Reeferator, CFLs and LEDs in a Working Refrigerator

[woods brother]

I have had crushing failures, massive successes and now I'm just having fun! In attempt to do what many said couldn't be done I have built my favorite stealth box to date. I had a really bad failure a couple weeks ago so I am keeping my "premium" strains in the proven grow room until I fine tune this one.

This all started with the idea of using a working refrigerator to keep optimum conditions. I toyed with several CFL fixtures and LEDs and got to where I am now. I did catch a mistake by Lowes a few days ago and got a couple two bulb 24" T5 fixtures for $20 so I may swap some fixtures around, who knows. Like I said this one is just for fun, if you have an idea where I could improve please post, but If you're going to dawg my soil, nutes, or say anything that spreads bad vibes, please move on.

Going down the list, HERE WE GO!

What strain is it? Unknown Mexican Bag Seed, it was some good mids...I think.
Is it Indica, Sativa or Hybrid? What percentages? Mexican Sativa, I remember feeling a really good head high with a good body buzz. Great for getting a lot done around the farm.
Is it in Veg or Flower stage? We are gonna go seed to smoke.
If in Veg... For how long? I will vegetate to about 12 inches in hight.
If in Flower stage... For how long? Till ready to smoke, I may leave some to go for sleep meds, I can't sleep lately.
Indoor or outdoor? Indoor, but if I get several girls I may distribute a few in the woods.
Soil or Hydro? Nothing personal but I am a SOIL kinda guy.
If soil... what is in your mix? Fox Farms, extra perlite, and a composed secret.
If soil... What size pot? Starting in 3 inch squares and I will finish them in large footprint 5 gallon smart pots that I am going to trim a little so probably closer to 4 gallons.
Size of light? I have an eight light fixture with half and half 2700k and 6500k 100w watt equivalent CFLs, also I have my blue only LED ufo hanging in from the side for a little extra blue spectrum.
Is it air cooled? Yes, 50 cfm bathroom fan from Home Depot.
Temp of Room/cab? 57 is my lowest temperature to date and 82 is my highest.
RH of Room/cab? What is RH?
PH of media or res? I will start checking when I repot and start adding full strength nutrients.
Any Pests? Not yet.
How often are you watering? While seedlings, twice daily. Then dry/wet cycle.
Type and strength of ferts used? CANNA, CANNA, CANNA! Canna Tera Vega/Flora, CANNA RHIZOTONIC for soil and I spray it directly on the leaves until a strong root system has developed. As far as strength I follow Canna's instructions. I do put about 1/3 strength on them as seedling for a week then plain water for a week.

Costs involved, free Craigslist refrigerator, $70 thermostat from beer an wine making store, $0.84 single gang electrical boxes, $1.97 light fixtures, some wire nuts, wire, plugs, power strips $8, heavy duty outdoor timer (15amps) $19.99, borrowed LED ufo (blue only), some 3 inch rigid duct $7.00, bulbs $20... a few extras here and there but all in all less than $200.

 

[woods brother]

Some photos.

 

[woods brother]

Found the wiring harness, OOPS!

While installing the fan exhaust fan I found the wiring harness, I thought this was a big deal until I got to thinking this would be a great opportunity to move all the controls up to the freezer compartment and allow for a little more room for the light fixture and plant height.

I forgot to add this, I put an acrylic sheet over the bulbs to keep the heat in, like most HID fixtures.

With a little extra blue!

 

[MadMardo]

Nice set up mate

 

[woods brother]

More pictures, update, and QUESTION.

I took a couple wider angle shots to show what I have going on and the progress of the plants they are two weeks old from germination today. I had to download my own photos and edit them since I forgot to turn them, oops.

I think I might change my wiring on the fan to run off a thermostat because my night time temps are getting to the 60s.

O.k. I have never seen this before... These plants are curling for some reason, they are get the same light, water and are from the same soil, but don't look right. It is only the two that were right next to the LED, so I think it may have been a heat issue. I rotated the plants to see what would happen. I have been toying with the idea of a Lazy-Susan with a BBQ rotisserie motor to turn the plants constantly/slowly.

 

[woods brother]

Nice set up mate

Thanks I just read your finished grow, that was cool. It must be nice to not worry about smell, I grabbed a couple Pineapple Express girls (14 inches tall) out of my veg room the other night and stuck em in the living room to take em to a friend and my whole house wreaked, I had to turn the attic fan on to clear the house!

 

[MadMardo]

heh I donno, it is nice not to worry or should I be worrying lol...sometimes my dont give a shit attitude gets me in difficult situations.

Your fridge looks like a frikin spaceship.. Id sit and look at it all day stoned, be better then anything on TV lol

You right does look like heat stress.

 

[woods brother]

Update on the fridge grow. The curled leaves were definitely from being tto close to the LED. I moved them to the back and they recovered next day, a little stunted but they will bounce back. I went a head and pulled the LED and replaced it with a 24 inch 2 bulb T5 fixture, blue spectrum bulb from the hydro store. I also started the Canna Ryzotinic as a foliar yesterday. I definitely have two stand out plants and I really hope they are females, but only time will tell. I think I'm gonna veg these about 3 weeks then transplant them into big smartpots and then veg one more week and flip em to 12/12. I am gonna try 4 plants but I think 2 might be all that will fit?

 

[MadMardo]

looking great. nice recovery

 

[Mr. Krip]

Lookin' good Woods!

I love the DIY stuff & I'm subbed!

Good luck on the grow!

 

[woods brother]

First Re-pot Today

I grabbed the three Strongest plants and re-potted them today, sorry phone dead pictures tomorrow. Two went into 5 inch squares and one into a 2 quart smart pot. I was reading the canna ryzotonic bottle once and it said to pre-treat the soil so when I am re-potting I fill my pump action foliar sprayer with ryzotonic and spray the soil mix and turn it with my hands until it holds a ball when I squeeze it, but breaks up easily. I'm not saying it's right or science, but it is how I do it. If you do this be sure to catch some water drain through after a couple of days and check you pH. I am a cheap ass and really don't like the calibrate me daily digital meters, so I add drops to 2.5 ml of captured water. I also changed up the nutes today. I am at 2/3 strength (10 ml of both ryzotonic and terra vega to one gallon of water). About to wander out and give the little greenies their third ryzotinic mist of the day. Peace Y'all.

OH can someone tell me how to put my grow link in my signature please?

 

[woods brother]

Re-potted and roaring ahead.

The change of scenery didn't effect them in the first 24, everybody is looking great. The plant I originally started in the 5 inch pot is crazy! That little plant is rolling along like a clone! Made a small change this evening as well, wrapped the reflective material around the plants of three sides. I will also add some pictures of everybody sitting out for their Ryzotonic spray. I have had low temps today with a bit of a cool down around here, I partially blocked the exhaust to warm up the box.

 

[nycal hydro]

Looking good! how do u like the canna?

 

[HempRocket]

VERY interesting setup. I`m subbed.

 

[woods brother]

Looking good! how do u like the canna?

To be perfectly honest and IMO...

I LOVE THIS SHIT!!!

I use the whole line for everything I grow. You should see what it does to my cooking herbs, bonsai trees, vegetables, EVERYTHING I put it on rips to full potential. I have a friend with similar lighting and his plants are minisule compared to mine I have plants 3 weeks old that are the same size as his 3 month olds! CANNA RULES, in my house that is.

 

[woods brother]

Three weeks since placing germinated seeds into dirt today.

The plants that are still in smaller pots have stalled, and I expected that, but I only have so much room, so I will wait till they show sex then I will set their root bound selves free if they are females. The plants in larger pots look amazing with one definite stand out (Please be female!). I put the last of my 2/3 strength nutes on Sunday and mixed up a batch of full strength Canna Vega and 2/3 strength Canna Ryzotonic. I will start watering with this solution when they feel light and dry. I also just sat here on the couch and finished wiring my second T5 supplemental fixture. FYI y'all I took back some burnt out CFLs to Lowes today. KEEP YOUR BOXES AND RECEIPTS for those expensive CFLs they have long warranties, and there is nothing like free lights when your old ones burn out. If one out of a box burns out I take it and the box in and swap the bulbs, but always insist on keeping your box (for future returns).

Still spraying plants with Ryzotonic a few times a day.

 

[MadMardo]

nice and leafy. looks good

 

[nycal hydro]

I used the coco a-b a d still use there rhizo and pk. I use H&G now which I think is slightly better then cannas coco line from my experience. But soil and hydro, I know alota people use canna and love it.

 

[woods brother]

I misread therefor I lied.

I forgot on the Canna that 19 ml per gallon is full strength. Therefore when I said I was at 1/3 strength I meant 1/4 and 2/3 I was really at 1/2 and yesterday when I said I was going full I actually went 3/4. If I haven't lost you yet that is what happened! I could just blame it on toker math but truth be told I haven't toked since January. Before I get yelled at, I am taking a class to get my CDL (dt to get in and randoms) and I am trying to get a management job with a couple other companies and they all dt before consideration for employment. One really nice thing about it is though I am gonna have sooooooo much really good cured weed by the time it is all said and done and you guys/gals would not believe all the stuff I remember now!!!

Updates:
I have the one plant that is just kicking, so I put it in the middle under the cfls and moved the plants that are a few day behind in maturity right under the florescent t5 to speed them up to catch up. They are growing about an inch a day and two as of this morning are touching my CFL fixture so it is time to move the shelf down again today. I did a little cleaning yesterday because lets face it cleanliness is next to Godliness. I am really hoping these plants show sex soon I may have to switch the big ones to 12/12 next week and then pull the males if they don't go ahead and show sex. I know it makes me lazy but re-potting is a pain and I don't wanna do it twice because I have a bunch of males. Now for the pictures>>>
Begging to be re=potted and freed of root binding.

Clean up in Refrigerated goods.

My favorite picture yet! The yellow is just lighting these plants are super green.

In less than 48 hours these plants are touching the light above.

SEX PLEASE!!!

 

[HorseBadoritz]

High Woods, very nice setup I especially like how you kept the fridge working enough to keep the milk cold

Here's a way to link your signature to your grow:

420 Signature Link

use this code:

[*URL=put your grow link here]put what you want it to say here[/URL*]

use that but remove all the *'s