First Room Build Design

[tussenvanons]

So I've been researching a quite a bit now and these fourms have been very helpful so I thought I'd ask a couple questions in hope to get some answers for myself and others in the future. I think this is the right place to post this as it's kind of a two sided question I think that I know the setup I want but that will be dependent on the type of grow.

I have a space thats 12'x14'x8' I'd like to convert into a grow space. (FYI: I will be compliant with local law limiting my plant count to 12.) I will be vegging in a separate room thats about 7'x7'x7'. I'm also in a climate that ranges from about 20s-30s in the winter and 70s-80s in the summer.

I plan on insulating the room completely and adding a 36k btu mini split, dehuey, bottled co2, scrubbing with carbon filter. All of my ballasts will be outside of the room so that extra heat will not be a worry. And the room will be completely sealed up the whole 9 yards. My initial idea was to run 6 or 9 600w horizontals (bare bulb) and some hangers for the dark spots .

I'll be growing in coco also if that helps, no experience in a full hydro system and don't want to mess with that until I can dial in everything on this big a scale in a much more KISS friendly manner. To maximize efficiency in the room I wanted to have the greatest yield (obviously who doesn't). I was looking at some of the vertical tree grows and have never done a grow like this (my grow experience is limited to a few closet grows with only a 400 and some fans, nothing this big, and that was years ago).

Now that you have some background I guess my biggest questions would be should I go for tree grows this big off the bat in such a large space? Or go a few runs regular to get a feel of something this much bigger? Also should I vent or go with the mini split?

Also if I do go horizontal I plan on getting either adjust a wing or similar reflectors I can hang vertically in the corners of the room.

Any input would be helpful, going over this design/style 20 times will only make it better in the end

 

[tussenvanons]

Anyone have any input on design/criticism?

 

[tussenvanons]

Ok well heres some more added info.

The total space I'm working with in the larger area is 18'x12'x7'. I've built a wall that divides it into a 12'x12' and 5'x8' area. But the max length i can build it would divide the space to 14'x12' and 3'x8'.

I'm thinking of pushing the wall back a couple feet and using a 14'x12' for flower and 3'8' for mother's/cloning (veg will be in a separate space completely about 7'x'7) Looking back I want to maximize the space I've got and before I go too far I want to get some input on ratio design on wether or not I should add more space to the flower room?

What size rooms would work best?

 

[Mikell]

I voted sealed vert. Huge fan of using caned pots to build walls o' weed and not a fan at all of factoring in outdoor conditions. V-SCROG is more efficient use of light, but labour intensive. Generally with fixed pots as well, though Ichabod has a great modular set up. One suggestion would be venting at lights out to dump CO2 and humidity.

You may want to get your feet wet with a single donut/screen before jumping in the pool, it's not everyones cup-o-tea.

Your plan sounds well thought out, something of a rarity in this line at times.

Also should I vent or go with the mini split?

Not entirely sure what you mean. Vent/No CO2 vs. Mini-Split/CO2? I prefer the latter, if I understood that correctly.

 

[tussenvanons]

I would not put co2 if I was venting hot air out and pulling cool air in. I'd only use co2 if I ran a sealed room with a mini split A/C unit. I'm leaning toward the sealed, it's just better to control as many variables as possible IMO, that has it's pros and cons of course but being tentative to the space should pay off. So I'm not as scared of the labor intensive aspect, you get out what you put in right?

I think I'll run a test set up in an area I'll section off to see how it goes with a vert then take it from there. I'm just trying to avoid buying unnecessary equipment that I won't need. I was thinking worst case scenario I can put the reflectors vertical instead of horizontal in the corners of the room if I decide on vertical. Haven't seen that done but I'm sure it could work out and a good way to recycle equipment and not let it go to waste.

I'm pretty set on the sealed room, I like having control, guess I'm a control freak in that sense.

I guess my biggest question now is sizing (note previous post) any advice on the two different sets of room sizes I can make?

 

[Mikell]

Completely agree on the control, and you do get out what you put in Definitely check out Ichabods thread then, it's good all around read.

Sizing really depends on how many mums you plan on keeping around, and how small you prefer to keep them. If you're a strain whore, the extra space would be keen. Most strains respond well to root pruning and aggressive foliage pruning, with small pots and a bit of work you can yield more than enough for your needs from the smaller space.

 

[tussenvanons]

Mikell, Thanks for the useful information and your help. I actually ended up going with the sealed horizontal. I went with the Gavita 6/750's for the simple fact that theres EMI. That was huge to me in keeping it as stealth as possible.

I will however be setting up a smaller vert grow with only 1 or 2 lights in a walk in closet, that info you posted was very helpful. I read it before but not as in depth and there's a lot to learn there and g/w is definitely there with the vert, any input on the quality with the little light? I don't think there'd be a huge sacrifice as the light would be that much closer and just simply be able to cover that much more space.

 

[J-zee]

If you build it they will come.

 

[Mikell]

You can't go wrong with those DE, a lot of people are switching over.

Quality re: ?

 

[tussenvanons]

I have no complaints thus far other than the heat but that seems to be a problem across the board.

I've done some experimenting with them as well to figure out cooling, I created another thread for that to see if other people were having problems and to spread some information. Mostly that 6 DE lights pulling 4500 watts are going to run cooler than 9 lights pulling 4500 watts. This DE technology is not simply watt to btu for cooling, the number of fixtures comes into play for sure, and not only just because of the ballast (3 more fixtures is only about another 100w and those ballast run cool. I mean real cool, so much so that I would be willing to place any part of my body on that ballast after running 24/7 for a week straight.

 

[Granger2]

Depending on climate, sealed w/AC, CO2, dehum is the way to go. The one factor that made me go that way was humidity. If you don't have it under control at all times, disaster lies in wait. PM and Botritus will devastate a crop, or cause you to smoke chems that no one will benefit from. Good luck. -granger

 

[tussenvanons]

Yes I wanted to eliminate that problem completely, why I went with the mini split, bottled co2 and dehum. I went with bottled for 2 reasons 1. Heat 2. Burner gases (some problems I've read with people having with the burners, although I don't know anyone personally who's had these problems I just wanted to eliminate it right off the bat if possible)

 

[Mikell]

You can usually shave a point or two off the temperature by raising the dehum as high as possible. About all I can offer

 

[tussenvanons]

Any advice is much appreciated. Thx again Mikell