Help Setting up a Secret Grow.

[jimster321]

Hi, this is my first post in this forum and ive been knocking my head a bit with the area setup. Im trying to make my MTX pro 115 speaker box (speakers are in tact but broken. Wires left inside). I was hoping for someone to help me what best suits this enclosure in terms of lighting, ventilation,paint, etc... Sorry for the trouble i just cant seem to get this working in my head.

[Ocotillo]

This you tube video series should give you some ideas:
YouTube - How To Build a Grow Box From Start To Finish (1 of 24) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFictLf-cDM)

[jimster321]

Hi guys. Well its been a while i watched the video and allowed me to build the speaker. I must say I have been doing great with it :D. I will be posting pictures up soon. I still have a few questions though. I placed a few fans in already but i used a heat gun and glue to stick them together. Would this melt off when the light remains on?? Another Q. is what wattage would I need throughout the whole grow?

[keenan7899]

well i mean as long as your box wouldnt get to crazy temps it shouldnt melt right?

and the wattage all depends on you. how many plants, the space how long you grow them how its dispersed so on and so forth.


1 watt = 66-69 lumens. plants will grow well roughly anywhere from 2000 all the way up (1000 watts can achieve ridiculously more), my ideal is around 4000 lumens, but i mean shit, i use a double 55 watt tek lamp with 10000 lumens on my two mothers and clones, and a 6 lamp 2' t5 with bloom spectrum bulbs for the flowers, which is about 12000 lumens total, the output is about 175 watts, dont know what its supposed to be....


with the size though, cfls should do the trick for ya.

[jimster321]

wow -.- i have 3 bulbs in place 2 120 watt cfls and 1 125 (they ran out of 120's) so according to what you said im way over the 2000 lumens range. Should i stick with one then? the box is about 4'8" tall and my light setup does not shift in any direction. Now that i remember do you know anything i can use as an adapter for computer fans?? ( i hooked one up directly to the power line and fried. (test fan, got plenty more hehe)

[LetsSeeYa]

wow -.- i have 3 bulbs in place 2 120 watt cfls and 1 125 (they ran out of 120's) so according to what you said im way over the 2000 lumens range. Should i stick with one then? the box is about 4'8" tall and my light setup does not shift in any direction. Now that i remember do you know anything i can use as an adapter for computer fans?? ( i hooked one up directly to the power line and fried. (test fan, got plenty more hehe)

The light you have is great for that space and im glad you have a fan too. I read on here someplace that those computer fans can be run with a cell phone charger. Now i dont have a clue as to how to wire it, or if it will even work, so hopefully someone will chime in who has some experience with these. I would also read up on lst, because then you will have control on the height of your plant. Also reading up on topping, or my favorite the Femm as both will work well in your grow area and there really not hard if you read up on them.

Good luck:rasta:

[jimster321]

so this is what i have accomplished. 3 exhaust and 1 intake fan all running from a cell phone charger, 3 CFL lightbulbls 125 X2 watts and 1 120 watt. AT the moment i have turned one light off due to a hunch that my plant is getting a bit dark but if anyone knows any other reason then please tell me. The whole case is reflected with mylar and the speaker itself is wraped with mylar containing the INTAKE fan. Of course everything has been light proofed. Daylight time is set to 18/4. any recommendations or advise please feel free to help. :D 1 week into the germinating stage and almost sprouting its first leaves :D. BTW anyone know where i can get a anti smell product, and when will the plant begin to smell?

[jimster321]

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/jimster321/canny/canny/IMAG0050.jpg


http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/jimster321/canny/canny/IMAG0049.jpg

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/jimster321/canny/canny/IMAG0048.jpg

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/jimster321/canny/canny/IMAG0047.jpg

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/jimster321/canny/canny/IMAG0046.jpg

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/jimster321/canny/canny/IMAG0045.jpg

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/jimster321/canny/canny/IMAG0044.jpg

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/jimster321/canny/canny/IMAG0043.jpg

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/jimster321/canny/canny/IMAG0042.jpg

[jimster321]

120 X2 WAtts and 125 X1 watts

[CovertCarpenter]

are those 120w equivalent/30w actual, or 120w actual / 450w equivalent?

and are they Cool White 4100k / Bright White 6500k? or Warm White 2700k?

Just inquirin'... they should be overkill for the space :)

If you can get 'em, I like the Dutch Nutrient Formula stuph... it's basically 'good 'n' cheap'... 20bux gets you a pair of either the Gro or Bloom stuph :)

[jimster321]

if my memory serves well lol it should be 30 watt 120equi bright white. So whats your recommendation towards my grow? What should i do cuz im pretty much winging it wit first time growing on DRO. (according to what the dealer said the plant was) hehe

[jimster321]

so how many bulbs should i b using for my space. I don't want my plants to burn out.

[jimster321]

:( no help guys??? :'( my plant is bending downwards.

[CovertCarpenter]

...would just reccomend adding way more light to yer setup. See if you can find some 45w actual / 200w equiv CFLs (3000lumen @ 4100k) down at your local Wmart. Or, if you can get SunBlaster CFLs at your local hydro store, they have a kick-ass one that sucks 26 watts of power, but puts out 2400lumen (at 6400k!) and isn't terribly expensive (but I can buy the big ones at WM for 5bux less...)

If you're gonna stick with CFLs, put about four of the 200w equivs in there, with at least six 6500k 26w/100wequiv CFLs, and you should have enough light for a few plantses :)

Nice thing about CFLs is that you can get em quite tight to the plants. With good air circ, you should be able to get them 1" to 2", with crappy air circ, 3" to 5" away from plant tops. If you SCRoG, or use LST, you can get a very efficient crop.

I'm about to set up a CFL grow myself today, that should put 24,800 lumens on a space about 3' square, maybe a bit less.

[jimster321]

wouldnt the Mylar help with the lost lumens? My light is quite far away from my plants. I placed them ceiling of the speakers. while the plants are down low. I honestly don't thing my light box will hold another shift :(. Wait!!! lol ill just bring the plants up LOL.

[bigtopsfinn]

This is one of the best examples of using a small space well: ***DrBud Takes CFL SOG to the Next Level*** (http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=88449)

^^Keep in mind these are with clones, and plants from seed need bigger pots.

Definitely look into getting more light, as much as you can while keeping the temps in range. As for the number of plants, depends on how many pots you can fit. Plants from seed will need anywhere from about 2.5 to 5 gallon containers, clones smaller, but depends a lot on veg time for both.

Sucks not knowing what kind of strain you have, at least I've never heard of "dro" ;) Do you know if it's indica or sativa, approximate flowering times?

You'll need a carbon filter for the smell. There is a DIY around here somewhere.

Mind if I ask what kind of budget you are on? Even if you're on a tight budget, you can still grow. Just have to do a lot of reading, a lot of planning, and smart shopping (no impulse purchases). Research, research, research. Check out how some other people did it. There's a wealth of info here and elsewhere.

Happy growing :jointsmile:

[jimster321]

hey thanks man but yea when i started i was in a great position budget wise. now not so well since i got layed off. :( to top that of i got 3 tickets due by june. At the moment im trying to go as low as possible budget wise. As for my setup i pretty much have everything set right. The first column of leaves have sprouted. Im headed for an LST grow but the stem seems weak for me to bend. As for the carbon filter i need one soon :( and have no clue which one is recommended for my budget that will actually work. A few mins ago u fixed the grow box piling books under the tray in which the pots are placed. as for the pot size, they are still in their original pot. should i transplant now? or wait for the stem to harden a bit?

[jimster321]

is this any good?? Odor Killer Gel Pint - eBay (item 110514533342 end time May-31-10 09:50:03 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/Odor-Killer-Gel-Pint-/110514533342?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19bb2df3de#ht_500wt_956)

[bigtopsfinn]

When it rains, it pours :( Sorry to hear about the troubles, hope things get better here on out.

Start LST once they have a few nodes, maybe 4 or 5. Repot when needed. Just slide off the pot and check the roots. It's time to transplant if: the roots are growing out of the drainage holes, have circled the bottom edge a couple times, or the plant is growing slowly and drinking water fast.

I think with the carbon filter it's going to be a DIY thing for you. A pre-fabricated filter and fan combination (where the CFMs are matched) would be the best, but maybe too pricey. The filter depends on the fan you have. Computer fans are good but have trouble pulling through carbon filters. Maybe a bathroom exhaust fan from Home Depot? I have no experience with that gel you posted, but the online consensus for odor control is typically activated carbon.

Hope that helps. Keep reading and taking in new ideas from others, it'll all work out eventually. :jointsmile:

[Charbud]

This is one of the best examples of using a small space well: ***DrBud Takes CFL SOG to the Next Level*** (http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=88449)

^^Keep in mind these are with clones, and plants from seed need bigger pots.

Definitely look into getting more light, as much as you can while keeping the temps in range. As for the number of plants, depends on how many pots you can fit. Plants from seed will need anywhere from about 2.5 to 5 gallon containers, clones smaller, but depends a lot on veg time for both.

Sucks not knowing what kind of strain you have, at least I've never heard of "dro" ;) Do you know if it's indica or sativa, approximate flowering times?

You'll need a carbon filter for the smell. There is a DIY around here somewhere.

Mind if I ask what kind of budget you are on? Even if you're on a tight budget, you can still grow. Just have to do a lot of reading, a lot of planning, and smart shopping (no impulse purchases). Research, research, research. Check out how some other people did it. There's a wealth of info here and elsewhere.

Happy growing :jointsmile:

Nice idea for the stealth grow man.

BTF - just spent like an hour reading that guys cfl grow ! was awesome, thanks for the link !!!:rastasmoke:

[CovertCarpenter]

...you're doing well, so far, and you and I are kinda in the same boat. I decided to really 'get started' when I found out that my 'good job' sort of evaporated. So I took my last (decent) paycheque, and bought some lights, lumba, and well-rooted cuttingses, and got serious :)

Aside from spending some real money on a Lumatek digital 600w ballast, and Sunmaster MH and HPS bulbs to go with it, everything else I've done has been on the über-cheap, and I've enjoyed the challenge of finding and scrounging the best deals I can...

As far as LST goes, YEAH, start 'em early. I started some of my seedlinglets on it when they were 4-5" tall, with about four to six proper sets of leaves on 'em. Don't be worried, but do be gentle, guide and shape and bend the the plant using your fingertips, then gently tie it in place, rather than 'lasso'-ing it, and using the string or tie to pull the stem into place [doing it this way can result in torn branches and buds--not a Good Thing (tm)].

Take the main stalk, and chase it 'round the pot, and, if you like, any new 'tops' that come up can be trained horizontally, too. Makes for mega-bush ;)

I like bush ;)

Either LST or SCRoG can/should be started early, and then let the Buds begin!

[Storm Crow]

Is what strain you are growing. For a stealth grow, I would use one of the fruit-scented varieties (I once had a perfect "pink grapefruit" C-99) and then put an appropriately scented air freshener near it! The scents mingle, and no smell problem.

[jimster321]

haha Thanks guys. So I'm in a mission to obtain the ANTI SMELL. The grow is going great. Even though i believe 2 of my 4 plants have died :(. While i was transplanting the pot wouldn't budge out the plant, so i gently tried pulling it and felt a snap :(. As soon as that happened my baby couldn't stand up any more. Either way i still placed it to see if it will work. If not, lesson learned. My PH level is 6.5 and put everything closer to the light. Probably later on today i will post more pictures for evaluation :D. I love this community :D THANK YOU ALL for your ADVICE and HELP

[bigtopsfinn]

As long as you didn't snap the stem completely you should be ok. You can prop it back up with a stake or something, and it'll heal in a week or so :thumbsup:

[420session]

Good luck with your meds and future yields. There definately a lot more info on LST plant growth, reading is key. There is a method where you simply apply slight concentrated pressure with your finger tips over your desired spot on your plant- I think if you do it several times through out a a couple days you can do it without hearing that snap and damaging it. Once again good luck and post some more pics:)

Oh, I don't know if you said what strain of meds your working with- what is it?

Peace.

[jimster321]

Hi i don't know whats up here. I have been growing my babys since may 3-10. Yet this is the biggest plant i have ready. http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o70/jimster321/IMAG0079.jpg . Is it normal or is there deffinetly something fishy here?

[PhatJay]

They are a little bit small. Have you added any more light yet or got the lights closer? I also noticed that you said you were on a 18/4 light schedule, was this a typo? You should be aiming for 18/6 or 20/4 or 24/0.

Also, it would be better for your plants if you had potted them with the soil level nearer the top of the pot.

Nice dex btw. ;)

[jimster321]

Oh wow thanks for noticing it. yea its on a 18/6 cycle. Right before coming to the forum i watered my plants and saw that they have grown a lot actually. The stem is strong and forming. I guess it looks weird to me due to the fact that its my first time seeing the grow in person.
If i raise the plant soil towards the top i wont be able to tie down the stem around the edges.