Grow room build diary

[Guy_Incognito]

My build diary:

Some of these you may have seen before in the welcome section, I've started this new thread to chart my progress and hopefully other wont make the same cock-ups I have found out Ive made as Im going along. Progress is slow as I not even telling the missus

First I formed the sides of the cabinet, all ply is 12mm exterior grade.

Next I got to adding in support for the door and base

I've then fitted my large swinging door ( I plan to disguise this a bit so it looks like a drawer unit.) The size internally is 1200 wide, 770mm high and 610mm deep. Volume 0.56m³

I wasnt happy sticking my foil wrapped bubble wrap to the brick so I added a ply back as well, Im glad I did as it will provide ground for fixing cables and my scrog. I then lined the whole box with the foiled bubble wrap.Making sure that the section on the door over lapped the wrap on the frame. I did this to hopefully aid in eliminating light leaks.

My unit is going to need to vent out the side and I wanted this to be as stealthy as possible. I threw a few more bits of timber together and made a shelf just below the extract. I'll fill this shelf with my tool and crap to hide the vent outlet.

Vent obscured

Now its time to fit the equipment:

I have a 300w dual frequency CFL (for first couple weeks) On a plug in system

A 250w Lo Bay (veg & flower) on a plug in system

4 inch extractor which will turn over the air 3 to 4 times a minute.

2 pot autopot system

Carbon Filter

Cock ups so far,

• Don't buy the white plastic Extractor hose, its not light proof (d'oh) I tried to save a few quid and ended up wasting my money.
• Before you cut you hole for the extraction ensure it's far enough off the back of your unit to allow for the size of your carbon filter. Ive had to dog leg mine. It better to have it as straight as possible for maximum air flow.
• The over lapping of the foil doesn't really work so I've now fitted white foam draught excluder, this is making it hard for the ball catch to hold the door tightly shut so I need a better way of locking the door shut.

I've housed all my plugs and contractor etc outside of the unit, I didnt fancy any electricity/water mixes happening. Ive also fitted a smoke alarm in the room its in, this is linked to the ones in the house so if one goes off they all go off.

The lights will share a supply but are on IP65 male/female plugs so I can swap them over easily with out have to re-route cables. I'll never need them both in there at once.

Im not happy with having the res being in the box, its too cramped so I'm going to remove it

Things left to do:

• Swap over ducting for aluminium type.
• Wire in quick plug system
• Add fan speed controller. ( think 2 time air exchange per min should be plenty as long as temp are ok and a lower speed = less vibration/noise + more stealth)
• Fix and secure filters.
• Run it empty for a few days a record temps ( I have a usb temp logger for this)
• Grow some fastbud#2 and start my grow diary

I've been trawling this site trying so absorb as much info as I can in prep of this build and then thought I just go for it.

Would love to hear what you would have done differently or offer as a improvement as its never too late to change. I want to ensure the grow room is spot on.

Cheers

Guy

Edited October 3, 2013 by Guy_Incognito

[kc stoner]

top work keeping it from the missus if you have some spare duct tape wrap that round the extract hose I find even the ally stuff doesn't stop light getting out

[Guy_Incognito]

Update:

Still struggling with temps, plan today is to sort a passive intake and light trap.

I've moved the filter so it doesn't have any kinks in it which may have impeded the air flow slightly, also covered my 'cock up' white PVC ducting with some 5 inch ali type. No light leaks now

Also started to disguise the box a bit so it doesn't look like a huge single door cupboard. Not finished it yet but you get the idea...

Edited October 6, 2013 by Guy_Incognito

[Guest Leepy]

Update:

Still struggling with temps, plan today is to sort a passive intake and light trap.

I've moved the filter so it doesn't have any kinks in it which may have impeded the air flow slightly, also covered my 'cock up' white PVC ducting with some 5 inch ali type. No light leaks now

Also started to disguise the box a bit so it doesn't look like a huge single door cupboard. Not finished it yet but you get the idea...

looks fucking tip top m8y keep it up mucka

[grooving]

Looks well-thought out, good luck with the grow. Love the drawer fronts.

Does it get cold in that space? If those are external walls your box is against I would have put more insulation board like Celotex between and underneath. Alternatively a heat mat to keep your roots toasty?

[Guy_Incognito]

Thanks dudes. It wouldn't have been anywhere near as good if it wasn't for 420!

It doesn't get that could in there as it also has the combi boiler in there. Its was 18 degrees this morning in that area, outside was around 6.

The base is 45mm above the slab and lined inside with thermal wrap. The back is also 45mm off the wall and also lined. Is this ok? The wall its up against isn't external, in fact the kitchen & oven is the other side!

I've finished adding my passive intake this morning, using a 22mm drill I made four holes so I could cut out the vent insitu.

I then secured the vent, It has 5x the area of my exhaust fan and is adjustable so hopefully I should maintain a negative pressure in the box.

Ive also added my little light which I plan to use for the first week or so once my beans show their 1st 2 leaves. Its a 11w half antic 10000k half 3700k lamp, its quite bluish white light so Im hoping it should be ok. Please shout out if not.

Its not actually as blue as the photo shows but its is defo colder than daylight lamps.

I've also now got the lights up and running again, gonna leave it for a few hours and check the temps, I'm hoping to see a decrease. Take a look at my pic below, I've put the thermometer on the left hand pot out of direct light, is this a good place to measure from. I was using a usb temp logger but after testing I found it was wayyyyy off so back to old reliable analogue methods!

Shout out advisories, improvements etc I could make. All criticisms gratefully received, I'm a grown lad and can take it.

Cheers

Guy

Edited October 6, 2013 by Guy_Incognito

[Guy_Incognito]

I've made a separate post about my problems with temps here: https://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?showtopic=331528#entry3688520

Please pop over if you can help.

Thanks

[Guy_Incognito]

My Rhizotonic and HD timer turned up today, just waiting on my clip on fan and Ph tester and I'll be all set to move in!

[Guest Kipper420]

To maximise the space you have available I would suggest putting your light in the top corner of the right hand side, with your plant at the left point furthest away and train it along your net towards the light. I wouldn't use autopots, nor have 2 plants. You're going to run out of space very very quick, one plant and hand water, or use a dripper style system.

good luck dude! I love these little grows folk do.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Kipper420

[Guy_Incognito]

Hi Kipper420 , thanks for the tip.

I try and keep them close to the light for now but will do as you suggest and train them so they grow toward the light along the scrog, I'll measure up tonight and see if i can rotate the light to fit, sounds like a good plan.

Shame I couldn't have a bigger box but stealth is far more important to me than yield.

Ive been reading up on the thread here' blabs torture chamber '

While i don't expect to get anywhere near his results its certainly something to aspire too. If i get half a oz off both plants Id be happy, it would probably last me 6 months anyway as I'm a casual smoker. I've not had a doobie in months!

I'm switching on the autopots tonight (with half strength nutes???) as I really want to give them a go, I may have cocked up on them though as I've just filled them with coco, hindsight and research suggests I should have put a inch of clay pebble in there first. So I may need to fit a valve (read: clothes peg to pinch the tube) to it so I can manually flood it as required. Defeats the point of them being autopots but live and learn eh?

Man I gotta lot of work to do on it in 45 mins before the wife gets home!

Update this laters once jobs are done.

Cheers!

E2A : Ive got a grow diary here:

1st timer - FastBud#2

Edited October 16, 2013 by Guy_Incognito

[Guest Kipper420]

Eyup mate, until the autopot has been rooted out I would suggest hand watering before setting the system up. It gives chance for the roots to develop, otherwise the medium stays too soggy nd you get lazy roots! Also, do a hand water top through flush every once in a while too when you are using the system, and canna nutes and the auto pot system are notorious for salt build up.

You're gonna do good mate!

[Guy_Incognito]

HI Kipper,

I've been hand watering for just over a week now. I added a quarter strength of what's suggested on the bottle rhizotonic to the water and watered them when ever the top went a bit crusty. I heard this should help on encouraging the roots into looking for water.

Onwards and upwards i hope!

[Guest Kipper420]

HI Kipper,

I've been hand watering for just over a week now. I added a quarter strength of what's suggested on the bottle rhizotonic to the water and watered them when ever the top went a bit crusty. I heard this should help on encouraging the roots into looking for water.

Onwards and upwards i hope!

My rule of thumb is feed every other day in veg, and everyday in flower! Coco likes to stay wet, but in veg you want a little drying out so the roots go looking.

[ak47slim]

Nice one bro

[Guy_Incognito]

Well the grow box just survived the acid test. Wife went into the man cave looking for some tiles and wallpapering kit. She came out with all the stuff she needed and I've not been given a kick in the nuts followed by a water boarding & interrogation.

I'd say that was a pass for stealth.