New Grow, old grower, few questions..

[SMOKENBUDDHA]

Ok so I moved out on my own and want to grow some plants this time its not at moms house when I was 18, so I just want a small stealth grow probably start out with 4 plants and end up with one decent one or two small ones.

The only problem is that I live in an apartment so I need something quiet, odor free and efficient.

So I need your help I do not know whether to go with a 150w or 250w hps, the light will not be cooled but I can point a fan at it.. I just wonder if for a small cab if a 150w will do the job on one plant..or will I have to go to a 250w.. I just don't want to get the electric too high its a small 46 dollars/month at the moment I want to stay under 70.. so they don't get suspicious..

I have drawn up a plan, the only revision I think I may need to make is to have the intake and outtake on the back so it isn't visable

 

[CaNNaBiZ CaNucK]

Hey Smoken,

A 150W will definitely do one plant, but the more light better! One thing to help with your success would be some simple LST to keep the plant short and utilize all the lumens you can. You could even supplement with some CFL side lighting if need be.

One suggestion for your layout though: It would be beneficial to have your intake on the bottom of the cab to allow the cooler air to rise up and move across the area to the opposite side. This will ensure your plants are getting fresh CO2 and good heat displacement as the air warms and rises. If you have to put both the intake and exhaust on the back, I'd have the intake on the bottom.

Just a thought

GL!

 

[SMOKENBUDDHA]

Hey Smoken,

A 150W will definitely do one plant, but the more light better! One thing to help with your success would be some simple LST to keep the plant short and utilize all the lumens you can. You could even supplement with some CFL side lighting if need be.

One suggestion for your layout though: It would be beneficial to have your intake on the bottom of the cab to allow the cooler air to rise up and move across the area to the opposite side. This will ensure your plants are getting fresh CO2 and good heat displacement as the air warms and rises. If you have to put both the intake and exhaust on the back, I'd have the intake on the bottom.

Just a thought

GL!

Sounds good I think that is what I will do, I was just concerned about a 250w hps non cooled being too hot in a small area and causing the temp to be too hot for the plant?

 

[CaNNaBiZ CaNucK]

Sounds good I think that is what I will do, I was just concerned about a 250w hps non cooled being too hot in a small area and causing the temp to be too hot for the plant?

Hey Smoken,

I apologize, I should have addressed your heat issue. What cfm rating do all of your fans have? Are your intake and exhaust PC fans? If so, then your 150W, or even cfls, would most likely be the way to go in a 12 cubic foot area. It may still get pretty warm in there with your 150W and great ventilation. What is your average outside ambient temperature? With such a small grow area, this could affect your cab temps dramatically, good or bad.

 

[cannatari]

I agree that the intake should be at the bottom.

To help cool, you can put a sheet of glass a few inches from the light to isolate the hot air around the bulb. Think of it as the upper portion of your cab IS the air-cooled hood. Just use a sheet of glass that is about 1 inch shy of one of your inside dimesions and that gap becomes your "hood intake". Best that it's opposite the intake. My first 250watt cab was built this way and it worked great. It was 1'x2'x3' tall.

 

[CaNNaBiZ CaNucK]

I agree that the intake should be at the bottom.

To help cool, you can put a sheet of glass a few inches from the light to isolate the hot air around the bulb. Think of it as the upper portion of your cab IS the air-cooled hood. Just use a sheet of glass that is about 1 inch shy of one of your inside dimesions and that gap becomes your "hood intake". Best that it's opposite the intake. My first 250watt cab was built this way and it worked great. It was 1'x2'x3' tall.

Fuck man, thanks for the added input. I wasn't too sure if the 250 would be too much for this cab. I've worked on a couple of larger grow spaces, but nothing of this size. So you think his cab could handle a 250 watter, provided there is adequate ventilation? And maybe some glass?

 

[cannatari]

Yup, it will run about 10 degrees above ambient, with the glass. Keep the host room nice and cool.