I've been researching so I can start my 1st grow and have made some decisions.
1. Deep Water Culture all the way
2. CFL lighting - 6000 to 7000 lumens per sqft
3. Mylar for the wall coverings
4. Flat White Paint for everything else
Here's my question, the house I moved into has "Wine Cellar" in the semi-finished basement. The basement is cinder block and the previous owner built an "L" shaped wall in 1 corner out of 3" x 14" x 8" cinder block to form a 44" wide x 144" long x 78" tall "Wine Cellar". (Yes, my basement is only 78" from concrete floor to the floor joists above) Then hung drywall on the outside of the new Wine Cellar and on the surrounding basement room walls. The only opening into the Wine Cellar is through the door. At first this seemed like the perfect place to setup a grow room, but now I'm not so sure. I'd really like to make it work if I can so I need all of your advise.
Here are my thoughts:
Advantages:
1. Private - I could lock the door and say it's storage and no one would go in (currently it is storage)
2. Dark - the only light that penetrates it is around the door edges
3. Clean - the ceiling is drywall, walls are cinder block, floor is concrete (I just need to empy it out)
4. No bugs - I would still want to spray everything down for preventative maintenance
5. Big enough to cure in and have storage
6. Closed off from the rest of the basement - wondering oders sholdn't be too big an issue
Disadvantages:
1. Closed off - even with a fan running will air circulation be an issue? How will the plants get fresh air and CO2, from the cracks in the door?
2. Cold in Winter- the house uses radiant heat but none are in the basement, just the heat coming off the boiler. Current temp in basement is 67°F w/20% humidity and 57°F w/37% humidity in the wine cellar (granted it's only 30°F outside - and note that my digital humidity gauge only displays as low as 20%)
3. Cool in Summer - didn't measure the readings last summer but when it's 90°F outside it is noticeably cooler in the basement (probably not too cold though)
4. Everything except the ceiling is concrete so humidity is going to be high in the summer
Probably other considerations I havn't thought of yet, that's what I need all of you for. No spare rooms with closets. No attic space. My basement is really my only option with 3 rooms - laundry room, utility room (boiler, water heater, sump pump, main plumbing), and semi-finished room with "Wine Cellar" in the corner. What can I do to make this work or should I just build a box in the corner and try to disquise it?
1. Deep Water Culture all the way
2. CFL lighting - 6000 to 7000 lumens per sqft
3. Mylar for the wall coverings
4. Flat White Paint for everything else
Here's my question, the house I moved into has "Wine Cellar" in the semi-finished basement. The basement is cinder block and the previous owner built an "L" shaped wall in 1 corner out of 3" x 14" x 8" cinder block to form a 44" wide x 144" long x 78" tall "Wine Cellar". (Yes, my basement is only 78" from concrete floor to the floor joists above) Then hung drywall on the outside of the new Wine Cellar and on the surrounding basement room walls. The only opening into the Wine Cellar is through the door. At first this seemed like the perfect place to setup a grow room, but now I'm not so sure. I'd really like to make it work if I can so I need all of your advise.
Here are my thoughts:
Advantages:
1. Private - I could lock the door and say it's storage and no one would go in (currently it is storage)
2. Dark - the only light that penetrates it is around the door edges
3. Clean - the ceiling is drywall, walls are cinder block, floor is concrete (I just need to empy it out)
4. No bugs - I would still want to spray everything down for preventative maintenance
5. Big enough to cure in and have storage
6. Closed off from the rest of the basement - wondering oders sholdn't be too big an issue
Disadvantages:
1. Closed off - even with a fan running will air circulation be an issue? How will the plants get fresh air and CO2, from the cracks in the door?
2. Cold in Winter- the house uses radiant heat but none are in the basement, just the heat coming off the boiler. Current temp in basement is 67°F w/20% humidity and 57°F w/37% humidity in the wine cellar (granted it's only 30°F outside - and note that my digital humidity gauge only displays as low as 20%)
3. Cool in Summer - didn't measure the readings last summer but when it's 90°F outside it is noticeably cooler in the basement (probably not too cold though)
4. Everything except the ceiling is concrete so humidity is going to be high in the summer
Probably other considerations I havn't thought of yet, that's what I need all of you for. No spare rooms with closets. No attic space. My basement is really my only option with 3 rooms - laundry room, utility room (boiler, water heater, sump pump, main plumbing), and semi-finished room with "Wine Cellar" in the corner. What can I do to make this work or should I just build a box in the corner and try to disquise it?