Smartie's first grow fridge: My Cerebro to connect with smart brains to guide me

[Guy Cavallero]

Amazing little setup.....

If it were me, I would use a small LED panel in the top as the white reflective material will maximize your lumens. I would just leave the refrigerator material as it is, the panda film is not going to make that much of a difference from what you have nor will the reflective material.. I would use the small area in the bottom for two vegging plants (CFL) and I would start to seeds as I needed them. In other words, I would have two plants that are 30 days old, at which point I would drop two more seeds and then have two plants at 60 days old and 2 at 30 days old at which point I would drop another 2 seeds and start your Perpetual. Two plants at 60 days, to plants at 30 days and two plants just being dropped. Six plants total.... 2 female adults in the upper chamber, 2 plants in veg in the lower chamber and two plants always just being started. That's a trusted plan for a Perpetual in a small space.

Remember to that when you're immediately pulling air from the outside, you need to protect against pests. The last thing you want is to get this whole thing set up in one space and then end up with spider mites or something like that and have to take immediate action. Much easier to just take a little time and exercise a little bit of prevention.

 

[Tunkers]

Why not run the fridge sealed and implement co2?

 

[Guy Cavallero]

Why not run the fridge sealed and implement co2?

No room for a CO2 Source LOL.

 

[Tunkers]

No room for a CO2 Source LOL.

Co2 doesn't have to be setup in fridge. Run a small line in

 

[Guy Cavallero]

Still not totally convinced that CO2 actually does anything. I have had the CO2 enhancer in my tent on both grows and haven't had anything that was off the charts.

 

[ItWas]

I know what you mean regarding the lower fan instead of a vent but i read somewhere that its better to have an active intake in a fridge because its completely sealed? At the moment ive got the bottom turned off anyway as its dropped the temps too low, with only the top fan on its about 19-22C. The lower hole does let in a bit of light but the fridge is in a windowless garage and no one goes in after lights out anyway so im not concerned as the speaker covers and carbon foam block most of the light.

Mine are just starting to flower now but to be honest im not really expecting too much from these as they have been through a fair bit of stress while i built the fridge around them. I should have waited until i had everything in place but i was too eager and popped the seeds as soon as they arrived. Next time im only going to grow a single plant in a larger pot and LST it.

 

[Tunkers]

Still not totally convinced that CO2 actually does anything. I have had the CO2 enhancer in my tent on both grows and haven't had anything that was off the charts.

Yeah but in a closed system it would be essential. I actually do it myself. Closed fridge, fermenting sugar and yeast in a bucket, ppms of 2000 and happy living plants without any cuts or holes to the fridge. Fridge still actually works.

 

[ItWas]

Yeah but in a closed system it would be essential. I actually do it myself. Closed fridge, fermenting sugar and yeast in a bucket, ppms of 2000 and happy living plants without any cuts or holes to the fridge. Fridge still actually works.

wish i knew of this before i struggled cutting holes in my fridge door. i may have to resort to something like this over winter.

 

[Guy Cavallero]

Yeah but in a closed system it would be essential. I actually do it myself. Closed fridge, fermenting sugar and yeast in a bucket, ppms of 2000 and happy living plants without any cuts or holes to the fridge. Fridge still actually works.

Lmao.....come on?! How do the plants react to that kind of CO2 reading? The fridge obviously isn't running, do you have a picture of your setup Tunkers? I'm sure it would be super helpful for our friend here to see an actual working set up.

 

[Tunkers]

Lmao.....come on?! How do the plants react to that kind of CO2 reading? The fridge obviously isn't running, do you have a picture of your setup Tunkers? I'm sure it would be super helpful for our friend here to see an actual working set up.

Fogponics

Fermenting sugar and yeast (in an old dwc bucket I used)

Thermostat that controls fridge temps

Co2 reading couple days ago. (didn't take one just now coz I had door open for ages and dropped to 1000 by the time I thought to take photo for you)

You can see where I patched the fridge back up from cutting it open myself. I initially went circulate air but then read on sealed grow rooms and the potential of co2. 2kgs sugar costs fucking nothing to add co2 to a small grow box like this for a week.

Questions?

 

[Guy Cavallero]

Christ Tunk....yeah tonnes of them lol. So are you using your fridge for a complete grow or are you using them for a SOG or are you using it for just creating clones? What is in your mix other than the yeast and sugar..... Just water? How much yeast for 2 kg of sugar? I can't believe your PPM readings are over 3,000, your plants look amazing. So where is your refrigerating actually pulling its air from, what type of temperatures do you have in side the fridge constant? Obviously the cooling in the fridge is not enabled, how does your thermostat work and who makes it?

 

[Tunkers]

Christ Tunk....yeah tonnes of them lol. So are you using your fridge for a complete grow or are you using them for a SOG or are you using it for just creating clones? What is in your mix other than the yeast and sugar..... Just water? How much yeast for 2 kg of sugar? I can't believe your PPM readings are over 3,000, your plants look amazing. So where is your refrigerating actually pulling its air from, what type of temperatures do you have in side the fridge constant? Obviously the cooling in the fridge is not enabled, how does your thermostat work and who makes it?

I have attempted a few full grows using the fridge. The only start to finish grow ended up being a seed run with a male and female. The other couple grows prior were males and removed.

I'm currently using it as a veg box while my dwc plants start flowering (another advantage for being completely sealed. Fridge is right next to my flowering plants)

My co2 mix consists of 2kg sugar mixed into warm water (I'm gonna guess 10L) I just fill it about 3/5ths way up the container I'm using and if it's a larger container I'll just double my sugar. Then add a spoonful (or a sachet if that's how you have them) of yeast. Because my bucket is in the fridge, it remains at a constant temp (answers your other question) and ferments pretty well.

The fridge has absolutely no fresh intake unless I open the door. The only air is whatever is in the fridge, this is why the co2 reading is so high.. and as you can see, the plants don't mind at all.

I did say working fridge, and I mean its a fully functioning fridge. The thermostat is just a reptile enclosure thermostat made for heating purposes but it also has a cooling function and a timer setting which means one power outlet controls the temp of the fridge and turns it on once temps drop below whatever predetermined setting I make it, and the other power outlet controls the light as it is set to turn on for 18 hours of the day. The brand I am unsure of but it was cheap from eBay

Sorry to bombard your thread smarti. Hope any of what I said is helpful to anyone

 

[Guy Cavallero]

I have attempted a few full grows using the fridge. The only start to finish grow ended up being a seed run with a male and female. The other couple grows prior were males and removed.

I'm currently using it as a veg box while my dwc plants start flowering (another advantage for being completely sealed. Fridge is right next to my flowering plants)

My co2 mix consists of 2kg sugar mixed into warm water (I'm gonna guess 10L) I just fill it about 3/5ths way up the container I'm using and if it's a larger container I'll just double my sugar. Then add a spoonful (or a sachet if that's how you have them) of yeast. Because my bucket is in the fridge, it remains at a constant temp (answers your other question) and ferments pretty well.

The fridge has absolutely no fresh intake unless I open the door. The only air is whatever is in the fridge, this is why the co2 reading is so high.. and as you can see, the plants don't mind at all.

I did say working fridge, and I mean its a fully functioning fridge. The thermostat is just a reptile enclosure thermostat made for heating purposes but it also has a cooling function and a timer setting which means one power outlet controls the temp of the fridge and turns it on once temps drop below whatever predetermined setting I make it, and the other power outlet controls the light as it is set to turn on for 18 hours of the day. The brand I am unsure of but it was cheap from eBay

Sorry to bombard your thread smarti. Hope any of what I said is helpful to anyone

Awesome information, thank you for all that. Smarty, I'm just trying to extract as much information as possible for myself, as Tunkers has said, I hope it is advantageous to you as well.

One more thing, do you think that the lack of air in the refrigerator or crazy high ppms caused your plants to stress and go male?

 

[Smartie86]

Amazing

If it were me, I would use a small LED panel in the top as the white reflective material will maximize your lumens. I would just leave the refrigerator material as it is, the panda film is not going to make that much of a difference from what you have nor will the reflective material..

Due to 1)resources and 2)because i want to start with the basics 3)my room doesn't allow hps i will go with a CFL setup.. Calculated the lumen i need (30.000/>4sqft) and using 12x42w gets me there. I probably have a couple runs on 12x24w to see how things play out. This also should still put me in the minimum lumen requirements if i remember well

As for the reflective film; i thought about it to let it as it is but i really had to get rid of that door panel so i have to line that now. Because i run CFL i assumed that good reflective room and bringing plants close to lights go hand in hand with CFL. On the other hand, if i just line the door with panda it will be waaaay cheaper, waaaaaaay easier (it maybe looks nice and square but i tell you its not haha) and way easier to maintain/clean. Cheers m8

I would use the small area in the bottom for two vegging plants (CFL) and I would start to seeds as I needed them. In other words, I would have two plants that are 30 days old, at which point I would drop two more seeds and then have two plants at 60 days old and 2 at 30 days old at which point I would drop another 2 seeds and start your Perpetual. Two plants at 60 days, to plants at 30 days and two plants just being dropped. Six plants total.... 2 female adults in the upper chamber, 2 plants in veg in the lower chamber and two plants always just being started. That's a trusted plan for a Perpetual in a small space.

I would love to do it like that.. Thing is, I dont have easy access to seeds and on top i would like to keep multiple strains alive. I will order 1 A+ quality feminised from 4-5 of my favos so my plan is to not order again anytime soon, so in other words: when i plant the seed/strain i have to keep it alive or it's gone.. Obviously i will start of with one and work my way up.
How would you see a perpetual with all that in mind?? So keeping the strains alive (clones) and doing a sea of green, clone to flower (inspired by drbudgreengenes) so the bottom would serve as a mother room (renewing every month or depending how long i can keep them small in a 16-20ounce cup) and so i can use the clones/strains i want to put in flower (max 2 strains/ preferably 1 every flower period and in the end constantly having 5 different clone moms)..That's where I'm at for the moment

Remember to that when you're immediately pulling air from the outside, you need to protect against pests. The last thing you want is to get this whole thing set up in one space and then end up with spider mites or something like that and have to take immediate action. Much easier to just take a little time and exercise a little bit of prevention.

I know!! I'm fuzzy about things like that, i like my things to work, be proper and look good so no different with this haha.. The vents will both have a filter, dunnow if they come standard but if not that shouldn't be much of a struggle..

Thanks for participating m8!!

 

[ItWas]

cheers Tunkers, this is gonna help me loads.

 

[Smartie86]

No worries guys, I'm happy my thread can benefit more than just me or this particular setup..

Keep posting and reading!!

Peace

 

[Smartie86]

What's happening guys!!

I was wondering if could ask my American friends if they would be willing to order some stuff online from home depot and send it over to me??

I will post some more details soon and i will ofcourse pay you the full amount up front incl shipping costs. Should be around 50US$ no shipping..

Thanks in advance m8s!!

 

[Smartie86]

It's all about these bad boys:

I just simply can not find them shipped to Australia.. I find bulb splitters (online!) but not with the 90° angle and for sure not this kind of quality. Critical in the way i want to set up my lights.

These ones i find online but again, not the same quality and since I have to order them anyway might aswel kill 2 flies with one stone.

I did my research regarding the bulb fitting and wattages: USA uses E26 (26mm) screw and Australia E27 (27mm) screw, both will fit each other either way. I will use bulbs from the local store, so as long as I don't exceed the max Watts on both pieces I should have nothing to worry about regarding Volts/Watts.

I hope I don't break any rules by asking, but i really hope somebody is willing to help me out on this one. If better alternatives, please feel free

Peace!

 

[187budz]

Have you tried Amazon or eBay or an app called "wish"?

 

[Smartie86]

Have you tried Amazon or eBay or an app called "wish"?

Cheeers dude!!