looking to build a box that will support 3-6 plants

[sdsmoker32]

hey everybody,
im looking for some advice, i am looking to build a grow box for 3-6 plants and was thinking about using plywood to build it and support it with 2x4s and have a door with a lock, and also paint the inside white so that the light will reflect well.
so what do you suggest i do for: ventilation, lighting, type of hydro to use my friend used coco. and also how to transport the clones from the club to my house, 109 miles. it sucks.
thanks one love

 

[bounty29]

I bought a cabinet from Home Depot, I use a 150w HPS, and I'm running 3 plants, which have gotten quite large, and I think it's perfect. The dimensions are about 14"x22"x72". With each run I've used the vertical space more and more efficiently, I think after this grow I might be able to put both my veg and flower chambers in the one cabinet with no real loss of efficiency. My next run I'll be doing around 10 plants, obviously smaller plants, but I think the size of my cabinet would be good for you. I'm using coco with great results.

For the clone transportation, get a cooler or lunchbox or something, and put the clone in a ziploc bag, breathe into it to inflate it, seal it, and throw it in the cooler with something cold. When you get home, do whatever you do with clones.

 

[sdsmoker32]

is there anyway you can send me some pics?
what type of nutrients etc.... do you need?
ive been smoking weed for a long time and never grew
thanks.

 

[bounty29]

Check out the Blockhead grow in my link, lots of info there. I'm using a very simple feeding plan, 100% coco for the medium, 150w CFL for veg/clone/mothers. I wish I had started growing with the materials I have now, I can't imagine how many buds I'd have stockpiled by now. Things have been going perfectly the past few months, and it's been easy as hell.

If you're just starting out and want to learn the basics, get some coco, the General Hydroponics Flora Micro and Flora Bloom, and a light. Keep temperatures within range and don't slack off on watering, and you can grow some beautiful plants.

 

[darrinjefferson]

sdsmoker32 take a look at the link in my signature. the 400watt champ
it has a 400watt light and fits in a closet. it hold anywhere from 4-6 plants even in flower. first harvest was 10oz. with a perpetual I was able to pull a pound off of 6 plants.
if you have any questions just feel free to ask
good luck
late

 

[bounty29]

There's lots of ways to do it, it all depends how big you want to go.

 

[sdsmoker32]

i was thinking about cutting the tops or the bottoms off so that more nutrients go to the middle of the plant what do you guys suggest? also where and how much would a 150w bulb/lamp set up cost? or a 400w? and what would i need for ventilation?
thanks again this is helping alot

 

[bounty29]

Ventilation will probably be your biggest cost. The higher wattage you run, the more you'll need to spend on a fan that will keep your setup running at good temperatures. My 150w setup, which I bought as a ballast, socket, and bulb, plus the cost of the wiring and stuff, came out to be less than $100. I then built a few different DIY hoods with it, most of which just got thrown away. Money down the drain...

Plan your grow 10 times before you spend any money, and think of absolutely everything you'll need to get to your goal. You'll save a lot. The 4" vortex I got for it was I believe around $120, plus the carbon filter you'll need if you want any sense of security was about $60 for DIY, but I'm actually going out tomorrow to buy a real one for $120~. These purchases add up, but it's all a learning process.

If you can research enough so that you know exactly what you want, and you know it will work, you will be on your way to an extremely gratifying first grow. If you don't take the time to plan everything out, you could end up with a frustrating begin to your growing career.

 

[FreezerBoy]

I'd start with a decision on the lamp(s) first and let everythng flow from there.

150 watt club

250 watt club

400 watt club

Take time to consider stealth requirements now. Decisions made later in panic can cost you hundreds of dollars. Not that I -cough- would know about that- cough, cough.

No experience with coco but, I'll vouch for General Hydroponics Flora Series. Easy as pie and clean, too.

 

[sdsmoker32]

i think i am going to go with a 150w hps lamp.......how many plants would i be able to grow fairly stealthy and what other materials would i need? i am looking to go with the easiest, and safest way to grow that will give me quality product

 

[bounty29]

Check out the 150w Club thread that FreezerBoy linked, tons of info there. As I said before, you can check out my current grow thread, I'm a week into flowering so you can keep an eye on it and see how it does. I'm hoping to have a good grow.

 

[sdsmoker32]

bounty what type of lamp and fan do you use? do you veg and flower in the same place with the same 150w? and can you find the bulb lamp ballast....at a home depot?

 

[green_grow]

the 150 hps is a good choice for a small, personal grow. if you are heavy consumer you might want to go 250 watts, but for me, a light-middleweight consumer, the 150 grows more than i can smoke by myself. the number of plants you put under it depends on how big they get during veg. you can grow one big tree or a dozen little plants in a mini-sog type of grow, or maybe 2 plants in a scrog.

freezer boy has put up 3 EXCELLENT links for you. any one of them will have all the info you need to grow. my suggestion is that you latch onto ONE grower whose style matches your own ideas and cling to him/her like grim death. seriously, because as a rookie, when you start trying to follow several growers, you can get a little confused.
do a bit of reading in the 150 hps club and then you will have a better idea of which questions to ask.

 

[PharmaCan]

Building your own cab is not as simple as you might think. Unless you are a skilled carpenter with the proper tools, you would probably be better off buying a Home dePot type cab and modifying it as per any of the many threads here on that topic. I build my own cabs, but I've got a workshop, the tools and the expertise to do it - and even then it's a whole lot of work.

I've transported a fair number of clones and the biggest danger to them is falling over and breaking. You can transport them in a box or a cooler, but make sure that you have them supported in a way that they can't flop around or fall over and break. Don't worry about screwing with their light cycle or anything like that; it won't hurt them at this point. Take a mister along with you and mist the plants before the journey home. If the clones are in cups, those drink holders from MacDonalds work well to hold the cups upright.

PC

 

[FreezerBoy]

latch onto ONE grower whose style matches your own ideas and cling to him/her like grim death.

Bingo! NOBODY here will be upset if you copy their style.

Now that you've settled on 150, consider these options. MH, HPS, CMH, CFL? Soil, coco, hydro? Perpetual or not? How long do you want the cab to run unattented? A day? A week? A month?

Define "stealth." You'd be surprised how many definitions people give. I prefer to hide in plain sight, visible and audible to all. Is it my fault people think this is a freezer? Of course it is. That was the plan.

 

[sdsmoker32]

would this be a good cabinet to turn into a grow box?http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=174183-444-WS24B&lpage=none would a 150w hps bulb be enough to grow 5 plants? incase the link does not work the dimensions of the cabinet are: 23-5/8"W x 15-1/2"D x 31-3/4"H

 

[bounty29]

sdsmoker - You could definitely grow in that, but the height restriction will be challenging for a first time grower. I've got a cabinet that's the same footprint, but twice as tall, and I'm using the whole thing. That cabinet is actually the exact same size as my veg cab, except mine only has one door.

 

[CrystalsCrystal]

godamn that is one thick carpet of nugs freezerboy

 

[sdsmoker32]

can you suggest where i can find one with the best height that you would recomend for me im not having the best luck finding one that is tall enough but just to make sure a 150w hps bulb will support growth for atleast 3 good sized plants, correct?

 

[sdsmoker32]

i am looking to grow around 4 plants in the same box i am going to buy a cabinet at home depot or lowes. i am going to buy a 150w hps lamp with a built in ballast and a fan to put into the box. are there any other things i need to do for the box setup?

im not too woried about stealth because its going to be on private property so it will look like just a box. i would like to be able to leave it unattended for a few days at a time and occasionaly be able to leave it alone for a longer period. any suggestions?

what do you guys suggest: soil? or hydro? if hydro wat type? i want something easy to maintain and will support strong growth