(First) Grow Cabinets-Design Questions

Hey, everyone! This is my first post on here. I've seen quite a number of threads on here about starting and maintaining grow systems, and I'm finally going to start my own. I want to have a continuous grow, or perpetual grow, with a seperate cabinet for cloning, vegging, and flowering. I have absolutely no idea how big and how many clones a clone cabinet should house, so I'm completely clueless as to the dimensions. The maximum height for the plants during flowering would have to be around 5-6', but I have 8' to work with. The cabinet I was originally going to make would be 4' (width) x 3' (depth) x 6' (height) for veg/flower but will probably be only flower, depending on what you all think I need. For the others, I have a spare room, so space is not a problem, but my plants can't get any bigger than the dimensions, I gave for flowering, although I can go to 8' height.

If there's any other information needed to help a newbie out, just ask. I will be starting the grow after I come back from vacation a month from now, but I want to have everything set for that time!

Perfect build a box that is 3'x6'x8'

I use my closet which is 2'x4'x8' and use a 400 HID/HPS with vented hood, 4" inline fan 160 cfm. It pulls from carbon filter through hood to fan and exhausts into attic.

If you stuck with that area all for flower I would recommend a 600 w dimmable ballast 6" cooltube or vented hood with a larger 400 cfm inline fan with speed control. That should cover you getting hot air out....you may need another fan to pull fresh air in. I use a passive intake from negative pressure sucking in air from room.

What you could do is section off two feet at the bottom of the cabinet....mount a T5 fixture or CFL and make that the clone/veg cabinet. Make sure it is sealed so no light leaks to flowering chamber sitting above it. Grow your plants in there until they are about 12" or so depending...I would look into topping, lst, scrog methods for this space. Then put them up top into the flower chamber which would be 6' x 3' x 4' - For a continuous grow you don't need to grow monsters just need to have the cycle down. Clone, veg for a 4 weeks flower for 6-8 more (or whatever strain you choose). Keep in mind your space and how many plants can flower at one time. 4 plants would be a good place to start. I experimented with my area have done 6, 4, 3, 2....and depending on how I train I can fill that space equally. I like dealing with fewer plants since my space is kinda limited.

Hope that gives you some ideas....Google search super closet it will give you some good ideas.

one thing, don't grow em 8ft tall or 6 for that matter, artificial light, no matter type or watt wont penetrate 8 ft or 6

a 1000W might do good 3-4ft down and even with a cool hood it needs to be +1ft away to start with, a 600W even less

need to find some method that suits you to keep em small and busy, with a even canopy, with as many Bud sites under the light, thats the trick to get a good yield indoors, that and haveing healthy plants of course

look in to topping or FIM, I also like LST and love scrog, most/all can be combined, right now Im looking in to main lining, if you absolute want tall plants indoor, look in to vertical growing

rwbrock said:

Clone, veg for a 4 weeks flower for 6-8 more (or whatever strain you choose).

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I am probably not understanding but isn't the cycle broken? If I take cuttings from my plants before they flower, where will they go after their 4 weeks of vegging, where my other plants still need another 4 weeks of flowering? Also, how high do your plants grow? Your box dimensions sound pretty good to me.

Also, you did mean 6'(width)x3'(depth)x6'(height) for flowering?

Slipon said:

..artificial light, no matter type or watt wont penetrate 8 ft or 6..a 1000W might do good..

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Yes, I completely forgot light penetration and as a newb assumed bigger=better=more yields, which is true, but obviously not the best for my cabinet, under artificial light.

About how much did your bill go up with the 1000W? I was thinking about using less and using some CFLs to help it out. My space might actually call for more, though..

In your opinion, what are the best methods for increased yield? The only ones I know a little about is SCROG and the method where you bend them to confuse it i to thinking it has no top (forgot what it was called).

Thanks to both of you!

Slipon my next batch I am going to mainline as well. Will get a journal going on that one.


Haze what I have done in the past is taken clones right before flipping into 12/12. So lets say you cut 4 clones or a few extra just in case some don't work for you. You can also stick with 4 strongest. It will prob take you a good week if not two to get the clones rooted. Then you transfer into whatever medium you like. I would let them grow another 3-4 weeks in veg. Top, lst, let them go another couple weeks. Transfer to larger pot and let it go one more then your getting pretty close to finishing the others. Put into flower and put scrog net down. There are a few ways of going about all this. If I can keep my plants 12-15 inches I end up with 24-30 inch plants.


Just have to make sure your not working with 10 week strains. I haven't been doing continuos grows to be honest. I have been getting clones from friend or dispensary and/or seeds and just doing at my own leisure. Taking a little time off in between harvests. The break is nice and often needed. I tend to focus a lot of time and attention when I grow. So it is nice to not being doing it 365. Also I like to take hotest months off during summer.


My electric bill with my 400 running 12/12 and all associated fans etc is only like $40.00 extra a month. Maybe a little more. I meant 4x3x6 6 being height. For more yield veg longer (2 months). To keep shorter top and lst. Look into fim as well. More tops and even canopy. I think 600 would be fine for that space would def be easier to control your temps. If you do go 1000 or 600 try and get dim able just in casew.