My Grow-Box Design

This will be my first time growing and decided to get a head start on exactly how to build my grow box



This is a preview of how I think a cost-effective growing machine would look with my budget and resources. (It will be made out of cardboard, unless i figure out where to get a cheap wooden/metal/plastic container with those dimensions)

Map Key
t = Intake Fans 110v 82CFM
The carbon scrubber will also have the same type of fan.
t = Exhaust of one of the intake fans

The dashed lines represent an opening to the box, allowing me to water the plants; both boxes will have them

Hardware
- 8 23w CFL bulbs (4 Red, 4 Blue) - 2 of each in each box
- I'm gonna be using MG Moisture control mix
- A few 1gal plant pots; maybe a 1.5gal(if they have those)
- Plant tie - I'm gonna go for LST grow
- White paint - for the inside of the box
- Lots of duct/Electrical tape lol

If you guys can give me any advice at all, I'll be very happy
I don't know what type of nutes i should get, if any. I'll be growing northern lights (If thats important)

Edit* If anyone knows whether or not i should top, it would be much appreciated. A guide would be awesome too B-)

-Happy Smokin

bump... :s
anyone?

Hey dude!

It looks like you have the general idea, but I do have a few suggestions. First, don't use cardboard. Either build one out of plywood, or get some rubber maid containers and hot glue them or something. Try to go easy on the duct tape. Its better not to do it ghetto. Cardboard is not going to be durable enough I promise you, especially since your going to be watering in there.. just a bad idea.

Second, your grow box needs to be air tight. You cant have an opening for watering that stays open. It needs to be a lid or a door or something that you can close so that the air will flow through via your intake hole and your exhaust fan. I used a computer fan and hooked it up to an AC power adapter for mine, and attached the carbon filter to it. You want to be able to pull your plants out of the box easily in case you need to do something to them.

Third, make sure you allow all of your plants to have plenty of space. Your plants are gonna grow ALOT especially during flowering, so you dont want them bleeding into each other. Personally if I were using a grow cabinet I would recommend growing Lowriders or some auto flowering strain. They finish in 8 weeks from germination, and they are short plants which makes them perfect for these types of scenarios. Especially in 1 gallon pots.

4th, DONT USE MIRACLE GROW! no no no. Go to your local hydro store and pick up a bag of potting soil. They can recommend you one, or you can just get fox farm ocean forest. Theres lots of options for soil and soil mixes. But this being your first time, just get a bag of fox farm it will be fine. For nutrients, there are also many choices. Just get a 2 part plant food. There should be a bottle for Grow (Veg) and a bottle for Bloom (Flower). Earth juice is good. Anything from Advanced Nutrients is good (although its way overpriced). My first grow I used Flora Nova and I liked it. Just be careful not to burn your plants, start with half the recommended concentration. And don't start feeding them till they have a couple sets of leaves.

Also I would try and use 4 CFL's per plant. You want them really close to the leaves, like an inch or two. Just use Daytime ones for VEG, and the Kitchen and bath ones for flower. If you mix them it really doesn't help. Well it might in flowering but during veg you just want the daytime bulbs. You can get a pack of like 8 at Home depot and 15 or 20 bucks, Then youll just have to rig up the wiring.

Other than that if you have any questions just feel free to ask. Good luck man. Your first time is a learning experience for sure, but it only gets better and better

Hey Griffin,

Thanks for the info bro.
I was having second thoughts about making this set up out of cardboard so I think id might as well go to home depot some time and get some plywood. One thing i forgot to mention is that i only plan on vegging and flowering a MAX of two plants, just so i can have a perpetual grow going on (im only growing one plant this run to understand this a little better). As for nutes and soil, ive been reading a lot about not to use MG because of the slow releasing nutes in it, so i'll stick with some good ol' regular potting mix and some good N-P-k ratioed nutes. Thanks for the info about the lights, for some reason i thought they were crazy expensive and didn't want to buy too many.

Thanks again, man. + Rep

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