Humidity levels in the basement.

So where I am currently living my basement seems the best option for growing. All other areas would require vent ducting to be hanging over commonly lived areas of my house.

The only 2 problems I am seeing so far is that the humidity level is only 15% during the day. I haven't checked it at night but I assume it isnt much greater. The temp wont get above 75* degrees ever so..will this low amount be okay?

Also The basement is dirt with black tarp over it and around half of the wall(about 15ft away from where I will be growing) is bare pink insulation. I am worried about dust. What are my best options for clearing out dust from all the wood support beams and keeping this area clean?

Also everything will be plugged into 1 outlet! yesterday it supported a 1000watt ballast and a shop vacuum.

I'm in a basement too where I grow but my humidity is too great. I'm right by Lake Michigan so there lies the problem. For you though a humidifier would work to raise levels. Once your garden is in and the plants are growing they will emit some moisture in the air as well. It took almost a thousand dollars to get my levels in check. But now I don't even worry because the dehumidifiers keep all that in order. I'd give it a run and adjust from there. See how everything down there acts once you've put your garden in the mix.

the basement is 20ftx 30ft. Im not wanting to spend that much if it isnt needed(is 15%-20% okay?), because making that large of an area humid wont be easy.
I just discovered that the GFI is connected to the outlet in my garage. SO essentially the plug in my garage that connects the compressor is hooked up to the same circuit as my 1000 watt ballast and what ever else I need to hook up. I don't think this is going to work.

Feeling frustrated.

try putting a big ass bucket filled with water in there......

I wouldn't worry too much about it at this point. Once you add lighting your temps will increase and there is a chance the humidity will go up when your plants start emitting moisture. Get a cheap humidifier if necessary. Basements are the best if you don't have an abundance of humidity.

I got a cheap humidifier this spring since I had a RH on 28% (a bit low with seedling`s IMO)

sumthing like this




cost me like 60$ and did good, made my RH in a 12M/3 spare bed room jump from 28-32% to +40%

now the cold winter/spring is over, we got hotter temperatures and my plants is bigger in bigger pot`s with more water, so I have no problem keeping 40-50% now and since Im in flowering Im happy about that

but nice to have the humidifier ready for winter time

you might need a bit more since your basement is 2-3 time bigger then my spare bed room, and your RH is even lower (now you are totally sure you do have a basement with a RH on 15% ? sounds odd) but a few of them or a bigger model will for sure help a lot

I must say I prefer low humidity. I have identified issues in veg from having it too low, but these are rare, only in touchy strains/phenos. It is possible to use extra cal/mag and strengthen them up with this to make up for it (providing they can tolerate it). One thing you will find is that there will be an increase in humidity as the plants get bigger - usually into flowering (just when you don't want it). I find mine will go from about 20-25% in veg, to about 30-35% in flower. All of these levels are fine with me. If it drops down lower in flower, great - it rarely goes higher (thankfully). I gave up trying to raise it in veg, as I decided after 3 years that it made so little difference as to be a waste of my time.

Lower humidity is better than high. In my experience, trying to solve the perceived problem of low humidity can cause more problems that you will solve.

I think you will be fine on the humidity once things get rolling. I'd worry more about your electrical situation. Might want to get an extra 20 amp line run for the basement, thats where I'd spent my money first.

Here is what I would due , I would go to a stone quarry and get 3/4 clean stone ,enough to go 3-4 inches deep over the black tarp, and wet the stone down every now and then to keep my desired humidity level, really would just be a misting over the stone to get you were you want to be humidity level wise. and also your dust it will help keep the dust down . and 3/4 clean stone is cheep maybe run you under 50 ,as far as the dust you can use mylar to shield off the grow area., Just a FYI that tarp is ther to keep the moisture down ,but I don't know if you want to expose that to your grow and living space, that is why its covered ,to much moisture = mold spore first on beams the in walls.

How many plants are you going to grow? My basement humidity was really low as well until I got about two dozen plants in there and a few thousand watts of lighting. I had a dehumidifier set to 55% and it ran off and on throughout the day. Now that I have a minisplit it almost never runs.

There are much more important things to worry about that low RH.

I grow in the basement and the RH goes between 12% and 30%. I have gotten mold on one of my massive buds in RH that low.

A bigger worry is encouraging powdery mildew with low temps. Powdery mildew forms when temps stay between 50 and 60 degrees for extended periods. If I could, I would keep my grows at 77 at all times.

Just do a run through without adding humidity and see how you like the results.

Baywatcher said:

How many plants are you going to grow? My basement humidity was really low as well until I got about two dozen plants in there and a few thousand watts of lighting. I had a dehumidifier set to 55% and it ran off and on throughout the day. Now that I have a minisplit it almost never runs.

Click to expand...

Well thats another question Im having. I live in Colorado and am over 21. My brother says I can only grow 6 with 3 flowering at once. Which is lame. There are 2 possible current MMJ patients at my work that could name me as there caregiver, but IM not sure how that would increase my plant growth, or if I want to mix my work with this type of stuff.

Trousers said:

There are much more important things to worry about that low RH.

I grow in the basement and the RH goes between 12% and 30%. I have gotten mold on one of my massive buds in RH that low.

A bigger worry is encouraging powdery mildew with low temps. Powdery mildew forms when temps stay between 50 and 60 degrees for extended periods. If I could, I would keep my grows at 77 at all times.

Just do a run through without adding humidity and see how you like the results.

Click to expand...

the temp with out my lamp running is 65* at night currently and 70* during day with it running. Its only going to get hotter, MY plan was run at night and vent fresh air, then stop at day and no vent air.

trophy1 said:

I think you will be fine on the humidity once things get rolling. I'd worry more about your electrical situation. Might want to get an extra 20 amp line run for the basement, thats where I'd spent my money first.

Click to expand...

This is currently my main concern. The only electrician I know is my boss. Is this difficult?

jrainman said:

Here is what I would due , I would go to a stone quarry and get 3/4 clean stone ,enough to go 3-4 inches deep over the black tarp, and wet the stone down every now and then to keep my desired humidity level, really would just be a misting over the stone to get you were you want to be humidity level wise. and also your dust it will help keep the dust down . and 3/4 clean stone is cheep maybe run you under 50 ,as far as the dust you can use mylar to shield off the grow area., Just a FYI that tarp is ther to keep the moisture down ,but I don't know if you want to expose that to your grow and living space, that is why its covered ,to much moisture = mold spore first on beams the in walls.

Click to expand...

great idea. that amount of stone will cost me a arm and leg for the size of my basement. IM currently blowing the dust off everything and trying to filter it or vacuum is up. The dust is a bigger concern. Maybe I need to get mylar. and create a "clean" section.

Slipon said:

I got a cheap humidifier this spring since I had a RH on 28% (a bit low with seedling`s IMO)

sumthing like this

View attachment 2674461


cost me like 60$ and did good, made my RH in a 12M/3 spare bed room jump from 28-32% to +40%

now the cold winter/spring is over, we got hotter temperatures and my plants is bigger in bigger pot`s with more water, so I have no problem keeping 40-50% now and since Im in flowering Im happy about that

but nice to have the humidifier ready for winter time

you might need a bit more since your basement is 2-3 time bigger then my spare bed room, and your RH is even lower (now you are totally sure you do have a basement with a RH on 15% ? sounds odd) but a few of them or a bigger model will for sure help a lot

Click to expand...

I thought about getting a couple of these to put near the plants. The problem is my basement is fucking huge. I could run 2 all day and maybe increase by 5% but thats not including the fact that I will be circulating outside air.

dawgfather said:

the temp with out my lamp running is 65* at night currently and 70* during day with it running. Its only going to get hotter, MY plan was run at night and vent fresh air, then stop at day and no vent air.

Click to expand...

I'm in CO too, the best state in The Union. I do not worry about low RH at all.

Good call. When you veg, make sure your light is off from about 1:00 P.M. to maybe 7:00 P.M.
I run flower from 4:00 P.M. to 4:00

I grow in my furnace room.
When the A/C is running, my temps can get low.

With Amendment 64 you can have 3 flowering plants and 3 plants in veg for every person 21 or over that lives in the house.
With a red card it is the same, but you can have up to 4 people name you as a caregiver and then you get 3 and 3 for each one.

Trousers said:

I'm in CO too, the best state in The Union. I do not worry about low RH at all.

Good call. When you veg, make sure your light is off from about 1:00 P.M. to maybe 7:00 P.M.
I run flower from 4:00 P.M. to 4:00

I grow in my furnace room.
When the A/C is running, my temps can get low.

With Amendment 64 you can have 3 flowering plants and 3 plants in veg for every person 21 or over that lives in the house.
With a red card it is the same, but you can have up to 4 people name you as a caregiver and then you get 3 and 3 for each one.

Click to expand...

thanks for this info. Are you positive its not per house. My brother lives here too and is the one currently growing. His shear laziness is actually what got me into growing. I know I can do it a 100x better. So if I have 3 adults in one house I can grow 18 plants with no more than 9 flowering?

Given that it is legal there, all you need to do is tell an electrician you want some new outlets on new circuits.

dawgfather said:

thanks for this info. Are you positive its not per house. My brother lives here too and is the one currently growing. His shear laziness is actually what got me into growing. I know I can do it a 100x better. So if I have 3 adults in one house I can grow 18 plants with no more than 9 flowering?

Click to expand...

I can't see why you wouldn't be allowed 3 veg and 3 flowering plants per person in a house. Ask a lawyer if you are not sure.
There are some other rules, like locking the grow space and rules if there is a minor on the premises.

Any electrician would be happy to have your business.