CFL + DWC + Stealth Cabinet Grow

[blueneon007]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to hydro and indoor growing in general (have done plenty outdoor tho) and would just like a few comments/suggestions (if any) on my current new indoor setup. Keep in mind the yields will be purely for personal use so I do not need truck loads! Is my setup 'OK', 'Good', 'Bad' etc?

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Cabinet: Size: 1.8ft (L) X 1.8ft (W) X 2.3ft (H)

Note: Due to the obvious short cabinet height, I cut a hole in the bottom and now my reservoir sits in that hole so that the top of the reservoir starts almost level with the actual bottom of the cabinet. This means I have 2ft for growth height (2.3ft minus lights at max UP position and small part of res sticking up from floor level gives approx just over 2ft from net pot to max height).

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Lights (all CFL's) - Currently running on 18/6:

2 x 45W (2500lm each) 4000K
2 x 20W (1250lm each) 6500K
2 x 18W (1040lm each) 6500K
2 x 20W (1350lm each) 2700K

This gives a mixed color spectrum and will be used for both veg and bloom.

Total actual CFL wattage = 206W
Total lumens provided = 12,280lm
Lumens per square ft = 3790lm

Reflector has been custom made using flood light reflectors designed for CFL but removed from casings and stuck together to accommodate more light fittings etc.

Lights are currently kept about 1.5-2" from seedlings

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Air Circulation:

1 X PC Chassis Fan for inlet
1 X PC Chassis Fan for outlet
1 X PC Chassis Fan blowing just under light reflector

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Cabinet Reflection:

Entire cabinet is lined using car windshield sun reflector (basically mylar).

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Hydro System (DWC):

Res size: 28L tote (using about 18L of actual solution)
- Res is covered in white duct tape to assist with light reflection
- Four holes in the top in which I have four net pots inserted

Net pots: Contain rockwool cubes holding newly transplanted seedlings and the cubes are surrounded by Hydroton (with about 2-3cm of Hydroton covering bottom of pot also).

Air: Using 1 X Maxima-R (2 outputs - 3L/min) connected to two aquarium style 15cm blue airstones. Plus 1 X (not sure of brand name but outputs 10L/min) 4 outputs connected to four 10cm ceramic airstones.

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Nutes:

Using GH Flora Series (Grow, Micro, Bloom)
Just setup the system two days ago and the initial solution I mixed up using the GH recommended dosages (5ml Grow, 5ml Micro, 5ml Bloom)... I then saw the Lucas Formula online and from next week will be using 0-5-10 / 4lt each week from here on.
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What do you guys think?

 

[blueneon007]

wow, so many views and not one reply yet? come on guys, I need re-assurances! bump

 

[miwa]

looks like you have a pretty good ldeal of things....plants looking good... see you are using cfls....me too...looks like you could drop your lights some..they burn cool...got mine at 3 inches...never did hydro ...always thought it was too much work...anyway your house is in order...you'll do it

 

[blueneon007]

Main question for the experienced CFL growers out there...

Do I have enough light?

 

[THiCk]

You'll have enough light as far as vegetation is concerned, and i'm sure you could flower with that, but you should at least double your power. The aim for HID lights is 50w/ft2 but with CFL it is 100W/ft2. Either replace those 18/20 watters with 40-50 watters or nowadays you can get 55W 2700k and 65W 6500k CFLs from your local walmart.

 

[GreenDollars]

you need my light I built...

I produced this plant with this exact light in my last grow.

built in fan and all.

sweet cabinet, like how the tub is below the whole thing.
AND its only got one cord to plug in.

 

[PrairiePoet]

You'll have enough light as far as vegetation is concerned, and i'm sure you could flower with that, but you should at least double your power. The aim for HID lights is 50w/ft2 but with CFL it is 100W/ft2. Either replace those 18/20 watters with 40-50 watters or nowadays you can get 55W 2700k and 65W 6500k CFLs from your local walmart.

While I totally agree he could use more light, I hadn't seen anything about CFL's needing to be 100 watts per square foot. My grow is a little bigger (2x4x5), and I was running between 350 watts to 480 watts of CFL (now a mix of HPS and CFL but still under 500 watts). So on the high end I get about 60 watts per SF. I was also using higher wattage CFL bulbs, giving me more penetration into the canopy.

Also depending on your grow room setup, when using CFL's, how the lights are arranged will effect the grow a lot. For small grow boxes, cabinets, and closets, the use of SOG or ScrOG will greatly benefit the harvest amount.

Otherwise, BlueNeon... nice grow box, good setup. The only thing i would change is to take that intake fan and put it at the top and make it an exhaust. You want a negative air pressure in the box, not positive nor equivalent to the outside room.