I've stepped out of the box!

[pieceofmyheart]

Well my rubbermaid grow days are over, it was a great learning experience but I needed to move on.
Just completed this so it still needs some tweaking here and there but I couldn't wait to show everybody.
Approximately 9 square feet, 150 Watt HPS. I've added a couple of cfl's since the area is a bit big for this light. But the extra space helps with heat problems.
I have 4 in there just out of my veg cab, the OPT is still in there maturing.....hurry up!!

 

[supernerd]

haha nice pomh

 

[pieceofmyheart]

The size looks deceiving in these pics, it's smaller than it looks here.
I have the light 15 inches above the tops of the plants.

It is just shy of being 3X3X3. I lined it with the solar shades they make to put against your car window. I used the cheaper, thin ones. I sewed two of them together and sewed them onto a heavy curtain and that is my door.

I really am not sure that little fliter I have been using is going to be enough, I will need some odor eliminator in the near future.

I have a fan blowing in through a piece of duct work in the bottom back and my filter is there also. Then the 2 fans that are in there, one blowing on the light , the other on my plants.
I have the ballast outside of the area.

 

[Guest]

Alright!!!!!!!!!!
You go girl!!!!!!!

Bh

 

[Teresa]

Nice little set up pieceofmyheart .I think you could drop that light a little closer :wink: .

 

[pieceofmyheart]

How close do you think? This is my first use of the hps, being too conservative?

 

[Teresa]

I use the back of the hand trick to hot for your hand to hot for the plant's.My 250 watter usually sit's at around 6 inches from top of plant's :friends: :wink: .

 

[pieceofmyheart]

Cool, thanks. I shall move it down a bit then.

 

[Guest]

You made a good little set-up there man. I like the reflective shades. Good job. Good luck with the grow show.

 

[sproutco]

Get your light closer to the plants. Use your hand to make sure it it not too hot to the tops. Here's the hps lighting chart: http://www.icmag.com/ic/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=150896&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

 

[pieceofmyheart]

Wow! Thanks sproutco.

 

[Jam Master Jaco]

3x3 leaves a lot of room for upgrades . Nice box though. Here's another suggestion, move both cfls to the very middle of the 4 plants. Kinda like a weaker version of deep canopy penetration. But otherwise, without a reflector on those cfls, you're losing light on the parts that aren't shining towards a plant.

 

[mean mr.mustard]

Looks great POMH! Glad to see you out and about

 

[sproutco]

I think if you upgrade, get a 400 watt metal halide to use with the 150 hps. You want bout' 30 watts per square foot veg and 60 watts per square foot flower (overgrow facts). Full room=9 square feet 400+150=550 watts total 550 divided by 9=61 watts per square foot. Using both lamps, you will have an excellent mixed spectrum of both blue and red wavelengths of light. Ask anytime if I can help you more.

 

[pieceofmyheart]

Heat build up could be a problem with a 400.
I have plenty of cfl's I could have them encircling the plants if necessary. Also I have tin foil twisted inside the cfl (Maj Pothead's thing).

I lowered the light to 6 inches above the plants.

 

[2buds]

POMH, very nice. The nature of the beast, always want it bigger. And they say size doesn't matter??? You know when those plants fill out it will look small but till then enjoy the extra space girly girl.
Check this link it has a chart in it for light heights:
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=19341&highlight=light+chart

Peace,
2buds

This thread has a chart too:
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=16325&highlight=candle+lumens

 

[stevr59]

looking good so far... i love what you did with the solar shades i just might try that in my box on the next grow... but i think if it where me i would move up to a 400 watt or at lest a 250.. think i will pull up a chair and wach the show lets she what she can do...
peace sweety

 

[Makavellian]

hey pomh, how about putting the cfls between the plants so that all the light from the cfls are directed at the plants

 

[Guest]

POMH

Have you thought about setting up for a scrog? Since you are somewhat limited on height it might be the way to go to make the max. use of your floor space & get the most yield. Simple way to go: make a frame from pvc pipe & throw chicken wire over it.


Bh

 

[mrwags]

I use the back of the hand trick to hot for your hand to hot for the plant's.My 250 watter usually sit's at around 6 inches from top of plant's :friends: :wink: .

My dear take heart in the fact ya got Teresa in your corner. She makes us men look silly but being a women and all what can ya expect. Congrats on the new setup now lets see if i can find some Jimmy and some Janis and of course a little dead so that we may fill those pots with love.


Mr.Wags