Need some reassurance with growing in a loft

[KC]

Veg needs 18 hours of light or more really, that means it's got to be on at some point in the day. I only use my loft for flowering so I can avoid that by running 22:00 to 10:00. Insulating will help during winter too as lofts get too cold. If your planning on using it long term is worth going all out on insulation.

As to what kind, that depends on your budget. Mines just the rock wool type and its been boarded in. Cellotex is great if you can afford it. 

 

As for watering I can't help with automation, I'm a hand waterer myself. They really do drink quite a bit, especially during the summer.

[mysticriver]

15 hours ago, Tsoi said:

would be enough 

you could always go for a wick system

- got mentioned on here a while back

dont know much about them but they sound less of a risk than a res + timer; drippers etc

 

quote function doesn't work for me *again

"Would reflective film be enough" said by @Tsoi

with you only doing veg up there I dont think heat would be an issue with regard to helicopters sussing you out

 

 

mystic

[Crow River]

You could try "classic" Blumats rather than Tropf-Blumat dripper system. They are literally marketed to folk who want to make sure their house plants don't die while they're away on holiday. Easy peasy setup, you just need a large milk bottle or plastic storage box as a reservoir placed next to your pots. The carrots will supply water when the soil becomes sufficiently dry. Standard carrots supply maximum 200ml/day, XL size 300ml/day. I've been using them for a while now, perfect solution for one or two plants. Pretty cheap too.

 

I use 2 x XL size in 11/12 litres of soil, or 3 x standard size, to give maximum of 600ml/day of water. Note that is a maximum, the watering is "on demand". You could use fewer carrots in smaller pots.

 

Nothing much goes wrong, although if the reservoir empties you need to remove and reset the carrots, takes 20 minutes. 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Crow River

[Tsoi]

2 hours ago, Crow River said:

You could try "classic" Blumats rather than Tropf-Blumat dripper system. They are literally marketed to folk who want to make sure their house plants don't die while they're away on holiday. Easy peasy setup, you just need a large milk bottle or plastic storage box as a reservoir placed next to your pots. The carrots will supply water when the soil becomes sufficiently dry. Standard carrots supply maximum 200ml/day, XL size 300ml/day. I've been using them for a while now, perfect solution for one or two plants. Pretty cheap too.

 

I use 2 x XL size in 11/12 litres of soil, or 3 x standard size, to give maximum of 600ml/day of water. Note that is a maximum, the watering is "on demand". You could use fewer carrots in smaller pots.

 

Nothing much goes wrong, although if the reservoir empties you need to remove and reset the carrots, takes 20 minutes. 

 

ok you guys have seemed to have sold me on this. I actually wanted to run coco but I couldnt get round all the dripper systems and timers and whatever. This seems like the perfect solution.

 

So what is the difference between the tropf and the classic just to be exact? Im gonna keep researching, but their website isnt too helpful. Also, I can place the resevoir below the carrots and it will still pull water via the capillary effect?

 

Im probably just gonna get a couple of those 5 liter water bottles, run a hose, PH and mix in nutes at 50% and dose the rest of the 50% as needed.

 

 

Regarding the attic situation, ill leave that to the cooler months (After mid august) as I can still veg in a tent, thought it would be really simple and cheap, guess not...

[blerie420]

On 5/18/2022 at 8:21 PM, KC said:

I doubt you'd get that long out of them, you might be better off looking at some automated watering system. Helicopters won't be your problem. I've grown in my loft for years with much more light than that. You'll definitely need some loft insulation though, they get stupidly hot during summer. 

 

Sorry to hijack the thread but can I pick ya brain??

 

Insulation I have it under the board ive laid between floor and ceiling.. just to clarify, should I be insulating the roof itself too?? And if so what would be the best means by your reckoning? Ta in advance

[KC]

@blerie420

Yes mate, in fact I'd say it's more important than the floor. 

The easiest option but more expensive is the board type of insulation you can buy. I used the rock wool type myself then boarded over it. Building regulations say you need a gap, I know it's changed since I did mine. I just screwed spacer blocks into the joists and screwed my boards into them. 

 

If you're going to be using the loft long term then try and do it as best you can. I wish i'ddone a bit more but once you're running you won't wanna stop to do a rebuild. I can't imagine running without insulation especially now with the energy prices. Winter cost me a fortune in heating last year, might be stopping this year if it's gets any more silly price wise. 

[J.C]

@blerie420 - I've fairly recently done mine. Went with 150mm in total of Celetex (well the knockoff version) with a gap so air can still move. Then put plasterboard on that and had it skimmed. Proper overboard but it's made the world of difference during these warm spells

[blerie420]

Nice one lads.

 

@KC gonna have to rebuild before I even started haha, is what it is though! Agreed on the energy prices, got me eyeing up the lamppost outside my yard lol.

 

@J.C wouldnt say that's overboard just a lot of work. Best get my scruffs back on

[J.C]

 

@blerie420 - I'm a do it once, do it proper sort of bloke really, so everything is slightly overboard and my local hydroshop must think I'm nuts!

[blerie420]

4 hours ago, J.C said:

 

@blerie420 - I'm a do it once, do it proper sort of bloke really, so everything is slightly overboard and my local hydroshop must think I'm nuts!

I like to think I am but I'm really fucking not I just fall down YouTube rabbit holes too easily

[sweettooth]

On 06/07/2022 at 7:24 PM, blerie420 said:

got me eyeing up the lamppost outside my yard lol.

now there's a thought.

 

got me thinking of drilling through the wall and tapping into the neighbours wiring

 

 

I'm aware its gas but made me laugh

 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2022 by sweettooth

[blackpoolbouncer]

On 5/18/2022 at 8:10 PM, badbillybob said:

heres the thing. the pigs hire those FLIR helicopters,  the ones with heat seeking ability, and theycost thousands per hour. 

they wont be looking for some bloke in his shed growing a few plants, they are looking for warehouses full. 

crack on, youll be fine

Just an fyi, coppers these days generally are sending up drones equipment with heat camera not hiring flir helicopters.(since when are they rented and not just operated by the police) 

 

Sedijg a drone up cost virtually nothing and does everything a chopper does and you'd have no idea its even above you.

 

 

I've been stood with the police chatting when they sent it up looking for a missing child locally. Wag he'd them pass right over my shed pumping put hot air with an 8"inch exhaust to atmosphere. 

 

Didn't even look twice. My door hasn't gone in anyway

Edited July 9, 2022 by blackpoolbouncer

[rumplestilskin'n]

not insulating grow rooms isnt a good idea and bit ignorant to heat losses made in dwellings/structures

 

around 25% of heat lost through roof

around 35% of heat lost through walls

 

air gaps in cavities dont work as well with the absence of kingspan type insulation, though a 25mm air gap is still needed when fitting kingspan into a cavity in walls. 

 

dont skimp on insulation because you'll be paying more in running costs. 

 

No insulation means "penny wise, pound foolish" 

Edited July 9, 2022 by rumplestilskin'n

[Farmer Fett]

I gow in my loft, I insulted it with 100mm of kingspan/cellotex/ pir board, as has been said before you really need this.

I had a thermometer up in the loft for over a year before I grew up there and the lowest temp was 3 and the highest was 44, quite a difference.

I draw fresh air in from a downstairs room and explell through the chimney.

And I use Wilma system to water as its all self contained and can't leak and send liters of water down your walls.

I recently swapped to Lumatek 600 w leds and they are fucking ace but had the standard 600w HPS up there for 5 grows and everything was fine and dandy.

Good luck and enjoy your grow.

[blerie420]

16 hours ago, sweettooth said:

now there's a thought.

 

got me thinking of drilling through the wall and tapping into the neighbours wiring

 

 

I'm aware its gas but made me laugh

 

 

 

My uncle tapped his way way back in the day, always said it's worth the 4 weeks in jail if he ever got caught and hed do it again, cos what they gonna do? Move the lamppost

 

Bottom is elite and always will be! Oh Eddie not the bleach haha