24,000 BTU Mini Split / Four 600 W Air Cooled / Two 6 Inch 450 CFM Vortex Equals?

[PeteyGreen]

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I am an older dude who's got a f*cked back and was sick of being ripped off so I decided to invest and get the necessary components for a grow room. I need some guidance because I'm not smart enough to figure out the air flow issues that I'm bound to encounter and need the experience of seasoned indoor growers to assist in utilizing my current equipment and recommending any additional equipment to get the most efficiency.
I have attached a diagram showing the basic layout of the grow room that I built in a room and incorporated in an existing closet. The grow room is 7' high x 8' x 8', it is attached to a closet which is 12' high x 3' wide x 10' long.
Current Components:
2- 600W Air Cooled Hoods
2- 600W Digital Ballasts
2- 6' Light Rails running length ways per diagram
2- Rolling Plant racks with caster wheels
1- 24,000 BTU Mini Split System ( located on existing closet wall with 2- 19" oscillating fans to blow air into grow area)
1-6" 450 CFM Vortex Fan ( in existing closet)
1-8" x 24" Carbon Filter ( will be located on the far left side of the area)
2- Additional 19" oscillating fans in far left corners

I believe there is a formula to calculate what is really needed and I know I am lacking in some components. For example, I believe I ran the light rails correctly, but I may be wrong. I know I will need more lighting, especially in the closet area or am I wasting money? My exhaust fan is in the corner (6" 450 CFM Vortex) do I need additional fans and what size would you suggest? I have the one 8 x 24 carbon canister, do I need an additional one? Do I have enough lighting in the area with the two air cooled hoods? What type of additional ducting would be needed with any additional lights?
Tell me what I have done right or done wrong. Any ideas or suggestions will be appreciated!! Thanks!

 

[PeteyGreen]

Thanks for......

Karma....

 

[HiTimes4Me]

Hey bro the only problem i see in your diagram is your carbon filter is not connected to your inline fan but in your post I see you have a 8" filter so you should probablly get a 8" to 6" duct adapter and connect the filter to the fan so it can filter the air in the room. Other then that it looks good. But unless you duct your air cooled hoods to an inline fan you will probablly have to run ac all the time maybe invest in another inline fan and duct it up so it pulls air through carbon filter and pushes air into the first hood then duct to second hood and the second fan pulling air through the second hood and exhaust out of the grow area....likes this ->Filter->Fan->Hood->Hood->Fan->Exhaust outside grow area. It would save money from running ac all the time. You would have to find a way to connect the filter and fans to the rail so it all moves in unison. And just use flex duct and zip tie it to the rails that are used for like hotel curtains or for the blinds on a sliding glass door so it holds it up and lets it move with the lights...I'll help anyway I can bro

 

[Diesel1959]

Hi PG

I am running 4 1000w hps in cool tubes. They are stationery on yoyo's for up and down movement.Make sure you screw the flex pipe to the fixture before you tape the joint.The flex should have a wire running through it that you can trap between the screw head and fixture.Don't count on the duct tape to hold it.If you go with a inline fan,and I would.Make sure you push the air not pull it.I would also run a rod parallel to the light track to hook the flex on to take the weight off the track and fixture.I use a 4 inch vortex 177 cfm in a 10x10 space for exhaust,it will lift the mylar off the floor.Your 450 should do the job fine but get a variable speed fan controller for it.

Good Luck!
D

 

[HiTimes4Me]

I agree do not use duct tape to hold ducting in place...always use the corresponding duct clamps to secure ducting and duct tape only as secondary support and to guarantee airtight seal and if you push through your filter then the filter would be outside the grow room which isn't stealthy at all (unless your running a sealed room which would mean two seperate ventilation systems, one dedicated to the hoods only drawing air from outside the room through the hoods and exhausting outside the room, and one fan dedicated to circulating dirty air through a filter inside the room) so if you want just one ventilation system to filter air and exhaust heat i would suggest the configuration i mentioned above also fans are more efficient at pulling then pushing. Fans are rated for cfm thats cubic feet per minute. Length x height x width (all in ft.) = cubic feet but sometimes that isn't enough because you want slightly negative pressure in the grow area to battle odor and temp. so if you have longer duct runs or alot of turns and such you will need more power to get the best effect. As ducting becomes longer or having alot of turns it slows down your airs velocity resulting in loss of effeciency. I personally would rather overkill ventilation then not have enough. Do some research my friend and try to figure out what's best for your setup there are lots of journals around here and threads to give you the basics and you can fine tune to your needs

 

[Diesel1959]

ahh the old push pull debate,goggle air flow push or pull and read for a week.

My understanding of an air-cooled fixture may be a bit narrow i'll admit. For a Cooltube or any other vented reflector to achieve the intended results it must have its own external intake and exhaust.

I realize not everyone is afforded this option when setting up shop. But. Connecting the filter, light and fan in series to serve as light cooling and room cooling is not very efficient.

D

 

[HiTimes4Me]

In my flower room I run co2 so I have separate exhaust systems but for veg and my mother tent I have a 400w mh in a 2dx4wx5h tent connected going filter light fan exhaust and it stays around 73-75f constant and that 400w mh throws out some heat so from experience friend its rather efficient maybe your experience didn't go quite as well because of the use of a smaller fan? I use a 6inch and an aircooled hood will keep the temp of the light down as low as 2 or 3 degrees above ambient room temps. With him running ac it would kind of be a waste to have two separate setups as with one you would be directly cooling the source of the heat which is the light where as having external intake and exhaust he would be using warmer air and not the air conditioned air so with only one not only is it more effecient in cooling because the lights wouldn't be heating up the room so the ac would be used less due to no convectional heat being put out through the hoods but also keeping the heat signature of the grow down as well but thats just my 2cents friend

 

[Diesel1959]

I run 6 inch for 4-1000 hps in cool tubes with own external intake and exhaust with the fan pushing cool air through the tubes.the fan runs in conjunction with the lights,you can lay your hand on the tubes or shades.The room is controlled by a 4 inch ceiling mounted fan in one corner and a 4x8 grilled floor intake in the opposite corner,this fan is controlled with a grozone variable fan speed controller,this keeps the room with in a degree of where you set the thermostat in the lights on or lights off temp setting.I guess the point is whatever way you go do a couple light cycle test runs and make sure you have control of the situation.I have a sealed room with a nice negative pressure.I have no need to filter as I'm legal and could care less what the establishment thinks.

 

[HiTimes4Me]

I agree on the test runs but the filter isn't only for the man my brother there are also theives and people willing to do terrible things to get what we have...

 

[Diesel1959]

I agree on the test runs but the filter isn't only for the man my brother there are also theives and people willing to do terrible things to get what we have...

so true that's why I have a alarm,a dog and a gun.the only instance I can recall in my area of a attempted grow robbery the owner shot both robbers killing one.sad but it seems to have deterred the rest.

grow big but grow safe!