grow space question

[anemecc]

Hello,

I have a wardrobe that i want to use to grow , here is a picture with measurements, also note that i can remove the top shelf or lower it. :

Now.. I am thinking of getting a 400w HPS light and growing 4 plants in here. Does that sound good? the leaves and stuff will rub against the walls of it, is that bad and does it make the plant not grow anymore? ( i am new to this, will be my first grow )

also maybe i could lower that top shelf and have 2 sections?

please share your ideas and what you would do with it.

thanks

 

[Hal Jordan]

Hey man, that doesnt look to bad. Is the top foot for your light?
Your plants are ok rubbing or touching the wall, just dont have them shoved up against it. If they are so squeezed against the wall they get no light or air you are better off with less plants.

also maybe i could lower that top shelf and have 2 sections?
Not with two 400 lights you couldn't. Well at least not without some serious fan firepower. You could probably grow two bush plants in there or one wide one. It all depends on your grow style. You could just get two scrog cabs in there two. Grow style will make a big diff on if it's ok or not.

What type of grow style are you looking at and what do you have for fans, etc. Are you thinking soil or 'dro?

Oh ya, welcome to growing. You, my friend, have no idea what kind of fun your in for.

 

[anemecc]

I was thinking of putting the 400w light under the first shelf.

Grow style: Just planning on doing normal soil growing. with 4-5 gallon pots ( smaller sizes to start , and hopefully get 4 female plants). For fans i will put a couple 120mm comp fans in the back exhausting, maybe one near middle and one closer to the top. and one at the front moving air in.

Maybe i could get a few flouros. for the top shelf ( and move it down a lil so their is room) and just grow some short bushy strain.

Also their are 2 doors that pullout at the front of this. i could leave em open for more ventilation.

 

[Tom]

I use something similar for my mother/clone cabinet, I would keep the top shelf where it is and keep the ballast up there, I would also vent with a fairly high powered fan into that section and then out from there, this would make it easier to baffle the light and keep the temperature down, PC fans are not powerful enough for that size grow space using a 400w HID.

I would also hang the light on a chain so that it can be adjusted for maximum effect, line the cupboard with Panda film, Mylar or paint it with flat white ceiling paint.

Also their are 2 doors that pullout at the front of this. i could leave em open for more ventilation.

This can cause many problems from making it very obvious what you are doing to attracting every insect to move in to your grow room. A good GR is air and light tight except for ventilation purposes, you need a well controlled environment to grow successfully indoors.

 

[Ice Cold]

I was going to say what Tom said about the shelf and the ballast (and everything else).. Does it sit off the floor?? If so you could put light tight intakes there, if not you will need to put them in the back and use pvc or something with a bend to keep the light out.. and a Strong exhaust blowering out the top to manage a 400w in there.. the comp fans would be ok for active intake, or just blowing over the plants and right on the bulb to keep it cooler..

You will have to light tight the doors too.. one method is too brace them together on stonger hinges and make it one door so not as many cracks to manage..

 

[anemecc]

I was going to say what Tom said about the shelf and the ballast (and everything else).. Does it sit off the floor?? If so you could put light tight intakes there, if not you will need to put them in the back and use pvc or something with a bend to keep the light out.. and a Strong exhaust blowering out the top to manage a 400w in there.. the comp fans would be ok for active intake, or just blowing over the plants and right on the bulb to keep it cooler..

You will have to light tight the doors too.. one method is too brace them together on stonger hinges and make it one door so not as many cracks to manage..

ya it sits a few inches off the floor. , but i was thinking of putting an intake at the front , cause their are framed plastic sheets in the 2 doors i can easily cut . and i could duct the air upwards.

Also, i can get 120mm pc fans that are 165CFM, is that still not enough?

 

[Ice Cold]

It doesnt matter where you put you intakes just get the exhaust opposite.. if the are bottom front, but the exhuast top back...

2 of them exhausting out may be enough.. IS the reflector air cooled??

 

[anemecc]

here is a pic of the front

i will cover the inside with mylar.

 

[anemecc]

It doesnt matter where you put you intakes just get the exhaust opposite.. if the are bottom front, but the exhuast top back...

2 of them exhausting out may be enough.. IS the reflector air cooled??

no the reflector i am going to get isnt air cooled, will it make a big difference if i get one that is?

 

[anemecc]

and for the cracks i could just get foam in there. that should do the trick i think.

actually on 2nd thought, i think the light will go through

 

[Tom]

no the reflector i am going to get isnt air cooled, will it make a big difference if i get one that is?

Yes, you are supposed to wait until after you harvest before cooking your mj , ventilation serves two purposes, a constant fresh supply of CO2 and cooling. Your grow space is going to need a lot of cooling and the light is a major source of heat, a ventilated hood (with glass shield) also lets you get the light much closer to the plants without burning them.

 

[closetking]

Toms right on the heat issue.

I have a 430 vented with 280 cfm in my closet and I learned immediatly I would have to leave the doors open and push lots of extra air into it. I would recommend using a smaller wattage and still keep the doors open when lites on. that means being home morning and nite during flower to open and close them.

My 1000w is in a 12x12 room, vented the same way, and still puts out lots of heat. I have central ac (on 10 mnths a yr) and still keep the room door open with a fan in the doorway and an ocillating one in the room. Thats one of the reasons I have it on a mover.

 

[anemecc]

ya i think im just gonna play is safe and use a 250watt HPS, cheaper too

 

[closetking]

Get yourself a thermometer and check out the temps b4 planting. With a little tweaking and good air flow from bottom to top, you'll do okay.

 

[anemecc]

yep going to buy one