About a year-ish (my lack of decisiveness is kinda embarrassing, but anxiety, overthinking, and me all are a joint package these days) ago I opted to invest vs just blow my dwindling extra funds on something shorter term. My biggest concerns were being discreet/stealthy. Got a viparspectra p1000 (pro series I guess it’s called? 100watts , full spectrum), thermostat/a little thing to test humidity (of air I don’t think either are really made to test soil humidity/temp, not sure if that’s a huge issue tho), carbon filter - fan- ACTUALLY- so most of the stuff has hardly been taken out of the packaging it got shipped in- completely forgot the details regarding the filter and fan- filter doesn’t seem to have any specific packaging to it (just a cardboard shipping box with an address or 2 on it , and the unit itself is in a clear, plant plastic bagging closed with a zip tie)- but from the address info I’m gonna guess this is the filter Vanleno Charcoal Prefilter(?): Fan being a ‘4inch 195CFM Inline Duct Ventilation Fan’ by vivosun: VIVOSUN 4 Inch 195 CFM Inline Duct Ventilation Fan HVAC Vent Blower for Hydroponics Grow Tent (I was so surprised by the intensity of the odor control I opted for, which I only remembered while writing this post & double checking the specs I purchased a year+ ago )- I’m probably something else I bought in preparation supplies wise, but the seeds I opted for are feminized Blue Mystic seeds (I’m blanking on the source- I just know they got shipped from Europe which doesn’t narrow much down). I think I have 3 seeds left from it but don’t plan on growing more than 1 plant at a time til I’m more comfortable. Thought about buying a tent which everyone i talked to recommended for the most part/anything I read online- but the high price tag (for me) made opting for a custom built box with basic wood, Mylar material lining the interior very attractive. Especially since I’m not the most handy but have a limited variety of tools (hammer, small circular hand saw, drills, sanders etc- not any major experience but I used the saw specifically to install and help cut some faux wood flooring for a handful of rooms). Never got around to building it because I wasn’t confident in my ability to build something easy to disassemble- but also put off the whole grow because my schedule the next few months kept being very unclear, with some traveling and extended visits (few weeks-month here and there) from family. I’ve been in the process of moving the past few weeks (still living with roommate whom I would have to keep the project stealth for- luckily the new place isn’t rented, it’s owned, so I’m not oppose to some minor modifications to the grow space). And my desire to pick back up the project has simultaneously resurfaced. Still have a huge concern for stealth, and my 2 options for the space would either be my closet (which is much smaller than my previous closet, which was a tiny walk in, this one’s more of a double doored, foot or so deep sort of situation). Closet would in a way make me feel more comfy and has easier access but smell is a much bigger concern especially because it’s right next to the living space/kitchen. Other option is in the attic which I’m leaning towards. Attic has 2 decent sized windows side by side in a dormer, majority of the attic is insulation, no real flooring, but about 200sq ft of floored pathway leads from the ladder access which is in the garage, to the windowed dormer. Tall, must be at least 10ft A-frame styled ceiling around everything. Biggest concern is the access not being the easiest but it’s manageable, and that the attic runs the expanse of the floor plan more or less. It’s half blocked by a heaping wall of what my guess is the hvac (it’s not an actual wall- just not at all easy to get over it to see fully if/what/how many vents lead down into the space below on that side of the attic). It’s fall here, but the attic wasn’t at all stuffy or hot, and I’m guessing will be at least a little bit insulated for the winter (we may get 1 or 2 snows, i don’t live anywhere overly hot or cold). It’d be easier to tell if the smells rank if I wasn’t sleeping right next to the grow getting desensitized 24/7 - and I might end up putting my paint supplies up there (the windows give an amazing amount of light- I didn’t look for a light while up there- but the whole space I was in was lit up from the windows). So that’s what I’m leaning towards,,, honestly I’ve just read a bunch of grow journals and half the time I think grower’s are a bit desensitized/subjective about the smell of things, so it’s hard to gauge when folks claim such and such method result in zero smell right outside the grow etc etc. Roommates not much of a snooper, and doesn’t have the best nose for funky goodness tbh, and isn’t majorly anti-weed- but I’d definitely be in a sticky situation (not the kind I’m hoping for) if they came back to any sort of funk. I think smell will be manageable until the flowering/drying and harvesting comes about to be honest. And I haven’t jumped on the whole project because it’s a bit intense to think about getting that far in everything and suddenly having that issue to deal with. I literally was planning on keeping some extra clothes near the grow and gloves to avoid bringing the funk with me thru the house before I get a chance to freshen up. I realize I sound overly worried to some, and to others the whole ordeal probably doesn’t sound worth it to pursue. But without a steady source of income let alone a decent-quality seller of goods in my current location - I haven’t had a good smoke in many many months my friends. thankfully I do freelance art from home so I’ll be able to be around the grow very flexibly day to day unless something unexpected comes up. if you’re still here, or just skipped to this part (no shame- I’m a chatty cat sometimes )- any advice, critiques, thoughts, suggestions on the given info? Would love to here. Will try to keep updated on how things end up working
Easy stealth box. Go to Walmart get a large but cheap storage bin. Stand it up on its side so now it's tall and the lid is your door. Cut a hole bottom left and top right for ventilation, some small holes in back for power cords, put reflective insulation from Lowes maybe walmart. You have the inline fan and filter I think, so figure how to mount that on top right side. (Use filter tubing as guide to cut circle hole top right) dryer tubing if you can't directly attach it. Put lights inside, close and check for light leaks in the dark.
actually I love that idea - took me a second to paint a picture in my head but I got it after a few seconds! I think though that that might actually be too small for both the plant and the light- let alone- just realized in the past week that apparently there needs to be a lot more space between the top of the plant and the light than I realized (I guess it hadn’t occurred to me because I assumed since it wasn’t hot- it wouldn’t hurt the plants , just might be a bit tricky to disperse the light as well)- since I’m using a LED light . I guess 18”-24” ish inches or more I’ve read from the top of plants- which I was thinking of doing something between 3-3.5ft so that doesn’t really work out. On top of that the light itself is pretty hunky- and that’d also be pretty sketch fitting it and having it held up by the storage bin side (even with some extra additions for structural stability). I think when everything’s closed , given I do the initial parts right for any stealth box (no leaks, good airflow etc)- thanks to this filter I’m not really worried about it smelling within the box too much- but when I’m checking and tending to it on a day to day - there’s no denying the smell will find its way out…. Just gotta do some brainstorming on the whole topic. Have some plans the next few weeks with traveling that’ll give me time to think things over- not a ton of time to get into action but I’ll keep y’all posted if anything major happens! Also! @BrassNwood - preciate it fam! Hope your own hobbies/projects have been going well!
Go to your local dump and ask someone who's throwing away a fridge if you can have it. Or maybe the dump will let I take it. Go home and gut it. No shelves, no plastics just a metal box that looks like a fridge with doors on it. Drill a hole run cables thru it. Stealth fridge box. Will take some work but free is free.