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Apartment Growing

Former Guest

Active member
cool tubes are last resort..the newer air cooled hoods have better light reflection and damn near as good airflow..that said I have a cool tube or 2 for special situations...yeehaw

I haven't seen anything to great about cool tubes except when they are used vert. Good luck and have fun :)
 

soserthc1

Active member
i have only had the misfortune of renting 2 years

Do not flush leaves in the toilet as this cost me my security deposit
Don't tell anyone it's a basic rule but one that is often over looked
But in all honesty it's the people close that are usually your down fall

Best of luck growing your own herb kicks ass nothing in this life us more satisfying
 

panick503

Member
If cost is not a big concern, why not run it sealed with gas, and u won't to worry about drawing in clean air or exhausting dirty air...
 
Then don't use a tent, just make sure your odors are under control. I just think a tent provides an extra layer of protection.... If you can't smell anything in the bedroom the tent is in, you know you're good to go.

But if your concerns are cooling, rest easy. I assure you vert is actually EASIER to cool than using hoods. Hoods are a hydro shop scam - they're giant heat-collecting radiators that steal light away from your bulb. Where with vert, heat rises unobstructed, with a little help with a gentle column of air below to the exhaust point at the top of the tent/room. . . This is also why a lower setting on your fans below the light works... high setting just blows the hot air up quickly and bounces it around before it can be effectively exhausted.

The hydro shop guy is always trying to get me to buy a bunch of hoods for my lights. I he still doesn't believe me when I tell him that vertical lighting is a better use of the light because there is zero light loss due to distance traveled/lumen loss from glass/etc. He also believes that hoods are easier to cool because you can hook up ducting to them, he just can't grasp that the hood is effectively a radiator and that with a properly designed exhaust will lower your temps several degrees.
 

fuzzdog

Member
You really need to be staying up on apartment damage... just my opinion, based on viewing first hand my bro having to deal with it...

Water damage is paramount.. any damage that will possibly effect the neighbors, over... under.. or on your sides... is to be your number one concern. Again just my opinion but I feel that Water is the biggest and worst, floods especially. If your running hydro than Id get a wet & dry Vac , largest volume, as I could find ....and then park it close. Id double line the flooring in the tent, with a new tarp, at the very least.. building some type of rigid floor pan would be more like it.

I say this because last year my bro flooded out his tent due to a cracked reservoir... it was for a 4 X 8 table.... dude... it soaked the whole carpet, then it dripped down to the apartment below him... soaked them to the point that some of the their ceiling collapsed. To make it worst... it was Nutrient solution.. He got evicted and had to pay all the damage. The only thing that saved him financially, was he had renters insurance. His tent had one of those heavy duty floor pans that they have but his tray was on a stand, and over the use of his tent the legs for the tray stand wore holes in the flooring at the contact points of the legs.. bummer....

I might add that I myself have grown in apartments and my bro prior to his flood had grown there with the same equipment for around two years with no problems... but it goes to show that you have to be on it., with the preventive maintenance.. checking that kind of stuff, like weekly....

anyway....... just my 2 cents
 
W

wegobigupnorth

that flooding situation is exactly why I am not doing a hydro grow. Not gonna be any floods with my 5 plant soil grow. I can't believe renters insurance covered damage that a grow op was the cause of! I see your from cali...Only in cali i guess LOL.
 

FirstTracks

natural medicator
Veteran
Kiddie pools or pond liners with 6" sides will prevent any of that flooding nonsense.
I'll second that notion that a shop vac is your friend.

Smokinherb22 has some good advice
 

JointOperation

Active member
I noticed.. with cool tubes.. u can get way better yields.. even horizontal.. then hoods..

because u can place your canopy in a U.. around the bulb.. allowing for side lighting to shoot out the sides.. and down on the plants.. and whats bouncing off the mini reflector.

I had a better yield from a 60inch cool tube with 2 1000 hps .. over 2 magnum xxxls ..

not sure if it was a fluke.. but I hit around a half lb more with the cool tube room.
 

JointOperation

Active member
also, fuck paying for a tent. a few screws, some wood and some black and white poly and you can make one just as good for prob 20% of the cost.

ya but with apartment grows you want to be able to take it down and get it out.. if needed.. wood and screws takes longer to take down.. and then u have wood to hide..

and first you have to get the wood into your apartment without looking suspicious lol ..

tents are great for rental growing..
 

JointOperation

Active member
believe me.. I wanted to build a false wall and build a nice grow room.. but I had to go with tents.. I bought virtual sun tents.. they show them built holding carbon filter fan hoods and shit.. so I figured id try.. I have to set them up.. I only setup a lil clone spot for now with a few domes.. until they get rooted.. then I will start the grow..


but tents.. are PERFECT for growing in areas were people are nosey.. especially rental properties.. if you get a call or letter saying the landlord wants to do a walk through.. u can rent a uhaul.. and go park it somewere..

with wood.. its a lil harder..

but since your in an apartment.. I would buy some black contractor trash bags.. a few big boxes the size you think your plants will end up being.. just incase anything happens u can bag the plants.. box them up.. and get them out ASAP. and clean up and be done..

also.. if u go with tents.. still do pond liner or a tarp on the ground... you don't want anything to fuck up.. and if u do hydro.. go with pond liner..

and .. wen u put up your tent. do a quick.. fake call.. just be like oo shit.. landlord will be here in 1 hour.. and try to get that shit packed up . cleaned.. and normal looking.. time yourself. so you know.. then add more time for plant packing..



if you don't.. u could really underestimate the timing.. and end up caught.. and that's our main goal here is to get great meds and not get any BS Charges.
 

George

Active member
Joint operation has got it down. This is the apartment life lol. ive built a room too using wood and tarps and they are cheaper and work great if you aren't a caveman during you build BUT for a rental, you won't be able to take it down and hide it faster than a tent of at least I cant. The tarps fold up, the poles are all 4 feet or less and interlocking. A 4x4x8 tent breaks down into 4' long 1" in diameter poles even the vertical poles, a wood based build would leave you 4' pieces just the same but they would be 2x4s and the vertical ones would be 8' long 2x4". IMO, rental grows need tents regardless of cost (they aren't too bad), but if you own your property then a diy is just as good (maybe even better since you can customize every aspect) and much cheaper. Staying out of jail could be a difference of 10mins in take down time, literally.
 

aridbud

automeister
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Apartment...LED in closet, window cracked for cross ventillation, carbon filter....and hope no repair issues for maintenance to appear unexpectedly.

Good luck!!
 

Gry

Well-known member
Veteran
I grow in an apt. Have for ten yes or so. Have medical issue and am able to grow here. Had to go to court over it and with the help of the judge no longer get hate mail from the landlord. I go with a couple 600 watt bulbs in the closet. Not sure about you, but I do not have squat for power to work with. My unit has four 15 amp breakers and one 20 amp for the bathroom heater. I was real fortunate in the maintenance man here is a real nice person and he has helped me out a lot. I still sweat blood over any little thing, as Murphy is no stranger to my life.
Wish you well. I think this is a really neat subject and would like to be able to see how others deal with things as they come up.
 
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Bmac1

Well-known member
Veteran
Money not an issue, I would have 2 5x5 tents with a vert 600-1000W in each with 4 big girls in each, using 7gal pots, growing into screens. Offset the light periods to only have one light on at a time and stagger the harvests by 4-4.5 weeks. That and a propagator tent for a couple mums and cuttings. Id be happy as shit but would definitely overkill on the odor control. Like landlord lives next door overkill.
 

woolybear

Well-known member
Veteran
No interest in LED's brother. Rookie question but how do I know my circuit can handle the power? I have plugged in two 400W lights and fans into the room I am using with no issues?

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP! Def using two filters and running magnetic ballasts :)

Tried using my bedroom 15 amps..... but it was 15 AFCI. AFCI means you're out of luck as the circuit would trip every few hours randomly. Run power from the bathroom and its fine.
 

Uchi Mata

Member
Problems you'll run into:

1. Inspections/mandatory maintenance.
2. Processing
3. Electrical draw
4. RFI
5. Social life

What works is:

8x8 tent:
-Maximize your space and veg in a closet or your 2x10 extra space.
-Tents are EASY to tear down in no time. When Problem #1 comes around (as it did for someone I know 3 times in a year), you can have the entire setup stashed in rubbermaids in a closet, plants in your vehicle if small enough, and the room turned into a home gym in under an hour. Much easier to leave no trace with a tent.

Vert:
-Maximize your limited space/wattage. 8x8 is perfect for a two-stack surrounded by racks.

Ventilation/Filtration:
-2x/min air exchange through an appropriately-sized Phresh filter = zero smell escaping the tent. An active intake will help keep the temps cooler. TD Mixvent fans are great for apartments...very quiet.
-Make sure you disguise the intake/exhaust, whether via windowbox or whatever.

Cooling:
-You need an A/C either in the room or ducted in. Heat will be your biggest problem, even if it's cool out and you run it at night.

Processing:
-You'll need a way to dry the plants in the same room as the carbon filter without all that airflow speed-drying them in a day. Closet works well.
-You'll need to dry/trim/package/cure in the same room. Do not take the plants outside of the growroom to trim in front of the TV because that smell WILL find its way into the common area/neighbor's apartment quicker than you think.

Electrical:
-Make sure the two lights are on different circuits. 2k on one circuit is a no-no.

RFI:
-Use magnetic ballasts or those low-frequency ones. This isn't always an issue, but when it is...it's an issue.

Social Life:
-Don't have one. Probably not worth the sacrifice to run 2k tbh.

Large Gym Bag and Contractor Bags:
-Try getting a bale of Pro-Mix into an apartment building stealthily without a massive hockey bag/gym bag lol...even with one it's pretty sketch.
-Contractor bags are necessary for taking things in and out of the house, storage, etc. They're like the duct tape of growing.

TL;DR....Inspections will ruin your life. There will most likely be at least 2 if not 4, which makes it virtually impossible to run anything perpetual. Many times there won't be a set time...they might say they're doing the smoke alarms throughout the next week. Good luck keeping your plants hidden and alive for that long. If I was going this route, I might want to have a buddy system where I could safely keep my plants alive for emergencies...but that opens up a whole 'nother set of issues...

Have a job, don't look like a scumbag, and be nice to your neighbors and the apartment staff. :tiphat:
 

CoCoSativas

Active member
Whats up IC maggers :) I currently live in an apartment which is sadly not the best choice for me to continue my favorite thing to do, grow my medicine. BUT, I do have the best apartment one could have to grow in.

I am on the very top floor and the corner unit. Only one neighbor on my side and they are far away from the room I will be using.

Its a two bedroom and I have a whole room to myself. I will measure soon but it is a nice space I'd say I have at least 8X10 feet to play with minimum BUT I do not want to do anything larger then 2000W, the room has a window and like I said I am on the top floor with no one above me and there is no roof access so I am thinking I can easy vent out the window? I dont know what would you guys do? I am open to getting a tent even. Should I? Only used them to veg stuff in before. Was looking at a 4 by 6 footer at the hydro shop. Looks perfect for one 1000W light.


If you wanted to set up a light or two in the room I just described and money was NOT to much of a concern (within reason of course) and wanted to maximum production, have amazing odor control and also ease of setting up as I am an outdoor grower as never done anything indoors except veg plants to be put outside which any idiot can do..

MY MAIN QUESTIONS ARE:

Would you get a grow tent?

I have been thinking about it just because it seems like the quickest and easiest way of starting up. I like how easy they go up and probably more important, come down. They keep the light in and seems like I could control the odor better with it.

What would you do for odor control?

I plan on doing soil, dare to talk an oldschool guy like me into hydro?

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

Use a portable ac for you temps. 2-500 bucks.
Get a can filter for sure.
You would vent the ac out the window so you could neck the ac exhaust and any other ductwork to blow out the window out of only one duct exit. Like a charcoal filters exhaust and your ac together with a t or y duct neck.
Id say go with the tent. Its safer and keeps water and moister off walls and carpets.

As far as hydro, theres always coco. Its cheap, fun, eazy, and comes in little 5kg blocks that hydrate to like 12-15 gal each. Im using gh flora and its so eazy, and my plants are very healthy and vigorous.
 

CoCoSativas

Active member
Problems you'll run into:

1. Inspections/mandatory maintenance.
2. Processing
3. Electrical draw
4. RFI
5. Social life

What works is:

8x8 tent:
-Maximize your space and veg in a closet or your 2x10 extra space.
-Tents are EASY to tear down in no time. When Problem #1 comes around (as it did for someone I know 3 times in a year), you can have the entire setup stashed in rubbermaids in a closet, plants in your vehicle if small enough, and the room turned into a home gym in under an hour. Much easier to leave no trace with a tent.

Vert:
-Maximize your limited space/wattage. 8x8 is perfect for a two-stack surrounded by racks.

Ventilation/Filtration:
-2x/min air exchange through an appropriately-sized Phresh filter = zero smell escaping the tent. An active intake will help keep the temps cooler. TD Mixvent fans are great for apartments...very quiet.
-Make sure you disguise the intake/exhaust, whether via windowbox or whatever.

Cooling:
-You need an A/C either in the room or ducted in. Heat will be your biggest problem, even if it's cool out and you run it at night.

Processing:
-You'll need a way to dry the plants in the same room as the carbon filter without all that airflow speed-drying them in a day. Closet works well.
-You'll need to dry/trim/package/cure in the same room. Do not take the plants outside of the growroom to trim in front of the TV because that smell WILL find its way into the common area/neighbor's apartment quicker than you think.

Electrical:
-Make sure the two lights are on different circuits. 2k on one circuit is a no-no.

RFI:
-Use magnetic ballasts or those low-frequency ones. This isn't always an issue, but when it is...it's an issue.

Social Life:
-Don't have one. Probably not worth the sacrifice to run 2k tbh.

Large Gym Bag and Contractor Bags:
-Try getting a bale of Pro-Mix into an apartment building stealthily without a massive hockey bag/gym bag lol...even with one it's pretty sketch.
-Contractor bags are necessary for taking things in and out of the house, storage, etc. They're like the duct tape of growing.

TL;DR....Inspections will ruin your life. There will most likely be at least 2 if not 4, which makes it virtually impossible to run anything perpetual. Many times there won't be a set time...they might say they're doing the smoke alarms throughout the next week. Good luck keeping your plants hidden and alive for that long. If I was going this route, I might want to have a buddy system where I could safely keep my plants alive for emergencies...but that opens up a whole 'nother set of issues...

Have a job, don't look like a scumbag, and be nice to your neighbors and the apartment staff. :tiphat:

I agree with everything said in this post for the most part. Rfi, cut your cords down really short...
I say coco because its so eazy to sneak in. You can fit 3 blocks in a home depot medium box.
Bonus too, coco yields really well.
I dont use contractor bags bringing stuff into my place if I can help it. Not unles its like a long box like my tents box, that lookes pretty normal. I actually try to only bring gear in every year or so if I can help it unless jts small or stealthy and I can bring it in without getting any wierd looks.

Id say get a tent that fits in a closet (like a 2'x4'), storage room or somewhere it can be hidden. Or put it in your spare room, buy a bunch of boxes and put them together. If the landlords coming, put them all up infront of the tent and say its the storage room. Get a 4x4 or smaller then its eazy to hide. If they ask, its your storage. Id be like hey its cheaper than a storage locker and its in my joint I dont have to worry about anyone messing with it. Remember to turn off the fan when they come.

They sell drying tents. No problem.

Social life? Whats that? Lol I dont know any growers who arent total hermits. Id rather hit the bong and chill with my wife and my plants

The electrical... You can use you bedroom plugs, or you could do some wiring if you can do it. You can check you panel and see if you have room. Do it right tho. Or If you dont use you oven (eat out alot, or willing to use a little countertop ones and an electronic skillet) you could plug a timer board into the range plug and run cords, or disconnect you oven from its breaker and hook up a ls2 to it or a 30 amp 240 v light controller. You could then plug in 4 lamps on 240 volt, like some gavitas (i love them)

Apartment growing is a challenge, but you can do it. Think hard about any and all problems you can have, then solve them. The grow shops carry a million ways to make it work.

If you did hydro, no bringing up subtrate except perlite or hydroton/hydrocorn, or rockwool but then you have to change water. Your toilet will be your only drain really...

Dont move florering plants if you can help it, only veg plants. Thats way too much extra crazy heat
 

woolybear

Well-known member
Veteran
Inspections have been no problem for me. Sucks but still, all the inspectors do is peek into your apartment for like a second. Maybe its different in other states?

I've had city light come in and change all the lightbulbs while I had two tents running. Just had to throw a large piece of fabric over the main tent and be in the apartment while they do their thing. Its none of their business what you have going on and inspector type people are generally not weed degens in my experience
 
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