Last Minute Questions

[thatguy_247]

ok, after almost a year of wishing i might finally be ready to start my first grow. just a few last minute questions for the experts : )

the grow will be a 250W HPS/MH in cooltube with a 225 m3/h systemair fan and carbon filter. the cabinet is an old wardrobe measuring 50cm deep, 75cm wide and 1m tall. planning on a straight soil grow in 5liter square pots and problebly going to use the canna bloom nutes towards the end. first grow will be some donated mystery seeds (could be bagseed, could be decent genetics)

1) how many seed should i germ? there are around 30-40 seeds to play with so i was thinking 15 or so... planning on the standard damp paper towel germination in case you're curious.
2) assuming plenty germ, how many should i start in soil? im planning on using the 5 liter buckets from the start so the max possible would be around 10-14. was thinking 10 to start but open to suggestions.
3) should i take the leap into scrog for a first grow, LST, or just let em go wild?
i was thinking 20 hours on 4 hours off with the MH bulb in to start. then switching to 12/12 with HPS at around 20cm of growth till the end.

i feel like i've read everything there is to read about growing but everyday i still finding something new so please let me know if im missing anything here. i'm pretty sure i have the basics understood. i guess it comes down to lack of experience so im still a bit nervous about the details. i have a super basic sketch of the cab in my gallery btw if it helps. the interiour will be black/white plastic and the bottom will have a rubber liner for any spillage while watering. should begin construction next week, assuming all the parts arrive safely this week. well thanks for any feedback and thanks for all the great advice you guys give on these boards.
oh one last thing, how come everytime i make a post and try to add a photo from my gallery i get an error asking me to remove all URLs from my post. i apologize in advance for my stonerness, sometime i'm a bit slow

 

[Haps]

Hey TG, a bunch of folks have read your questions and not replied, me too, because I do not know how to use a space that small. You might want to go through all the micro and cabinet grows till what someone there does looks good and makes sinse to you, that is what I would do.
H

 

[thatguy_247]

hmmm, well i really appreciate the feedback but im a bit confused. TheGhosts 250 stealth medical cab ( http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=31172 ) is only slightly larger and i've seen several grows based off his model. i mean if this is too small i definetly need to hear it : ) but i was under the impression that this space would be fine especially with the 250 in a cooltube. even with pots and lights i should be able to grow a plant around 2 ft tall before it would be touching the cooltube. with light stress training or scrog shouldnt i be able to fully mature at least 2 or 3 plants a go? again though, this is my first ever attempt so if im making a mistake, great, as long as i figure it out now : ) i was just really hoping to be able to make this sucessful ( provide 2 regular smokers ) in this particular cabinet. i could post a pic of the space in question but im still unsure of how to post pics within the post and i hate directing people off the boards with a link...

EDIT:: the interior measurments would be 3ft 3in tall x 1 ft 7in deep x 2ft 4in wide

 

[thatguy_247]

any more feedback / advice?? now im kinda wiggin out thinking i mighta screwed up or something. if anyone has any thoughts on this or advice please let me know. i don't really want to move forward on construction if its all for nothing : (

 

[hoosierdaddy]

I think you will be fine with that size cab.
But you are going to find that it will service far fewer plants than you were expecting.
A 250 is not real powerful, so you need to utilize it as efficiently as possible. I would suggest looking at a vertical light set-up, especially since you are using a tube.
You will get the most out of that lamp with probably 4 plants and using a vert position.
You could also do a horiz screen with 2-4 plants, or a SOG with maybe 6-8.
But realize that the 250 is not going to penetrate lots of branching. You would want single cola sticks for a SOG.
JMO, your mileage may vary.

I have a 58cm x 48cm footprint in my cab. You can see my vert tube set-ups there.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Haps got it right. Go through the Mills Pride Club and any of the 150 and 250 clubs until something bites your brain. No one will accuse you of stealing. It's why people post their stuff, in the hopes it will help someone else.

That said, my cab is somewhat similar in size to yours, 56cm x 74cm x 137cm using a 250 watt CMH. A 250 doesn't penetrate that far, you'll want some form of canopy control. I haven't tried vertical but it wouldn't cost you any vertical space. Your pots will cost you maybe 22cm leaving about 77cm of growth space. Growing horizontally would cost you another 22cm or so of space for the tube at the top. With LST SOG or ScROG you'd have 50-55 cm of growth space. Tight but doable.

 

[thatguy_247]

thanks for the quick reply guys! i've got to wait on the fan now. I 'accidently' got the wrong fan... some guy was selling a systemair on ebay with no infomation on the auction. ended up getting it for pretty cheap but it turns out its a 950 m3/h monster. so in anyone needs a friggin huge systemair let me know : P the guy at my local growshop wants me to try a 'silent box' instead anyways so he is going to give me one next month if im willing to wait. can't argue with free so the waiting begins : ) i have to see exactly what size and shape this new fan turns out before i can go much farther but for now im thinking of putting the silent box on top of the cabinet and the carbon scrubber on top of the silent box. this way the only thing taking up space in my cabinet would be the cooltube. when i need the cabinet to be stealthy then, which should only be for visitors, i can throw a cardboard box over the fan box and scrubber. oh, and i understand the benefits of verticle but for whatever reason it still scares me for a first grow : ) thanks again for the help and ill keep yall posted.

TG