Also, I am considering a 400 watt HPS instead of 250, Thoughts?
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Also, I am considering a 400 watt HPS instead of 250, Thoughts?
Thanks for the update.
If veg lighting is going to be on 24 hours then I guess it kinds makes sense and is doable to exhaust from veg to flower. Just keep in mind a couple things. For 1/2 the day you are going to be adding heat to the flower section when it will want it the least. You are going to have to get some big fan(s) to exhaust the flower chamber. Also, plants need dark. They gather what they need in the day, and process it at night. I contend that unless you are vegging longer than you need to, yields will be smaller than optimal if there is no dark period.
In laymenâ??s terms, 33% faster growth with a dark period:
http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/3127.html
In technical terms:
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/research/2007/sleeping_plants.html
Now, that's not such a bad thing if you don't care. I mean if you understand and except that you could end up with the same yield as if you had a dark period, but you'll just have to veg longer.
Now I see a quick fix as to how you can do what you want and do it correctly (IMHO). Assuming you decide to have a dark period in the veg chamber, you could have two exhausts for the veg chamber, each with their own smallish fan. You would need to buy one extra timer for this, but they are pretty cheap. Put the exhaust that doesn't blow into the flower chamber on the same timer that the light in the flower chamber is on. Put your new timer on the exhaust that blows into the flower chamber, and have it come on only when the flowering lights go off. Or even better, put it on an atmospheric controller that turns stuff off and other stuff on at a certain temp., and have it come on only when it cools to, oh I donâ??t know, like 60 degrees. Of course make sure that the veg light is on during lights off in the flower section.
I just realized Iâ??m probably wasting my time, because your whole idea is to keep the cold out by using lights. If you turn your veg lights off for 6 hours, that freezing cold might creep in. If you had louvers on the vents though, this might be prolonged well enough for the 6 hours needed. You could also get a plant heat mat for fairly cheap, and have it come on during veg lights out, or the green bulb I mentioned earlier.
Oh well Iâ??m just kinda writing what comes off the tip of my brain right now, and at this point my brain has some THC and CB in it.
To seal the shelf at the fridge door hereâ??s what you could do: Get a piece of foam insulation or foamboard. Draw a line the general shape of the fridge door on the foam, and cut that shape out. Put the foam up to the door and see if it fits. Cut and/or sand the foam until it is the correct shape, and fits into the door snuggly. You can attach this foam to the shelf by using water-based spray glue. The strong 3M kind or similar. Then you could add a strip of weather-stripping to the front of it. Or you could use the foam shape as a template to cut your shelf the proper shape. Thoroughly seal the edge of the board with sanding sealer or primer, and attach weather stripping.
I like your idea of running the vent up to the attic. I didnâ??t know this would be possible for stealth reasons, but if you can hide it, I would say yes, go for it. My guess is this would solve or at least help the odor problem a great deal. Iâ??m thinking the odor will likely be carried on warm air, and if it escapes from the attic it will tend to rise. (Not sure about odor itself rising.)
400 watt in that small space is doable, Iâ??m just not sure I would try it. 1000 watt is also doable. I guess it just depends on how big of fans you plan on using, and you would definitely want a sealed hood or cool tube, with its own dedicated ventilation. Remember bigger fans usually mean louder fans. Iâ??m leaning toward 250 watt HPS, and a couple large wattage, cool blue or full spectrum CLFs to supplement. Not only would you get some beneficial blue light this way, but there would be much less worry about heat. But again, if you can handle the heat, then go for it. More light = more weed, especially during flowering. And since it looks like you are going to use HID, please consider a stadium-style screen. If not for the first one, perhaps in the near future.
Good luck and please keep us posted. Please include pictures as work progresses.
Well I feel like a friggen dipstick. I realized that first article I linked is for 24 hour lighting. Once again, skimming bites me in my ass and that will be deleted from my favorites. It did much good however because it sent me on an afternoon-long search to find the truth regarding light schedules. I was less concerned with what the scientists said, and more concerned with what peoples actual experiences have been.
Conclusion: There is no one correct answer among weed growers. In general however, there seems to be a few things people are agreeing on. For one, it is best to roughly try and mimic mother nature. An occasional kick in mothers ass from time to time is OK, but these kicks often tend to start stacking the odds against optimal harvests. Long story short, the later in a plants life you continue 24 hour lighting, the more chance of abnormalities or problems such as hermaphroditus. Also, 24 hour lighting decreases root development. This is very bad, but it can be used for good. For example, some people use it for their mothers so they can keep them a long time in one container without the plant getting root bound.
Most of the people like you and me that have done some actual side by side kind of experimenting in this area, rarely say that they have noticed much difference. Many of those people do however, agree that 24/0 lighting is best for seedlings, but shouldn't be used much later than 2 weeks.
I hope that helps your decision, if it hasn't already been decided. You've probably already done your afternoon-long search about photoperiodism.
Everything, very helpful, and has me well on my way. I am getting my seeds for my main batch this weekend or next (have to travle to get it) but my one lone little plant that I started for fun, until I could get some good seeds, is thriving. I have kept it under 24/0 for stalling purposes, but will go to 18/6 tonight. I also read that going 24/0 increases the chance for a female. This was on a forum on here and since I had only one plant make it past germination, I wanted to up my chances. I have a feeling pink will be the color of the recieving blanket for my little baby. The real stuff starts after I get these new seeds. I have also figured out how to vent into the flower chamber and not have many issues. I t will be a matter of timing. I hope to run the flower chamber lights during the 6hours off in the veg chamber, that way there will only be a few hours of overlap, planned at the coldest times of the day. It should work, as long as I get my cool tube.
Thanks Yutts, I really appreciate it. Groundbreaking this weekend.
Great! Looking forward to it.
This the little gueinea pig plant i started forever ago. I will see what happens with her but the real grow starts soon.
if you cant afford a 250w like mine.... sunleaves pulsar two way mini, which runs hps and halide with the flick of a switch. you can turn an outside security light into a gro light they're usually 150 hps.they run about $70 and you can get em at home depot,lowes or menards.
i know you said you didnt want to mess with wiring but basically all you do is take the thing apart bypass the light sensor and make the wire that runs to the fixture longer. this can all be done without soldering.
my stealth grow uses inline duct fans i got at home depot. just buy a power cord and attach it to where it would usually be hard wired. it'll cost about $15 for the fan and cord.
i live in indiana so you should be able to find everything just fine
The problem with a switchable ballast is that it's useless for sog and scrog. There are 2 separate (at least) chambers which require two lights. One for veg and one for bud.
Thanks for the advice, but I am gonna go ahead and spend the jack so I dont have to worry about wires. I am getting a 250 HPS with a Eurotube reflector. I will run semi rigid hose to both ends with a fan pulling the heat out the side. Here it is: http://www.htgsupply.com/viewimage.asp?ID=330
I got a good deal on it from somebody on ebay.
Messing with wiring is just not in my realm of possibilities and won't be considered. If I get caught doing this, the last thing I want to have on me in court is the DA to be able to say something like, In your best ignorant backwoods shitass voice: "Careless and hubrous disregard for safety was exhibited by the defendant. He wantonly exposed his home to danger. Are you sir, an electrician?"
Nah, these backwoods shitass officials in this podunk conservative county don't need me helping them. This grow op has to look like exactly what it is, a guy with medical issues, in need of cannabis, set up a safe little grow op. That way, if I get caught, I can request a jury trial and try to get my "peers" to understand the hypocrisy of keeping alcohol legal (and making money off of it as a government) while continuing to keep cannabis as a schedule 1 narcotic. I swear, I see why people think this country is made up of puritanical hypocrites and idiots.
Sorry, had to rant.
i find my light to be perfect for sog and scrog...im doin a scrog right nowQuote:
Originally Posted by Opie Yutts
when its time to veg i just screw in the mh bulb and flick the switch to mh
wen the lights go to 12/12 i screw out the mh, screw in the hps, flick the switch to hps and were good to go...
i think were thinking of two different types of "switchable ballast"
Actually we're thinking of two different types of scrog.Quote:
Originally Posted by wman44
When you scrog or sog, you have plants vegging in one chamber at the same time that you have plants blooming in another. I really don't understand how a switchable ballast could be beneficial, unless you are blooming and vegging in the same chamber, but that is neither sog or scrog. Please try to know a little about what you are talking about before giving advice, especially to first timers. If you have a screen but no separate chambers, then you are doing a grow with a screen, which is of course a good idea, but not scrog.