Well, New year at uni, so a new grow.

First time - 236 watt flouro in 3x1.5 space. 3.5oz just about coming to the end of this.

This time -

400watt Growlux full spectrum with dutchie reflector ?

115 x 76 x 145 cm
3.8 x 2.5 x 4.75 ft
8 clayball (hydraolica) filled pots (15x15x20), with peat pot + verlmiculite in the middle to start the seedlings.
Pots in 4 storage boxes, linked together with hose, in series.

Basically i am planning a flood and drain system using another storage box as a res, kept under a bed. Electronic timer will control pump duration and occurance. Planning on a flood 4 times a day for 30 mins tops, another pump will pump the excess out back into the res before the 30mins period is up. One full box will fill each other box 1/4way up at most. Not sure if this is high enough, if not then i will irigate from the top with tubing.

For ventalation i am so far going to use a deskfan hooked up to ducting to vent in, and a bionaire ioniser as an extrator from some more 4inch duction.

The exit from the ioniser will vent into a filter with 3lb activated carbon pellets and about 600grams of bi carbonate of soda.

I dont know the cfm flow rates of these, but hopefully it will do the job, will fully test temps before any plants see the light



Box is totally light sealed / air tight and will rely totally on the ventaltion. The box is locked in concealed places. If someone wanted in they would really want to get in. I think i may add a "Web Server equipment, do not turn off mains, UPS units in use" sign to deter any questions regarding the noise comming from the drobe.

I am security concious, and god knows how i got through last year with the smell. Better room this year, upstairs on a corner. The carbon filter has to work for me to be happy though. 3 people know of it, no more. I trust them.

I am in no rush to start, and will probably grow some chillis first to understand if the system works ok.

Not sure if i want to go for a untamed grow, i.e as many high females as possible, or use a screen and chop their heads off for a low grow.

Planning on starting with 8 germinated seedlings, and pray they are mostly female.

Heres a pic of the drobe.

[attachmentid=25625]

Box is totally light sealed / air tight and will rely totally on the ventaltion. The box is locked in concealed places. If someone wanted in they would really want to get in. I think i may add a "Web Server equipment, do not turn off mains, UPS units in use" sign to deter any questions regarding the noise comming from the drobe.

I am security concious, and god knows how i got through last year with the smell. Better room this year, upstairs on a corner. The carbon filter has to work for me to be happy though. 3 people know of it, no more. I trust them.

I am in no rush to start, and will probably grow some chillis first to understand if the system works ok.

Not sure if i want to go for a untamed grow, i.e as many high females as possible, or use a screen and chop their heads off for a low grow.

Planning on starting with 8 germinated seedlings, and pray they are mostly female.

I guess i would like to know from the experianced of you, do you think setup will work / is good?

kinda worried about a few factors,

nutrient increasing toxicity?
Get too hot in there?
Flood and drain idea sound?
Odor control enough?
Grow methods suited to this plan?

Cheers, look forward to hearing on your views

P.s, almost forgot, Planning on doing 6 nv jock horror, and 2 nv bubblicious

before ANYTHING ELSE, forget faffing about with apologies for fans - you MUST get a proper duct fan, preferably with carbon filter - in a confined space you'll need as a minimum something like the 6" fan from the uk420 shop - otherwise the plants won't grow, and you'll catch fire! - honest!
and in a small space, have you considered that you'll lose something like 15" airgap below the bulb? (the only simple way is to use one of those light shields, and then it will lessen to something like 8")
and don't waste money on the "Aggro" bulbs, the son-ts beat the pants off them, and are cheaper too!

bloody briiliant idea about the web server & ups sign.

beats the pants off of my Do Not Unplug, written on a plug

if you were home making your filter m8, 3 lb of carbon is fucking loads, the stuff weighs bugger all, i doubt you would be sucking anything through it.

good luck buddy, other than what vlad says you seem to be well on the ball.

thanks for the replys guys. appreciated.

Regarding the light, i got it for just under 70 quid, and looking at reviews on the growlux bulb, they seem pretty good, 58k lumen compared to 54k for the normal son-t non full-spectrum, so i dont know why it would be worse?

i plan on growing chillis in this setup for a while, just to see if the temps / watering system is upto scratch, if it isnt, then i will reconsider venting system.

again, cheers for your replys...

well just got the light, water pump and digi timer yesterday.

Its all in there, Used chain to hold it up, and as its all earthed, the whole of the metal inside is grounded too, the extractor fan was causing static on the ducting which wouldnt of been nice, so looking good so far.

venting is next, and just finishing the reflective sheeting

[attachmentid=25764]

Light is great, gets warm in there, but judging by the fans i reckon it should be ok when they are rigged up.

cheers

eeerm is it just me? ..........but duz it look like he may be NAKED?

LOOK INTO THE REFLECTION ON THE BACK WALL! hhhmmmmmm

te he

i seen it

oh, darn, my secrets out

ok, i've put some clothes on now, but not before installing my intake and exhaust fan system.

Basically i have an exhaust at the top, and an intake at the side, with another passive intake opposite.

Before i had the intake at the top, ducted down. Although it wasn't in direct line of the exhaust, the top part of the room is warmer, by a good 2 or 3 degrees.

With a 12" fan set to low on the intake, and the ioniser on the roof set to low i get readings of 32C 2ft from the light, and 34C in the middle of the drobe, about 1ft from the light.

With them on high, i think 30C is easy doable. I estimate airflow at 100 - 150 M3/hr.

I have a 230 m3/hr fan at the top which i just installed, but i am not using that yet, as it's bloody loud, screams.

I'll update when its all finished with the carbon filter too. I intend to get a fan controller and use the extract fan, and have the ioniser inside the box, flowing air around.

Cheers.