New to Grow Journal

Hello all,

Thanks for reading. I suggest you light one up before reading because that’s what I did before writing this and well any reason is a good reason to blaze .

Ok so I am new new noob.
New to growing.
New to building my own cabinet.
New to ...
Well ok I did grow a clone given to me from a friend in dirt in an Ikea closet and it worked out ok.
I do work in construction (side job) so I have built some sheds, decks and cabinet like stuff but never specifically for growing.
I have been smoking for 24 years and have always had good friends that took care of me sometimes better care than others but I have rarely been without.
Now the past year or so there has been no variation, always m-39 or big bud or sometimes northern lights. I’m bored of it.
I’ve always wanted to grow even just as a hobby or a single house plant. I have two seven foot tall palm trees and many other plants strewn across the house.
So something happened to peak my interest into some sort of closet marijuana grow.
Somebody in my building threw out an aerogarden. I thought wow it can’t be functional? But it is/was.
So the aerogarden got me interested in getting my own small crop going and I started reading online especially here and soon realized I could do a diy set up much better than the tiny aerogarden could do for me (no offense to those using it).
So I grab a buddy with a pick-up truck and pick up some 2X4’s and ½” plywood and I’m on my way J
If I only knew how much work was to come LOL!
Time to start screwin around hehe Ok so the cab is 52” high by 48” wide by 32” deep. The shelf is at 14” giving me 48” of vegging room. Oh yeah forgot to mention this will only be a veg box. I plan on building a flowering cab as well.
Hit the hydro shop for mylar and all sorts of other things I need for ebb and flow! Omg what am I getting into? (I love it!, More to come on that)
So I mylar’d it up and installed an inline 165 cfm fan for exaust.
I have a pc fan 120mm for inlet and also drilled out 5 X 2.5” holes around the back and side of the shelf area outer walls. One hole through the shelf to intake that air.
Now the lighting...
I think I should have just bought a cool tube and a mh set up for this veg box but this is what I have done so far and am willing to document all my mistakes lol
So I spark up a fatty and sit back on the couch and wire up 8 boxes on 4 lines. I make mistakes and recheck and re-do all electrical until it is perfect and 100% safe. Can’t stress that enough!
2 lines are times 2 (actual watts quoted from here on out) 15W 4100k spotlights.
Next 2 lines are y’d meaning 2 sockets per line with a ‘Y’ so 8 bulbs.
4X 40W, 2700K
4X40W, 2600K
That’s what they say on the packages but basically they are cool white and soft white.
Ok so box: check, Lining: check, Lighting: check, Venting: uh oh to hot!
This is where I will stop for now and ask for advice!
With my lighting and venting I am sitting at 86 lowest to 92 degrees!
What should I do to lower temps?
Another intake fan?
All Ideas welcome J
I am a good stoner lol I have been working on this for over a month (great ideas, low motivation) but I am proud how far I have actually come!
This took so long I need to go blaze another hehe
Please give me any advice you wish to share and let me know if you want to hear more.
My mistakes might save you a step lol!
Here is some pics of the cab

P.s:thanks for the great forum.

i think the 165 CFM should keep the temps down.. i suggest you get the spotlights out, put your hand next to them and see if they generate alot of heat.
also you better use some 6500K spectrum, because all your CFL's are better for flowering..
it's good to mix, but your missing some light's in the veg spectrum.

also try taking out the inlet fan and just use a passive hole..

other then that it really looks good!
Good luck!

I have a 190 cfm odor sok on the outlet.
I've turned off the inlet fan and the 4 spotlights.

The lighting K is confusing. I was told the cool white were good for veg and that's mostly what I have but the 'K's don't match what I read here?
4 of my 8 lights are 4100k (eliminating the 4 spot lights) and 4 more at 2700K
The 4100K are blue white and the 2700K are yellow white.

With the intake fan off and the four spotlights off temp is 82 after 20 minutes.
But now it's only 8 bulbs instead of 12.

I also realize why every guy in every grow vid is wearing sunglasses lol I have blinded myself atleast a dozen times so far

If your running CFL you need 6500k light spectrum, throw a couple 2700k in if you want but you need primarily 6500k light for veg. The lights your using sound like a flower cab. You'll get a considerable decrease in temperature by using a few small desk fans for air circulation.

I also agree that you should use passive intakes low in your cab and keep your exhaust higher.

My veg cab uses 12x 26 watt 6500k CFL's for a total of 312 actual watts, 78 watts per plant. Temps stay constant, lights on at 76-77 degrees which is alright for MJ =)

Mudslide9791 said:

If your running CFL you need 6500k light spectrum, throw a couple 2700k in if you want but you need primarily 6500k light for veg. The lights your using sound like a flower cab. You'll get a considerable decrease in temperature by using a few small desk fans for air circulation.

I also agree that you should use passive intakes low in your cab and keep your exhaust higher.

My veg cab uses 12x 26 watt 6500k CFL's for a total of 312 actual watts, 78 watts per plant. Temps stay constant, lights on at 76-77 degrees which is alright for MJ =)

Click to expand...

Sucks! the hardware stores near me only have the spectrum I have mentioned. I will have to check out the hydro shop again to get the 5700K.
What size is your cab?
Weird as it sounds but because it's winter here the avg. store doesn't have oscillating small fans in stock??
I'm still looking!
For the moment and testing I am using an ancient fan I have lying around with a metal cage and it rattles like mad.
I think it's an antique actually but it works.
^fan above off and intake fan off 88 degrees.
Turned the fan inside the cab back on and (wait a few minutes) Temp is 90.
OK so re-cap!
There are 2 - 2.5 inch holes on the left side of the cabinet in the shelf section. There are 3 - 2.5 inch holes in the rear of the cab in the shelf zone.
There is 1 - 2.5 inch hole in the shelf.
There is 1 - 4.5 inch inlet hole (powered or not)
And 1 - 4 inch outlet hole powered by 165 cfm inline fan.

Yeah your going to have to give and take in order to get your temps right, unless you added a higher CFM fan etc.

What are the actual dimensions of the cab? Also, My cab isn't light tight I have two large openings on each end that help ALOT with airflow.
How many plants will you be running. 2x 26 watt 6500k CFL's do well for one plant. Thats 52 watts per plant. If you veg 4 plants using 8x 26 watt 6500k bulbs you will be sitting pretty good =) Also 8x 26 watt lights will obviously produce alot less heat than the 8 40watt CFL's your using. Also, I think you'll be fine if you can get your temps down to the low 80's. I would definately rock the 26 watt CFL's. 8 of em put out about 13,200 lumens which is alright for 4 plants in a small cab with mylar or white lining.

This is the route I would take.

I had a problem finding fans this time of year also. I had to order them online.

Oh and I buy 4 packs of 6500k 26 watt CFL's at lowes for about $11. You need the 6500k though, you won't be happy vegging with the ones you've got. Rock the 26 watt 2700k CFL's in your flower cab =)

What are the actual dimensions of the cab?

The cab is 52” high by 48” wide by 32” deep.
I will need to get the right spectrum light before continuing to test the heat issues I guess.

DayLight CFL's Generate less heat from WarmLight CFL's from my experience..
but when you start flowering the problem is just going to pop back up..

i also had 2 intake holes at the bottom of my box, and when i closed one of them and made all the air go through one hole the temps dropped down.

if you let you exhaust fan work hard then she's going to suck the hot air that's on the top of the box, thus making the temps drop.
try it and see if it works for you..

Thanks for the advice!

When I get around to making the flowering cab I will be going with a hps and cool tube so shouldn't (hopefully) have these problems.
I ordered 2 X 125 watt 6500k cfls. I'll use these with a few 26w 6500K and keep adjusting how many and in and out of venting until I get it right

Update!
While at my small hardware store looking for a latch to more securely close my doors I noticed a boxing week sale on cfl's so I decide to look again to see if they have any 26W 6500k's and I saw none..
I asked a clerk and he pointed to softlight and every other spectrum... (BOO)
I thanked him (and realized he had no clue)
So I keep looking anyway just in case and low and behold there are 5 boxes of 2 bulbs 26 watt 6500k GE cfls!
I check em out and 2 of the boxes have shattered lights (mercury anyone?)
So I leave with 6 bulbs
I have them 6 and 2 40 watters running now with exhaust fan on low and I am at 76 degrees!
I have on mail order the 2 125 watt 6500k. So I'll see what combination will work when I get them too!
So good news

On to testing the hydro-culture set up.
Ok the set up so far:
My ebb&flow,
Planter tray is regular long storage tote 2.5’W X 2’L X 6” high, 15 gallon.
Reservoir is (I had the same size container for the rez. But realized this was another mistake and changed to) a 24 gallon, 28”W X17”L X13”H.
The pump is a supreme classic model 2 250 gph at my height. ½” inlet. The hose I have seems more like 11/16th I.D though (I will be clamping everything down).
The outlet or ‘overflow is ½” I.d. I am not using a hose extension on the connector because the pump is at least twice the pressure compared to the outlet so flow restriction acts as my overflow up to about 3 inches.
So, so far tests have been 2 minutes of pump time and 3 minutes to drain.
This was with old res. I am sure I can go 3-4 mins and again 3 mins to drain.
6 to 7 minutes of saturation is that good?
I hear 3 times a day, I hear pick up the Rockwool and if it’s heavy your good if it’s light more watring.
Is that about it? Just trial and error?

I cut away a 2X4 at the bottom of the cab so I could slide the res. In and out (another mistake), need to repaint that area.
I blocked off all additional air holes I made in the bottom of the cab as these just created vortex’s of swirling air and actually hindered heat reduction.
My temps are between 76 and 82 steady with no adjustments except I open the window when it hits 76 but I am Canadian and just can’t keep the window open long term when it is -20C or 4F
The summer months will actually be easier because having an a/c whirling away in my window will be normal and easy to regulate.
Also on that note starting a new grow in Canada in the winter is a bad idea.
Look for an oscillating fan in a chain store here in the winter.. non-existent.
Gardening supplies? Scarce and not what you need or want. So you are forced to buy basics from the hydro shops and I love em but the prices ain’t the cheapes in the dro shops.
I opened my box fully at night and went outside to check my windows and no one who would be just walking by would give a notice but I decided to buy 2 room darkening curtains to go on top of my wood slat blinds (on the inside frame). Not worried about the copters and infra-red as this is tiny tim growing lol but even still I don’t need anyone walking by saying wow it sure is bright in there... hmm?
Ok so the pics show progress? Sort of J
Mistakes and such make it fun hehe
And ya I am a bit messy my room here is my science lab full of experiments and also my workshop. I should clean up though lol...
The adventure continues..

Got the ebb and flow flowing good (in testing anyways)
Waiting on 2 oscillating fans and 2 125W 6500k cfl's and I am good to go.
Probably start to germinate a few tomorrow. A few in paper towel and a few straight in jiffy pellets.
In the mean time I was in the area of the only hydro shop close to me so I stopped in and walked out with a 1000W lighting system
For my flower cab yet to be built.
For $250 Cdn. I got 1000W hps bulb,
26" L X 6" Diameter cool tube with wing reflector and switchable mh/ hps, 120/ 240 V light ballast.

I cleaned up and put the veg cab in its spot. Finished the exhaust with odor-sok.
More professionally I used pvc plumbing attachments in and out to clamp down the dryer hose in and odor-sok out.
I also clamped the inline fan to the dryer hose outlet and secured the outlet hose to the ceiling with a spring and hook.
No more tape in those areas means to me testing is almost over.
Temperatures are low enough now in the 79 to 82 range steady.

There is 2 windows behind this area and each has been blocked in stages with wooden slat blinds then light blocking curtains (sealed) and then french pattern 'singles' curtains. I love the decor I created accidentally lol.

Lots more to say but time to blaze
and some pics.

Well I dropped two seeds in jiffy pellets on the first of the year as the first test babies.
I read so many ways to germinate my head was spinning. So I went simple.
Soaked 2 jiffy pellets in distilled water and squeezed out the excess and dropped the seeds in and loosely covered. I kept them in the dark under a heating pad on low. Watered them with a spray bottle as needed to keep moist not wet.
On the 5th both had sprouted
The pics are from today so day 7 on my little ladies hehe
Their names are Annie and Betty long for A and B
I'm going to move them into rockwool and into the hydroton tomorrow as I want to use the tray for germinating 4 more seeds. I hope to get 3 or 4 females, so I figure starting with 6 seedlings gives me good odds.

Strain - mystery quality seeds
# of Plants - 6
Grow Type - Hydro
Grow Stage - veg.
Setup - Ebb & Flow (both cabs)
Light - Cfls 6 X 26W 6500K & 2 X 125W 6500K in veg. cab, 1000W hps cool tube in flower.
Nutrients - summum 1+2 (local hydro shop blend)
Medium - Grodan Rockwool, hydroton
PPM - 400
PH - 6
RH - 30 to 40% at the moment.
Room Temperature -78 to 84
Solution Temperature - 65 to 70
Room Square Footage - 40' Veg, 128' flower.
Pests - None Known

Well if anybody is reading I'm still making mistakes and learning lol
2 plants are 15 days old, the next 4 are 8 days old (2 of the 4 are stronger than the other 2)
Started working on the flowering cab. It is 8'H X 4'W X 4' D.
I got a 1000W hps cool tube. I only wanted 400 or 600 but the 1000 was on special for cheaper than the others.
Got almost all I need, pump, hoses, fittings, air pump, reservoir, flood table, light and ballast, Need to get 2 more inline fans (they were out of stock), I got 50L of hydroton might not be enough to top of both cabs we will see.

I am going to try and fix up the lighting tomorrow a wee bit more professionally. It's kinda ghetto at the moment lol.

Thing is guys and girls is usually I would ask friends and family about how to do this and that but first lesson I learnt about this project is to keep my lips sealed.
So I need you guys! All suggestions are welcome!

My ventilation is bunk! I realize now (with all the reading reading reading) that I am shooting myself in the foot with the way I have it set up.
I have a passive inlet on bottom left and active (4" inline 165 cfm) exiting at top left but fan is at far right and then ducted back across the cab.
All the dips and ridges in the ducting is causing turbulence and back pressure.
I am going to keep the passive inlet on the left and have the active outlet top right with bear minimum ducting so to get the max out of the fan and also increase it's life span by reducing the back pressure.

Although this is kinda huge on the stealth grow side of things it is still going to be stealth long term.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on 3 times 4' mirror closet doors and all the tracking. I'll build a gyprock wall above it and in the end it will just look like a room wide closet (as apposed to walk in it will be wide not deep).
There are 2 windows behind the grow. They are fitted with wooden slat blinds then light blocking panels and then french panels that are kinda being wasted back there lol.
A/c and venting out of the room still undecided. Going to need a/c in the summer and controlled passive venting in the winter.

Here is the flower cab (very early on)
1/2" plywood and 1/2" bathroom gyprock, 1X2's and lots of reinforcements to come.
I am going to put this cab on wheels as I did the veg box just so I can move it an inch or two as needed.

Here is a few Q's I need to cut the flange off of the 4X4 flood table. What tool is best for this?
It is very hard plastic. Should I use a jigsaw or a reciprocating or circular saw?
I don't want to crack it beyond where I need to cut it.

Should I paint the box first? ( I did with the veg box) I am using mylar with black backing.

Fixed the venting
Have the 4" inline venting out top right and passive inlet bottom left.
I have been able to drop fan speed to 1/4 and temp is at 78-80
Still have to figure out the lights.