What up GC! I'm finally ready to start my first grow. As the title says I'm gonna use some rubbermaids and do a SCROG with CFLs. Iv been reading up for a couple months now and am finally comfortable enough to get goin! This is my first grow so I'm only gonna do 1 plant so I can get in there and have room. I'm gonna be gettin a purple kush clone in the next day or two so for now I'm building the grow box. I'm starting this thread to help others as well. Iv had to search numerous sites and posts for a while now and wanna create an easy how-to thread on how to do this. So ANY SUGGESTIONS r greatly appreciated and wanted. That bein said let's get her goin! I picked up everything I need at my local Walmart and Home Depot stores. For pretty cheap I might add. All around it was about $140 - $150 for the whole set-up. I'm goin to make it stealth so it can be put away at short notice, to evade the bad ppl lol. Let's go!
Heres what I picked up from Walmart and Home Depot: 2x Rubbermaid 30 gallon totes 1x Thermometer/Humidity checker 2x Mini Fans 2x Emergency Blankets (Camping Section) 2x Rolls of Weather Stripping 1x Roll of Black Duct tape 2x 10-1/2" Clamp lights w/ reflectors 1x Lamp socket w/ plug-in 2x Light socket Y-Splittlers 2x Regular clear school tape 1x Power Strip 1x Extension cord 1x Timer (2 outlet) 1x Package Plant Ties (Regular bread ties work fine) 1x Small rubbermaid container (Overflow catcher) 1x 3 gallon "Smart Pot"
The Grow Tub. This is where I spent the most time setting up. I started with 2x 30 gallon "Rubbermaid" totes(save the lids, u might need them later). I lined the top of both tubs with thick weather stripping, this will keep the tubs air tight. Now Im going to cut the whole on the very top of the tub for my exhaust fan. The fans I got came with legs, I broke them off as the legs just got in the way. I traced the outside of the fan with a marker. I just cut the hole a little smaller and the fan set right in, it catches on the outside lip of the fan so it doesn't fall through. I also cut the incline fan hole on the bottom tub. I did it under the handle, half way down the tub(same concept, a little smaller so it catches the lip). Don't worry about the bottom fan falling out, Ill eventually just hot glue gunned it on there. I put 2 layers of black duct tape over every part of the outside of the rubbermaids, to keep the light from going through the tubs. 1 layer should work fine, didn't realize it till I was 2 layers in lol. Next, cut the holes out for Ur 2x fans. Next I measured the inside of the tub to put in my emergency blanket. I just wrapped it around the outside(of the inside), then put a piece over the bottom/top. I made circles with clear school tape so it was sticky all the way around(just wrap it around Ur finger). I place the tape all around the inside of the tub. I carefully place the emergency blanket around the inside and stick it to the tape.(Be careful, that emergency blanket sticks like a ***** to tape lol.) There it is, yo tub is done son!
For the lights im using 4x 6500k 26w(100w equivalent) for veg, 4x 2700k 26w(100w equivalent) + 1x 2700k 42w(150w equilalent) for flowering. i put 2 cfls in each reflector with a y splitter. So thats 6,500 lumens for vegging, 3,250/per sq. foot. And 9,700 lumens for flowering, 4,850/per sq. foot.
Now for the actual SCROG net. I measured my smart pot, (im only gonna use a 3 gallon smart pot for this grow), and I added 2 inches for my drain catcher. Pot = 8" high. The common rule is ur SCROG net needs to be between 8"-10" above the top of the pot ur using, I'm placing my Scrog net 8" above the top of my smart pot. 8"+8"+2"=18". So my scrog needs to be 18"(inches) above the bottom. The common rule is 1 square foot of SCROG net per plant. I made my SCROG net 14"x14", SUE ME! I cut some wood to length(From Home Depot. $5 per 8 Feet.), screwed them together. I'm gonna hot glue something to it later for the scrog.
I made a similar thing to hold my light. i measured the inside of the 2 tubs and cut it to length. Im sure theres an easier way but i just did it this way. Heres a pic:
I have a plant in it now so i can test the temp and humidity before i get my girl in there. I ordered the Go Box from General Organics for my nutes. Its a simple box for beginners. Itl be here on Wed, with my ph kit. Im gonna get a clone from a local dispensary when it all arrives.
Im getting a small heat problem but im gonna throw another exhaust fan ontop, iv read that u want 2 exhaust fans for every incline fan. The plant i have in there now got messed up when i transported it, Its actually recovered pretty well. I dont have nutes yet though so this plant will be trashed when i get my nutes.
Sorry man. I'm using Fox Farms Ocean Forest Soil. The tub has worked perfect! I started a journal for the grow, check it out.