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CFL or HPS for small stealth grow area

C

CantBe2High

Member
I am designing a small grow room for personal use, just a couple plants flowering at a time, and I am focusing on short strains.

Its in a very small attic area (about 8x8x10), so heat is a bit of a concern, although the Cental AC is near and I plan to tap an AC duct. I am debating going with a 200W CFL from Farmtek, or a 150W HPS (could go a bit more, but want to keep my total power level to 300-400W). We live in the south so it gets hot, but I mainly just want to keep a couple mothers alive in the summer and they will be in a little grow cab and in the summer I can put as much of the AC air into the grow box as I need (I think). I will just do one or two grows in the winter as its just for me and gifts to friends.

I am concerned about stealth, quality, safety and heat control more than yield. Also, money is not an issue (I am an old stoner with more cash than bud). The room has access to outside air, as well as central AC ducts and the light will be on a chain that can be adjusted easily.

I am afraid the HPS would get hot, at times I travel for up to a week or more so can't give the plants constant attention. I grew a bit in college and remember coming back after Christmas brake to smell smoke as my plants had grown into the lights!

So, give me your opinions, hopefully backed by some experience, 200W full spectrum CFL vs. 150W HPS. You make the call! Like I said, I can go up to 200W HPS as well.

Also, any ventilation suggestions would be welcome. Planning to tap into the AC, put a small fan to blow cool air (in summer, warm air in winter) and pump out the area with an inline fan into a carbon scrubber.
 
311grower

311grower

New member
I grow in a small metal storage closet (ya know the one with the 2 doors and a closet bar across the top) and I use a 400 watt HPS. I made an air cooled hood with 4" duct fans cooling it. my temps are around 85.

one concern is that you will be gone for up to a week at a time, what are you going to do about watering?

other than that You'll be fine-sounds like you need to get building ;)
 
Smoking Gun

Smoking Gun

Active member
I would look into a T-5 unit if I were you. From what I can tell you have 80 square feet of floor space. If you plan to use that entire area you will need more power than either the 200 w CFL or the 150 w HPS will offer. Your lumens should be about 70 or so per square foot. The T-5's will offer higher lumen output, with more penetration and low heat. This will certainly help alleviate cooling problems from HID lights.

As for cooling and ventilation, if you duct off of the central air thats ok, but would you have separate control of that area? I would also suggest having an oscillating fan in the room to keep a constant breeze that kinda mimics nature. Other than that you may ant to look into carbon filters for an exhaust system. If you have a fan pushing air out of the area through a carbon filter you can blow the air directly out of your home, with no problems. If you are concerned about the smell leaking into your home you can set up HEPA filters around the exterior of the space.

I hope this helps a bit.
 
Smoking Gun

Smoking Gun

Active member
311grower said:
I grow in a small metal storage closet (ya know the one with the 2 doors and a closet bar across the top) and I use a 400 watt HPS. I made an air cooled hood with 4" duct fans cooling it. my temps are around 85.

one concern is that you will be gone for up to a week at a time, what are you going to do about watering?

other than that You'll be fine-sounds like you need to get building ;)
Click to expand...

Good call on the watering. I forgot about that. If you set up a drip feed system you should be ok for leaving it for a few days. I would try to not leave the system unattended for more than 6 or 7 days. For best results constant attention and care are required. I would also use soil rather than Hydro or CoCo. The soil will retain the moisture for a little longer than other methods.
 
C

CantBe2High

Member
Lots of fast replies

Lots of fast replies

Thanks for the fast replies. I was thinking about automatic watering. Its rare, but sometimes I do travel for an entire week and my wife wants to have nothing to do with this so I can't involve her.

I could go up to 400WHPS, I think my circuit would handle it, but remember, I only plan to have 1 or 2 plants at a time flowering, and my actually grow surface area is about 4x4. I could also get 2 125W CFL fixtures

As for ventilation, There is the usual attic grate I could put an attic or some sort of fan in (with a carbon filter in front of it). The grate is about a foot square, so would I use a regular attic fan, an inline fan, a duct fan, they are all confusing. There is a big white cardboard box, believe it or not, where all the ducts combine and is the output of the heater/cooler -- its actually just a small attic in a small guest house, not my main house. So I was going to put in a duct with some sort of fan so I could point this at the flowers.

I am sure there will be some trial and error. The inline fans seem so expensive, even though I have the money I don't want to waste it. My wife wants no odor, so odor control is important, but I don't want to overdo it. Would a carbon filter be enough, or need a can filter?
 
311grower

311grower

New member
home depot sells 4" inline duct fans for about $30 or so...that and some dryer vent tubing and you'll be ok
 
Smoking Gun

Smoking Gun

Active member
Ok, I would definitely go with soil and a drip feed system. When you do go out of town make sure you have a full reservoir.

If you purchase a carbon filter large enough odor won't be a problem. An inline fan would be great, they are the easiest to integrate into systems and they are highly effective. A squirrel cage fan would be ok. I would look into finding a system that comes with both fan and filter.

You seem to be stuck on the idea of using HPS or CFL's. I am telling you the T-5's are going to be your best bet. You can purchase them in 4 foot lengths or 2 foot lengths. They are flourecent lights but I do believe they are more effective than the CFL's. The system may run you a few more bucks, but the output of your plants will make up for that initial cost. Plus they can be used for both veg and bloom stages.
 
Y

YwouldntI

wassup cantbe2high,i know right now you say you'll only have 2 plants at a time,but trust me you will want more.growing is as,or more enjoyable as smoking is.in ur area you could easily get a 600 in there.that will save you the money that youll spend later when you decide you want more plants in there.air cooled you could probably put a 1000 in there if your power can handle it.peace
 
C

CantBe2High

Member
Not opposed

Not opposed

Smoking Gun said:
Ok, I would definitely go with soil and a drip feed system. When you do go out of town make sure you have a full reservoir.

If you purchase a carbon filter large enough odor won't be a problem. An inline fan would be great, they are the easiest to integrate into systems and they are highly effective. A squirrel cage fan would be ok. I would look into finding a system that comes with both fan and filter.

You seem to be stuck on the idea of using HPS or CFL's. I am telling you the T-5's are going to be your best bet. You can purchase them in 4 foot lengths or 2 foot lengths. They are flourecent lights but I do believe they are more effective than the CFL's. The system may run you a few more bucks, but the output of your plants will make up for that initial cost. Plus they can be used for both veg and bloom stages.
Click to expand...

I am not opposed at all to T-5's. Any suggestions on length, number of bulbs, kelvin's, and good places to get them? Thanks for pointing out that option!
 
C

CantBe2High

Member
Not Mutually Exclusive I guess.

Not Mutually Exclusive I guess.

Well, I just bought a 400W HPS, and thinking of also having some T5's for vegging and if I run into heat problems. With access to the AC in the room, I should be able to manage heat -- plus the vent from a downstairs bathroom goes into the room and actually has an opening, so its easy to suck air from down below. But I can always just shut down in the summer, but hoping a small, enclosed CFL veg closet would keep a couple mothers alive.

Thanks for the suggestions. Will be a few weeks before I have it all put together and going. Want to do a quick grow to try it out and get some bud, so thinking of Lowryder II as its short and fast.
 
T

The Dank

Member
I would order something other than lowryder since you do have the space. With any strain you can pull a few buds here and there after about 30 days flowering. Of course you reduce some yield, and it won't be as strong or tasty, but with a 400 you'll be fine. Make a 2.5 ft. x 2.5 ft. space, and I would get an inline fan, air cool the 400 to outside pulling through the carbon filter, and exhausting to outside. You can pipe in AC if you need it, but you could probably just pull air from either outside, or somewhere in the house like you were talking about. My only issue from pulling within the house is people may wonder what in the heck the exhaust noise is, or why that vent is always on...Maybe just the AC duct would be enough intake, and even when the ac wasn't running it would pull air from somewhere...but i am not sure about that one, someone else would have to address that.

Also consider insulating and drywalling in your little space in the attic to try and better control the temp. You are going to want to grow year round. Go ahead and build a 4' x 2.5' room and then put a wall in to partition the 2.5' x 2.5' area. Have the other area 1.5' x 2.5' dedicated to veg. you can make either 2 veg areas in that space since you won't need as much vertical height, or you can have one of them be your utility room where the fan and ballast will be housed.

Since you have the budget, do it right the first time and you and your plants will be happier. Stealth first, don't tell anyone, stress that to your wife also.

I would order a few strains, and plant at least 10 to start with just to be SURE you get at least 2-5 females. Def. go with soil to start with. Get your space the way you want it, and up and running before planting though. It makes it harder to work on the room when you have plants in.
 
G

Guest

Get the 150, they are on ebay as regular lights for like 30 doller auctions. Do this and mod it to a cool tube. Your gonna have to cool it anyway, some people are even cool-tubing some floros these days. I wouldn't mess with lowryder indoors because I have heard it neither produces a lot or is powerful. Also ruderalis isn't considered the best for indoor breeding as unwanted ruderalis traits come out later in life. Who needs an early finishing strain anyway You can grow sideways my friend. All you need is Patience, Patience, patience. Patience. You can grow 4 ounces off one plant under a 150.
 
Smoking Gun

Smoking Gun

Active member
CantBe2High said:
I am not opposed at all to T-5's. Any suggestions on length, number of bulbs, kelvin's, and good places to get them? Thanks for pointing out that option!
Click to expand...


Sorry about not getting right back to you, too many posts in a 24 hour period. But T-5's can be purchased at your local hydro store. If I were you, I would purchase 2 two foot units. They usually come with a four bulb set-up. They more often than not have a Kelvin of 6500, and the wattage I am not 100% sure of for a 2 foot unit, but on a 4 foot unit the bulbs are 54 watts each. The best part is low wattage usage and low heat with a good lumen output.

The 400w was not a bad purchase. I hope it works well for you. I would think about cooling the bulb though, for a small space.
 
green_grow

green_grow

Active member
Veteran
the floor space you are planning on using is too big for the light you are using . you have 4' x 4' = 16 sq. ft . ... using the generally accepted minimum of 50 watts/sq. ft. you would need 50 x 16 = 800 watts. you will need to shrink your grow space . i say shrink your grow space, rather than increase your lighting, because your 400 watter is powerful enough to produce the quantity of ganja you are talking about. the A/C system that you are tapping into should have no problem cooling a small grow. definitely use a drip system because a week is a long time for a ganja plant.
 
facelift

facelift

This is the money you could be saving if you grow
Veteran
8x8x10 is not a small area for stealth. The thing about stealth is that it's small enough to go undetected. That it uses a small about of energy so it's not noticed by the electric company or the people paying the bill. Since you can hide an area that large, you should go with CFL's. You could even go so far to have someone else buy your supplies.
 
N

Nickelv17

Member
Although I have seen some pretty amazing stuff done with regular 42watt Cfls.HPS is the way to go and don't get a light from home depot even though that will work a light designed to grow plants and stay cool is better than a light designed to light up a parking lot. as for the watering have you considered using a hydro, or aeroponics setup they really are not very hard to use at all and they show INSANE results my buddy with a couple deep water cultures under a 150w hps grows some bushes. I recommend the strain Critical mass by Mr. Nice seed. It is nice bud and the plant has such a high yield that you have to stake it up or it will snap under the weight of the bud. :joint:
 
FreezerBoy

FreezerBoy

Was blind but now IC Puckbunny in Training
Veteran
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