Thoughts on room?

Room is a 7Lx7Wx8H. Built complete as a separate room in the corner of a barn. Used 6 in studs because I had them from a previous project. Actually, probably about 80% of my build materials were things I had collected over the years. 1/2" CDX plywood (sanded) inside and out. Walls could have been sheetrock...but I hate sheetrock and wood everywhere means I can attach things anywhere. Completely insulated with R19 Fiberglass making full use of the 6" studs. Room roof is the same. Entry is through a metal, exterior grade door with deadbolt as well as latch lock. I added 3, 20 amp circuits. 6 outlets inside. 2 outside. 6" PVC intake with Lighthouse Hydro 240 Duct booster fan on inside with speed controller (but have seldom even turned it on as it runs quite nicely in passive mode. Outside the PVC pipe is covered in a panty hose zip-tied on and stuck into a cooler with a cut out in the top and a heap filter placed there. Ice can be added as needed. See post titled "Amish Redneck Cooling Filter Box." Walls are painted with an exterior satin white paint suggested somewhere here because choosing the exterior and satin added to ease of cleanup without much loss of reflection (thanks to that person). Floor is covered with a kitchen flooring vinyl that originally was used for welping kennels (it has a rock floor motif and actually looks real and not cheesy). Plants sit on hard, foamboard, insulation on top of floor while they sit inside kitchin sink tubs. I have a Quantum 600 with a MH bulb on a cheap wing type reflector. A Massey clip-on fan is attached to reflector and blows across bulb allowing me to get to within 18" without burn. Opposite floor intake on ceiling is an iPower 17x11 inch carbon filter directly attached to a 6" Hurricane centrifugal fan which is attached to a couple feet of 6" PVC which 90 degree elbows out room ceiling. As the PVC comes out on the room roof, a 25ft piece of insulated ducting goes directly into the facia of the barn exiting out a vent in an area that only me and my dogs see or smell. Inside the room I have also built a cloning cabinet that is 3' off the ground and 2' deep and 4' long and goes to the ceiling leaving the underneath for some storage of water, nutes, etc.. It closes with a handmade curtain with Velcro on all edges and a frame that allows no light escape and goes on as tight as a drum. In it I have a 3ft, 2 bulb T5. Both of my lights are suspended by chain, carbiners, and eyehooks. I have a little 1" piece of pvc tubing extending out of the cabinet with a 90 degree elbow directly in front of intake fan which brings in fresh air while it is closed up.

It is actually beautiful, calming and so far is proving functional. First Flawa starts tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Oh all of this was the idea of my wife's doctor as she is allergic to every narcotic, deathly so to opiates and ncids...but not weed. Go figure. Me, well, I am there for quality control.

Good Luck post some pics

Oh forgot to mention a couple things...although fiberglass insulation had backing which somewhat acts as a vapor barrier I enclosed all the insulation with 4ml plastic vapor barrier. Also, every seam, top to bottom, inside and out is caulked...its nice to shut the door and have the Hurricane fan on the ceiling start spinning the intake fan on the floor like it is on(no heat, no motor hum, just fresh air spinning in.

Sounds like a little overkill for a 600 watt light.
Then again if you had the materials why not.
I'm assuming your flooring is a decent vapor barrier, thats the most trouble I've seen in shed/garage type grows.
Well that and 12/12 heating during lights off in winter months but you should be able to figure that out with your insulation.

Although I am in a climate colder than most. Also a vestibule can help, depends on your climate, and watering situation.
If in winter its subzero for over a month and your watering by hand that entry door is going to be open quite a bit, you can see what I mean.

If you want to be nitpicked...personally I wouldn't put a fan blowing directly on the bulb so you can put it closer to the plants for a couple of reasons.

First, HPS/MH work better at normal temps (non-air cooled).....I mean this is probably less than 5% more efficient (more with glass removed) but from research it is better

Second, you only have one 600 watt bulb and a decent sized room, it would be more effective if you spread the light out

Third, with a fan and close physical burn isn't a problem, but light bleaching is, and the plants effectiveness to grow

Ideally you should keep it a decent amount away, and develop a flat canopy of plants.

Maybe try scrog with multiple strains for maximum effectiveness. You'll get a decent canopy, and you can experiment with what works best for you wife.

- Jiji

jijiandfarmgang said:

Sounds like a little overkill for a 600 watt light.
Then again if you had the materials why not.
I'm assuming your flooring is a decent vapor barrier, thats the most trouble I've seen in shed/garage type grows.
Well that and 12/12 heating during lights off in winter months but you should be able to figure that out with your insulation.

Although I am in a climate colder than most. Also a vestibule can help, depends on your climate, and watering situation.
If in winter its subzero for over a month and your watering by hand that entry door is going to be open quite a bit, you can see what I mean.

If you want to be nitpicked...personally I wouldn't put a fan blowing directly on the bulb so you can put it closer to the plants for a couple of reasons.

First, HPS/MH work better at normal temps (non-air cooled).....I mean this is probably less than 5% more efficient (more with glass removed) but from research it is better

Second, you only have one 600 watt bulb and a decent sized room, it would be more effective if you spread the light out

Third, with a fan and close physical burn isn't a problem, but light bleaching is, and the plants effectiveness to grow

Ideally you should keep it a decent amount away, and develop a flat canopy of plants.

Maybe try scrog with multiple strains for maximum effectiveness. You'll get a decent canopy, and you can experiment with what works best for you wife.

- Jiji

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I appreciate you taking the time to respond. You have certainly given me some things to think about. My "overkill" has a number of reasons and actually does not stop with what I have already described. For instance I made the front of the room 10ft high so as all exits from its roof go unnoticed (side effect was to create a nice little unseen storage area). I too am in a cold climate and up to now I have been able to do everything in the room, but the 8 plants I am starting with are going to make things a bit crowded I think and might make it necessary to create a vestibule type area if only to throw a couple plants in to gain access to the others. I think the floor will be fine as the kitchen flooring should be a nice vapor barrier and the hardboard insulation on top of that keep the cold temps contained. (the barn floor is cement) I have a couple wells on my property whose pumps are contained simply in cinderblock structures with little insulation and I have kept them from freezing in sometimes temps well below 0F, with simply a heat generating bulb and a small fan...so at least I am hoping that the Q600 itself and the fans will be close to enough. I do have a plan to use an electric, oil-filled, radiator type portable heater plugged into one of those LUX plugin thermostats (which someone also posted about here). The Massey clip-on fan was originally purchased to help with heat issues I thought I was going to have (and still might). I turn it off (when I remember) at night and on cooler days, but your analysis there will be remembered. I also like the scrog idea. I have spent a little time in that area of the forum and it is fascinating to me. Off to work. Again, thanks.

Nice build! I can tell you are having fun with this.

bravedave said:

Me, well, I am there for quality control.

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This bit made me chuckle, Haha.

Smart build. You've done well!

Posted this elsewhere yesterday but I suppose some results should be included here too...8 hours until first flower begins...

the only things i would add dave
IR proof the room ...............yes your insulation is strong but the extra protection u can not beat it
your venting insulate it so it can not be seen then tie the vent into something like the chimme or something that expels heat on a regural base
this is all to make it look like nothing is going on

your door way in ...........remove it and replace with this
in the middle of the doorway u need a stud but this one is not locked in it u set it up by putting it in at a angle then standing it strait up (this allows u to remove it) on the bottom u take a peice of wood and nail it as a back stop and the top peice of wood on the other side

now get some drywall and put that up (do not nail it in ) get the magentic child locks and use that to hold the drywall up to take it down u just slide a magnet over it at the right spot and release the latch .........u go in and when u need to move something big in and out the stud u added comes out and u have normal door

the fun part u need now to hide this ...............best way i came up with make it look like a include hotwater heater.........just run some fake pipes out and then down into the ground .............it goes to blah blah blah it just needs to be something reasonable

More light

justugh said:

the only things i would add dave
IR proof the room ...............yes your insulation is strong but the extra protection u can not beat it
your venting insulate it so it can not be seen then tie the vent into something like the chimme or something that expels heat on a regural base
this is all to make it look like nothing is going on

your door way in ...........remove it and replace with this
in the middle of the doorway u need a stud but this one is not locked in it u set it up by putting it in at a angle then standing it strait up (this allows u to remove it) on the bottom u take a peice of wood and nail it as a back stop and the top peice of wood on the other side

now get some drywall and put that up (do not nail it in ) get the magentic child locks and use that to hold the drywall up to take it down u just slide a magnet over it at the right spot and release the latch .........u go in and when u need to move something big in and out the stud u added comes out and u have normal door

the fun part u need now to hide this ...............best way i came up with make it look like a include hotwater heater.........just run some fake pipes out and then down into the ground .............it goes to blah blah blah it just needs to be something reasonable

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But I love my door. Its always locked. There is only 1 key (as far as you know). Actually there is a second one stored in a container that holds about 400 keys. It is also insulated and I built it tight around the entire edge. Concerning IR. I don't think I have much of an issue in the summer as my barn is generally hotter than inside my room except for maybe a time window of a couple hours in the early morning but even then the difference has been minimal. The winter is a different story, but I live in an area in the country that it is more common than not for someone to have a heated workshop, a tack room, or even just a heated room in their barn. I also have a reason for the room that is very reasonable while also a reason for it to be locked. I do have a friend who does the spray foam insulation as a side job and I know he has a super sensitive IR device. I will borrow it and check things out. Not sure if I mentioned above, but the room is 8ft, but the room front is around 10 ft, with the height chosen so nowhere in the barn can you see anything popping out and there is a picture above of what pops out and it is insulated. PVC comes out of the room but immediately engulfed in insulated ducting that runs in the eve/facia of the pole barn...also out of side and it is also vented the whole way to the outside. That side of the barn also faces nothing but a couple acres of my own land. In the summer you cannot even see that side of the barn where the exhaust is, unless you are in my yard. In the winter, it has some road exposure but I would expect that the eves are one place that there normally would be heat escaping. Lastly, I also have been living here for over 20 years. All my neighbors know and love me including the head of detectives for the local sheriffs dept. and his wife the dispatcher. That said about five years after we became friends he stopped over one day and asked "When did you grow a beard?" I said "about 10 years ago, Barney" They also know an love my wife and know of her pain issues and probably would raid their evidence room if I asked them too. Ha!

mr.schroederific said:

More light

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I know. Grow 3, I go 1000 or get another 600 if I need it. I will know all I need to know about that after grow 2.

dave it not about your buddies (very cool to have a cop tight like that )

it is about the ppl willing to dick u over for them self to get ahead.............i am not talking about turning u and getting a warrent to hit u as much as the guys with guns coming in to steal what cash and crops u have

the ir blocking is to keep them from finding u ......or your stash hunting they have IR senors and getting hands on some military tech is not hard ....and the worst of them all those cameras u can pick up in almost any major store with a IR mode now included

i am not speaking ill of the ppl u know but time is getting tough prices going up and u are cutting in on someone's action................if u are lucky it only a small timer ............but then again they need a supply and who knows who is their contact

i am the amish fucker i get around.........i know of a guy in west virgina ....he grows but not on his land anymore ..............someone came across it a set up in the barn and part of the land .......and it was not kids .......do not know when they found it but one friday night 3 trucks rolled up in his land and a bunch of guys got out and lit his house up i mean dumped loads and loads of ammo .............they were shooting high they yell say in the fucking house we just want the weed in 45 mins everything he worked for was gone ........he is still not back up to str like use to be .................how do i know the guy is not shitting me 24 year friendship drinking off shine and he will not even tell me where he is living now .........i went by the old spot to well chill out (nice spot in the moutains) well the house was gone the land was owned by a cell ppl .........big ass tower and fence up rest of it is just grass and weeds now

yes i do not trust ppl ..............if shit was little better in the world i might but when gas is 3.50 a gallon and ppl are only makin 7.75 a hour .............can u really blame them

justugh said:

yes i do not trust ppl ..............if shit was little better in the world i might but when gas is 3.50 a gallon and ppl are only makin 7.75 a hour .............can u really blame them

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Well... I would blame them. But bottom line there is no part of any action. While I have been securing smoke from others since most people on this list were not even a twinkle in their father's eye, I have never been the grower or seller. Only the grower part will have changed. I have a couple fishing buddies who live on a farm close by to me who grow a little (very badly, living on a farm does not make you a farmer ) outdoors who I have shared bowls with for a couple decades. I see them almost every day and take care of their animals when they head west to shoot other animals. They would do anything for me and I them. I see one or both of them a few times a week...usually when they are borrowing something or bringing me something like some hand picked fruit or a chicken in payment for what they have borrowed. I have been dying to show them my lil' operation as it would cause them to lose control of their bowels...in joy. I have not shown or told them or anyone nor do I plan to. Have my buddys seen my room? Yes. Better still they saw me building it. The rationale made rational by my faux explanation. There are 3 people who know about it, myself, my wife, and my mentor...who lives 200 miles away and has been growing quite simply but quite well for a couple decades and who I also trust with my life and have since I was about 12 yo (and that's quite a few years as if you see my profile, I think I now am 114). I foresee no people problems. But yeah, I get it, one never knows, as there are assholes everywhere...actually I have found there are a surprising % right here. So yeah, no selling, I can cover the cost of the grow with hard work in other areas. To be honest, I am not even all that concerned about getting busted...it would shock of few of those neighbors who I think see me as a good old, hard-working, conservative guy, but once they learned why I was (primarily ) doing it...most would stand up, I think, for me. Regardless, the first rule that I think is mentioned somewhere here was matched by the first rule first shared by my mentor...I tell nobody. (Hell, the only reason I know about his is the fact that I was the only one in the world his dog did not bark at). You should have seen the look on his face and then his dogs face when the two of us came walking up together...it was classic...almost Disney. Ha! I appreciate you and will do my best to heed your concern. Thanks.

Oh yeah, no selling, but if qty. dictates; I do plan on being Santa Claus to few people who have made it on the good little girl/boy list and who I know will appreciate some mana from out of nowhere from nobody.

if u do sell i figured out a fair method

u figure out what it cost u to run the plant 70 bucks 90 bucks
then u times it by 3
1 to recover the cost
2 to double up next time
3 for the trouble and effort u put in
then just part with a OZ for that price ..........currently it is about 90 bucks a plant for me (soil feed seed power) i ask for 300 a oz and my stuff is never less then 15% thc so in this area it is Nugs ..........old prices on Nugs can be 400 to 600 a oz ....hell swag was 200 (dirty brick weed)

that is off dirt water (dwc) i did the math it is near 45 50 bucks for the whole plant ...........that means i can ask 150 bucks a oz and keep my profit margin the same ...........now when the state i am in goes legal that 150 bucks a oz even if they tax it 40% (denver is 38% CO the state is 33%) that is still under 300 a oz plus i paided the taxes on it and made money to pay for the shop and the ppl that work there


the method i fallow is the 4 points trick ..............only hand off to 4 ppl one is up north one is down south one to the west one to the east (this way they never come in contact with each other and no crossing of info) .................the only thing u need to do is come up with a name for the ppl to say when they who did u get it off ..............at this point i am know as Omar to a section of ppl ........so anytime i hang out with buddies or anything i keep a ear open to see if i hear the name dropped.............8 months nothing i took a 4 month break since i was making so much i did not need to run during that to make the ppl happy .................july 4th was the only time i have heard the name Omar ...........up at the campsite getting shitty sarah showed up with a sack from me (u had no idea how much i wanted to i grow that )


buddy u got alot of weed .............rough guess some where in the 2 to 3 lb range when u are done ( i smoke a oz a month about a gram a day or 4/6 bong hits ) u are going to have enough supply for a year easy plus given away made supplies to buddies ..............odds are u are going to run a 2nd or 3 grow in the year just to keep your skills up .....................if u want to keep it download and for self i would decrease your number of plants

i pull 4 oz to 8 oz per plant ........and the 8 oz one is increasing with the skills (some of the plants can do up too 350 to 450 grams) auto flowering strains...........seed to smokable stuff in 75 days

do not sit on that much weed man ...............u will be looking at federal time for large amounts like that