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Red_Greenery's Handyman's DIY Grow Tub

ChronicTom

New member
Nice simple set-up, thanks for the pics!

What are the steps to wire a computer fan directly to a wall cord? I've seen adapters, but what you did looks to only require a cord.. much leaner and fewer parts.

There is usually a label on the fan telling you what the input voltage is.

Get an adapter that matches it or an adjustable one and you can now use a dc fan off a 110v plug
 

sludiggastu

New member
.... And now for something completely different!

I dug my tubs out of storage the other night. I found the emergency blanket and duct tape was pretty shabby. These only had about 1 year of operating time on them after 4 grows so the glue on the duct tape was turning to powder especially around the light section.

I picked up 2 cans of Krylon fusion paint for plastic, one black and one white.
One can of black should be enough to cover two tubs with two coats. I decided to do the drying box too. I have a little project to make a seedling/veg/drying box out of it.

Anyway, I ran out of paint on the second coat because of the third tub and had to get another can of black after work tonight. I went to the YMCA tonight and jumped around with the fat ladies in the beginner fitness class and painted my tubs later on tonight.

Here's my tubs after two good coats of black paint.




ok i am kinda doing something similar just grabbing all my bits and pieces and then ia m gunna move to a bigger apartment with more closet space,,,,,,,, anyway double rubbermaid for my veg cycle then ia m buying a tent set up 2 feet by 2 feet by 4.5......... i am hoping to grow 4 nice plants in a dwc but really smaller dwc.. then switch them to my flower tent when they are ready and strong....

i am planning on doing double rubbermaid with one intake and one outake fan. also i will have a powerstrip with the 26w Y connectors a total of 6 bulbs... does anyone have any thoughts on using a rubbermaid for a veg chamber, also will it smell alot in veg cycle. i have grown outdoors with not the best success rate so i am switching to indoors so i have total control................. could i use 42 watt cfls instead of 26 to veg the plants..... i will need larger fans right? 26 times 6 is 156 watts total and 42 times 6 is 252 watts..... also what are the best containers for my dwc butter small like 1l yourgurt conatiner???????????? please a little suggestions could help me big time! thanks guys/gals!!!!!!!!!!
 

ScaerCroe

New member
From reading the OP and about 20 pages of the thread, I am still a little confused on the construction of this thing. So here are the main components that I have gathered for this before I start cutting into my two painted tubs:

1) Two air intakes on the bottom tub with light traps taped on. One side of each Kleenex box cut away.

2) On the top box, there is one computer fan blowing air OUT of the box. This fan is located near the light fixture. On the opposite side of the top tub is another air intake with a kleenex box as a light trap.

3) On the top box, below the air intake/computer fan holes, are two exhaust ports which lead to the carbon scrubber via dryer ducts.

Is this the general idea?
 
G

guest 77721

This is a 2 stage growbox design with an isolated light section and a separate grow chamber. The idea was to make a ventilated hood that is pretty easy to build.

The light chamber is separated from the growchamber with a sheet of plexiglass and has a 5x5 intake on one end with a computer fan on the other end. The intake is covered by a kleenex box and the exhaust is ducted out through the top of the closet door.

Just below the plexiglass in the top box, there are two 4" holes with dryer ducts exhausting into the scrubber.

The lower box has two 4x4" holes for passive intakes, covered by kleenex boxes.

It's been a couple of years now since I've grown in the old tubs. The ventilation design is rock solid and will take 6x42W CFLS or a 150 HPS and run +1*F above ambient using two computer fans. One located in the light chamber and the other one in the scrubber.

Hey there Micro-growers, welcome to the Lodge! Pull up a chair and stay awhile. As they say, if the women don't find you handsome, they better find you handy.

I'd like to show you my little creation made with lot's of love and duct tape. My design is unique so if you've seen it before, that was probably me in another lifetime!

I'm not the first guy to make a growbox from stacked tubs. I've added enhancements to the basic design to have all features that the large cabinet growers are successfully implementing.

My growbox uses 6 x 42W CFL lights for 252W @ 100W/sqft. The growchamber and lightbox areas are separately ventilated similar to using a cooltube or vented hood. The lightchamber is cooled with a single computer fan. An activated carbon scrubber with a built in fan, removes air from the grow chamber to maintain total steath. I also manipulate the plant with screen of green, SCROG, to manage plant height and to maximize yield.

My growbox can be easily constructed using inexpensive household/hardware store items. Rubbermaids make really good growboxes. They can be easily cut with a utility knife and drilled and they are only worth $6 so if you make a mistake, get another one and start over. You can tuck it in a closet or down the basement. All the parts can be bought at Walmart or Home Depot. I also use fertilizers that can be bought at the grocery or hardware store too.

 

Tic-Tac

New member
So fantastic to see this thread still alive and kicking from time to time. It's as inspiring today as it was when I first read it many moons ago. I know there are still newbs putting these together and rocking them. Some even on their second iteration of the design. ;)

Thanks again for giving those looking for a path that doesn't involve hydro stores and advanced trade-work a super-viable alternative.
 
G

guest 77721

Hey Tic-Tac,

I'm happy you're enjoying the thread. We sure built a bunch of these Rubbermaid tubs for a while.

I'd sure like to see if anyone is still building the R2D2 and how they are making out with it.

Red
 

ScaerCroe

New member
Hey Tic-Tac,

I'm happy you're enjoying the thread. We sure built a bunch of these Rubbermaid tubs for a while.

I'd sure like to see if anyone is still building the R2D2 and how they are making out with it.

Red

I call mine the "Green Machine." As soon as my roomie saw it, he said "Danger Will Robinson!" but I explained that it should be referred to as an R2D2 instead. I am running two hempy buckets in there, using the Lucas Formula for nutes, and 6x24W CFLs. Instead of foil on the inside, I have two coats of black, and two coats of flat white paint, as paint is more reflective than emergency blankets or foil.
ta4oed.jpg


My first grow of Strawberry Blue and Holy Grail 69 is one month into flowering, and has almost completely overgrown my box. I topped the plants, but was forced to LST them at a couple of different stages because of the large amount of growth. It is honestly a fucking jungle in there now, and I hope they stop growing soon!

All in all, these things are working great. Thanks for the info, and love the show!
 

mrbolloks

New member
What an excellent thread. Ive just poured over the entire thread and got some great ideas from it. Great work on this!

ScaerCroe, that box looks awesome
 

1ManGrow

Active member
hey red.don't know if this thread is dead but I have my tub going and sprouts under 24hr lighting.I will post pics of the babies today.If you still check in
to this thread I would like to post my grow here and maybe do a grow log .incase I had questions ....1st try at a grow so I think in do time I will have questions for you..

Stay safe Ic'ers
 

GetUpStandUp

Active member
Hey there Micro-growers, welcome to the Lodge! Pull up a chair and stay awhile. As they say, if the women don't find you handsome, they better find you handy.

I'd like to show you my little creation made with lot's of love and duct tape. My design is unique so if you've seen it before, that was probably me in another lifetime!

I'm not the first guy to make a growbox from stacked tubs. I've added enhancements to the basic design to have all features that the large cabinet growers are successfully implementing.

My growbox uses 6 x 42W CFL lights for 252W @ 100W/sqft. The growchamber and lightbox areas are separately ventilated similar to using a cooltube or vented hood. The lightchamber is cooled with a single computer fan. An activated carbon scrubber with a built in fan, removes air from the grow chamber to maintain total steath. I also manipulate the plant with screen of green, SCROG, to manage plant height and to maximize yield.

My growbox can be easily constructed using inexpensive household/hardware store items. Rubbermaids make really good growboxes. They can be easily cut with a utility knife and drilled and they are only worth $6 so if you make a mistake, get another one and start over. You can tuck it in a closet or down the basement. All the parts can be bought at Walmart or Home Depot. I also use fertilizers that can be bought at the grocery or hardware store too.

[URL="https://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/12309252W_Tub_P4-thumb.JPG"]View Image[/URL][URL="https://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/12309252W-thumb.JPG"]View Image[/URL]
Great work, and good ideas, my only question is how sturdy is the top, only askin cuz my cat (BOB) loves my room, at times he is a pain, I dont allow him in, but he is a weed lover and finds ways to get in if I am busy, he would eventually push that top off if it just sits without some kind of lock.

I know it is probably easier to just keep his butt out all together! Just a quality control guy, and have my theorys busted at times from little things like this, but your design is pretty full proof, something so small you usually have heat issues, but I can tell you built around that fact and came up with a homer for your micro growers who use stuff like cardboard, this is more effiecent, and safer! A+
 

1ManGrow

Active member
Great work, and good ideas, my only question is how sturdy is the top, only askin cuz my cat (BOB) loves my room, at times he is a pain, I dont allow him in, but he is a weed lover and finds ways to get in if I am busy, he would eventually push that top off if it just sits without some kind of lock.

I know it is probably easier to just keep his butt out all together! Just a quality control guy, and have my theorys busted at times from little things like this, but your design is pretty full proof, something so small you usually have heat issues, but I can tell you built around that fact and came up with a homer for your micro growers who use stuff like cardboard, this is more effiecent, and safer! A+

you can make a latch for it..Red gave the basic setup and it is up to you to add to it for your needs.

I have 4 4" passive intakes and 2 4 " exaust with pc fans hooked up to the exaust.my apartment at times hits 83 if I am out all day and don't have the ad running and my box has not gone over 87 degrees. usually stays around 81 with 31% humidity.

I am trying to boost humidity now if anyone has some ideas..I put a cup of water at the bottom of the grow box but that has done nothing..
 

blackosprey

Member
Keep this thread alive. Plenty of people have adopted this style of grow for various reasons, so you can get answers you need.
You will love that humidity come flower, 1man. I find that cups don't do too much for adding humidity, but it can help. Mist the box 2-3 times a day. Or make a small DIY co2 generator with a 20 oz soda bottle (fill half full with water, 1 teaspoon dry active yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Put a couple holes in the bottle lid for venting into the space). This may also increase the heat in your box.
 

Dr 4 four

Member
Great work, and good ideas, my only question is how sturdy is the top, only askin cuz my cat (BOB) loves my room, at times he is a pain, I dont allow him in, but he is a weed lover and finds ways to get in if I am busy, he would eventually push that top off if it just sits without some kind of lock.

I know it is probably easier to just keep his butt out all together! Just a quality control guy, and have my theorys busted at times from little things like this, but your design is pretty full proof, something so small you usually have heat issues, but I can tell you built around that fact and came up with a homer for your micro growers who use stuff like cardboard, this is more effiecent, and safer! A+

Top is pretty sturdy if secured, and you can always build a latch as suggested. Another thing you can do is drill a few holes around where the two tops meet, then drop something like a 2-5" bolt/screw through the hole. 4 of 'em and it would keep the lid from sliding off. Also you can always go with Velcro around the lid or on the side to secure the top to the bottom. This would all work if the tubs are set top to top, like Red's or ScaerCroe's and not stacked.
 

GetUpStandUp

Active member
you can make a latch for it..Red gave the basic setup and it is up to you to add to it for your needs.

I have 4 4" passive intakes and 2 4 " exaust with pc fans hooked up to the exaust.my apartment at times hits 83 if I am out all day and don't have the ad running and my box has not gone over 87 degrees. usually stays around 81 with 31% humidity.

I am trying to boost humidity now if anyone has some ideas..I put a cup of water at the bottom of the grow box but that has done nothing..
Thanks for the info. And the cup idea for humidity, well it may help this is small enough, but my attempts failed, as my apt too get in mid 80s and is tuff to cool if all air is hot. I have no clue other than making a grill at the botton to set the plants so they are not sitting in water, and allow the water to sit at bottom, just a guess, one thing tho what ever kinda room, cab, or grow it always seems it makes you work for her buds dont it?
 

1ManGrow

Active member
Keep this thread alive. Plenty of people have adopted this style of grow for various reasons, so you can get answers you need.
You will love that humidity come flower, 1man. I find that cups don't do too much for adding humidity, but it can help. Mist the box 2-3 times a day. Or make a small DIY co2 generator with a 20 oz soda bottle (fill half full with water, 1 teaspoon dry active yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Put a couple holes in the bottle lid for venting into the space). This may also increase the heat in your box.

thanks for the advice.will try that this weekend.
also I will post pics and my grow here as I think I can get a lot of help from the other tubbers..

post pics tonight when I get home.

I tried to post pics but ICmag is not letting me..Will resize tomorrow and try again..

Question:I just watered yesterday but plant #2 has it's cotyledons pointing straight up..Plant #1 is fine..I have them both 6 - 8" under 3 26w cfl's running 24hr...What would cause this ?Is the plant telling me it needs more light?
I just put the other 3 26w lights in for 6 and switched them to 18/6..
I will see if this does anything for it..
 
G

guest 77721

Wow 90 pages and still going. I do pop in time to time. Looks like you guys are doing great.

Here's one tip. I've played with lighting levels over the years and it's only one variable in the grow equation. Light intensity does improve yield but not as much as you think. If you run into temperature problems, changing to a lower intensity CFL is an easy fix.
 

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