Help me out designing my 2x2 or 3x3 grow room please

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deephouser

Well-Known Member
In a couple of months I plan to begin my second grow.

Back in college my roommate and I grew a plant from bagseed under a 400w HPS in the utility closet. No special treatment, just let it grow. We got about two ounces from it, but truth be told the bud did not give any kind of high at all. Any ideas on that? Nothing...a very pure nothing. The buds were big and pretty, and I followed OG pretty closely back then for growing tips and advice - but I wasn't an expert at all. I topped it once, maybe twice, I don't remember, and I thought it was going to be nice...well, it wasn't.

So this time around, out of college, with a job that will allow me to invest a decent amount to get a solid set up. Since this will just be a small operation only for home use, I'm thinking 2x2 or 3x3. Really leaning towards 2x2. Will be purchasing a grow tent.

I'm not looking to grow one giant plant, or a bunch of small ones. I want to maximize the growing space with medium size plants.

First question, what would you get for a 2x2 space, a 400 watt or 600 watt system? I plan to get a cool tube or air cooled hood with a cool tube.

Second, how many plants, medium size in a simple soil grow, do you think would maximize yield? I might stagger plants a bit - depending on how many medium size plants can effectively grow.

As the light and the tent will be the first components purchased, I'll stop the questions here for now. As the time continues and the start of the project gets closer, I will update the thread with more questions and project status.

Thanks for all the help - looking forward to this project a lot. I remember how much time I spent in that utility closet just staring at the plant. I truly knew every single bud on there - to the point that one day my roommate snipped a small little guy to smoke it and I noticed right away. Want to get it right this time though.
 
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laxx

Member
If you go ahead and purchase good seeded online and focus on one plant you can and get a big yield off one! I have a grow tent its 4x4x6 and I have a 400watt mh/hps light.
 
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deephouser

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the tip - my thoughts are that I can grow multiple plants a little bit less time and have more yield quicker - is this not sound thinking?
 
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1blazeking

Member
Many years ago my friend grew Northern Lights under a 250w hps but had his power go out during Hurricane Isabel for 8 days + had no ventilation in a tight closet. The buds looked great and he got like 4 ounces off just a few plants. But there was barely any high at all from smoking it. Mexican shwag brick made me higher than that. Maybe heat and little air flow was the problem that caused the huge reduction in potency?
 
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deephouser

Well-Known Member
That could be - we had a fan running in there, but no real ventilation. We also grew it in one of those big steel popcorn cans - and when I tossed out the plant after harvest, it was completely rusted on the inside and pretty rootbound, as well.

Here's a question: if I'm running an air cooled hood like this: carbon filer->ducting->hood->ducting to outside tent->fan will I need anything more than passive intake, or am I looking at needing to install a duct fan for intake. The extra $20 isn't a big deal - but if it isn't necessary, don't want to spend it.
 
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1blazeking

Member
deephouser said:
That could be - we had a fan running in there, but no real ventilation. We also grew it in one of those big steel popcorn cans - and when I tossed out the plant after harvest, it was completely rusted on the inside and pretty rootbound, as well.

Here's a question: if I'm running an air cooled hood like this: carbon filer->ducting->hood->ducting to outside tent->fan will I need anything more than passive intake, or am I looking at needing to install a duct fan for intake. The extra $20 isn't a big deal - but if it isn't necessary, don't want to spend it.
Click to expand...

I've read that you don't necessarily need anything for intake, just for exhaust. The exhaust will create negative pressure that will force air into the grow room anyways. Now, if temps are a huge huge issue then yes it's probably necessary. In a grow tent you can probably get away with a fan blowing to the intake hole. Probably want someone more experienced with tents answering that though. If it's only 20$ might as well do it IMO.

I'm getting my grow room started too and I have an 400w air cooled hood coming. I plan to have it like this...carbon filter>hood>6" inline fan>ducting>outside room. That way it pulls the air through the filter instead of pushing which I read is more efficient. Also going to have a circulating fan inside the room.

I'm kinda new at this too so I'm still learning.


Pretty crazy how heat/ventilation can lower potency eh? I figured it would only be a little bit but from what I experienced with my friends grow..it can be dramatic. You know it's bad when northern lights can't get you as high as a cheap bag of weed that's been seeded, compacted and sitting around for years lol. Experienced growers aren't joking when they say to make sure ventilation and heat are taken care of. Looks like you have a good idea of what to do.

Look forward to seeing your grow!
 
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deephouser

Well-Known Member
I'm pumped to get it going, that's for sure.

I also will be sucking the air out of the tent, through the filter.

I'm thinking I'll go 600 in a 3x3.

So now the decision is whether to get the 4" or 6" inline fan. I won't ever be upgrading the setup. If the 4" will cool and circulate enough air, that's what I'd prefer to get, mostly on the reduced noise level versus the 6".
 
friendlyperson92

friendlyperson92

Well-Known Member
if you have a hole to allow the negative air in the smells will escape and having a carbon filter is moot. you should get an intake so you get fresh air in and no air leaks out. more light=more bud weight. it's that simple. if you look at my picture. i didn't really fertilize that except with rose ferts because there was roses around it. even with having to throw half the crop out i got a pound and a half off of one plant. but i was outdoors with the sun, so it was a lot of light. lol.
 
RetiredMatthebrute

RetiredMatthebrute

Well-Known Member
i have a 32"32 tent and it is pretty small can grow 4 plants well under a 400w lamp.. they arent monstyers but you could get a solid 4 plant ScROG going in that kind of setup to maximize your lighting and yeild
 
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deephouser

Well-Known Member
friendlyperson92 said:
if you have a hole to allow the negative air in the smells will escape and having a carbon filter is moot. you should get an intake so you get fresh air in and no air leaks out. more light=more bud weight. it's that simple. if you look at my picture. i didn't really fertilize that except with rose ferts because there was roses around it. even with having to throw half the crop out i got a pound and a half off of one plant. but i was outdoors with the sun, so it was a lot of light. lol.
Click to expand...
So when you say intake, you just mean another fan blowing in - simply to prevent air leak?
 
RetiredMatthebrute

RetiredMatthebrute

Well-Known Member
ok for the exaust just mount your filter on top of cab, ducting to the light, more ducting to the fan and exaust out the top, tents usually have ventilation flaps on the bottom, leave one open that will draw in cooler air from the ground (best place to setup yout tent is in a basement where the ground level air is nice and cool) thisi should be sufficient for cooling then your going to want some kind of fan in there to just circulate the air.

the carbon filter and fan on the light will create negative pressure in the tent, make sure you get a top of the line fan and top of the line equipment if you plant on growing and not replacing cheapo chinese shit. make sure you get a really powerfull fan to create enough negative pressure where any and all place air can leave the tent is busy drawing air in due to the pressure the exaust is creating, this will make sure your carbon filter is doing its job and keeping the smells inside the tent (never going to get the smell out inside the tent)

4" ducting is fine, if you have to you can get the 6" fan and use a reducer. this will allow for a bigger fan and not so much ducting clutter, trust me inside a 3x3 tent the light, ducting, carbon filter and fans take up ALOT of space.

as far as your pot not getting you high at all that could possibly be because you might of had a male and mistaked the pollen sac clusters for buds (i have done this before) other than that almost all bud is going to contain some level of THC and should get you high, might have to smoke a little more but it will get you high.
 
RetiredMatthebrute

RetiredMatthebrute

Well-Known Member
deephouser said:
So when you say intake, you just mean another fan blowing in - simply to prevent air leak?
Click to expand...
this is not a good idea, by blowing air into the tent you are essentially reducing the amount of negative pressure and possible creating posotive pressure which will push air out of the tent and that air will smell if it is pushed out of anywhere but the filter.
 
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deephouser

Well-Known Member
RetiredMatthebrute

RetiredMatthebrute

Well-Known Member
sorry to keep posting on here.

think of a regular plastic soda bottle, if you place a hole in the bottom of the soda bottle and suck on the open end of the bottle (you exaust) air will come in through that hole, if you blow into the bottle air will come out that hole.
 
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deephouser

Well-Known Member
Thanks, Matt.

The plant was definitely female. We started with 8 seedlings, sprouted and initial veg inside tupperware under dual CFLs. Flipped to 12/12 and sexed the plants, and 7/8 were males. The buds just had no buzz to them at all. Reading some of the stuff about trichomes, I'm guessing we went way into the amber zone.

I plan on getting quality gear - but how can you tell the difference when shopping between what is quality and isn't? They all seem about the same price.

I plan to have the air cooled hood, carbon filter, a circulation fan or two, and as little of ducting as possible inside the tent, with the inline fan outside. I'm guessing there's no reason to actually have the inline fan in the tent, is there? If I can keep it outside, I guess I prefer that.

So smell won't escape from the passive intakes at the bottom of the tent?
 
RetiredMatthebrute

RetiredMatthebrute

Well-Known Member
deephouser said:
Thanks, Matt.

The plant was definitely female. We started with 8 seedlings, sprouted and initial veg inside tupperware under dual CFLs. Flipped to 12/12 and sexed the plants, and 7/8 were males. The buds just had no buzz to them at all. Reading some of the stuff about trichomes, I'm guessing we went way into the amber zone.

I plan on getting quality gear - but how can you tell the difference when shopping between what is quality and isn't? They all seem about the same price.

I plan to have the air cooled hood, carbon filter, a circulation fan or two, and as little of ducting as possible inside the tent, with the inline fan outside. I'm guessing there's no reason to actually have the inline fan in the tent, is there? If I can keep it outside, I guess I prefer that.

So smell won't escape from the passive intakes at the bottom of the tent?
Click to expand...
shouldnt as long as there is negative pressure. if you search around you can probabaly find something that can explain it better than me but you need a good fan rated at high CFM, the bigger the passive intake hole the more CFM you will need, obviously a PC fan isnt going to create negative pressure against a 6" diamater opening.

nah no reason to have the fan in the tent, only thing that sucks about tents is the tops of them arent made to hold alot of weight and there no where to mount stuff too. not sure if framing out a box is a option but you can frame out a nice 2x3 grow box and use panda film around it for reasonably cheap, and with the 2x3 frame you can easily add shelvs to the inside and out of the box that are sturdy.

if you check out my thread in my sig i just built a 4x6 room with a 1000w lamp thats pretty sweet, its by far stealth but temps stay nice and cool and theres plenty of room in it. the other nice thiing about building your own is you can tailor the shape to your desire like if you wanted a 2x4 ft room instead of a 3x3 because it will fit better or whatever your reasoning is. another reason its nice is with panda film you can always thro away and replace if you have some kind of mishap that requires cleaning the tent/room, also leaves room for expansion available as all you have to do is make another wall and nail them together and re poly it.

downsides to building your own room is its a little more difficult to create a air tight room, not impossible but definatly some work. Tents have a nice tray that they come with that allows you to water right in the tent and prevents the water from going everywhere, for a framed out room you would need or want to buy a tray that fit inside so you dont have to worry about water spillage. and lasly the panda film is not that sturdy, one buzzed up night falling through it would mean you have to replace panda film (which is reasonably priced, i paid 30 bucks for a 10x25 ft roll)
 
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deephouser

Well-Known Member
I pretty much figured that if you have negative pressure that air or smells wouldn't leak from passive intakes - the physics just don't work. I'll check out your grow journal - I want to get it right this time, so I'll be reading lots of journals and trying to soak it all up.

Thanks for the link, King - I've been pondering proper ventilation techniques the past few days.
 
RetiredMatthebrute

RetiredMatthebrute

Well-Known Member
just a FYI my outdoor grow is in the begining of my thread and it was pretty rugged looking this year, some good and bad plants in the mix lol so dont let it throw you off im not the best grower but had a bad outdoor grow season this past summer, got off onto the wrong foot, planted a few of my girls in the ground and had to uproot them and repot into containers...ect....ect.

the indoor starts around page 8
 
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