Kingsnake235
New Member
Hello!
I've recently decided to start up my own personal grow and would really appreciate any direct advice I could get in regards to my situation; I've been lurking the board for about a week and have found/read/bookmarked a lot of great info, but there are a few things (or combinations of things) that I have not found addressed in quite the same way as I am facing them. I will attempt to add as much detail as I can, so I apologize if this becomes a bit long winded - statements will be numbered for easy reference and summarized at the end for anyone who wants to skip there.
Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!
Grow Space
1. Firstly, I live on the west coast of BC, Canada, where it is currently.. 0*C at midnight on the dot, so outside temps will get below freezing (possibly as low as -5*C) while my grow is active. It will be anywhere from 0-10*C during the day. Humidity is currently 70-80% outside with exceptions above and below.
1b. I can run the internal heating to about 16*C and put additional heat in the room the closet is located, if that would be suitable. Also considering sealing all my large windows with poly.. interior is a 12' ceiling vaulted loft, so the "room" with the closet has an open ceiling, shared with the whole space. Quite a space to keep warm for the winter with baseboards.
Any comments from people who have dealt with this type of weather would be great!
2. The space will be about a 2x3x5.5 (22"x36"x67.5") portion of closet.
2b. I can make it a bit wider if necessary to get the most out of the lights, and possibly squeeze 2"s of depth behind the folding doors, but no higher unfortunately as there is a permanent shelf in the closet.
3. Due to the current climate in my area I am considering pressure fitting 1/2" or 3/4" rigid foam insulation to partition the closet and line the walls instead of OSB or MDF. Id rather have to pump more heat out than run an additional heater. The door will be a removable foam panel, and all external corners will be taped.
4.(3b.) All internal surfaces will be lined with mylar, and the floor will get something waterproof underneath that as well, probably stapled to the foam at the bottom. maybe plastic around the whole outside for extra insulation?
Lighting
5. I plan to run a 600w MH/HPS on a 600w dimmer ballast with a plain reflector, starting the veg at 50% and flipping up to 75% possibly finishing the flower with the full 100% 600w HPS
5b. I am planning this because I know I will move to a larger space in the future, and I would rather not buy gear twice if I can help it - after some reading, it seems like running the lights this way will work fine, but I am not sure of the specifics when it comes to lumens and the coverage I can get from the various settings on the ballast? I can get a ballast at my local hydroshop for $140CAD and the bulbs run about $40CAD each, so I'm ok with that and not having to wait for shipping, I can grab them anytime.
5c. Will the 600w HID bulbs produce enough heat to raise the grow room to desirable temps without additional heating? if so, will it still be the case at 50% or 75% and will it be too much heat for the rigid foam?
if not, would a few CFL's help? I've considered putting 3 or 4 around the floor pointing up or around the sides of the plants as well. If too much heat, would something like a cool tube be enough to reduce it or is bringing in more cool air enough?
Ventilation
6. With such a small cubic footprint I figure I can get away with a fairly small ventilation setup (possible lighting ventilation excluded) but I have not chosen one yet, suggestions welcome! will basic computer fans work? if so, pics for wiring and easily obtainable power supply suggestions would be great. I will definitely have a larger passive intake on the front bottom corner
6b. Likely won't need a carbon filter here but will make one if needed, I am not too worried about ventilation as BC is pretty relaxed with MJ and I will only have a few plants. Its about 36 cubic feet so a 10-12 CFM fan from the box into the closet itself or routed out under the door should be fine I think? Smell inside is better than outside in my situation. If a carbon filter is needed, does it take away from the suction of the fan? and if so, how much extra power does the fan need?
Plants
7. I plan to grow an organic SCroG in soil with the possibility of including clay balls or maybe lava rock on top to maximize root growth - suggestions?
8. I plan to purchase locally 5-10 feminized hash plant seeds, supplied by CropKing, as I can buy these just down the road and I am a fan of the strain; they will grow short with a short flower period (40-45 days) and produce the resin and flavour I am after, along with a strong Indica smoke.
If anyone has experience with this strain or supplier in particular, I would love to hear how it went or check out your journal if available!
9. Depending how many I buy I will germinate all of them and plant as many as I can optimally fit (4-6?8?), leaving the option of culling the herd if necessary. Suggestions in that regard would be highly appreciated.
One thing I have not determined is where/how to start the seeds and what size containers to finish in or transplant to (if at all). I am thinking of starting in rock wool under CFL and then moving either to 2 gallon pots or 3 gallon if i can find them - not sure if multiple plants in a larger rubbermaid kind of thing is appropriate for soil? possible airflow issues with a single large tub in the small space?
also not sure how many pots will fit in that space economically and if it might be better to grow 4 at a time since I will be attempting to SCroG topped plants anyways?
Nutrients
10. Another big consideration I have yet to tackle is nutrients and PH, definitely looking to stay organic or at least as close as possible with organic derived nutrients - I have a local grow shop nearby that is stocked with a lot of different things but I don't want to get sucked into anything thats not right - also a few other run of the mill garden shops and nurseries I can utilize - I prioritize quality over quantity at this time, with focus being on flavour/smell and smoke/burn quality as well as resin production for making hash. With that in mind, should I go through the effort of checking and balancing the PH of my local water? its pretty good quality, but I'm not sure of its levels yet.
Summary
I am going to be growing in a small space with a cold and humid outdoor climate, I need to know if the rigid foam will help the cold issue and if a 600w HID at 50-75% on a dimmer ballast will not only be ok to grow with in the size space (6sqft@50w/sqft=300w=600w*50%), but produce enough heat with the lights on to not have to supply an additional source of heat, as well as how to remedy the drop in temperature with the lights off (lights will run over night with darkness mid-day).
If its too much heat, a link to a good DIY cool tube would be great and is there any risk to the insulation in that small of a space?
I aim to grow as organically as possible, and would love input on nutrients in that regard, as well as any suggestions for the soil/mix; I am thinking to pick up some organic soil and mix with worm castings and something to aerate, maybe perlite (though its not organic) or crushed lava rock? not sure of other things that could be used for this.
Also the ideal number of plants for this size of space? I'm leaning more towards germinating 5 seeds and hoping they all pop/root then just seeing how it goes and culling to 4 if i have to, cause it seems a bit small to put more than that in with a scrog.. not sure since I've seen quite a few small spaces packed with pots that I was surprised at.
well, its late, so I hope I didn't miss anything; if I did, please feel free to let me know!
i will be here and there so don't be offended if I don't reply right away, I will be back - hoping to get up and running in the next 2-3 weeks.
Thanks!
I've recently decided to start up my own personal grow and would really appreciate any direct advice I could get in regards to my situation; I've been lurking the board for about a week and have found/read/bookmarked a lot of great info, but there are a few things (or combinations of things) that I have not found addressed in quite the same way as I am facing them. I will attempt to add as much detail as I can, so I apologize if this becomes a bit long winded - statements will be numbered for easy reference and summarized at the end for anyone who wants to skip there.
Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!
Grow Space
1. Firstly, I live on the west coast of BC, Canada, where it is currently.. 0*C at midnight on the dot, so outside temps will get below freezing (possibly as low as -5*C) while my grow is active. It will be anywhere from 0-10*C during the day. Humidity is currently 70-80% outside with exceptions above and below.
1b. I can run the internal heating to about 16*C and put additional heat in the room the closet is located, if that would be suitable. Also considering sealing all my large windows with poly.. interior is a 12' ceiling vaulted loft, so the "room" with the closet has an open ceiling, shared with the whole space. Quite a space to keep warm for the winter with baseboards.
Any comments from people who have dealt with this type of weather would be great!
2. The space will be about a 2x3x5.5 (22"x36"x67.5") portion of closet.
2b. I can make it a bit wider if necessary to get the most out of the lights, and possibly squeeze 2"s of depth behind the folding doors, but no higher unfortunately as there is a permanent shelf in the closet.
3. Due to the current climate in my area I am considering pressure fitting 1/2" or 3/4" rigid foam insulation to partition the closet and line the walls instead of OSB or MDF. Id rather have to pump more heat out than run an additional heater. The door will be a removable foam panel, and all external corners will be taped.
4.(3b.) All internal surfaces will be lined with mylar, and the floor will get something waterproof underneath that as well, probably stapled to the foam at the bottom. maybe plastic around the whole outside for extra insulation?
Lighting
5. I plan to run a 600w MH/HPS on a 600w dimmer ballast with a plain reflector, starting the veg at 50% and flipping up to 75% possibly finishing the flower with the full 100% 600w HPS
5b. I am planning this because I know I will move to a larger space in the future, and I would rather not buy gear twice if I can help it - after some reading, it seems like running the lights this way will work fine, but I am not sure of the specifics when it comes to lumens and the coverage I can get from the various settings on the ballast? I can get a ballast at my local hydroshop for $140CAD and the bulbs run about $40CAD each, so I'm ok with that and not having to wait for shipping, I can grab them anytime.
5c. Will the 600w HID bulbs produce enough heat to raise the grow room to desirable temps without additional heating? if so, will it still be the case at 50% or 75% and will it be too much heat for the rigid foam?
if not, would a few CFL's help? I've considered putting 3 or 4 around the floor pointing up or around the sides of the plants as well. If too much heat, would something like a cool tube be enough to reduce it or is bringing in more cool air enough?
Ventilation
6. With such a small cubic footprint I figure I can get away with a fairly small ventilation setup (possible lighting ventilation excluded) but I have not chosen one yet, suggestions welcome! will basic computer fans work? if so, pics for wiring and easily obtainable power supply suggestions would be great. I will definitely have a larger passive intake on the front bottom corner
6b. Likely won't need a carbon filter here but will make one if needed, I am not too worried about ventilation as BC is pretty relaxed with MJ and I will only have a few plants. Its about 36 cubic feet so a 10-12 CFM fan from the box into the closet itself or routed out under the door should be fine I think? Smell inside is better than outside in my situation. If a carbon filter is needed, does it take away from the suction of the fan? and if so, how much extra power does the fan need?
Plants
7. I plan to grow an organic SCroG in soil with the possibility of including clay balls or maybe lava rock on top to maximize root growth - suggestions?
8. I plan to purchase locally 5-10 feminized hash plant seeds, supplied by CropKing, as I can buy these just down the road and I am a fan of the strain; they will grow short with a short flower period (40-45 days) and produce the resin and flavour I am after, along with a strong Indica smoke.
If anyone has experience with this strain or supplier in particular, I would love to hear how it went or check out your journal if available!
9. Depending how many I buy I will germinate all of them and plant as many as I can optimally fit (4-6?8?), leaving the option of culling the herd if necessary. Suggestions in that regard would be highly appreciated.
One thing I have not determined is where/how to start the seeds and what size containers to finish in or transplant to (if at all). I am thinking of starting in rock wool under CFL and then moving either to 2 gallon pots or 3 gallon if i can find them - not sure if multiple plants in a larger rubbermaid kind of thing is appropriate for soil? possible airflow issues with a single large tub in the small space?
also not sure how many pots will fit in that space economically and if it might be better to grow 4 at a time since I will be attempting to SCroG topped plants anyways?
Nutrients
10. Another big consideration I have yet to tackle is nutrients and PH, definitely looking to stay organic or at least as close as possible with organic derived nutrients - I have a local grow shop nearby that is stocked with a lot of different things but I don't want to get sucked into anything thats not right - also a few other run of the mill garden shops and nurseries I can utilize - I prioritize quality over quantity at this time, with focus being on flavour/smell and smoke/burn quality as well as resin production for making hash. With that in mind, should I go through the effort of checking and balancing the PH of my local water? its pretty good quality, but I'm not sure of its levels yet.
Summary
I am going to be growing in a small space with a cold and humid outdoor climate, I need to know if the rigid foam will help the cold issue and if a 600w HID at 50-75% on a dimmer ballast will not only be ok to grow with in the size space (6sqft@50w/sqft=300w=600w*50%), but produce enough heat with the lights on to not have to supply an additional source of heat, as well as how to remedy the drop in temperature with the lights off (lights will run over night with darkness mid-day).
If its too much heat, a link to a good DIY cool tube would be great and is there any risk to the insulation in that small of a space?
I aim to grow as organically as possible, and would love input on nutrients in that regard, as well as any suggestions for the soil/mix; I am thinking to pick up some organic soil and mix with worm castings and something to aerate, maybe perlite (though its not organic) or crushed lava rock? not sure of other things that could be used for this.
Also the ideal number of plants for this size of space? I'm leaning more towards germinating 5 seeds and hoping they all pop/root then just seeing how it goes and culling to 4 if i have to, cause it seems a bit small to put more than that in with a scrog.. not sure since I've seen quite a few small spaces packed with pots that I was surprised at.
well, its late, so I hope I didn't miss anything; if I did, please feel free to let me know!
i will be here and there so don't be offended if I don't reply right away, I will be back - hoping to get up and running in the next 2-3 weeks.
Thanks!