First Time Closet Grow

[jward2667]

I am a first time grower and I plan on germinating them in about 2 weeks. I think I know a decent amount about growing but there are some specific questions I still have. Before I ask I will let you know my current set up. (sorry I can't post pics I am not there at the time)

Seeds= 6 fem. Northern Lights
Lights= I have a 400w HPS (veg/flower) and a 400W MH bulb (seedling)
Grow area= about 2' wide, 4' long, and 8' high closet.

First of all, I am doing this in a closet and I am VERY worried about ventilation. What kind of ventilation should I use? Can I just leave my closet door open and have a couple of fans or should I invest in something better? I do have an opening to my attic in the ceiling, should I use that for venting? Is 6 plants too much for that kind of space?

Second, how bad is the smell going to be? I don't have to hide this from my roommates but I do live in a townhouse that is connected to another. (My neighbor is 420 friendly but I don't know how much they would care, plus if my landlord has to come in I do not want it smelling)

Third, do I have to use a seed flat for my seedlings or can I put them straight into 3 gallon pots? I have taken a couple of plant biology courses and it seems that is one of the most stressful things to do to a plant.

Fourth, how much has anyone yielded off NL w/400 HPS? Is it unrealistic to think of getting an ounce a plant for my first grow?

Thanks for reading.

 

[gobbly]

I am a first time grower and I plan on germinating them in about 2 weeks. I think I know a decent amount about growing but there are some specific questions I still have. Before I ask I will let you know my current set up. (sorry I can't post pics I am not there at the time)

Seeds= 6 fem. Northern Lights
Lights= I have a 400w HPS (veg/flower) and a 400W MH bulb (seedling)
Grow area= about 2' wide, 4' long, and 8' high closet.

First of all, I am doing this in a closet and I am VERY worried about ventilation. What kind of ventilation should I use? Can I just leave my closet door open and have a couple of fans or should I invest in something better? I do have an opening to my attic in the ceiling, should I use that for venting? Is 6 plants too much for that kind of space?

Ventilation is all about turnover, and an open door with a fan would do it, however light is something you have to control on an indoor grow, so usually leaving doors open isn't a great solution. Venting to the attic depends on humidity. If it's a small grow and it's very dry where you are you can get away with it. If it's not a desert, or you have more than a couple of plants, you won't want to vent to an attic. Though you could also dehumidify, or setup attic vents, it's usually easier to send it up a chimney or something.

Second, how bad is the smell going to be? I don't have to hide this from my roommates but I do live in a townhouse that is connected to another. (My neighbor is 420 friendly but I don't know how much they would care, plus if my landlord has to come in I do not want it smelling)

It really depends on strain and air movement, but if odor security is a concern then don't take chances, look into carbon filters or ozone generation. Either will work well with a centrifugal vent system.

Third, do I have to use a seed flat for my seedlings or can I put them straight into 3 gallon pots? I have taken a couple of plant biology courses and it seems that is one of the most stressful things to do to a plant.

No one answer. Some things to consider though: the larger the pot the more trouble you will have keeping moisture levels in the soil. It will take too long to dry out toward the bottom and lead to problems. transplanting is part of gardening and really quite simple. With minimal experience it can be done with basically no stress. You don't have to have a seed plot, but I would advise against going too large till the plants are big enough to need it. I germ in 6" tall peat pots (plenty of room for a tap root).

Fourth, how much has anyone yielded off NL w/400 HPS? Is it unrealistic to think of getting an ounce a plant for my first grow?

No way to know, the plant itself is quite capable of yielding more than an oz with those lights, or several smaller ones who take up the same space. In fact, you should really be able to get more. However, as a first time grower the odds are against you, there is a little bit of a learning curve. Not impossible by any means though. Planning and research will make a big difference, but some things you just have to learn by experience

Thanks for reading.

Hope it helps!

 

[newb weed grower]

uhhh wat he said lolz
no but seriously remember heat rises so ur attic would be awsome to be vented in and if u wanted to leave the door ope it wouldnt hurt make sure u never go into ur grow rooma fter being outside be scared of mites and bugs
gl on ur grow make sure u dont over love them which i mean drowning them

 

[jward2667]

Thanks a lot for the help guys

 

[jward2667]

I just started looking into ozone generators. Are there any that you would suggest? I want to keep my first grow on a smaller budget, so maybe around 200?

 

[gobbly]

take what I say with a grain of salt. I have used ozone quite a bit for water purification, but not for odor control...

Basically o3 (ozone), as far as my non-chemist understanding goes, bonds to the molecules that carry odor in the same way that negative ion generators do. You basically pump it into the exhaust of your vent system. Ozone is poisonous with too much direct exposure. It can damage plants if allowed to build up in the grow area, and can have long term health effects on humans (for more info look up the MSDS and OSHA info, they have quite a lot on ozone, with federal permissible levels). Ozone physically removes the scent, and when used properly is more effective at removing odor than any other commonly used technology. Many large scale commercial grows will use it for this reason. It has to be used properly though.

Carbon filters are easier to use by a bit, but the amount of odor they remove will be directly related to the amount of carbon, how much air flow, how diffused you can get the air around that carbon, how old the carbon is, and how much odor there is to remove.