want to bother with any ruderalis based strain. It's up to you, but I think you'd be more happy with any short stocky indica than the lowryders.
I love those lights. I have 6 in one of my cabs. LOVE THEM! They are not your average CFL, Hero. They kick mucho ass. One of those lights can light up my whole back yard. By buddy sells them for $35 and the 100W input ones for $59. Well worth it, and kicks the crap out of your average CFL.
seriously - for $35 you get 8,905 lumens at only 64W. For $58 you get 13,700 lumens at 100W input. I don't know about anyone else, but to me, that's a no-brainer for a veg cab or to augment a HPS in a flowering cab. Plus, it doesn't take up the room a 4 foot 4 bulb fluorescent fixture does. My cab that has 6 in it is only sucking down 384W and is cranking out 53,430 lumens. They get kinda hot, but nothing compared to my 400W MH.
Yeah, those lights are 65 actual watts, so their equivalant/replacement watts would be about 250. My only question: since they lean so much to the blue spectrum they are great for vegging, but will they do the job for flowering? Up4anything, you should know this one. Scooter, those fans may do an adequate job for basic circulation of fresh air but they sound pretty weak to be dealing with any significant odor problems.
will the fans be enough for fresh air and stem strength-i adressed the odor issue with 2 activated charcoal filters inside the cab (see main post from home depot) they are about 6" x 8" and 1/2 thick hanging in cab. they are filters from a kitchen range hood. my reaosn ing for the lights is heat- any other suggestions for low growing strains? hero- the cab was like $32 at depot and the light kicks 800 lumens. I am hoping for heat reasons this will be enough for my limited area
I did a couple of entire grows with them and liked the results. Since then, though, I just use them to supplement my HPS when I flower and it give much better results than either of the two by themselves. They are 6500K Daylight full-spectrum bulbs, but they do have a lot of blue in them.
Scooter, I did read what you said about the carbon filters, and I took it from your initial post that you have them just hanging inside the cab. I don't think that will do much. For the filters to work you need to install them inline in your exhaust channel.The air in the cab has to pass through them, either pushing or pulling, and that's how the carbon scrubs the air clean. The filter slows down airflow and that is why you need a strong fan to push/pull through the filter. So...I still think your fans are underweight to handle an odor problem.
Thanks Up4, that makes sense. I have some in that same spectrum (4 x 23 real watts) and use them to supplement the MH during veg, wondered about using them with the HPS during flower...
sounds to me like you did good research, before jumping into growing,,,,, + to you on your odor control setup,,,,i wonder if you got that info. from me ,,, sounds like some shit i throw out every so often on a odor control issue,,,that carbon sheet will do u wonders,,,on your exaust fan.. if you put some of that carbon sheet in front of the fan to where the exausted air blows thru it,, it will help eliminate a little extra..your setup sounds fine,,,,,good luck
Echo that Scooter, overall your design seems thought out with good background knowledge. The cab is low but you've already thought about that by looking to lowryder. I've never tasted lowryder, but from what I've heard I think you'll be wanting to step up pretty soon to some indica genetics and use training and pruning. If I'm picking on your fans and filters it's because I don't see any issues with the rest of your plan. Those airflow elbows, are the painted flat black inside? That helps a lot.
i posted a long ass answer a while ago,,, and it didnt go thru,, and lost it all,,, your proably laughing t-biz,,, you know how i suck at the comp.. ill keep it short,,,, they sell in lowes at the a/c area,, they are made to lay right on top of your a/c inlet filter,, to kill the household odor before it gets recirculated thru your house again,,,hanging these[ cut to strips] in your cabinet,, will help kill odors,,,, but mainly it kills the dark period odor,,, when your fans aint on,,,these added to other small odor eliminators will add up to a lot of clean air..
I laughed a little but mostly I feel for you, I've had posts being written that just disappear before too, and it's always the ones you feel you could never sit down and write as well again... Yeah, I got me some of those carbon filter sheets, too, made by Honeywell I think. But I don't just hang 'em, I force my exhaust through them. So you sayin' I bought that big Stanley blower for nothin?.... ; -)
well on the post that didnt go thru,, i went into heavy detail,,,,, lost it and shortened it up,,,,,, but yeah to put it right in front of your fan to blow air thru it is the way to go,,,,i got a tall vertical fan,, a [ aloha breeze],,, the inlet on this fan,, is covered by these sheets,,, the blowing on this fan is covered also,,,, i gotta try something [ see if i can post a link] grass city.com this i hope worked i gotta learn how yo post a link,,, im gonna have a dandy time when i get my cam...
fkin A look at that link oh yeah, now maybe i can help others more clearly,,,i owe thanx to t-biz,,, and mainly up4anything, were cooking with grease now.....get back
I am gonna use the lowryders for 2 reasons-size and ease. The autoflowering aspect makes it almost foolproof for a first attempt. I am looking for any suggestions for another low growing strain strain that I can prune and split that will fir my low height set up. As far as the odor thing is concerned willI ireally get that much stank for 2-3 plants? Again thx to everyone for their help-as a newcomer here I really appreciate it!! Ironically I am not a huge smoker but after seeing this site and some others I am gonna try it as my socio-politcal staement to "THE MAN." (and to get some sweet free buds).
a semi-effective one. when I was a poor college student, I would put activated carbon in my girlfriend's pantyhose and hang them in our grow closet. It did an OK job. Just OK though.