New House! New Equipment! NO BALLS?!?!

[ARTofMAKINGfire]

I cannot explain this. I love growing. I love smoking. I've been planning my next grow for over six months. I've been working everyday to accomplish my goal of being up and running by April 1st.
I have a brand new 600w digital ballast and a nice new reflector. I have a 6" Ellicent fan. I have multiple sizes and types of pots. I have seeds. I have a 250w MH. I have T-5 floros. I just got a new house. Whole house to myself, NO ONE knows where it is. I have told NO ONE about what I planned to do. I have plenty of space to do all the shit I've been wishing I could for over SIX months.
My original plan was to grow SOG under the 600HPS. And have a seperate veg room with the 250MH and the T-5's. Grow out a test crop and then get busy with the best specimen. I have DP Master Kush, DP Orange Bud, and Res. Sour Diesel IBL. All unopened and waiting...
WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???
Have I lost my balls? My mind? Both? I'm a little flustered on the construction and don't know where to start. I think this is why I'm loosing my drive.
I've grown MANY times for a LONG time. And have grown HUGE. I love it. WTF!?!?!
Any ideas? Suggestions??

 

[GeorgeSmiley]

This is what I would tell someone who is in your situation and has NEVER grown before but I think it holds true...

You just need to address every issue thats nagging you. When you have all the questions answered in your head then you could always set up your grow room and start growing vegetables. When you reach a certain level of comfort with the equipment setup and the security measures and then make a decision if you still want to grow.

If you don't, sell your equipment. Or return it and wait till your ready again.

There is a survival instinct we have and no matter how much you prepare it can still feel wrong in your gut and I have to say, follow your gut. My gut and a steady productive paranoia keeps me on my toes, seeing all the angles and out of jail.

Good luck, you have the experience so do some thinking on what is truly worrying you.

 

[Nawshis]

just make sure you have all bases covered... Try to make shit look as normal as possible... If you are not comfortable then I wouldn't do it.. Because people sense when somebody is suspicious or has something to hide.. And on top of that people are nosey.

Just Cover your ass, everything precaution you have to take make sure you do it double..

 

[Daemon]

This is what I would tell someone who is in your situation and has NEVER grown before but I think it holds true...

You just need to address every issue thats nagging you. When you have all the questions answered in your head then you could always set up your grow room and start growing vegetables. When you reach a certain level of comfort with the equipment setup and the security measures and then make a decision if you still want to grow.

If you don't, sell your equipment. Or return it and wait till your ready again.

There is a survival instinct we have and no matter how much you prepare it can still feel wrong in your gut and I have to say, follow your gut. My gut and a steady productive paranoia keeps me on my toes, seeing all the angles and out of jail.

Good luck, you have the experience so do some thinking on what is truly worrying you.

Good advice IMO...

 

[ARTofMAKINGfire]

@George. Thanks for the advice. I agree. I always follow my gut. I think a big part of my paranoia is that I've never put any lights in an attic, which may be my plan...
You've reinstated what I was thinking... thanks

 

[BudLove]

I think with everyone there is a line in which we begin to feel insecure and fearful... for some it's 1 plant, for others its stringing together multiple 1k lights and growing in entire rooms.

As said previously - it's all about comfort level with not only your growing environment but also local laws, etc.

What I did was what I'm comfortable with. I too have an entire home I could dedicate to the cause, but instead I went with a single 400w SCROG closet grow. I grow for myself and dont distribute, so there was really no need to use more than what I did. Sure, part of me craves that HUGE grow, but the sane part of me keeps things in perspective. Afterall, there's a HUGE diff in getting busted with 3 plants vs getting busted with 23.

I would suggest though NOT using your attic for your lighting/growing. If you have an entire house, stick with a closet. I ran a new AC duct into mine to assist in keeping the temps down and I just exhaust into a carbon scrubber located in the attic... nice n clean.

Another word of advice - avoid local hydro stores for your equip. LEO loves nothing more than to track someone from a store to a home - as it can usually indicate a good bust and is something they will most certainly keep tabs on.

BL

 

[ARTofMAKINGfire]

Budlove. Your info is also helpful. As now I'm leaning toward using my 250w for flowering either in my basement, or in a closet. I would use my 600w down there, but I have a very odd (low cieling) basement in which I doubt there would be enough hieght. I will post a pic of it to show you, also take measurements... Maybe a 600w is possible. I don't know. But I've pretty much RULED OUT my attic as an option. Even for a 250w. I just would'nt feel safe. If that makes sense.(cultivation in my basement is the same as in my attic)
So it looks like to the basement i go...
Does anyone know the lowest hight you could throw a 600w in? I'm looking to grow SOG. I'm talking this space is like 36" maybe more... HIGH.

 

[Nawshis]

only 3ft high??? thats a problem... maybe you can pull it off if you HST

 

[slohemian]

If you have your own place i'd consider building a few rooms in your basement. A couple good 6' x 6'x ceiling height room could do you well for a sog, no? On top of that it would be quite concealled, you could even lock it up. After playin that game for a while im sure you'd have a feel of your location, then step it up if thats ur mindset.

 

[Budweiser13]

You are not alone with these feelings I have a storage full of equipment I have been planning and buying. Now I cannot find a place to rent that I feel comfortable with. Its called the growing jitters I guess. I was inspired by a friend who broke down and trusted me to see his grow I have known him for many years. He was growing and I did not even know he was thats how good he kept it quiet. I have spent nearly $7000 and have not done shit with it. I am just a little paranoid I guess my friend keeps busting my balls telling me to get started. Some day I will take the plunge.....Good luck and be safe...

 

[BudLove]

Yea attics are risky... for countless reasons.

As far as height with a 600w I would go with this: Calculate the ideal height away from the bulb (I think for a 600w it's like 10-12 inches???), then figure out what kinda system you'll use and the buckets it will require (dwc, e&f, soil, etc)... now add those two together and subtract from your overall height - that should give you the total vertical growth area.

Example: Assuming 600w is ideal at 12inches away from plant. Assuming you're using a 5gal bucket to hold the plant and that it measures 12inches as well. That's 24 inches just with the bucket and light distance.

Add in the height of the reflector (probably 10inches) and you're at 34... if you only have 36inches to work with, that's not much growth area even for a scrog or sog.... Even a 250w would be tight with only 3 ft total space to work with...

Also sounds like the strain you're gonna want is low rider... anything else is going to gobble up that vertical area in no time.

 

[ARTofMAKINGfire]

You are not alone with these feelings I have a storage full of equipment I have been planning and buying. Now I cannot find a place to rent that I feel comfortable with. Its called the growing jitters I guess. I was inspired by a friend who broke down and trusted me to see his grow I have known him for many years. He was growing and I did not even know he was thats how good he kept it quiet. I have spent nearly $7000 and have not done shit with it. I am just a little paranoid I guess my friend keeps busting my balls telling me to get started. Some day I will take the plunge.....Good luck and be safe...

Wow. Bro, you just made my day. I would have thought the general response was going to be much like your buddies. GET OFF YOUR ASS AND BUILD SOMETHING!! But now to hear you. Seven grand! My goodness, I thought that I was the only one having these feelings, so to find out your situation makes me feel better. Sorry if that sounds like an insult, it's not meant to be. It just makes me feel not as bad for not using all this equipment.
But, I DO verily believe that I WILL be constructing something soon... Once I get my camera back online, I'll post pics. And in the meantime, I will have exct measurements on the basement situation soon... Thank you.

 

[Albert Hofmann]

My advice to you is start smaller. If you're not comfortable with a 600 or 250 then knock it down to a 70watter or some CFL's. Your growing nothing right now...and something is better than nothing. Sometime's the horse is too tall and we must jump back on the pony first

 

[Budweiser13]

No worries bro trust me the worst thing is to be growing and not be able to sleep at night if that is the case then it aint worth it. I am sure you can pull it off though. I will be doing it eventually I am jsut making sure I am totally comfortable with the whole situation. I like to sleep at night and not have to worrie. I have been doing my research and thanks to all the good peeps at this site I know I will get it done. And when I do you will see me in the grow diaries section...Be safe and good luck...

 

[B00st3d]

How bout just using the T5 for now until you feel more comfortable. Thats the safest bet. I've never used one but seen some damn good results with em. At least youd be able to get enough for a personal stash.

 

[FunkBomb]

I know your feeling and I can say the new era of grow tents has really changed things for me. The amount of security you can get from them is great. All angles are covered and you can be as safe as you can. Id say get a few tents or build cabs and you can make great use of the 600 and 250 in flower and veg/clone tents or cabs.

-Funk

 

[messn'n'gommin']

There are many stressors in life that can cause one individual to lose their desire or their initiative for something they love to do. Most often a reassessment of all the things going on in that person's life, from as objective a standpoint as possible, can lead to an epiphany, of sorts. Take the time to meditate on what is going on around you. How it affects how you truly feel and how best you can address those things that troubles your heart and mind. I do not mean to get all gooey and shit, but the human psyche is a MOST powerful thing, and avoidance of internal conflict just leads to more trouble down the road. Do something completely out of character for you. Take up knitting. Do a jigsaw puzzles. Just whatever. You know your "self" better than I do. If you love to grow and you have lost that passion, take a break and forget about growing for ever how long it takes for you to see it in a different light. From a military standpoint, withdraw, regroup, re-evaluate, plan new strategy and tactics, and re-attack! I suppose what I am trying to say is, "To thine own self, be true." and screw what the rest of the world thinks.

Namaste, mess

 

[ARTofMAKINGfire]

Thanks for everyone's input. I measured my space in the basement. I have a 7' wide X 7' Deep X FOUR FEET TALL...
Is this tall enough to house a 600w? I know it should be good for a 250w. But if I can fit a 600 I would like to. Any ideas?

Otherwise I'm going to go with the 250. I'll probably be building a cab within a day or so. So if anyone has any ideas on fitting a 600 in this space let's hear it!

 

[BonsaiBud]

Sure, do a cylindrical grow with that 600 in a cool tube. Put up some kind of wire mesh around it with a radius of perhaps 18 inches or 2 feet and let the buds grow through to the light. Put a circle of 3 gallon buckets around it. Soil, hydro, your choice. Run house air in through a duct and over the bulb and then back into your house for about 400 watts of heat in the winter. Put the fan upstream of the grow room so that any air that leaks will leak into the grow room and get scrubbed by the carbon scrubber. Put a duct splitter in the output and some are valves so you can exhaust to outside in the summer. Use one fan just for the bulb. Use another fan for the scrubber. Have a duct suck air from your bedroom (you are CO2 generator), through a filter (filtrete purple $16 low resistance) into your grow room and then fit the suction of your fan to the scrubber and exhaust into your attic or out through a dedicated vent in the roof. If you are still worried, then add ozone to the duct after the fan.

brb, isometric graph paper

 

[BonsaiBud]

I drew this up just for you, TheArtOfMakingFire. I'be been waiting days to upload it.

Can you MS Paint pencil in where the access is?
Also, is it a concrete chamber or dirt crawl space?
Wood and beam floor overhead or just what?

It might be a major pain, but you can only grow what you feal safe growing. All I can add is that you check NORML for your location and look at plant numbers and ballance your risk.