PC Tower/Server CFL/LED Grow

So, I'm going to be starting a grow journal that will have pics once (and if) I get some eye-candy.

Here's my setup which is only in need of a few more things that are in the mail:

-- 4 x 26 watt cool CFLs for vegging
-- 4 x 20 watt warm CFLs for flowering
-- 1 x 13 watt blue & red LED for vegging and flowering
-- Movable mount for lights (with reflector)
-- timer
-- 24" x 16" x 7.5" full tower for grow box
-- mylar for all the walls
-- 2 x 80mm ultra quiet nexus case fans
-- fan ducting and fan filters (for sanitation and light pollution prevention)
-- chicken wire for a ScrOG grow
-- ona block for odor control
-- self-watering pots made out of gallon jugs
-- organic NON-MIRACLE GRO potting mix
-- Nitrogen rich Fox Farms tomato and vegetable fertilizer for vegging
-- Fox Farms Big Bloom for flowering
-- Lots of duct tape for sealing the case

I got all my seeds (mostly femenized) from the Attitude Seedbank. I will probably try 2 plants at a time and start with Easy Ryder (Lowryder #2 x AK-47) and Utopia Haze and then move up to strains like Super Lemon Haze and White Berry for later grows.

What do you guys think of this setup? Any tips? Did I forget anything?

Hopefully I'll have some nice pics for the future.

Best,
secretforestgarden

So, hey guys, I just finished making the setup! All I have to do is add in another 50w 12"x12" LED panel and do a lot more duct taping to light proof the whole business. I have made a few changes since my original setup proposal: replaced the 13w LED Par light with a 50w 12"x12" LED. I have a total of 3 fans in there (one intake, one exhaust, and one directly on the CFLs). The total box is now gonna have 154 watts of light--should be plenty powerful. I am now using self-watering pots that I made myself. I WILL be posting pics soon. I just started germinating a Buddha Seeds White Dwarf fem. and a Barney's Farm Utopia Haze fem; the White Dwarf should have no problem staying short and Utopia haze should not get taller than 80-90 cm if left untamed. With the Scrog setup I think I can keep her short.

The best thing you can do to get a reaspons on this web site is get some pic's up.

Alrighty, before I say anything, I am posting pics soon!!! I have germinated and planted my seeds, unscrewed 2 CFLs for heat, waiting on a 50w LED panel, and waiting to install another exhaust fan. Otherwise, my seedlings are starting to grow--should be sprouting up soon--probably within the next week. I'm leaving town for a long weekend, when I see seedlings next week, I will post pics. Also, I couldn't post for awhile since I lost my camera charger; a new one just came in the mail. I will be posting pics!!!!

So guys, I'm finally posting pics!

You can see the modified SenLed 50w mixed-spectrum 10mm LED panel. I removed the panel from it's case, clipped down the LED connectors and duct taped the whole thing twice. This cut down the size from about 1.25" to roughly 1/2". I also have a 42w warm CFL and a 26w cool CFL. None of it looks very bright because I turned down the brightness on my camera a ton! But believe me, it's pretty bright in there.

You can also see the 80mm intake fan duct and the 80mm fan blowing on the seedlings. You can also see the 80mm internal exhaust duct and the external 120mm SilenX exhaust duct. All super quiet brushless fans.

Yes, those are self-watering pots made out of PVC tubes (for filling), cheesecloth for a wick and gallon jugs for the bodies. I covered the whole thing with high grade duct tape to water and lightproof the roots.

I'm using a Pro-Mix organic soil mixed in with about 40% pearlite. My pH is right at 7--so as the seedlings grow a bit, I'll add organic blood meal and Fox Farms Tomato and Vegetable fertilizer (for high nitrogen and lower pH).

Note the chicken wire grate for when I Scrog the plants.

The left (unsprouted) pot holds a Barney's Farm Amnesia Lemon Femenized seed, germinated by the paper towel method. I planted this one late because I had a Utopia Haze seedling that died when I was out of town. My case is better cooled now and I will be around to keep the soil watered.

The right seedling is a Buddha Seeds White Dwarf Feminized Auto. It looks super healthy.

I used distilled water and will continue to use bloodmeal, FF tomato nutes, and eventually FF Big Bloom (but supplemented with the other two to maintain Nitrogen.

I'm going to use Plantastic automatic watering devices for when I'm out of town. This will supplement the self-watering pots when I can't water from above or folar feed.

I'm currently on 18/6 but will go down to 12/12 when the Amnesia Lemon matures. The White Dwarf should be done or almost done by then.

All my fans run 24/7 and are connected directly into the power supply and that into the power strip (mounted on the inside of the case). My CFLs and LED panel are wired in parallel circuitry into the timer.

That's mylar on the walls. I also have double duct tape all over the inside of the case--when put in the corner against the wall, it's virtually completely stealth. All the little lights on the power strip and AC/DC adapters are covered with duct tape for no ambient light. One can hear a quiet hum from the fans but only up close and that's overpowered by the sound of my heater. The only light is a faint bit from the front fan intake under the tower. I put a bottle of tide in front of it and you can't even see the light with the room lights off.

I ordered my seeds from Attitude Seed Bank.

I have a wireless thermometer coming in the mail--so I can monitor the temp with the case closed.

I'm really excited about this grow--I really think the CFL/LED combo will yield some healthy buds! Any advice is welcome and any improvements to my design are welcome. I don't know how quickly I'd get to changes since I already put so much time into this project.

NOTE: I have sockets installed for up to 4 CFLs but I only have 2 in because the 42w, the 26w and the panel give plenty of light and any more will probably make too much heat--even with 4 fans installed.

Best,

secretforestgarden

Very nice! I'm not going to lie. If your chicken wire were a couch, i think i'd like the be couch locked in your case.

Good luck with that buddy.

Thanks guys.

I actually made a few more modifications. I put a cool 26w CFL on a movable socket and put it close to the white dwarf. I also disassembled a 13w LED spotlight (turning it into a panel) and put it right next to the white dwarf.

These are temporary modifications until the plants grow tall enough to receive the benefit of the 50w panel on the side of the case.

I'll probably be posting pics either tonight or tomorrow.


Best,

secretforestgarden

nice lil setup u got mang.. ill be watchin fo sure.. keep an eye on my red dwarf its in my sig

autoflowa said:

nice lil setup u got mang.. ill be watchin fo sure.. keep an eye on my red dwarf its in my sig

Click to expand...

Already am man! Looking good.

After converting a LED spotlight to a panel and adding a movable CFL right next to the White Dwarf, she is now growing her second set of true leaves! Pics to follow.

Best,

secretforestgarden

secretforestgarden said:

After converting a LED spotlight to a panel and adding a movable CFL right next to the White Dwarf, she is now growing her second set of true leaves! Pics to follow.

Best,

secretforestgarden

Click to expand...

So, here are the pics that I promised. You can see the small LED panel and movable 26w cool CFL fixed directly on the White Dwarf.

I sprinkled just a tad of Fox Farms Organic Happy Frog Vegetable and Tomato fertilizer and a bit of Organic Blood Meal on the top of the pearlite/soil mix in the White Dwarf pot. I tested the pH and it's coming it at 6.7. Should I yearn to lower even more?

Best,

secretforestgarden

Looking good man!! I subscribed to your thread i have almost the same combo.. cant wait to see how you do... I gotta find those nutes to start adding and get the Nitrogen levels correct for my grow!! keep up the good work bro!

So, I'm now running all four CFLs (1x42w warm, 3x26w cool), the 13w LED panel, and the 50w LED panel. It's remaining relatively cool in there--I have to pickup my wireless digital thermometer tomorrow at the post office. But, my White Dwarf is growing rapidly and now is taking on the classic "cannabis plant" leaf shape. The Amnesia Lemon is just pushing it's little Cotyledon head through the soil. Will probably sprout out in glory in the next week.

If it's still pretty cool in there and I have room and $$ for more lights, I'm thinking of adding in a 35w or 50w high pressure sodium light. I probably wouldn't do this for a month. Think it will get too hot in there (I do have 4 fans including my 90 CFM 120mm SilenX fan)? I think a little HPS action could really boost the buds. I could get the bulb and the ballast shipped for under $50 from 1000bulbs.com

I think I might be a first to have a CFL/LED/HPS stealth PC grow box. Maybe not. But it'd be pretty cool anyway, and hopefully not too hot

What ya guys think? Any insight or experience welcome.



best,

secretforestgarden

Just did the math. If I add a HPS, my total wattage could be up to 233 watts--if I could keep it under 82F degrees in there--I think that would be pretty impressive for a stealth PC grow. I would be pleased with anything over an ounce and a half. I know that's a little ambitious, but I have a lot of light in there and Fox Farms nutes.

More pics!!!

The White Dwarf is looking super healthy--I'm starting to feed her now and she's growing leaves like mad. I think she's gonna stay really short--in true Indica form.

So far, the grow is completely organic and neither the Amnesia Lemon nor the White Dwarf are showing any signs of burn, deficiencies, mold, pests, or the like.

So, I have some good news. I found a 35w HPS security light on Craigslist for $15! I bought it right away. I'm going to pick it up later tonight. I'm going to strip it down to only the ballast and the light and install it. This would be a CFL/HPS/LED PC stealth grow. Sweet.

cant wait to see the pics bro!!

I have the HPS now. I have yet to DIY it yet and install it. Since I don't have a reflector and I don't want to make another one out of mylar, I think i'm going to lower it in vertically in between my two plants.

I will be posting some more pics in the next few days--big changes. The White Dwarf has probably 15 leaves now and is staying nice, short, bushy, green, and super healthy--no stretching; the amnesia lemon is sprouting it's first true leaves--all those years of reading cannabis grow books and reading articles are beginning to pay off. Pics soon!

Oh, one more thing. The White Dwarf got one of its leaves high enough to be in the direct line with one of the blue 10mm LEDs and she is loving it.