Alright so I'm trying to get a new setup laid out for my next grow. Right now my #1 priority is odor control, I need this to be sealed and have some kind of definitive odor control. I have $500 to spend on this and was planning on shopping at HTG, and ordering from one place. I have soil/pots/plants/ferts lined up already. I am still torn between getting a 400w or a 250w... I am getting a conversion bulb, and my grow area is going to be sealed in 20"x36"x64" I feel like a 400w is going to be too much for that small of an area, or am I wrong? Would I need a cool-tube for that? or could I air cool a 400W? Air cooling 250W would be no problem for me. Also does High Tech Garden Supply that look like it would be good for 5-6 females? If anyone knows of a better setup for under $500 that can fit in a closet please do, fill me in. Grow Tent - Size S 20 x 36 x 64 - Silver Lined $129.95 $129.95 GrowBright 4" Inline Fan & Carbon Filter Combo $120.95 $120.95 HTGSupply Ultimate 250w HPS & MH Grow Light $167.95 $167.95 +$75.00 shipping
Lol.. 52 views and no replies huh? HTG also has a 40x40x78 tent and a 400W cost the same amount as 250W The cubic footage for that one is around 72 sq feet which is closer in line with 2:1 ratio with carbon filter / inline fan... I already changed my mind and I am getting the lone HPS @ 400W with the bigger tent. Would still like some feedback if anyone has any dirt on this setup.
looks good. Although i think i would go with a 6" exhaust fan, and a 4" inline fan. Your gonna need to bring fresh air into the tent just about as quickly as your exhaust fan takes air out. Your also going to need at least one oscillating fan. Other than that, a 400W air cooled light should be good enough to harvest 6 plants, but don't count on getting full growth out of all of them. general rule is 1 plant per 100 watts. But i have seen 16 plants done with one 600W'er before, so the general rule doesnt really mean jack shit. So long as you can rotate your plants around to make sure they all get an even amount of light. Good luck
Oh shit so I am going to need one more fan for the exhaust/venting to work properly eh? What airflow ratio do I need to minimize odor? 2:1 outtake:intake ratio? Carbon filter on the outtake? I have ambient temperature / oscillating fans covered I have a really nice vornado fan that can drop a decent sized bedroom 5 degrees in an hour. I am not worried about # of plants and maximizing growth, I know the strains I am growing well enough to get the kind of yield I want from them. I am upgrading from a 150W. This 400W is a MASSIVE upgrade for me. 6 plants was actually what I was planning on starting. Assuming I will get 3-4 females from that. If I end up with 3 or less females I was going to throw them back into veg for longer and turn the into shrubs.
took a look at your last grow (150W multi-strain) and was very impressed. Seems like you got most of it down pretty well. As far as the ratio of air flow, there is no right number. Just make sure that if your constantly pulling air out of the room, that there is air coming into the room via another fan source, or even a small opening (i suggest you go with another fan source, as leaving openings will cause light leaks and can lead to your plants going hermie.) you would be fine with (2) 4" fans, one for your exhaust & carbon filter, the other to bring fresh air into the room. As far as containing the smell, that small carbon filter isn't going to do the trick to contain the smell of 6 full grown budding plants. It will keep the smell inside the box, but as soon as you open your tent your going to be welcomed by a nice bud aroma. So as long as its ok for it to smell inside the tent, but nowhere else, you should be good. If you need the whole damn place to be smellproof, your gonna need a 6" exhaust fan and a bigger carbon filter.
Oh cool thanks for the input man, I really appreciate it, I want to make sure on this next grow everything goes smoothly from start to finish. I just need my PLACE to be smellproof. I don't mind if dank smell comes out when I open the tent, I can de-odorize that. I just can't have dank smell oozing out of my place. Last time around you could smell my plants before you even walked in the door (From 4ft away OUTSIDE), and this time I am not going to let that happen. Will a tent alone be enough to keep the odor confined to the tent? Or will I need that carbon filter cover my ass?
the tent will help, but your going to need a carbon filter. If your just worried about how it smells outside your place, then the 4" carbon filter will be fine. Oh and just a note... the carbon filters only last about a year. You can make em yourself for less than $40 just google "Do it yourself carbon filter" heres one example: http://forum.grasscity.com/do-yourself/384051-another-diy-carbon-scrubber-less-than-40-a.html I know they sell activated carbon at petsmart for like $15 bucks for a huge bottle
Yea, I was going to buy the pre-made one because I know the construction will be solid, then I was just going to refill it myself. I looked at DIY stuff and decided this grow I was going *oem* with my stuff. I've done alot of DIY hydro / aero stuff in the past and for odor, I can't afford to risk a design flaw. How do you know when its gone bad? Will you have to *smell* it? After being around plants that smell like skunky gasoline for a couple of months all day you don't notice the subtle smell as much. What affects the amount of odor control, the size of the filter and amount of carbon, or the amount of air the fan is pushing? Also I put the carbon filter/fan outside the tent, and have it sucking air from inside the tent, into the carbon filter then out into plain air? Or is that not the right order?
my so simple even I can do it method of smell removal.. grow a strain that doesn't smell. they all have some type of smell, but some have like your basic house plant green and pot smell until you cut them down. so far I found a G13 widow, and a unknown OG strain with no smell other that then your basic house plant smell. When they are cut they stink like hell after a couple hours, and stay fairly pungent even after the cure is done.
OGK is one of the most odorous strains out there buddy, a zip of OGK can make my apartment smell like OGK. Chopped and cured OGK. All plants are going to emit some kind of radiant odor no matter what strain there are. Do a little research before making claims like this in the future pls?
I only need to run my Carbon Filters in the 2nd half of flowering usually. So they last me several grows. 250W vs 400W why not get an adjustable digital. I have a 600W adjustable that does 400W too. There are 400 / 250W ones also Lumatek 400W 120/240V Dimmable / Multi-Wattage (250W, 400W) Ballast You would use a 250W MH to veg and the 400W HPS to Flower. 4" Centrifugal / Mixvent type fan and you should be good. EDIT::: I saw you were planning on buying a growbright fan I have never used one but I remember 1-2 people speaking against them. I would rethink that purchase a little and at least do a little research there before you buy. Ebay has been a decent resource for me as well.
The key thing here is simple one time purchase of ALL goods. I have to pay via paypal, thats where the cash for this is, and all I have is $500, on the nose. I can do the 400 setup with all of that shit including the INLINE fan for under $500 shipping INCLUDED. I know there are better options out there, but I am on a budget here. not about to buy grow supplies on ebay.