Grow Closet Advice Needed

[CatManMoo]

Greetings fellow cannaseurs. I am ready to purchase everything for my grow closet and need some advice to see if my setup is on the right track. This is my first grow ever. I am in a non medical state and would like to keep this as low key as possible. I will be growing in soil. Here is what I have decided on so far:

SPACE:

Closet 2'3"x4'10"x7'3"
*Doors might be modified for ventilation.

View attachment 2957841

TENT:

2'x4'x7'+ Gorilla (with extension I will have it touching the ceiling at 7'3")
I know this is pricey but at exactly 2'x4' it fits the space very nicely leaving room for ducting to come out. Most of the other 2'x4' tents I have seen are actually much larger than 2'x4'.

LIGHTING: (HTG Supply)

400w HPS/MH Lumatek digital ballast
HY EasyCool 6 Reflector
Hortilux 400w HPS bulb
AgroMax 400w MH 6500K bulb
Steel wheel reflector hangers
Timer.. Suggestions? Can get one with the package for cheap

FAN/FILTER:
This is where I am having most of my issues. I know that negative pressure can cause my tent to collapse in on itself. Here is the setup I am considering mostly because it is from the same place I am getting lights. I am certainly open to other suggestions. I will get a speed controller regardless of the setup. http://htgsupply.com/Product-A-GrowBright-6in-Inline-Fan-&-Carbon-Filter-Combo

I am also unsure on how exactly to set everything up. Here are my two ideas.

1) 6" A/C Hood > Ducting > Fan pulling air > Ducting outside of tent > Carbon Filter > Into room
This setup would be the least amount of stuff inside of the tent. I was thinking of mounting the fan on the edge/wall in between the tent and outside to save some room.

2) Carbon Filter > Ducting > 6" A/C Hood > Ducting > Fan pulling air > Ducting to room
This may get crowded in a 2'x4' but I like the idea of having everything in the one space.

Do I need a booster fan bringing air in or is a passive intake sufficient?

VENTILATION:

The tent will be vented directly into the 9'x10' room. The door to this room will remain open to the larger basement. I live in a cold state and temps are usually pretty low in the basement. If I cannot control temps I will look into getting a small A/C for the room.

SOIL/NUTES:

Fox Farm. I will purchase locally. The number of pots will depend on how many seeds pop.

SEEDS:

I have some bagseed that I have been saving for the last few months. If I cannot get any of them to pop or if none are female I have a friend I can get some decent seeds off locally. I will be acquiring quality genetics in time for my next grow. Here is what I have for now:

White Rhino: 5 seeds
Cataract Kush: 1 seed
Snow White Kush: 1 seed
Random orange bud: 1 seed

METER:

Milwaukee is the name that keeps coming up. I am not sure everything I need to test for but I would like something easy such as digital.

EXTRAS:

Thermometer/Hygrometers
Fan/Fans for room to circulate air
6" Ducting
Water filter to clean water??

This will be my only complete grow in this tent. While I am working through this grow I will be constructing a Mother/Clone/Veg cabinet to speed things along. This will be to the right hand side of the closet, helping conceal the wires coming out of it.

Here are a few questions:

1) Fan/Filter. Which design is best from above? Suggestions on other types or designs?

2) Do I need a booster fan bringing air in or is a passive intake sufficient? If yes, what cfm?

3) Can I start my seeds under the MH? Or would a single/double CFL from Depot in the corner of the room do the trick?

4) What do I need to be testing for other than pH, if anything? Suggestions on a good meter.

5) Am I forgetting anything?

Thanks for stopping by. I am open to any suggestions. The wifey will not allow this entire room to be a grow room until the laws change so its closet/cab for now. I currently medicate at about 2oz/month but would like to increase this amount. I believe this is possible with what I have designed. I will be purchasing everything this weekend and cannot wait to get started!

Peace

 

[rwbrock]

You and me have a similar setup.....I am in a 2x4x8 foot closet. I have a 400W HPS. I run a vented hood with glass in and use a 4" inline fan. I go carbon filter ducted to hood, then hood ducted to attic where it lets hot air out. Instead of buying a tent to fit my closet I bought panda paper with zipper so you open the closet doors unzip like a tent and my grow is inside. Cheaper that way but takes a little work to set up....I was going passive but still having issue with negative pressure. I cut a 4" hole in the panda paper toward bottom corner used some left over ducting and bought a $15 little 5" desk fan I duct taped to ducting and rigged up for intake which reduced the negative pressure some....you want some negative pressure. I recommend starting seeds under CFL get a couple 22 watters should be fine. I rigged up a couple bathroom light (3 bulb fixtures) which are cheap and made my own little hanging light fixture (with 6 cfl total) and use that to veg right up until I am ready to transplant before flower. Then put under 400 let things settle down and a week later flip to 12/12. Def. want to test PH, I ended up upgrading and getting RO water system (I have bad water here)....but not required. I grow in soil and use fox farms ocean forest....I use DynaGro nutes....don't overdue it with the plants your space is limited and more is not always better. I did 6 in my area (too crowded) and found 4 produced just as much. I got it down and now only do 2 plants veg a little longer and train them so my (2) plants fill up the same space. Easier to manage and I typically pull 3-4 oz per plant. Couple months to veg, couple to flower, and another month to dry cure.....so the key is to have a sep veg area so your pulling plants out of flower area and the others are ready to go in. I like to start seedling in solo cup, then 2 gallon pots and end up in 5 gallon smartpots. You may want to get a TDS meter eventually too.

 

[CatManMoo]

@rwbrock Thank you so much this is exactly what I wanted to hear! I have scrapped the tent idea. IDK how I was even going to get it set up in that closet. I am now going to make the whole closet my grow area. I will follow this as a guide.

I will probably end up needing the RO, we will see.

What did you do for a floor tray? I am going to pull the carpet to make things easier.

 

[rwbrock]

No prob....always happy to help! My closet doesn't have carpet, I ended buying some small storage containers from Lowes that fit my pots perfectly they work better than saucers, have a taller lip for overflow and have cutout handles on the side for carrying.

 

[prosperian]

2X4 closet. You can get an idea of what I did by checking my sig link below and some pics here:

https://www.rollitup.org/members/prosperian-552192/albums/equipment-30859/index2.html

Good lukc, let me know if you have any questions.

 

[B166ER420]

I just used the entire closet with an exhaust fan cut into the ceiling,sealed around the doors and left the bottom of the doors unsealed for intake air.I cut a piece of 3/4in plywood that i aluminum taped for waterproofing and it looks cool to fit the bottom over the carpet.Closet temps with all 40 cfls going is 84max during summer to 80 now with room temps with lights out.Peace bro,GL!!

Pics if you'd like

 

[CatManMoo]

@rebrock good idea about the storage pots I will check stuff out while at the depot tomorrow.

@prosperian wow that is a killer set up. So clean and stealth. Thank you for stopping by.

@B166ER420 thank you I would love to see pics!

 

[B166ER420]

..intake under the doors
...my jalapeno peppers and others
...cleaned up
...fan exhausting into the attic(I know I coulda used a better fan)
My cfl closet setup.. i'll gladly answer any questions as best I canGL on your closet

 

[CatManMoo]

@B166ER420 Thank you!

 

[B166ER420]

Your welcome!We have the same closet space I think(mine is 2x5x9)....just thought you might woulda liked to have checked out what I did with it.Give you some different ideas for your own use

 

[Kleptonical1337]

I am a first timer and just threw together a little area to try out one plant, let me know any advice that i might need. I attached a pic of it. Its just a closet with half blocked off, i have the room lined with the dull side of some foil, i'm running one 42w 6500k cfl and one 23w 5000k cfl above the plant about 2 in away and 2 more 23w 5000k on the sides. I have a small space heater to keep temp up and am watering every other day and feeding 20-20-20 ferts every other watering. Any input would be appreciated

 

[B166ER420]

I am a first timer and just threw together a little area to try out one plant, let me know any advice that i might need. I attached a pic of it. Its just a closet with half blocked off, i have the room lined with the dull side of some foil, i'm running one 42w 6500k cfl and one 23w 5000k cfl above the plant about 2 in away and 2 more 23w 5000k on the sides. I have a small space heater to keep temp up and am watering every other day and feeding 20-20-20 ferts every other watering. Any input would be appreciated

GET YOUR OWN DAMN THREAD!!!........welcome to riu.....you don't need to feed until there is enough root to convert(first set of five fingered leaves).c-ya