4K sealed room design

Long time no see RiU.

Moving to a more tolerant sector of the country in the next couple months and I’m excited to setup my new, legal grow room upon arrival. I’m here to troubleshoot any potential issues, and ask a few questions, as this will be my first time using drip feed, and fully automating.

The dream: build out an unfinished basement to spec. I think I’ll need, at minimum, a 12x12 space. I will frame, insulate and ventilate the space myself with help from the Home Depot., I’ll be using four 5x5 trays, growing in coco, 5 gallon pots, 9 plants per light. I’ll be using a drip feed system from dripdepot.

I will be running 4 lights, I’m still split between Tried-and-true HPS lighting at 1kw per hood and DE CMH at 630w/hood. Hoods will be vented and exhausted outside of the room. Questions: can I pull close to the same yield from the DE 630’s? Is heat output similar? How many CfM’s should I be running through the lights? My initial estimation is ~700cfm.

hvac/pest prevention: So I’m use to growing in much warmer, much more humid climates, with many many more bugs. New climate is Denver, I will not have an Hvac system to tie into. Question: what size AC/space heaters do I need to keep the above space between 60-75 degrees all year long? What pests should I be on the look out for? I usually just do a neem spray before flip and try to avoid pesticides if possible. Any suggestions ?

Drip feed: I’ll be using a system from the dripdepot, feeding 36 plants, 2 droppers per plant, from a 10gallon reservoir. What size pump do I need? 1/7hp? 1/5? Also what do I need to do to ensure that the lines stay clear of salt buildup? Run an enzyme in the last week or?

Power: I’ll be running 4 220v outlets to the space upon arrival to keep amperage to a minimum. Wall fans, in-line fan and drip feed pump will run off of standard 120v outlets. Anybody see an issue with this?

I’m wide open to suggestions! Think I need more space? Less plants? More CFM? Am I missing something? Explain why below!

Thanks in advance!

Ok. I can’t comment on the lights as I use two 1k watt digital ballasts for an 8x4 tent. But as for heat and cool get a 9k or 1 ton mini split with heat. That will keep a 12 x12 cool or warm. A drip system should be no problem. Are you buying one or building one. I built a 25 plant drip/nft system but changed to strictly nft only because I found the drip emitters getting clogged with the type of mutes I use. Hard to not have to change lines after each run because of buildup. As for pump I used a 400 gph style pump with no problems. If your going indoors you should be fine on pests just keep everything clean all the time!!! I built a killer setup maybe we dm and I’ll send you pics or a vid.

Go with an 18k heat pump. (3.41 btu/hr per 1w...4000x3.41=13,640btu/hr which is a little more than a ton which is 12k and you want slightly oversized so it's not running constantly) Look for ones with low ambient operation. Daikin makes a killer one if money isn't an issue. Operates down to -22F at 60% capacity. The next closest is Mitsubishi at -14F.

If money is an issue just get a cooling and flip flop the rooms and exchange air from room to room. Need two fans. When the lights are on in one room the fan is blowing room air into the lights out room.

As far as lighting CMH is dominate. I pull 1.2-1.5gpw easy peasy on them. Better spread. More up front initial cost though. If money isn't an issue quantum boards or solstrip and CMH combo for the UV is killer.

firsttimeARE said:

Go with an 18k heat pump. (3.41 btu/hr per 1w...4000x3.41=13,640btu/hr which is a little more than a ton which is 12k and you want slightly oversized so it's not running constantly) Look for ones with low ambient operation. Daikin makes a killer one if money isn't an issue. Operates down to -22F at 60% capacity. The next closest is Mitsubishi at -14F.

If money is an issue just get a cooling and flip flop the rooms and exchange air from room to room. Need two fans. When the lights are on in one room the fan is blowing room air into the lights out room.

As far as lighting CMH is dominate. I pull 1.2-1.5gpw easy peasy on them. Better spread. More up front initial cost though. If money isn't an issue quantum boards or solstrip and CMH combo for the UV is killer.

Click to expand...

A one ton is 12k btus. so your telling him to run a ton and a half for a 144 sq ft room? A ton will easily cool or heat a 500 sq ft space. You are trying to have him seriously oversize the unit. 144 sq ft could be done with a 5k btu and the upsize would be a 7 to 9k. As long as humidity in your area isnt a problem you can size it as close to the room as possible. I run 500 cfm through 2-1k watt lights and easily exhaust the heat from them and two 600s. But like he said if money isnt an issue.... upsize. Also you dont have to go with a daikin or Mitsubishi system. There are many good chinese made minis that have no issue as long as they are installed correctly. Cut the flares out between the handler piping and the condenser so you wont have any leak issues as the flares tend to leak over time no matter how god. Copper from china is shit these days. Look at the titan systems or another generic which can be had for 600 or less if you get a deal.

Hes trying to cool 4kw.

3410btuhr per 1kw of lights at a minimum

1 ton he's undersized.

The 400 sq. ft. a ton is for common households. Not grow rooms.