First indoor grow for an old outdoor grower (advice)

[OPMS45]

OK..........so I have been reading these posts and trying to learn as much as I can absorb. Let me start with what I will be using for my grow room. I have an area in my basement that I am in the process of sealing off. The area is 3 x 4 x 7. I will be building an elevated floor approx 2" to keep everything off of the cold concrete. I have already ordered my ballast (Galaxy Digital 600w) my Super Sun II Air cooled hood. I will be using a hortilux super HPS bulb. I have ordered a 6" can fan HO 440cfm that I plan on putting on a variable speed control to cool my lamp. I have a 4 in carbon filter that is rated for up to 250 cfm. I have not decided on an exhaust fan for it yet. I plan on growing in coco for my medium but I have not decided whether I want to use grow bags or 3 gallon plastic square pots yet. For my Nutes I will be using Super Tea Mix by the Guano Company for vegging and Budswell when I plan on switching my light cycle to flower. Vegan compost tea and adding approx 1 tlbs of black strap molasses per gallon of every feeding. I will be covering the sealed room with 2 mil Mylar and will be hand feeding every day until I get the hang of it to see how the plants respond. In the future I will definitely move to an automated hydro system. I will be hanging 2 mil Mylar around the grow space to maximize light reflectivity. I have just ordered some decent genetics to start out with. I ordered an AK48, ICE, Haze19 x Skunk 1, and Northern Lights. Am I missing anything? What would you recommend? I am a sponge looking to soak up all the knowledge that I possibly can. Thanks:rastasmoke:

[OPMS45]

What??????? No one has a reply???

[irydyum]

I suppose I'll drop by with a pat on your back. What more do you need, keep us updated with pics... I'm excited to see what you come up with here. Sounds to me like you are dialed in already, barring any problems with temp/humidity and unforseen acts of the ganja gods. I'd be happy to offer input if you have any specific questions, but without some direction, I'm stumped as to what to add for ya. Best of luck.

[DTRave420]

If you havn't already ordered the mylar,go with "SunLeaves Ultreflect"...It's alot easier to work with,quieter,and can be wiped clean when it gets cruddy...:jointsmile:

[OPMS45]

I appreciate the input on the mylar.............I'll remember that for next time. I have almost completed construction of the room and I have lots of picts from start of construction to finish. Just one question? I will update my grow log more once I get my Good genetics going but for now I have a test subject from bagseed to use until my beans get here. If I'm going to screw one up I'd want it to be that one. Seems to be doing good, even in soil. My others will be in coco. But here are some picts of the build and temporary plant setup until I finish the drywall and all the other goodies in the room. I had the tester under floros until yesterday. Now that I have the new lamp I just could not resist. Hehehe. Here's some picts

[OPMS45]

More Picts

[OPMS45]

and just a few more picts.

The one with the quarter was started under floros. Its now under the 600w and what a difference some light makes!!! Enjoy and please if anyone has any pointers or advice, I'm all ears

[irydyum]

How close do you have that 600 to the plant? From the pics it looks to be right on top of it, and the little plant appears that it may be stressed. Large ridges and little drooping, I would think it would be standing tall toward the light?? Just curious, space looks great tho, I can't wait to see it all trimmed out.

[stinkyattic]

Unless you are attempting a 'sealed room', your 440 is a PERFECT exhaust fan; just run it through the hood, then the fan, then the filter, then out. Intake may be passive, and in your setup, holes cut in the FLOOR of the space to take advantage of the cooling thermal mass of the concrete beneath are PERFECT!!!!

I'd go with white Panda film instead of mylar, but everything looks good. That's why so few responses. You got it. Really!

[Sandm4n]

The setup looks amazing :thumbsup: The only problem is your test plant which looks to be showing signs of stress. It looks like the light is to close to the plant and it also appears as if it could be over watered a tiny bit other then that though it looks like the perfect place for a secret garden Gl bro :smokebong:

[OPMS45]

Yea Thanks guys......................I think the plant was a little stressed due to extra moisture and being too close to the light and the fact that I had a fan blowing directly on it with no humidity built in the room which dried it out a bit I believe. I have since put it back under the floros and it seems to be perking up. I have also just invested in a soil moisture meter along with a soil ph meter. I'm just anal I guess but I want my shit to be perfect or atleast to close as possible (ADD and OCD hard at work) The room is trimmed out except for sanding my joints and throwing a coat of paint on it. I will post more time lapse pictures shortly. One question I do have has to do with light cycles in which I have been getting conflicting information on. Should I be on a 24/0 foe my vegging or on an 18/6 for vegging? Currently I have been on a 24/0 regiment. Another question, I have been thinking about using grow bags as opposed to the 3 gallon square containers. I have read nothing but good info about them especially when using Coco for my medium. Thanks Dudes and I should have more picts to upload once I finish some work today

[OPMS45]

Unless you are attempting a 'sealed room', your 440 is a PERFECT exhaust fan; just run it through the hood, then the fan, then the filter, then out. Intake may be passive, and in your setup, holes cut in the FLOOR of the space to take advantage of the cooling thermal mass of the concrete beneath are PERFECT!!!!

I'd go with white Panda film instead of Mylar, but everything looks good. That's why so few responses. You got it. Really!
Stinky attic..........I was advised that I should vent my light separately. But I have seen many of your posts on this forum and I believe you to be much more knowledgeable than this person I got the info from. Only problem is that I already have my filter and it has a 4 in flange on it. I suppose I could get a 4" to 6" reducer but the filter is rated for 150 to 250 cfm. Would this be a problem or should I just dial down my fan with a variable speed controller for the can fan and let it rip? In the future I will probably just buy a bigger filter rated for at least what the fan is rated for. Also that pipe you see in the floor is not for venting, it is actually a drain pipe that was installed for future use which I plan on using for a drain for my reservoir once I dial in the organic hydro thing. One more question. Is there any way to measure CFM? Thanks again. :jointsmile:

[OPMS45]

I got my beans today!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only 12 days from ordering from Nirvana. I did have a few issues with some of them being crushed and immature but I have an email into the company and I believe that they are going take care of it. The package was discrete. Other than that the room is almost complete and I should have the time lapse picts of the build up either today or tomorrow.

[OPMS45]

Ok, so I have been a tad busy with this build but I finally have time to post some more picts. The only thing I have left to do with the room is paint, mylar and last but not least my ladies. Wish me luck!

[OPMS45]

More picts of room

[OPMS45]

Here is a pict of the test plant that I posted a few days ago. I moved it back under the floros as it seemed like it was getting stressed from being too close to the 600w. Since then, it has got much greener and has perked up well. I think I will veg for one or two more weeks and then under the 600 she goes. BTW I love the LST!!! I used to supercrop when I did outdoor grows and this method is way better and does not stress the plant at all.

[Big len]

looks good brother.

[OPMS45]

Finally my project is complete. Here's some picts of the finished room and the test plant. I believe the plant is a little stressed from over watering. I had a branch snap off of it the other day while I was LST'ing. I took it and dipped it in some cloning gel, threw it in some rockwook, placed it in the dome and put it under the floros. It seems to be doing well after day 3.....The leaves have perked up nicley. I think I shall actually be starting the new beans I received here any day and will be keeping a detailed journal.

[OPMS45]

Ok...............I have a few more things to do with the room tie down cables put in subfloor, mylar, and pandafilm. I just got my 4" Can fan today and installed that. So the way it stands.

I have a 600w air cooled by a 6in HO can fan on a variable speed switch. And a 4in HO can fan connected to my carbon filter.

Oh...........Also bought a RO water filtration system and a PH/EC/TDS Meter. I am still toying around with the Idea of CO2 and a controller. (Anything worth doing is worth doing right)


Here are some picts.

Look at how stressed that poor test plant is. I think it was due to over watering. I transplanted it into some coco. Lets see what happens

[Dutch Pimp]

I think you might have the 600 watt (HPS?) light too close. IMO.

[OPMS45]

I didn't realize that would be a problem as long as I kept the canopy temps down. So I can have the light too close??? The temps a foot away are approx 78 degrees. Outdoors was so much easier........

I should note that a 600w mh conversion bulb is in use right now. It flickers a bit. Is that normal. I have a 600w Super HPS but I was going to switch the bulbs when I switch my cycles.


Anyways................I was thinking about buying this next

Day/Night Cooling Temp/CO2, Night On Device (AIR-3DN)

Anyone have any experience with one of these units?

[shibby8]

easiest co2 ive ever used was a spray bottle and some seltzer lol worked like a charm:hippy:


btw looks like an EXCELLENT setup goodluck