Hi I have just moved my plants from a preliminary cardboard box to a cabinet, and I need some advice. Going away for 5 days and I want to leave without worrying that my plants will die... Here's the set up: 6 plants growing in soil, 2 weeks in veg. Grow space: Removed a shelf in a closet to make a grow space with measures Depth 1.5 feet, Width 1.8 feet, Height:2.1 (thinking of doing LST). Lights: 1 x 125 W 6500 K W, 3 x 20W 4000 K. Ventilation: 1 PC fan (60 cfm) Now the problem is that the closet is inside a small walk-in wardrobe/storage space type room that's 21 feet (minus the closet itself, some shelves and boxes). There are no windows or vents in the room, so the temperature gets quite high in there when I leave the door to the room shut. When I'm not home I figure I can just leave the door to the room open and then open the window in my 1-BR flat. But if I have visitors I want to be able to keep the door to the room shut. Now, I have thought of two ways of doing this, and need advice on what would be the best solution. 1. Unhinge the door to the closet so that one side of the set-up will be open on one side, and keep the door to the room closed during dark hours? Or will I loose too much light then? There is a about 3 feet to the wall opposite the closet, and the wall is white. Will that be enough reflection? 2. Do the normal exhaust/passive intake system, by making an airtight door to the grow space and cut out a passive intake in the door? (PC fan is installed on the side of the closet (on the pic it is just inside the box, took the pic before i sawed the hole...)). As you can see from the picture, I've put the plants on boxes to keep them close to the light, but up near the lights the temperature is 95 F, which I know is too high. I'm thinking of getting a fan to just put inside the box, but I somehow doubt that will be efficient in keeping temps down. Don't want to spend too much money either... Any ideas?
You definitely need a fan AT LEAST, some sort of circulating air is absolutely necessary especially with temperatures that high. LSTing would be a good use of your limited space though, go with that.
1. you should be fine, dont care so much about reflecting light 2. you should try to put a fan on them so they are always getting some fresh air
I agree -- don't sweat the reflected light loss. It's really not a concern with cfl's. Stable temps and good air circ is priority in this situation. That 'opened closet door' is real similiar to my first two grows -- turned out great! Good luck.
Thanks! So then my next question is: Should I get another computer fan as an extra exhaust, or get a fan to just put inside the box for circulation? I know fans for circulation should be oscillating, but I have trouble finding an oscillating fan that is small enough to fit the space. Can I use a PC fan for circulation (already have an extra charger ready), or should I get one of those small table fans (the smallest one I found is 7,5", even that one is a big big and bulky), or will one of those battery-driven mini fans be enough?
The battery driven fan will probably be enough for right now, but you're going to need something bigger as the girls get bigger so you'd just be delaying the inevitable.