Shackleford.R
Well-Known Member
Hello all! On the coattails of my recent grow, recent and first, I took note of a few things I may have done wrong, and few of the right things I could have done better.
1-Light leaks are your enemy.
if you think you can get away with a tiny crack of light during flower, you're wrong.
2-Proper ventilation and cooling makes for happier plants.
at times I allowed the grow space to reach temps of 92, though possibly OK for a hour or so, definitely not OK as a consistent temp.
3-Growing CFL means growing smaller plants.
my last girl grew out of control, at times I was overwhelmed, if you want to be successful with CFL, accept you'll be blooming sooner than you may wish
4-(IMO) CFL needs soil
hydro is fun and sounds exciting, but it also has a much more rapid rate of growth. growing CFL you have fewer lumens and slightly less usable light
so, do yourself a favor, grow in soil which has a much more moderate rate of growth, and therefore is more likely to make better use of available light
With these lessons in mind, I set out to build a minimalist DIY Grow Tent, to make better use of my growing closet.
The design is simple and this isn't a step by step by guide of how to construct what I am doing.
More like an ongoing journal of its construction. (not too complicated you could figure it out for yourself after one look)
(I should throw this out there now, my girlfriend would like the house to be grow-free for a bit, so this will be slow build..)
The project as she stands now, looks something like this..
..not TOO exciting I know. (unless you are myself and you see all the potential in store!!)
She measures 23"W x 13"D x 56"H
Phase 2 - installing fans. I plan to use 4" 120VAC fans, two attached to the very top of the unit for exhaust, and one attached to the lower back for intake (I'll be doing up a panel to hold the lower fan in place, that may have a step by step guide)
Phase 3 - entails wrapping the unit in Panda Poly-Film, the goal is wrap her up like a christmas present, using zip ties to hold in place and lastly a strip of duct tape (black for aesthetics sake)
Phase 4 - sticking on a pair of adhesive zippers to the front of the unit, one on either side running the height for complete access
Phase 5 - internal air movement, considering a 6" spring clip-on fan attached to one of the posts to keep air moving and get that early developing plant strong and sturdy
Also, I'm sure someone will ask, "Hey.. what's with the hood, thought you said CFL?! WTF?!?! ZOMG!!?!" CALM DOWN!!! Your eyes do not deceive you.
That is my 125W 2700k Mogul Base CFL. Which may or may not get re-used this go 'round.
Looking into ramping it up to a 200W CFL, regardless will be purchasing a 5500k CFL, similar style for veg.
Again before I receive any guff for using such a CFL and not HPS or MH or HID (which CFL is) or BMF or UGK or other damn abbreviation..
I used that bulb on my last grow, with decent results (all other factors aside) and it BARELY made a noticeable difference on my utility bill.
So put that in your pipe and smoke it (after you're done smoking your homegrown
)
One last note, the shelf the hood hangs from is completely adjustable, for any height desired.
That is all for now, keep checking back and subscribe! The build (as its not truly that labor intensive) should be done in about a week or two.
Followed promptly by the cracking of beans in early-mid November.
Happy growing RIU!!
Shack
1-Light leaks are your enemy.
if you think you can get away with a tiny crack of light during flower, you're wrong.
2-Proper ventilation and cooling makes for happier plants.
at times I allowed the grow space to reach temps of 92, though possibly OK for a hour or so, definitely not OK as a consistent temp.
3-Growing CFL means growing smaller plants.
my last girl grew out of control, at times I was overwhelmed, if you want to be successful with CFL, accept you'll be blooming sooner than you may wish
4-(IMO) CFL needs soil
hydro is fun and sounds exciting, but it also has a much more rapid rate of growth. growing CFL you have fewer lumens and slightly less usable light
so, do yourself a favor, grow in soil which has a much more moderate rate of growth, and therefore is more likely to make better use of available light
With these lessons in mind, I set out to build a minimalist DIY Grow Tent, to make better use of my growing closet.
The design is simple and this isn't a step by step by guide of how to construct what I am doing.
More like an ongoing journal of its construction. (not too complicated you could figure it out for yourself after one look)
(I should throw this out there now, my girlfriend would like the house to be grow-free for a bit, so this will be slow build..)
The project as she stands now, looks something like this..
..not TOO exciting I know. (unless you are myself and you see all the potential in store!!)
She measures 23"W x 13"D x 56"H
Phase 2 - installing fans. I plan to use 4" 120VAC fans, two attached to the very top of the unit for exhaust, and one attached to the lower back for intake (I'll be doing up a panel to hold the lower fan in place, that may have a step by step guide)
Phase 3 - entails wrapping the unit in Panda Poly-Film, the goal is wrap her up like a christmas present, using zip ties to hold in place and lastly a strip of duct tape (black for aesthetics sake)
Phase 4 - sticking on a pair of adhesive zippers to the front of the unit, one on either side running the height for complete access
Phase 5 - internal air movement, considering a 6" spring clip-on fan attached to one of the posts to keep air moving and get that early developing plant strong and sturdy
Also, I'm sure someone will ask, "Hey.. what's with the hood, thought you said CFL?! WTF?!?! ZOMG!!?!" CALM DOWN!!! Your eyes do not deceive you.
That is my 125W 2700k Mogul Base CFL. Which may or may not get re-used this go 'round.
Looking into ramping it up to a 200W CFL, regardless will be purchasing a 5500k CFL, similar style for veg.
Again before I receive any guff for using such a CFL and not HPS or MH or HID (which CFL is) or BMF or UGK or other damn abbreviation..
I used that bulb on my last grow, with decent results (all other factors aside) and it BARELY made a noticeable difference on my utility bill.
So put that in your pipe and smoke it (after you're done smoking your homegrown
)One last note, the shelf the hood hangs from is completely adjustable, for any height desired.
That is all for now, keep checking back and subscribe! The build (as its not truly that labor intensive) should be done in about a week or two.
Followed promptly by the cracking of beans in early-mid November.
Happy growing RIU!!
Shack
