Do I have hotspots?

[Chester da Horse]

Neigh!

This is my first grow space setup, and this might be a noob question but could someone tell me if I will have problems with hotspots in my setup? I get that hot spots are bits of your grow tent/cab/room that are too hot, and alfoil and crinkles are bad in regards to this.

I have crinkles in my panda film cos my wall isn't flat, and also my light hood also doesnt hang horizontally (its stung up kinda wonky). Is this gonna be a problem?

The grow cave is made with panda film. Its 3.5x3.5x5ft with a 400w bulb in air-cooled hood.
Ventilation is a 6" exhaust fan (listed as 460m3h = 270cfm i think) pulling thru a carbon filter then the hood, and i have a 23cm oscillating fan in there too.

Pic should explain what I'm worried about, its the crinkly looking bit on the bottom right side and at the back...

Thanks in advance, even if someone just tells me I'm being a paranoid pony.

 

[BShillington]

Shouldn't be enough light/heat for you to worry too much about at least regarding hot spots.

Even if you're running the hood fan at half, your primary concern should be ventilation.

It looks like quite a tiny area with no A/C or exhaust which could heat up the area and cook your plants. Either just have the hood act as exhaust potentially with a carbon filter or figure out a way to cool the area to 80-90'F. Keep the light on for a few hours with a thermometer nearby and see if that'll be an issue.

 

[Chester da Horse]

Thanx for the reassurance Bshillington,

Measured the temps 8"/20cm below the light (top of pots) and recorded 79F/26.1C, and RH58%.
I had the exhaust fan at half speed, and left it all running for 2 hours to equalise.
Outside air (it was midday) was 67F/19.8C. I am pulling outside air into space with a 6" computer fan, and exhausting the hot hood air out of the growspace into the surrounding space under the house.

I guess I'm ok heat wise then?

Am I actually gonna get too cold? - cos fall/autumn is coming and nights are dropping to 50F/10C already and temps outside will drop below freezing by the end of the grow (May).

 

[BShillington]

Just turn down the exhaust if you're getting too cold but the plants should handle it up to ~60-70'F, just might stunt their growth a little.

Might want to watch the humidity when you flower, it's a little high and might cause mold.

 

[WeekendSupervisor]

I'm so confused. Horse growing weed. The floor of the tent looks like gravel and rocks, and it really looks like a horse built this tent. Good luck horsey! Who's a good horse!

 

[Blue brother]

Well done on getting your first space set up mate, I have crinkles in my white sheet but I've never experienced any problems. I wouldn't worry about it unless you start seeing signs of burning or bleaching on your plant.

 

[Blue brother]

I have crinkles in my white sheet

I know I'm not sposed to but I do anyways cos I like being myself

 

[lushgreen]

the plastic and the styrofoam will burn like the sun if it ever gets hot enough. Ever had a bulb explode before?

 

[Chester da Horse]

@Bshill' - yeah im gonna have to balance ventilation vs humidity vs temps, I don't really know how I'm gonna dial it all in. If I turn down the ventilation as it gets colder, won't I bump my humidity up? I'm sure I'll be back with more questions as the weather changes.

I am scared of mould, we horses can get swamp cancer from pythium moulds... I like to rub neem oil all over myself to stop this, will this work for my plants too? I want a dehumidifier in my stable too, but can't fit one in. Do you have any other tips for preventing mould setting in?

@WeekendSupervisor - ever seen a unicorn? we're just horses that have had one cone to many We love grass. And thats crushed limestone gravel, the whitest thing i could find to cover up the dirt floor

@bluebrother - thanx, I stalked ur posts and Im interested in ur sterile grow/hydrogen peroxide, Im gonna look into that more. It sounds pretty safe if you use the right dose eh?

 

[Chester da Horse]

@lushgreen - The bulb is in a closed hood so even if it does explode i'll be ok right?

But seriously, do you think I'm gonna reach spontaneous ignition temps for polystyrene?

addit: I googled a bit, and it says that electrical wire insulation can degrade when in contact with styrofoam (the insulating PVC plasticisers react with the polystyrene and the insulation can break down). This sounds bad!

But do you reckon I have a fire risk there? the wires aren't near the foam and the foam isn't touching the hood...

 

[Blue brother]

thanks Chester, yeah it was a real no brainer for me it's so much easier not even having to worry about root problems, it's one less problem mate and I need another problem like another hole in the heAd lol

 

[churchhaze]

Yo horsey, do you like it when weed smells like hay bro?

 

[Chester da Horse]

Hay is for eating churchhaze.

The locoweed should smell like my horse shit, thats the dank stuff baby. i love it



But seriously, does anyone else think Im gonna burn the barn down like what lushgreen says?