My First (unintentional) Grow

[MrBungle]

I think you made a wise decision on your fan and filter purchase... When you are dealing with odor, overkill is ok.... This is a popular way to set up your fan and filter:

filter>>>fan>>> airflow>>>

So the filter is usually sitting upright on the floor of the box, or suspended above the plants, and the air is being pulled through the filter with current of the fan, and exiting the box... (Would probably have to cut in an exhaust hole as well)

This creates a negative air pressure inside your box, which only allows filtered air to exit, and contains your smell to right inside the box

 

[devo6786]

I think you made a wise decision on your fan and filter purchase... When you are dealing with odor, overkill is ok.... This is a popular way to set up your fan and filter:

filter>>>fan>>> airflow>>>

So the filter is usually sitting upright on the floor of the box, or suspended above the plants, and the air is being pulled through the filter with current of the fan, and exiting the box... (Would probably have to cut in an exhaust hole as well)

This creates a negative air pressure inside your box, which only allows filtered air to exit, and contains your smell to right inside the box

Thats how I was going to go about it, Im just thinking I might not have enough room for the fan inside of the box. In which case it would be filter inside -> create a duct hole to fit the fan -> fan on top of cab/exhaust hole to pull out the air.

 

[devo6786]

No update on the box, but two of my 6 seeds sprouted 32 hours after planting

 

[devo6786]

Got the fan/filter today, gonna try to set it up tomorrow and get some photos. I also ordered a LED panel today. This "cheap" project isn't so cheap now that Ive done my research and gotten the grow bug.

In other news, all seedlings have sprouted and they're so cuteee

 

[nksv]

you sound like me. I started with a little box with a CFL gifted to me from a friend, no fans etc..Now I have two boxes, one for Mums, clones and seed raising and another flower box all still ghetto but much much better. Using LEDs now also. Also, if you have the CFL, you can still use it along side the LED - if you're growing in winter it helps keep things a little warmer.
The grow bug is REAL and it's worse than gnats! haha

 

[devo6786]

So today I attempted to set up my filter/fan. I just cant decide which was is best. Options based on the photos below? I have a small 300w LED panel in the mail that also needs to fit int his guy

 

[devo6786]

I kind of leaning towards keeping the fan and filter inside the cab so I can also put a muffler. Then some ducting out the side. Im only flowering 1-2 plants at a time so space isn't a huge issue.

Do I need to lift the filter off of the ground?

The other option is at the top of the cab, out a duct hole, fan and muffler OUTSIDE the cab, not ideal, but if having the filter up higher will make a big difference I can go that route.

 

[MrBungle]

In a perfect setting, I prefer to have mine off the ground.... if you can find a way to suspend it inside the box without using the shelf, so that you have maximum air flow through and all the way around... (the most effective way, but sometimes complicated)

It would be perfectly acceptable to leave it upright on the ground also.. it is just important to be mindful not to get it wet, and of course the other negative is , that it takes up precious floor space.. (this is probably the simplest way to do it)

 

[HuffnPufferfish]

on the back?

how much height do you have total

 

[devo6786]

A little over 2.5ft in height

 

[devo6786]

Alright so,

I got my lights in the mail, I went with the cheap-o Viparspectra 300W which is sufficient for this space.

I got that all hung up and decided to just install a PC fan for now since the plants are in veg and not stinky yet. The fan is a 120mm from Best Buy rated at 44 CFM which should be just enough to keep this guy cool enough, Im keeping an eye on temp as we speak. I attached the fan to a toilet flange from Home Depot. Im keeping an eye on temp

Im still debating how to go about installing my carbon filter/fan and keeping it as quiet and stealth as possible. Ill veg another 3-4 weeks now that my plants are 100% healthy again, so I have some time to figure out what to do with the filter/fan.

The top of the cab and the light proofing still aren't done, hoping to caulk tomorrow and get that dealt with.

 

[devo6786]

Finally healthy plants

 

[devo6786]

First time using the nutrients today. We'll see how they do. The PH was a little high, right around 7.4 so I added some PH down and got it right at 6.4. The runoff was right around the same.

 

[devo6786]

So, maybe some advice?

The cabinet is pretty hot. Its hottest is 86F. Im in California and temps have been between 65-75 degrees. The room the cab is in is about 70-75 on average.

My intake is passive, 8"x4"

My outtake is running a 44 cfm 120mm case fan until I need to install the carbon filter, which will most likely be right before flowering.

Whats the best way to cool it down? Should I just install the 4" inline fan now and scrap the PC Fan all together?

Do I add another passive intake? Or make it larger?

 

[blynx]

Can you easily put the inline fan in place to see if it works better than the PC fan? If so, I would try the inline fan.
If you have the scrubber, you might try hooking it all up to see how it is able to cool the cab. You don't want to get to the point you 'need' the scrubber, only to find out the cab is hotter than without it.

 

[HuffnPufferfish]

same fan on the inake, or just leave it like this until 12/12 because it doesnt matter much

 

[devo6786]

Weekly update. The seedlings are coming along nicely. I’ll transplant then to bigger pots this week. Still no nutrients for these guys

The two big plants are super healthy now and have really started growing and getting bushy.

One clone out of two has survived. Looks like it’ll make it.

 

[bsgospel]

Temps holding okay, then? Roots showing on your clone? Bio-Ag makes a good cheap ful-humix. Good stuff for younger plants. Run-off numbers on the fox farm since you started?

 

[devo6786]

The weather cooled down the past couple of days and is supposed to be cool all week, so its been at around 75-82. I haven't had a chance to install the other fan or filter yet, things have just been too busy. This week Ill make a decision on how I want to go about it and do it. Plus, I can smell the plants when I walk into the room now

I had taken two clippings for cloning. The one that didn't make it was dead 4 days ago, this one seems healthy and is growing new leaves. I haven't checked the roots yet. I want to leave it alone a little longer.

Both bigger plants run off is testing at 6.4 still. The little plants run off is 6.8, im assuming since the soil is pretty new. They seem to be handling it ok. Only one plant, and the runt, is a littleee yellow.

 

[devo6786]

Transplanted and topped the seedlings.

The two bigger plants are ready to veg but im going to wait until those two little guys grow a little more.

Installed fan and filter. Sorta. I wanna hang it from the top, but I haven't figured out how yet, so in the meantime it'll stay how it is, life has been too busy.

Some photos