Hey blades, long time smoker, first time grower. IDK why but the chronic in my town seems to be pushed at way above its worthwhile price. I dont feel like making my way to the city or dealing with anymore shady kids, so Ive decided to grant myself liberty and setup my first small grow-op. I've read a plethora of grow-ops, from micro to larger scale. M pretty clear on most of the growing requirements, save a few details (which I was hoping GC could help me with) I'll be conducting the grow-op in the basement of my house, so I have some liberty when it comes to space. First two pics are of my closet I'd like to employ (mirror sliding doors) second is a large cabinet I have available third is a smaller cabinet. I can get measurements if requested, I have a few concerns / questions I was hoping someone could clear up - I don't want to grow more than 3 plants a time for now, probably start with 1 (I'll be starting from seeds, grow a mother and expand clones if space permits) - I'm willing to separate the veg / flowering rooms - I need help with selecting lights, odor eliminator, advise on whether or not I need to pump CO2 into both places - Most of all, I need mentors in the form of experienced growers to guide me and tell me what methods they'd employ given my situation Any reference points / advise / suggestions are welcome with open arms. I've learned a lot from this site and hopefully can give back by sharing my journey into the beginning of growing
OP was rushed, I forgot to mention my battle plans - Hydroponics (seems ideal for impatient / inexperienced[easier to correct mistakes]) - Bubble bucket (or whatever Ras' DIY guide is called that gets him POUNDS ) - I'd use the ONA concrete inward DIY fan on this site, too - The SCROG technique makes a lot of sense to me, especially for one plant to begin with - As far as lights / filter / setup go, M pretty clueless 200th
You need a carbon filter attached to an inline fan to control the odor. That means you're closets/cabinets have to be air tight. You'll want a passive air intake that will create negative pressure. That keeps all the odor in your grow space makes sure the only way out for air is through the carbon filter. that means your intake hole needs to be smaller than your exhaust fan. You have to get an inline fan from a hydro shop, the inline fans sold at hardware stores like menards aren't rated to push air through a filter. The most respected lighting is metal halide(for veg stage) and High Pressure Sodium(for flowering stage). High Pressure lights require a ballast to keep them at the right volts/amps. You can't just plug the light into the wall. You'll want to get a ballast that is listed to work with HPS and MH. If the ballast doesn't work for HPS and MH, you'll need a one ballast for each. A friend told me 100 watts for the first plant, and 50 watts for each additional plant. The more watts you put in it, the faster they grow. Right now I am doing 200 watts per plant. You'll want an air cooled hood to mount your light into to keep your grow area temps at a proper level. You can use other sources of lighting, but I don't use them and don't know much about them. For nutrients, I use the lucas formula as a guide that I follow for the most part. All you need to do is provide the right amount of essential plant nutrients and micro nutrients. anything more than that, and you're wasting your money.
thanks for the help, map! What if I substitute a carbon filter with that ONA concrete bucket fan on the DIY page? M assuming you have grow experience. How would you go about dividing / using the space I have? Separate vege'ing and flowering? Or use that room closet and split it in two?
okay, I've read a lot more and have decided to turn my closet into the grow space. I'll veg / flower in the same closet. Maybe have a separate smaller veg to cycle clones or something later. My main concern now is the carbon filter and the extract and intake fans in the aforementioned closet. I think I have most other things under control for now. I haven't been able to dig up information on DIY carbon filter / extract stuff, any help / suggestions?
If you're using a strain that lets off a lot of odor, there is no way around the carbon filter. Some strains don't let off any odor, while some strains can stink up an entire neighborhood. http://forum.grasscity.com/do-yourself/569506-diy-carbon-filter-compendium.html
One issue will be how to run your duct work. If you are going to use a carbon filter in a closet the clean air will need to be vented outside the closet somewhere as it will also be hot air. Maybe if the closet is next to a bathroom you could run it through the venting for the bathroom fan if you have one. Light proofing is big in a closet space too. Lots of cracks and crevices for light to get in. Or you could go back to the original plan and maybe go with the cab and a diy carbon scrubber that could be tucked inside the cab. If you are scrogging you could probably get away with 2 plants in that tall cab pretty easy with enough room for a clone/veg area underneath the flowering portion. I don't have a ton of harvests under my belt but I have had my share of issues to deal with. So take this for what it is worth.