'The Inside Man' Grow box

Hey guys, new to the forum and new to growing. I'm putting together a grow box, for which I've already ordered all the components for, or picked them up at the local hardware store.

While I wait for them to arrive, I'd like to get some feedback on my design to see if there are any tweaks that you guys could suggest to optimize this.

The reason I call it the inside man grow box is because I've built a wall in my attic to make the attic a few feet shorter, so that even if someone looked in the attic, they would never notice that the attic was actually a few feet shorter than it should be, just like in the movie 'The Inside Man'.

So here's my design that i drew up in SketchUp:


A few notes:
- The box is actually completely closed, it's just cut open so you can see everything
- The exhaust fan is slightly oversized intentionally in order to compensate for the carbon filter
- For nutes I'm using the Flora trio (Bloom, micro, gro)
- The carbon filter is the mesh cup design by Wolfman Zen

I'm only growing for me and my wife, and possibly to share a bit with friends. I'm starting off with two feminized Northern Lights autos. The only reason I'm doing autos right now is because we just moved somewhere new, and I can't find a dealer, so I'm completely dry. The next run I'll take my time and do a full AK-48.

Anyway, that's pretty much it. Any feedback/tips/advice would be greatly appreciated before I start building! I will be starting a grow journal where I will detail the construction and growth with lots of pictures when the stuff gets here!

Thanks in advance!

nice diagram, very clear for the setup
never did any attic growing, temps tend to be the enemy there, at least in summer
but the LED/CFL mix should be pretty good, a cfl micro grower myself so can't comment too much on LED's
my 1st inside grow was nl#5, good choice for a 1st grow, NL takes to inside grows like a duck to water

great diagram mate! I'm on my first grow using a 300w dual spec cfl on 3 northern light autos in a 2ft sq cupboard. im about 40 days in. check out the link to my journal in my signature. have a look at Nughunters NL auto grow with 90w UFO LEDs mate as well mate

https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/605826-90-watt-x-2-ufo.html

Le Spliff Doctor said:

great diagram mate! I'm on my first grow using a 300w dual spec cfl on 3 northern light autos in a 2ft sq cupboard. im about 40 days in. check out the link to my journal in my signature. have a look at Nughunters NL auto grow with 90w UFO LEDs mate as well mate

https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/605826-90-watt-x-2-ufo.html

Click to expand...

growone said:

nice diagram, very clear for the setup
never did any attic growing, temps tend to be the enemy there, at least in summer
but the LED/CFL mix should be pretty good, a cfl micro grower myself so can't comment too much on LED's
my 1st inside grow was nl#5, good choice for a 1st grow, NL takes to inside grows like a duck to water

Click to expand...

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback! As soon as my stuff gets in I'm going to start detailing the building of the box via pictures in this thread, so check back.

As far as the CFLs go, I've heard the 135w blackstars do GREAT in veg, but are kinda lacking in flowering, so I think I'm only going to run the CFLs during flowering, so I plan on grabbing 2-4 2700K CFLs. Do you guys think 2 is enough? Or should I go with 4?

nice diagram! about the co2 bottle... that realy dont work to much... the exhaust fan remove any co2...

good luck,

Pompon

srpompon said:

nice diagram! about the co2 bottle... that realy dont work to much... the exhaust fan remove any co2...

good luck,

Pompon

Click to expand...

Yeah, I thought about that, but I figured because the box is in a small, enclosed attic space with no ventilation to the outside world, the c02 would eventually make its' way back to the intake fan. I'm primarily concerned with just boosting the CO2 to the whole attic, (which is very small, think 8' x 5' x 4'). Given those circumstances do you think it would still be worthless?

I don't see any other way to boost the Co2 in my small attic area without spending a lot of money. I'm kinda tight on funds, especially after buying everything for the grow room, I can't see myself buying a ozone generator or a co2 tank anytime soon.

Your carbon filter isn't going to do much good outside the tent mounted to the exhaust fan. It should go inside and go before your exhaust fan.

With a room that size you need a stronger exhaust but could go without an intake fan. The exhaust will draw air in.

MYOB said:

Your carbon filter isn't going to do much good outside the tent mounted to the exhaust fan. It should go inside and go before your exhaust fan.

With a room that size you need a stronger exhaust but could go without an intake fan. The exhaust will draw air in.

Click to expand...

95% of carbon filters seem to be on the outside, and the guy who did the design for this DIY filter said when tried both ways, it made no difference, so I think it'll be fine on the outside.

Second, you have to have an intake and an exhaust. The box is closed off. If you're just pushing out air and not bringing new air in, you're going to have issues.

LividLlama said:

95% of carbon filters seem to be on the outside, and the guy who did the design for this DIY filter said when tried both ways, it made no difference, so I think it'll be fine on the outside.

Second, you have to have an intake and an exhaust. The box is closed off. If you're just pushing out air and not bringing new air in, you're going to have issues.

Click to expand...

95% of carbon filters are on the inside? Then why do they come with a dust cover on the outside? Pushing air through one is more efficient that pulling it through? Sure, it may work but its not the best, nor most popular way to use one.

If your percentages are right. I must have seen every one of those 5% of grow rooms with the carbon filter on the inside.

and its called "passive exhaust".

Take your "closed off box" and install an exhaust fan on one end. Now cut a hole in the other end and turn the exhaust on. Now put a piece of paper near the hole opposite the exhaust fan.

The exhaust creates a vacuum in a sealed room; negative pressure. If you have the correct CFM exhaust fan, it will suck air in through the hole to equalize the negative pressure.

I would step up the cfm of my exhaust (this will also help push air through the filter) and nix the intake fan.

What are the dimensions of the box?

MYOB said:

95% of carbon filters are on the inside? Then why do they come with a dust cover on the outside? Pushing air through one is more efficient that pulling it through? Sure, it may work but its not the best, nor most popular way to use one.

If your percentages are right. I must have seen every one of those 5% of grow rooms with the carbon filter on the inside.

and its called "passive exhaust".

Take your "closed off box" and install an exhaust fan on one end. Now cut a hole in the other end and turn the exhaust on. Now put a piece of paper near the hole opposite the exhaust fan.

The exhaust creates a vacuum in a sealed room; negative pressure. If you have the correct CFM exhaust fan, it will suck air in through the hole to equalize the negative pressure.

I would step up the cfm of my exhaust (this will also help push air through the filter) and nix the intake fan.

What are the dimensions of the box?

Click to expand...

Hey bro, what strain are you smoking right now? Because it must be some gooood shit. I said 95% of filters are on the OUTSIDE, not inside. You're the one who originally suggested to put it on the inside, which I thought was rather abnormal.

I don't see any reason to do passive exhaust. My intake fan cost me about 3 dollars.

My box dimensions are labeled on the diagram in the OP.

LividLlama said:

Hey bro, what strain are you smoking right now? Because it must be some gooood shit. I said 95% of filters are on the OUTSIDE, not inside. You're the one who originally suggested to put it on the inside, which I thought was rather abnormal.

I don't see any reason to do passive exhaust. My intake fan cost me about 3 dollars.

My box dimensions are labeled on the diagram in the OP.

Click to expand...

Thats what I meant. If you read past the first line, that would have become apparent.

The vast majority of carbon filters go on INSIDE the room. That is why the dust cover is on the OUTSIDE of the filter.

Pulling air is always better than pushing it.

Do a google search of "carbon filter grow room" Then click images. Tell me how many of the first 20 pictures of grow rooms have carbon filters OUTSIDE the room....

go ahead. I'll wait...



Want to recalculate your "95%" figure, bro?


And regarding the passive intake (I wrote exhaust, meant intake. The reasoning is still the same) You say that you "don't see any reason to do a passive exhaust"

The reason is because the exhaust fan will suck air in through the intake hole. WITHOUT a fan. Do you see a reason to waste $3 on some shitty intake fan that is actually weakening the suction of your exhaust. The same exhaust that has to suck ait from the box then PUSH it through a carbon filter?

Why not add christmas lights all around the box?

Maybe some balloons?

You posted your design. I thought you were looking for suggestions.

One more thing.

That homemade CO2 isn't needed, nor is it going to benefit your plants.

MYOB said:

Thats what I meant. If you read past the first line, that would have become apparent.

The vast majority of carbon filters go on INSIDE the room. That is why the dust cover is on the OUTSIDE of the filter.

Pulling air is always better than pushing it.

Do a google search of "carbon filter grow room" Then click images. Tell me how many of the first 20 pictures of grow rooms have carbon filters OUTSIDE the room....

go ahead. I'll wait...



Want to recalculate your "95%" figure, bro?


And regarding the passive intake (I wrote exhaust, meant intake. The reasoning is still the same) You say that you "don't see any reason to do a passive exhaust"

The reason is because the exhaust fan will suck air in through the intake hole. WITHOUT a fan. Do you see a reason to waste $3 on some shitty intake fan that is actually weakening the suction of your exhaust. The same exhaust that has to suck ait from the box then PUSH it through a carbon filter?

Why not add christmas lights all around the box?

Maybe some balloons?

You posted your design. I thought you were looking for suggestions.

One more thing.

That homemade CO2 isn't needed, nor is it going to benefit your plants.

Click to expand...

I stand corrected on the filter position, I'm sorry. I already have the intake fan, so I think I'll just keep it anyway.

As far as the CO2 goes, I'm in a sealed attic. Without CO2 won't the attic just fill up with oxygen? There has to be a way to get CO2 in there right?

Thanks for the help.

Your attic must have some cracks and craneys around the edges somewhere....
Plus everytime you go into your attic you will move new air in and breathing will probably create just as much co2 as one of them..i tried them years ago witha bubbler on top of the bottle, you geta bout 2 bubbles of co2 per hour....

You really could do with a vent to the outside man, in summer is guna be crazy hot in ther with the same air circulating.

IMHO I would make the intake vent a little larger. At least the same as the exhaust and you'll still have negative pressure. Have a smaller cabinet and made same error. Pain having to enlarge once in use. Happy growing

There will be plenty of CO2 with the intake/exhaust. Your attic isnt really "sealed" There is plenty of CO2 in a normal atmosphere for plants.

Any CO2 will be sucked out by the fans before it can accumulate and a homemade generator would not produce sufficient quantities to be used by the plants.

When I was planning my room, I had to redesign several times. Even after I finished I found things I wish I had done.

The intake and exhaust are critical. Use 6" holes.

Make sure the room has no light leaks when closed.

Give yourself some room to move in there.

Make things modular. Dont permanently attach anything you dont have too.

If there is any way, find a way to divide it into a veg and flower chamber so you can always have plants ready to flower.

Horizontal space is better than vertical space unless you plan on using shelves.

Keep it simple and easy to modify.

MYOB said:

There will be plenty of CO2 with the intake/exhaust. Your attic isnt really "sealed" There is plenty of CO2 in a normal atmosphere for plants.

Any CO2 will be sucked out by the fans before it can accumulate and a homemade generator would not produce sufficient quantities to be used by the plants.

When I was planning my room, I had to redesign several times. Even after I finished I found things I wish I had done.

The intake and exhaust are critical. Use 6" holes.

Make sure the room has no light leaks when closed.

Give yourself some room to move in there.

Make things modular. Dont permanently attach anything you dont have too.

If there is any way, find a way to divide it into a veg and flower chamber so you can always have plants ready to flower.

Horizontal space is better than vertical space unless you plan on using shelves.

Keep it simple and easy to modify.

Click to expand...

I'm still worried about the CO2. I live in central europe so there is no central air system moving air through the house. The attic space is SMALL, enclosed, and will likely be very stuffy. I don't see how microscopic cracks or holes in the attic can possibly supply enough CO2 for 2-3 full sized plants. CO2 tanks are really out of the question unfortunately, not just for the price, but because of how high profile they are. I live in a nosey neighborhood in a big house with 4 individual apartments in it.

I'm not sure I'll do separate chambers for vegging and flowering right now, because I plan on doing one grow a year, then breaking down the grow box and storing it. This will also minimize my exposure of being caught by 66%. I use a vaporizer mostly, so 2 grams will last me a week even smoking liberally. If I can get 3 oz off my 2-3 plants, I'll be set for the year.