wtfn's 4000w legal medical soil food web organic grow show

whythefnot · Aug 19, 2013

Here I am, in sunny southern California! Let's do this!

I used my guerilla grow harvest from last year to propel me out here, got a place with a few extra bedrooms and bought a whole bunch of grow room crap from craigslist and lowes. I don't have my doctor's rec just yet but as soon as I get my CA DL in a few days I'll head right over and get that taken care of. I don't know what my plant count will be but I'm going to be running 4 lights for this first run, and in the future I'll look into upgrading to 5 or 6 lights.

I already ran the 60 amp 240v line to the spare upstairs bedroom where the ballasts are located. I'm waiting on my contactor in the mail to finish the wiring. I think I'm just going to put the entire circuit on the timer and only use it to run my lights.

Included in the uploads is the closest thing to a 'before' picture I could come up with. I thought I took a better one...
Here are some shots of the current progress:

My temporary compost tea brewer until I carry my 35gal trash bin upstairs:

The other photo is a big pile of Fox Farm and some soil amendments.

whythefnot · Aug 19, 2013

This house is cooled by a swamp cooler that puts out a whole lot of positive pressure. So in order to make it livable and still keep noses from sniffing I've gone around the room caulking all the holes and I'm going to install weatherstripping to the door tomorrow, and some type of sealing threshold at the door (may have to get creative there). Then I'll hop on craigslist and pick up a portable a/c and have it vent out the window, the same place my (soon-to-be) closed-circuit light system vents/intakes, hopefully creating at least slight negative pressure in the room.

I'm planning to install an odor sok inside the exhaust of the a/c. Does anyone know if this is viable? I have no experience with a portable a/c. Also, I'm going to try to have it intake air from higher in the room if possible, in order to preserve precious co2 and cool air. I don't have a co2 system yet but I'll pick one up on craigslist for $100 or less soon (maybe after I get a job out here), whether it be a burner or a tank system, I haven't decided.

This is an upstairs room with no insulation whatsoever. Whoever put it up never installed the wires to keep it in place. This is a rental house so I'm not going to install the insulation myself, so I'll definitely have to run a portable a/c. The daytime temps in there have been about 88+ lately.

I'll keep updating as things keep changing, really hoping to cash crop it out here in the wild west!

whythefnot · Aug 19, 2013

By the way so far on this grow room build it looks like I'm gonna keep it under or right around $2000 complete with a/c, co2 and purchased clones. Got to love craigslist

rubberducky · Aug 19, 2013

From my understanding if u plan on using co2 portable AC's are the most inefficient it will suck all that precious co2 right out of the room.

Can't see from the pic, are those hoods being exhausted out the window or is air being pulled in though there ?

whythefnot · Aug 19, 2013

rubberducky said:
From my understanding if u plan on using co2 portable AC's are the most inefficient...

As compared to what? I have positive pressure in the room, so I have to vent somehow to take that pressure off. I figured a portable a/c would be the MOST efficient way given my circumstances. As I already said, I plan to elevate it as much as possible to allow it to intake the warmer, less-co2-dense air from the top of the room. Please let me know if you have any better ideas.

Yes, that fan is venting out the window, like any grow room fan should. I did mention already that the lights are going to be on a closed circuit. This room is still mid-construction.

raiderman · Aug 19, 2013

ns op bro.wanna watch this ,subbed.rdr.

soursmoker · Aug 19, 2013

Im watching the show man, good luck... can't wait to see what you pull off... are the lights being vented out of that window?

whythefnot · Aug 19, 2013

Yeah, they're vented through the window. After I get my last light in, I'm going to run the duct back to the window for the intake.

I'm going to pick up a dual-hose portable a/c later today that circulates air the same way the lights do (in and back out through the window). I'm in no hurry to get my co2 system in, and until I do, I'm going to hang the intake for the a/c at the top of the room.

I'm in the process of air sealing the door right now, almost done. Man, am I glad I did finish carpentry in addition to rough framing for the last few years. It's really paying off right now.

choptops · Aug 20, 2013

lookin good i expect you to be well off and dialed in by the time i get out there. hopefully within the next year.

whythefnot · Aug 20, 2013

I'm eating my own words right now because I picked up a natural gas CO2 burner for 80 bucks while I was in the city picking up that 14000btu dual-hose Amana for the same price.

I also scored my doctor's recommendation while I was there !!! Then I immediately smoked my first legal bowl on the way out. It was great! They had me in and out like nothing! It was an all around great experience.

I got the room very very close to air tight today. Now, when I turn on the vent fan, the pond liner and panda film on the floor rise up about 2 feet in the middle of the room, which tells me (no surprise!) that there is no vapor barrier under the floor. I'm going to seal off the edges of the panda film on the wall with duct tape I guess, then hopefully only a miniscule amount of air will be escaping.

To combat the positive pressure, I'm considering (and open to input on this) punching a pinhole or two in the a/c intake to relieve the pressure from the room. I'm already planning to inline filter the hot air going out right at the window, just to be safe.

Also, I'm thinking about screwing a piece of plywood over that entire window and "professionalizing" my vent holes. I don't like the way it looks now, it just seems like a weak point to me. If I can get that plywood screwed in there with some foam to seal it, and use the metal connectors at lowes (already have 2 8" connectors) I should have no issues.

whythefnot · Aug 20, 2013

I have exactly enough natural gas hose (included in purchase) to reach my gas line -- already got the unit hung and the line run actually. I have to go get a 3/4 to 1/2 inch shut off valve tomorrow at home depot (I bought the last one at the nearest lowes a few weeks ago when we moved in). That puts my co2 system costs at about $90 without a meter or controller.

Tomorrow I also need to get 25 feet of 5 inch insulated ducting to run my a/c over to the window port. Having an 8 inch and 5 inch intake so close to an 8 in and 5 in exhaust is forcing me to rethink my venting strategy. I'm still going to use the window for both, but I plan to open the window as wide as I can, leaving the screen in place, and covering the inside of the window (screwed roughly every 2 feet) with a sheet of plywood sealed with sticky foam strips. I'll put the exhaust as high and as far to the right as I can, and leave the intake low and to the left. Hopefully that will minimize some redundancy.

Tonight I also duct-taped around the edges of the pond liner just to be extra thorough. When I turned on the vent fan, the 'floor' still rose up but it took a lot longer and didn't rise as high.

At choptop's recommendation I dropped some 'confetti,' or small piece of newpaper I tore one at a time, in front of the 8" open intake on the caboose of the light chain. The piece of paper would drop and ever so gently be nudged into the hood, but stop right at the entrance. Compared to the rest of the house (the windows howl if you crack them, and the backdoor whistles all day from the air escaping) the air is dead in there. I think once I seal up that light circuit and my a/c I'll have a complete closed system. Fingers crossed...

rubberducky · Aug 20, 2013

Split system is the best but expensive. I went with a window unit. Check this thread out. The first page it's pretty informative.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=58695

from what I concluded it only sucks Co2 when the compressor kicks on to cool. So the less the compressor comes on=less co2 lost. I'm not an expert. My current room also with 4 lights like yours. A 24000 btu window unit to keep the room cool and the lights are air cooled. IM not running co2 and I have no exhaust /intake. I know it's not the best but IM pulling well over a pound a light.

whythefnot said:
As compared to what? I have positive pressure in the room, so I have to vent somehow to take that pressure off. I figured a portable a/c would be the MOST efficient way given my circumstances. As I already said, I plan to elevate it as much as possible to allow it to intake the warmer, less-co2-dense air from the top of the room. Please let me know if you have any better ideas.

Yes, that fan is venting out the window, like any grow room fan should. I did mention already that the lights are going to be on a closed circuit. This room is still mid-construction.

whythefnot · Aug 20, 2013

I found that thread on my own yesterday after your comment and I read through it. The gist of the post is that some a/c units do that, and others do not. If it is well-sealed I don't see any reason it should suck air out of the room, and I taped and caulked every hole I could find last night.

Window units are terrible for growing MJ imo. I have plenty of experience there. The water that condenses on the back side of the unit carries the smell of the room, completely negating any carbon filtering you're doing. Also, they take up your entire window.

whythefnot · Aug 21, 2013

Thar she blows! I took the faceplate off for the photo. Also, since I took this pic I've lowered the unit so it's not so close to the ceiling.

I did a little plumbing today -- not just the natural gas line, but a water line for my room too! There is a bathroom adjacent to my room so I was able to tap into the toilet water supply like this:

Then it runs about 5 feet through the attic and comes out in the room in the corner like this:

Finally, it terminates at my 'reservoir' (a.k.a. a place to bubble my tap water to remove chlorine).

Maybe once I find a job here I'll spring for a float valve to top it off automatically.

I had a hard time procuring a sheet of plywood since I don't have a truck. There was a reeeeaally old one in the yard that I inspected then decided that I didn't want that crap in my grow room. Well, a few hours later, and no bright ideas yet (other than walking the mile from lowes carrying a sheet of plywood), I decided that a fresh coat of paint would fix that sheet of plywood right up

I've got the white coat of paint drying right now, then in the morning I'll spray on the black coat. The sheet was cut on one side so it's not going to be quite tall enough to cover the window but I'll make do with it for now since it saves me a huge headache.

TheBatCave · Aug 21, 2013

looks awesome mate

whatthe215 · Aug 21, 2013

Congrats on the new spot and makin it out here!

Excited to see what you do with this house.

Have you considered flip flopping those 4 ballasts? Is there another bedroom the same size? For $1000 you could double your lights.

How's the weather? Got hot days 90+ sometimes? Ya might need an 18kbtu AC for 4kw.

Neighbors seem cool? Remember to be the friendliest most innocent guy on the block! I know all of my neighbors by name and chit chat bout cars and fixin up our houses all the time.

Little do they know I'm bumpin 32kw a few feet away. :biggrin:

Good luck friend!

whythefnot · Aug 21, 2013

I have another (smaller) bedroom upstairs, just don't have the money to set it up yet. Also, I sort of wanted a guest room for when family comes to visit.

Yes, it gets very hot. Even with air-cooling the lights, you still think I'll need more a/c power? I honestly figured even a 10,000btu unit would cut it --- but maybe I'm wrong. This room does get pretty hot too, but I'm running my lights at night which should help out. The hottest I've seen it get is 90 during the middle of the day when it was 100+ outside. Yep, I'm in the desert.

I've been super friendly with the neighbors as much as possible while maintaining some distance. I have a deaf family next door (the side with the grow room) which I'm considering a good thing since they won't ever hear my fans running, although they may be more likely to smell what I have cooking. Also, they're not much for conversation. My immediate neighbors on the other side are an enigma also. They have small kids but their life is a complete mess as far as I can tell. They're not worried about me. AT. ALL.

We keep our house very clean and organized (thanks to my better half -- if you want an idea of how I'd live on my own check out my old 2000w vertical grow hehehe -- fortunately she saved me from myself back then) and I'm working on making the lawn the nicest on the block. I don't need people raising an eyebrow at me.

whythefnot · Aug 21, 2013

I put my order in for 40 Platinum Bubba clones yesterday. Going to get my CA DL today so's I can use this here prescription the doctor man gave me. He said I NEED it.

whatthe215 · Aug 21, 2013

Definitely fix your temps. You're gonna want that room at 80-86f with CO2. I make sure I can get to 78f.

18kbtu window AC is $500 at any home depot around here, take a look at my threads for how to install a window AC. using a closet is the easiest, but you can also wall off part of the room with panda.

A power attic exhaust fan at the top of your roof will help A TON, especially with night time temps.

If a bigger AC isn't an option, I'd run 3 lights at the proper temperature rather than 4 way too hot.

And be careful with clone vendors. Assume they have all sortsa mites and PM, and treat accordingly. Avid and Eagle 20 are pretty much necessary when getting cuts from clubs.

Stay away from PO Genetics, they're known for spreading broad mites.

If you're in the desert, a small swamp cooler could help. So long as you run the room while ambient RH is ~30%. I've seen 60 lighters in the desert that only needed one 5 ton AC to cool everything because of lots of swamp coolers.

Just have the swamp cooler in the wall pulling air from the house into the grow room. Make sure you've got enough negative pressure cause those swamp coolers push a lot of air.

Too much air flow though and you'll pull all the CO2 out.

Foods for thought.

whythefnot · Aug 21, 2013

I meant it got up to 90 without the a/c or lights, just ambient room temps. If I opened the window to let some air in from the swamp cooler I could hold it at 88 but that's as low as the daily high gets up there (remember, no roof insulation). I still haven't run the a/c and lights together to see how cool it will get, but I'm sure it will be fine in there, esp at night. I'm taking a lunch break from getting it all fixed up right now so I can crank 'er up -- more pictures real soon.

Also, if you read back through the thread, you'll see that my house has a large swamp cooler instead of a central a/c unit. I'm still running it in the house, but I have the room sealed up because there was no way for me to keep it cool without an a/c in the room and I didn't want to just vent all that cold air straight outside. Dig?

Great call on that attic exhaust. I'll look into it soon.

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