Growing with CFLs in very limited space

wowtestdrive said:
Skooter, GREAT looking grow myman :ganjamon:...Followed your link over from C5Rftw's grow, and i must say I am impressed...by both your organization in your grow and in your documentation of it, this thread looks very clean and was enjoyable to read.

Furthermore i'm also doing a CFL grow with two plants using cfls right now..Even tho i'm using more lights i would still be quite happy with your yield!!

What was your start up cost for everything? (if you have it handy) Looks like you put a pretty penny into the control center and cabinet and such.

But props man, good grow! :goodjob:
Click to expand...

cool...be sure to check out the other links in SK's sig,...our last Nothern Lights grow we got about 5.5oz from two plants with this set up


The cost for this set up wasn't really too bad...to the best of my memory


*suncrest storage box 100.00
*exhaust fan (fantech) 100.00
*timer 30.00
*Herpstat ND Thermostat 140.00 (to control our heaters as our grow box is in an unheated space and gets quite cold at night) Not needed in a warmer climate
*Air pump 30.00
*reptile heat lamps 20.00 (2 of them)
*CFL's 15.00 each (5 of them)

and about 50 bucks in odds and ends...the rest was all DIY...(light box, tubs and cabinet lining with foam board insulation with mylar covering it and the duct work)

Our first grow basically paid for the whole set up and then some..
 
They are 68watts each and say they are equivalent to 300 watts'. Our light box is stuffed with 5 of them and is 23" x 16" and every square inch of the box has even lighting....you couldn't get any more lights in there if you tried..


We got about 5 1/2 oz out of two plants in a 24"x18" cabinet in just over 11 weeks.
DSC011882.JPG
 
OH LOVING IT....CFL's FOR LIFE!!!!

I do want to know if I can use a Carbon Filter with a inline 18watt fan tho....

I'm told the fan isnt powerful enough?

I've got a smell issue.....i do wanna try this ona block idea too.....
 
TheMilkMan said:
OH LOVING IT....CFL's FOR LIFE!!!!

I do want to know if I can use a Carbon Filter with a inline 18watt fan tho....

I'm told the fan isnt powerful enough?

I've got a smell issue.....i do wanna try this ona block idea too.....
Click to expand...


Thanks for stopping by MM.
The question about the size of your fan can be answered by knowing 2 things. The cubic footage of your space and the CFM rating of your fan. The more times you can pump out your total air space per hour the better but I don't recall what the ideal rate is. I do know that Slappy and I are pumping out the air in our curretn grow tents at a rate of over twice a minute...way overkill if I recall correctly.

Any air you can move thru your filter will help. My suggestion is to try it out and see how it works. Make adjustments as needed if needed.
 
SkooterClowns said:
Thanks for stopping by MM.
The question about the size of your fan can be answered by knowing 2 things. The cubic footage of your space and the CFM rating of your fan. The more times you can pump out your total air space per hour the better but I don't recall what the ideal rate is. I do know that Slappy and I are pumping out the air in our curretn grow tents at a rate of over twice a minute...way overkill if I recall correctly.

Any air you can move thru your filter will help. My suggestion is to try it out and see how it works. Make adjustments as needed if needed.
Click to expand...

Convert (cubic feet) per minute to litres per second - Conversion of Measurement Units

75 Feet per minute inline fan - The problem I'm told it dosent draw enough power to pull air thru the carbon filter.
 
Would there be enough power to push it thru instead?
You would also want to minimize the bends in the ducting.
I'm no expert in this area tho...sorry I couldn't help more.
 
I suppose if i cant pull it thru, then i cant push it thru either. but then its a one way filter at the end of the day it seems.

There would only be 1 90 degree bend, if that.

Not cheap to get into carbon and fans, but it would last for a long time, and I cant hear the fans moving air, so it would pay to keep my grows small and personal.

lol

have a good one!
 
trying to flower with cfl,s ihave 4x42+2x23+4x32 i hope for close to same results in dirt though still learning tho.i had 1000 hps but was to warm. ty for info would like to learn more :bravo::nicethread::welldone::thumb::thanks:
 
bluntbro said:
trying to flower with cfl,s ihave 4x42+2x23+4x32 i hope for close to same results in dirt though still learning tho.i had 1000 hps but was to warm. ty for info would like to learn more :bravo::nicethread::welldone::thumb::thanks:
Click to expand...

Good luck Bluntbro. sounds like you have enough lighting to get the job done. Distribution of the lighting is key in our opinion.

Thanks for checking out our thread.
 
Hey Klowns!

I have an electrical/thermostat problem, and you guys popped into my mind. I've been browsing your threads since I joined... and I like your style/skill.

Anyway, to the point: I have a 'baseboard heater thermostat'... and I was all excited to connect it to my cooling fans. But if you think about it, a heating thermostat is disengaged until it gets cold. Which is useless if you're trying to manage high temps.

Any ideas on how to jury-rig a heating thermostat for cooling? ie, if we can make it so that this thermostat disengaging turns on my fans.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. And congratulations on the grow! If you two are feeling particularly philanthropic and want to read/critique my current grow journal, feel free :)
 
cflgrow said:
Hey Klowns!

I have an electrical/thermostat problem, and you guys popped into my mind. I've been browsing your threads since I joined... and I like your style/skill.

Anyway, to the point: I have a 'baseboard heater thermostat'... and I was all excited to connect it to my cooling fans. But if you think about it, a heating thermostat is disengaged until it gets cold. Which is useless if you're trying to manage high temps.

Any ideas on how to jury-rig a heating thermostat for cooling? ie, if we can make it so that this thermostat disengaging turns on my fans.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. And congratulations on the grow! If you two are feeling particularly philanthropic and want to read/critique my current grow journal, feel free :)
Click to expand...

Very ingenious...I like it. Although I'm not sure how to activate the power to something when a negative signal is to be used as a trigger (something turns "off" in order to turn something else on). I'm sure there are electrical engineers out there that would know exactly how to do it. I would imagine that there would be a need for additional hardware/electrical components etc. to get it to work.

We have had success using a herpstat for such needs. Here is a link that may help guide you in that direction or at the least fill you in on the usage and potentials of a herpstat.

Spyder Robotics Herpstat

I haven't been on the forums much but will certainly stop over at your grow to check it out.
 
Man your system and grow looks really good. Thanks for this DIY. I looked at the same cabinet 2days ago and would like to go that route for my 1st real grow. I have one question. Can you think of a different way to ventilate? I would need to be a lil more stealthy considering my apt. I was thinking I could cut holes for exhaust and maybe fit some small fans like pc fans or something in there to pull exhaust out of the chamber. Maybe even place a small fan inside the chamber to provide more air inside. I still have the odor concern but I am working on that. I would appreciate any suggestions. And again great pics.
 
Hey Slappy, do you have any pics of your 23"x16" box or the other that produced such nice yields. I am interested in building one or buying a stealth box due to my limited space. Thanks for any suggestions.
 

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