Keif's - DIY - Micro/Stealth, 150w Cool Tube, Hempy Box

Hey man, I just recently completed my first grow and used 100% perlite hempy aswell. It's easy, lightweight, low mess but like you say it can be annoying with the frequency of hand watering (although I don't really mind). I was wondering if you are hand watering aswell or if you have some automated system in place?

Your cab is looking awesome and I really like your ideas. Also I noticed you said you check ph but not ppm.. I am the opposite to you. Does ph really make a huge difference? I heard the a+b usually buffers the solution to a reasonable ph.

willy0405 said:

Hey man, I just recently completed my first grow and used 100% perlite hempy aswell. It's easy, lightweight, low mess but like you say it can be annoying with the frequency of hand watering (although I don't really mind). I was wondering if you are hand watering aswell or if you have some automated system in place?

Your cab is looking awesome and I really like your ideas. Also I noticed you said you check ph but not ppm.. I am the opposite to you. Does ph really make a huge difference? I heard the a+b usually buffers the solution to a reasonable ph.

Click to expand...

I plan on doing some kind of automation. I dont mind too much its just sometimes after working 12 or so hours I get home finally around 930 and want to just kick it on the couch and smoke a few bowls and make dinner. Its not a huge deal at all.

Thanks on the props to my cab! From what I read, PH'd nute solution to a specific number 5.8-6.3ISH allows maximum absorption by the plant. If the PH is off the plant could not be getting certain nutes. There is a chart on the back of either my PH kit or my GH nutes that shows were the certain nutes absorb at different PH's. Basically that zone that I shoot for is where all the nutes can be absorbed. I would love to get a PPM meter. Which one do you use?

Cab Update:
I ordered my TD100 fan from SP. I am so stoked to get this running. CF will be next but I am still in the process of what size / brand I want... I want to get the fan at least so I can flower out this Madman OG.

Plant Update:
Heres a couple shots of the Madman BUSH that I have been growing, there are about 13 growth tips now. super bushy.



Here is one of the double topping I did to the HI punch! I just thought it was cool, I only normally top once, but I did that to the other HI Punch so I figured this would be a little experiment.


Leaves are still a bit droopy. I have narrowed it down to heat stress or just that the light is vertical and the leaves are angling toward the light. I dont think its a PH or nute issue, there isnt any burning and the PH from the runoff water was 6.0 and I put in about 5.8 water. Its about 85 in the veg cab. I need another fan or something but its not TOO bad (after all, my old plants were OK outside in 100+ degree weather.) Anyone have any suggestions or possiblilities? The madman isnt really effected.

Hi Keif, will you be working on/posting any more pics this weekend? loving it so far...Quick question if I can pick your brain..in regards to -

"Remember- I used two four inch holes because I will be using a single four inch outlet. You always want your intake to be double the size of exhaust hole on passive systems."

I have been converting Large walk in Cupboard 4' x 4' x 8' now I've settled on a 6" 550cfm Fan/Carbon filter setup..wanted more Power than needed then can dial it down if need be(will be installing a Controller/Monitor unit)

Anyway I'm waffling...what wanted to ask you is..I know my setup won't be passive? but kinda Lost on what size intake to go for and Passive or Fan assisted? and what you posted got me thinking....Would it be better (for my setup) to have 2 x 6" Passive Intake Holes or maybe a bank of say 3-4" Intake Holes

Any ideas be great mate..

Peace

cc2012 said:

Hi Keif, will you be working on/posting any more pics this weekend? loving it so far...Quick question if I can pick your brain..in regards to -

"Remember- I used two four inch holes because I will be using a single four inch outlet. You always want your intake to be double the size of exhaust hole on passive systems."

I have been converting Large walk in Cupboard 4' x 4' x 8' now I've settled on a 6" 550cfm Fan/Carbon filter setup..wanted more Power than needed then can dial it down if need be(will be installing a Controller/Monitor unit)

Anyway I'm waffling...what wanted to ask you is..I know my setup won't be passive? but kinda Lost on what size intake to go for and Passive or Fan assisted? and what you posted got me thinking....Would it be better (for my setup) to have 2 x 6" Passive Intake Holes or maybe a bank of say 3-4" Intake Holes

Any ideas be great mate..

Peace

Click to expand...

Hello cc-

I have always stuck to the rule that the space for a passive intake should be double what the space for exhaust is. I know thats not too technical for you but in the past it has worked and I have not had any issues.

As long as the intake is ~2x the size of the exhaust you shouldnt have issues. I had a 4"x8" hole in the bottom of my old box to make up for the 2x 4" fan..

Passive means that there is no fan blowing air IN the tent, just out. I think, by the sounds of your cab, that you are running passive as you only have an exhaust fan and not intake fans.


As for me working on it this weekend- I am hoping my cut glass comes in and I will be working on patching that small hole in the bottom of the back board and light proofing the doors. I will hopefully also get my hole cut in my shelf for the exhaust ducting. I will not be working on any ventilation work as I want to wait for my fan to come in first so I can mock everything up and then cut where I need to instead of doing guess work..

++vibes

Cheers for reply and Info Keif, CC-CrazyCatz well at the Mo I'm just going with the Exhaust Fan/Carbon filter..will be Passive intake on opp side and low down..after reading post will probably go for 2 x 6" intake Hole...now just gotta think of a way to hide em..wonder if you can get over 12" Vent Covers? or maybe I could knock up a Fake Radiator(latticed) Cover/Box to go over this with some sort of screening?

Peace

I know this looks pricey, but check it out, its a 12.25x12.25 dark room louver so its light proof.
http://www.adorama.com/DKL1212.html?gclid=CLr87v-b_rkCFYU5QgodbxcAMA

The only thing I can think to tell you is to not forget that a 4x4 square is actually a lot bigger (volume wise) than a 4x4 circle.

Cool, thanks for the link.

Keif. said:

I plan on doing some kind of automation. I dont mind too much its just sometimes after working 12 or so hours I get home finally around 930 and want to just kick it on the couch and smoke a few bowls and make dinner. Its not a huge deal at all.

Thanks on the props to my cab! From what I read, PH'd nute solution to a specific number 5.8-6.3ISH allows maximum absorption by the plant. If the PH is off the plant could not be getting certain nutes. There is a chart on the back of either my PH kit or my GH nutes that shows were the certain nutes absorb at different PH's. Basically that zone that I shoot for is where all the nutes can be absorbed. I would love to get a PPM meter. Which one do you use?

Click to expand...

I bought one of those long ppm sticks off ebay for like 40 dollars and it has been accurate for me. I would get a picture but it's not working on my phone for some reason. Google "ppm stick" and you will see what im talkkng about if you dont already.

When you get some sort of automated system going on id love to see how you did it as I want to incorporate something like that in my grow aswell

willy0405 said:

I bought one of those long ppm sticks off ebay for like 40 dollars and it has been accurate for me. I would get a picture but it's not working on my phone for some reason. Google "ppm stick" and you will see what im talkkng about if you dont already.

When you get some sort of automated system going on id love to see how you did it as I want to incorporate something like that in my grow aswell

Click to expand...

hey man! I am sorry for not getting back sooner. I am planning out the drip feed system now. I want to have a solenoid to let the water flow for like 5 mins a day to fill up the reservoir. Extra water would be drained from the tray the plants sit in.

I have think it through more though.

cabinet update:
I have decided against using the cabinet glass doors. I went around this weekend getting mirror quotes and it's going to run about150usd for the two door mirrors and another 60 for the top. This is a bit more than I wanted to spend so I ordered the all wood doors from ikea. It came out to be 30 shipped. They are going to be delivered Thursday. I will still have one cut for the top and get some knobs.

Do you guys know if Home Depot will cut a hole in a board for me? Or if I could rent a drill there so I could buy a hole saw bit? I don't have many tools and need to get this duct cut in the shelf. Fan should be here Thursday too.

Well yesterday was a big day! I transplanted the larger OG into the bottom of a two liter for now until I get some smaller pots, the plant growth slowed in the solo and i pulled it out of the cup and it seemed a bit root bound. It has taken off after transplanting though!

BOTH of the Hawaiian plants showed sex over the weekend. 1 female and 1 male. The male had a couple FAT balls hanging on it. Chopped that fucker and shoved him through my garbage disposal LOL.

plant update:
Heres that OG I'm obsessing over. I have her grown out like a scrog without the screen. The leaves are pretty resinous.



Check these stems!


Group shot!


Peace

looks awesome man, your og looks like my girls right now. I've got two bagseeds lst'd just like that. short and squatty.

Yeah man, I love it, they are going to EXPLODE under the HPS... Its much bigger now, I will have to get some pictures. Its taller and wider now. Its still wider than it is tall though which is what I am shooting for. Cab will be finished and running saturday. I am renting a jigsaw saturday morning.

I got my doors in last night and they will work great!

Fan should be here today.. as long as I dont have to sign for it which I am hoping I dont since I am at the office all day.

I will update tonight!

I love it when someone show no mercy. Bonsai bend!

Plant update-

Plants are getting bigger. I just LST for the last time before they go in flower Monday. I was not home to sign for the fan but I will be home to get it Monday.



This is how I LST.


My og

Looking Nice Keif, when you putting up some more pics of Cab?...I'm missing it..Lol..nah serious though is a Nice, Clean build!

Got Question..what's with the Foil round one of ya Ladies?

Peace

CaTz

cc2012 said:

Looking Nice Keif, when you putting up some more pics of Cab?...I'm missing it..Lol..nah serious though is a Nice, Clean build!

Got Question..what's with the Foil round one of ya Ladies?

Peace

CaTz

Click to expand...

I will be posting the rest of the build tomorrow. I am renting a jigsaw to cut these holes out and my fan should be delivered then too.

As for the foil- it's the bottom of a 2 liter. The light would go through the plastic and cause root rot so I used duct tape to make it light proof.

Thanks for the compliments.

ah makes sense now...often thought about using 2L bottles for Pots..what did end up using Bottles for(Thanks to Missus) Propagation Tops(chopped the bottoms off) fit nicely on top of cuttings and you can take lid off and on for letting it breathe.

Looking forward to seeing more Pics of this Quality build

Peace

Well, shes alive..

Overall, I am OK with how it turned out but things didnt go as planned.

First, I had everything good to go, holes cut, exhaust flanges mounted and then the fan shows up... They sent me the wrong model (td100X not the td100) which was 1" too large and didnt fit in my cabinet hardware area. FUCK I thought. I freaked out a bit, I needed to get this running last week to harvest before I leave for Hawaii to see my girls family on Christmas. After a few bowls and much planning I ended up ditching the shelf idea. The whole point was to keep heat from my ballast outside the grow.

I mounted my fan and ballast to the roof.

I ended up wiring a 2 gang electrical box so now I have four hard wired and proper outlets in the cabinet. No messy power strips or wires.

With the fan connected to the cool tube, the cabinet runs at +2-4 degrees over ambient temps and -4 degrees at night. I am STOKED. This is even with the large amount of heat from the ballast up top.

I will be editing the guide on the first few posts tonight and I will share some pics as well when I get out of work.