Question directed towards tent growers (homebox and hydrohut owners, plz!)

[TaxiBoy]

Hi!

Im new to ICmag but I have done a couple of subsistence-scale outdoor grows in the past, but I am now going to make the leap to indoor hydroponic horticulture. My question to you is this; Would a 6-inch vortex fan be able to sufficiently scrub the air as well as air-cool a sealed 600watt light? I have my entire set-up purchased, minus my lighting package, and I want to make damn sure before I purchase a 600w digi that my single vortex (on a speed controller) would be able to handle both tasks. Thanks for any help!

By the way, I'll be flowering 8 DJ Short True Blueberries in the tent in 3.5gal bubblers.

 

[Barnstormer]

Taxiboy I am copying a reply of mine from different thread that I posted that might help.
(I have a Hydrohut 4x4 original,I run a 1000 watt hps lamp in a Sunsystem vented reflector with a glass cover,and have a 4 inch vortex fan that has its intake connected to a carbon filter and the exhaust runs through the reflector then out of the hut. I have a speed controller on the fan to turn it down at night for a little more quit. Im currently growing 24 plants in 1 gallon buckets in soil and the plants are about 24 to 30 inches tall with heavy buds
and just a few days from harvesting. I have this set up in a spare bedroom and run the exhaust from the ducting out of the room using a small booster fan hung from the ceiling by the door,I also use a box fan setting on the floor in the doorway to bring fresh air in. I also leave the front flap all the way open when the lamp is on. With this system the temp of the hut stays within 1or2 degrees of the temp of the house. Hope this helps.)
The 6 inch vortex will be more than adequate to cool your light and vent your hut of stale air but the inside temp of the tent still depends on your intake air temperture.

 

[TaxiBoy]

Barnstormer,

Thank you for the info. I am drawing ambient room air which is cooled by a central AC system, approx 70F, give or take a degree. I plan on venting into the basement utility room, directly below the spare bedroom in which I grow. I may also experiment with venting into the HVAC intake duct which is also located in the same room, though I'm not too sure how well this will work. I'm glad to know that the 4x4 prefab tents can handle a 1000watt light ! I may go ahead and order a 1000w now, just to get some extra fat buds.

I'm sorry for posting a question that had already been addressed. I searched yesterday before posting, but I was zonked on strawberry diesel so its no surprise to me that I overlooked posts that answered my question previously.

 

[Johnny Chimpo]

I use a 600 watt for flowering in my 4' x 4' Homebox XL.

Here is a pic...scrubber-->through light-->exhaust. I use a 6" Fantech and it works fine for me...

I also think you could use a 1000w with no problems.




JC

 

[TaxiBoy]

Thanks for the info on your set-up, Johnny! I'm going to make my lighting purchase today. Since I'm going to be growing (smallish) trees, I'm gonna go ahead and pick up a 1000w for the extra canopy penetration. Hopefully with tightly sealed ducting and good cool ambient air being drawn through the system, I can not only have great air exchange and inside temps, but also perhaps I can get the light closer to the canopy for good penetration straight through. I'm also using low side lighting in the form of 200w CFLs w/ reflectors on 3 sides of my tent. With supercropping I am aiming for the almighty 1g/w benchmark!

 

[medgrowr02]

I think that 6'' vortex should do the job well. I would still go with a 1k light though. As far as a digi ballast or not, I'd say no. They are still relitivly new and IMO your better off with a magnetic one, at least right now. With 70 degree ambient temps outside of your hut you should be fine bro.

I'm using a HH and f'ing love it. I'm only at 400 watt's for flower, but it should be fine in that space. When the 1k digi's are out and people are raving about them like they are the 600 lumatek's... i'll go get a 1k digi. 400 watt until then. I'm also pulling air through a 4'' can filter and am using a 4'' 170cfm fan to do it. It works great, my ambient temps are about 68-70.

I'm doing 2 dro bagseeds, one K2, 3 Master Kush, 2 bubblegum and one skunk #1... which I hope is a purple pheno. Keep us posted on your grow man... one question.... are you going to supplement CO2?

 

[TaxiBoy]

Hi medgrowr

As far as digi ballasts go, I would only go digital on a 600w light. As far as I know, and you seem to agree, 1000watt digital ballasts are simply unproven as of now. I'm not much of a fan of employing unproven technology. I'm a HUGE fan of the K.I.S.S. system of doing things, and IMO proven technologies add to simplicity! A system is only as strong as it's weakest link, and I would hate to have my lighting be the weak link in my grow. I have no plans on supplementing Co2 at the moment, as this is my first indoor grow. The temp issue of running a sealed tent intimidates me, I have to admit. Once I knock out a couple of harvests in my HH4x4, I may look into running it as a fully sealed unit, but that would be a year or so down the road.

Good luck with your grow, bro! Last fall I harvested 2 dozen purple skunks all approx 7 feet tall. Got 1.3lbs off the most vigorous femme of the lot! Some sweet smoke, I tell ya.

As soon as my light gets here I plan on doing a detailed grow diary, so keep an eye out!