Grow Room Setup Questions

[BmoreBuds86]

Hey everyone. I'd love some feedback on a few things, if that's cool. I'm generally a noob cuz it's been over 10 years since I've grown anything and even back then, I didn't know much. I'm just starting to build my rooms and get all my ducks in a row... So here's my setup/idea...

Starting out with Himalayan Gold seeds.

Seed Room = 3' L x 2' 4" w x 3' 4" h
Veg Room = 3' L x 2' 4" w x 4' h
Flower Room = 6' 8" L x 3' w x 7' 4" h

Generally, my idea is doing a 4-way manifold during Veg and having a perpetual SCROG setup...

Medium/Pot Setup :
Using Coco Coir with Perlite and CalMag mix for everything, adding Fox Farms nutes as I go...

For seedlings, after they get a 1/2 inch nub outta the seed, transplanting to sub-irrigated planters made using 20oz bottle cut in 1/2 and flipped upside down, having water on bottom and Coco mix in the topside... (under a 3ft led light that puts out 3000L and 4000K doing 18/6 schedule)

Once they hit the 5 node mark, transferring to 1 gallon bucket with drain holes in bottom and topping down the 3rd node and starting to build the manifold AND adding a small fan at this point to help strengthen the stem... estimating it'll take 4 weeks from seedling to veg..

Once I have the manifold done with 8 kolas, Ill transfer to 5 gallon pots into Veg where I'll start training with a screen... 3 plants in a 3' x 2' screen that'll sit 8 inches above the plants until 1/2 of screen is filled ALSO adding a DIY CO2 system at this point... Estimating 4 weeks of Veg.. (thinking of doing either a T5 dual bulb 6500k light or a blue spectrum LED grow light, haven't decided yet)

Then switching to Flowering room Stage 1 and into a custom built light that has 2 70w HPS and 1 150w HPS and continue training for 4 more weeks...

Then switch to Flowering State 2 (same room) under a 400w HPS light until harvest roughly 4 more weeks later...

Now, a few questions...

The grow rooms will be built inside my spare bedroom that has a window. The rooms will have thick plastic on outside and mylar inside with an intake hole and exhaust hole in the flowering room...Since itll be winter here during my 1st run, I could generally control the temps by opening/closing the window in the bedroom... If more heat is needed, I'll put a small heater inside the bedroom (outside of the grow rooms) and if needed to control humidity, I can put a dehumidifier in the room... Sound like a plan?

Oh and once Crop #1 hits a week before veg, I'll start germinating Crop #2's seeds and so on, one right behind the other with a generalized 4 week rotation of everything hoping to harvest once a month... I've read all sorts of shit about expected yield using SCROG and good genetics. Personally, I'm hoping to hit at least 6oz dried off 3 plants Scrog, once a month but we shall see....

Any thoughts, tips, advice is welcome guys.. Thanks!

 

[BmoreBuds86]

Any replies? Suggestions? Anything?

 

[Grandpapy]

Sounds like a well thought out plan.

I experienced mildew when I recirculated indoors, ended up chasing my tail with the dehumidifier, net energy saved- none. I keep it vented outside and now have more time for important stuff like this posting.

 

[BmoreBuds86]

Grandpapy... Can you elaborate a bit? What do you mean by recirculating indoors vs outdoors? Like do you now grow outside? Or are you talking about using the dehumidifier in the room outside of the grow rooms like I plan to do?

And thanks, I've been researching shit for awhile trying to come up with a decent setup on a budget for what I wanna do

 

[coreywebster]

Just a couple of points.

There's no need to scrog with that veg time and that plant count in such a small space. The point of Scrog is to maximise canopy size with minimum plant count. You would be better to just stick to your plan and just use a loose net for support rather than cram that many plants under a true scrog net.

Your talking about 8 weeks from seed to start of flower, you will struggle to fit 3 plants in the space your talking about. Assuming when you say 3 plants in a 3x2 you mean all 3 plants and not 1 plant per 3x2.

Not sure on the flower room stage 1 and 2, if its the same space you may as well just use the 400w from the start. But a 400w hps will only cover a 3x3 space. Maybe you are planning to have half the flower room under the lower level lighting then move the plants across to the 400w?

 

[BmoreBuds86]

CoreyWebster...

Yes I planned to do 3 plants in the 3x2 space and yes Stage 1 and State 2 flowering will be in same room... One side of room under the 2 70w and 1 150w HPS lights (total of 390w) and the other side will have the 400w... I know a 400w covers a 3x3 and the other light (390w) I'm estimating will cover roughly the same... So since I only can do a 3x2 space each stage instead of a 3x3, I was thinking both the 390w and 400w lights would be fine.... Sounds like you might disagree? If so can you elaborate as to why?

And yah 3 plants seemed ok to me cuz I was also considering doing just 2 plants per screen cuz it would give 1.5x2 per plant which is 3ft sqft per plant and I understand most people doing scrogs try to do 1.5 to 2sqft per plant.... Correct?... If so then 3 plants would put me in that range.

 

[Grandpapy]

Grandpapy... Can you elaborate a bit? What do you mean by recirculating indoors vs outdoors? Like do you now grow outside? Or are you talking about using the dehumidifier in the room outside of the grow rooms like I plan to do?

And thanks, I've been researching shit for awhile trying to come up with a decent setup on a budget for what I wanna do

I keep the grow room isolated from the rest of the house.
I pull filtered air in from outdoors and scrub all air going out thru the lights using separate fans for inlet and exhaust, controlling temps with the inlet fan and temp. controller.

If you get mildew, you'll just be pumping spores thru-out your house.

 

[BmoreBuds86]

Sounds good. How do you filter the air coming in exactly?

 

[coreywebster]

CoreyWebster...

Yes I planned to do 3 plants in the 3x2 space and yes Stage 1 and State 2 flowering will be in same room... One side of room under the 2 70w and 1 150w HPS lights (total of 390w) and the other side will have the 400w... I know a 400w covers a 3x3 and the other light (390w) I'm estimating will cover roughly the same... So since I only can do a 3x2 space each stage instead of a 3x3, I was thinking both the 390w and 400w lights would be fine.... Sounds like you might disagree? If so can you elaborate as to why?

And yah 3 plants seemed ok to me cuz I was also considering doing just 2 plants per screen cuz it would give 1.5x2 per plant which is 3ft sqft per plant and I understand most people doing scrogs try to do 1.5 to 2sqft per plant.... Correct?... If so then 3 plants would put me in that range.

Firstly, no your lighting plan sounds fine, I would opt for maximum light as soon as they go into flower, but your idea will work A ok.

As far as scrog goes, there's a million people scrogging the wrong way and very few people doing it the right way these days.
Most people slap a net over some plants and think they are scrogging. When they are not.
I only have limited experience with Scrogs, because it doesn't suit my perpetual set up. But I have scrogged in a 3x2 net with one plant and 6 weeks veg time and got 9oz from that one plant, I couldn't imagine actually been able to fit 3 plants in that net, or if I did it would be with only half the veg time.
Obviously veg time is specific to lighting type and power in that veg period and also the medium used, a hydro set up with powerful lighting will veg much quicker than a soil based cfl/fluorescent set up.

I wouldn't worry too much about it to be honest, you will soon find if it works for you and soon figure out what needs changing and adjust to your needs.

 

[Grandpapy]

Sounds good. How do you filter the air coming in exactly?

I use a old Can 60 w/the factory pre-filter that full stickyness after 2 yrs of use. (great for bugs)
It's hidden somewhat behind bushes along the house in the backyard.

 

[BmoreBuds86]

3x2 Scrog with 1 plant and 9oz yield?!... No shit, that's badass dude.

I might just try that.... Did you manifold the plant before veg? What strain did you use?

 

[BmoreBuds86]

Firstly, no your lighting plan sounds fine, I would opt for maximum light as soon as they go into flower, but your idea will work A ok.

As far as scrog goes, there's a million people scrogging the wrong way and very few people doing it the right way these days.
Most people slap a net over some plants and think they are scrogging. When they are not.
I only have limited experience with Scrogs, because it doesn't suit my perpetual set up. But I have scrogged in a 3x2 net with one plant and 6 weeks veg time and got 9oz from that one plant, I couldn't imagine actually been able to fit 3 plants in that net, or if I did it would be with only half the veg time.
Obviously veg time is specific to lighting type and power in that veg period and also the medium used, a hydro set up with powerful lighting will veg much quicker than a soil based cfl/fluorescent set up.

I wouldn't worry too much about it to be honest, you will soon find if it works for you and soon figure out what needs changing and adjust to your needs.

3x2 Scrog with 1 plant and 9oz yield?!... No shit, that's badass dude.

I might just try that.... Did you manifold the plant before veg? What strain did youuse?

 

[coreywebster]

3x2 Scrog with 1 plant and 9oz yield?!... No shit, that's badass dude.

I might just try that.... Did you manifold the plant before veg? What strain did you use?

I LSTd early veg, its a bit quicker due to low stress not causing shock. It was a strain called incredible bulk.
I would do it consistently if I could but with limited veg space its difficult to move them from veg to flower tent and doesn't allow me the space I need to clone in my veg tent.
I'm moving soon and cutting down plant count so I'm looking to replicate this with 3x 4x2 tents and a screen per tent, I'm yet to decide if I want two plants per tent or one. But it should help me maintain high yields in smaller space with lower plant count.

 

[BmoreBuds86]

So my next question is what should I use for a veg light??? I'm having trouble deciding...

I know a bunch of folks swear by 6500k T5 lights... I'm using a 4000k led for seedlings..

I was thinking a 4000k led plus 2 daylight (6500k CFLs).... Or should I do one or the other? Or do 4 of the CFLs?

 

[coreywebster]

So my next question is what should I use for a veg light??? I'm having trouble deciding...

I know a bunch of folks swear by 6500k T5 lights... I'm using a 4000k led for seedlings..

I was thinking a 4000k led plus 2 daylight (6500k CFLs).... Or should I do one or the other? Or do 4 of the CFLs?

Not really my area but t5 should work better than cfl due to uniformity and thus can be equally close as you like.

I like white LEDs for all stages but do use MH for veg in winter and 315CMH in summer.

Depends on how much you want to spend on your veg light, ive no idea what a t5 setup costs? Even cheap blurple LEDs veg well.

 

[coreywebster]

3x2 Scrog with 1 plant and 9oz yield?!... No shit, that's badass dude.

I might just try that.... Did you manifold the plant before veg? What strain did you use?

Just want to correct my post.
Having gone through my notes, it was a 1.5x2ft screen, so half the size I quoted and yielded 9oz.

 

[BmoreBuds86]

Just want to correct my post.
Having gone through my notes, it was a 1.5x2ft screen, so half the size I quoted and yielded 9oz.

That's ridiculous dude... How exactly did you get 9oz off one plant? Did you 4-way manifold it before veg? How long did you train it for? What kinda lights did you use? Any CO2?

 

[coreywebster]

That's ridiculous dude... How exactly did you get 9oz off one plant? Did you 4-way manifold it before veg? How long did you train it for? What kinda lights did you use? Any CO2?

No, I have never done manifolding, but I grow from clone so its a bit quicker, I just LST and super crop where needed to maintain a roughly even canopy.
With that scrog I had built 4 screens, one for each plant, but realised I wouldn't be able to get right up close and personal to train properly in my veg tent. So I just thought I would try one and as an experiment.
At about week 4 of veg I added the screen, flattening her out and gave her a few extra weeks to train and fill the screen, it was only about 90% full after flower stretch was over so there was room for improvement. I also lost half oz or so to bud rot on a couple of colas, which obviously I didn't count in the dry weight total.

Normally I do 4 plants in half my 8x4 in 5 gal cloth pots, in coco coir. I usually pull 6-7oz per plant without a screen, just top, lst and super crop if mains get too tall after stretch.
But that scrog was the best yield I had from one plant.
I don't use co2, but I do grow with Cob LEDs and Quantum boards, which kick out more light watt for watt than HPS so that helps.

I'm only an average grower at best, I have seen folks pull a fair amount more from similar spaces, especially those who use Scrogs or Sogs.

 

[BmoreBuds86]

No, I have never done manifolding, but I grow from clone so its a bit quicker, I just LST and super crop where needed to maintain a roughly even canopy.
With that scrog I had built 4 screens, one for each plant, but realised I wouldn't be able to get right up close and personal to train properly in my veg tent. So I just thought I would try one and as an experiment.
At about week 4 of veg I added the screen, flattening her out and gave her a few extra weeks to train and fill the screen, it was only about 90% full after flower stretch was over so there was room for improvement. I also lost half oz or so to bud rot on a couple of colas, which obviously I didn't count in the dry weight total.

Normally I do 4 plants in half my 8x4 in 5 gal cloth pots, in coco coir. I usually pull 6-7oz per plant without a screen, just top, lst and super crop if mains get too tall after stretch.
But that scrog was the best yield I had from one plant.
I don't use co2, but I do grow with Cob LEDs and Quantum boards, which kick out more light watt for watt than HPS so that helps.

I'm only an average grower at best, I have seen folks pull a fair amount more from similar spaces, especially those who use Scrogs or Sogs.

Bravo dude. I'm also doing Coco coir... With Perlite and CalMag added.

What nutes did you use and when did you start adding? I was thinking of doing Fox Farm nutes starting when I get a node or 2

 

[coreywebster]

Bravo dude. I'm also doing Coco coir... With Perlite and CalMag added.

What nutes did you use and when did you start adding? I was thinking of doing Fox Farm nutes starting when I get a node or 2

I use canna coco nutrients mate, but any nutrients will do the job.
I used to use the full line up of canna including the expensive boost, but at the time of the scrog I had cut out the fancy stuff and just use A and B with a pk boost at low dose once flowers start forming. I use about two thirds of recommended dosage.
Growing from clones, I'm already dealing with mature plants so I don't need to worry about over nuting once they have a good root system. I don't start seeds very often, if I do I use half dose nutrients once the cotyledons start to fade and see how that strain reacts