Indoor Grow Box Set-up

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Originally Posted by Malsor

alright, I'm going to start my research on LED lighting but what are the benefits of using LED over HID?

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The benefits depend upon how you set things up, but ultimately, ~240-300w LED would equal or beat 400w HPS on yield, overall plant growing potential, with much lower heat output, and more space due to smaller sizes of panels versus lamp and reflector setup. You use less power on airflow and cooling. There are drawbacks like penetration power, but on the other hand, if you went dual-layer in the box, you wouldn't have that problem, anyways, as you'd have two 3x3x3.5 sections. Of course you could just use a couple of panels and see how far you can go, but with my panels I could guarantee you're not going much taller than 2 or three feet maximum.

You also won't be replacing your HID bulb yearly for maximum efficiency. Every 7-10 years typically for LED.

But as stated, LED are semi-pricey, and you would want ~240-300w of LED for each 3x3x3 area.

You don't want them combined, cooltubes best uses are for vertical grow setups. And the amount of light a cooltube will waste will be negligible in such a small area. If you have it mounted vertically in the center, it only has to go out 18 inches in any direction before it hits a wall, so everything will be well-lit. With the cooltube in the center, you can still grow LARGE plants and you don't need more powerful bulbs to do it. This is IMHO the best way to utilize a single HID, and I'm actually working on LED based on the same idea.

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Originally Posted by khyberkitsune

You don't want them combined, cooltubes best uses are for vertical grow setups. And the amount of light a cooltube will waste will be negligible in such a small area. If you have it mounted vertically in the center, it only has to go out 18 inches in any direction before it hits a wall, so everything will be well-lit. With the cooltube in the center, you can still grow LARGE plants and you don't need more powerful bulbs to do it. This is IMHO the best way to utilize a single HID, and I'm actually working on LED based on the same idea.

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interesting point, with that said I guess the best option would be to go with the cool tube and place it vertical directly in the middle. I have a question about the carbon filter. How do I go about attaching the filter on one side of the cool tube?

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Originally Posted by Malsor

interesting point, with that said I guess the best option would be to go with the cool tube and place it vertical directly in the middle. I have a question about the carbon filter. How do I go about attaching the filter on one side of the cool tube?

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Put the carbon filter in an upper corner, hook up to the fan, hook up fan to cool tube. Run the heat out the bottom of the box with this sort of configuration (preferably in that center spot, make sure you've got your box raised about two or three inches off the ground,) as that will be the easiest way to keep the cool tube ducting as vertical as possible for the best orientation.

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Originally Posted by khyberkitsune

Put the carbon filter in an upper corner, hook up to the fan, hook up fan to cool tube. Run the heat out the bottom of the box with this sort of configuration (preferably in that center spot, make sure you've got your box raised about two or three inches off the ground,) as that will be the easiest way to keep the cool tube ducting as vertical as possible for the best orientation.

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I was thinking of setting up the carbon filter and duct it to the right side of the cool tube, on the left side duct it to the fan which I will place on the bottom of the box. Wouldnt the ducting block some of the light on the left side of the box since it will be running straight down to the bottom?

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Originally Posted by Malsor

I was thinking of setting up the carbon filter and duct it to the right side of the cool tube, on the left side duct it to the fan which I will place on the bottom of the box. Wouldnt the ducting block some of the light on the left side of the box since it will be running straight down to the bottom?

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Here's how I'd run the ducting. Picture attached

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Originally Posted by khyberkitsune

Here's how I'd run the ducting. Picture attached

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I got you, that makes more sense. I can put a flange on the bottom of the box and I'll just build 4 legs under the box and I will attach another flange under the box to continue the ducting out the window. Thanks a lot man, you've been great help!

you dont think the light will be too close to the plants? Also, how do I go about vegging, can I use the same setup just with a MH buld?

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Originally Posted by Malsor

I got you, that makes more sense. I can put a flange on the bottom of the box and I'll just build 4 legs under the box and I will attach another flange under the box to continue the ducting out the window. Thanks a lot man, you've been great help!

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Perfect idea, there. 4 legs, a couple flanges, and you're set to go.

Expect some killer yield going that method.

any suggestions on the size of the intake vent? would it be better to have 2 smaller vent holes or 1 large one? Im also going to use 2 6" clamp on circulating fans in the grow box.