Custom 4x8 grow room

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to share my most recent project that is now finally complete. A friend and I spent our off-time the last three months designing, constructing, testing, and modifying this grow room.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3dd5NL2oOU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwz-udFaJHM

DISCLAMERS-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• Experience-- Neither my friend, nor I, have any experience in architecture, construction, HVAC, or hydroponics. All of these tasks were researched as needed so please don't judge too harshly.
• Electricity-- My friend has a good knowledge of this discipline but is not a licensed electrcian.
• Scetchup-- I downloaded this program to help me design the room before construction. Amazing program! I'll admit I got a little carried away with it.
• Legality-- This is a legal medical grow.

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Basics
1. 4x8 Grow room
2. 3x4 Utility room (Attached)
3. Designed to be extremely discrete in both appearance and in decibels
4. Constructed mainly from 2x4 beams, plywood, drywall, insulation, and painter's plastic
5. Doors secured with 6 deadbolts (4 of which are operated by car door actuators)
6. Actuators supplied power via motorcyle battery connected to a trickle charger on main breaker

Power
1. (2) 30 AMP breakers added to garage circuit
2. (2) 30 AMP hot wires run into structure via conduit
3. Breaker box custom made to support our unique power needs
4. Temperture cut-off switch installed
5. Internal timers installed to regulate timed equipment

Hydroponics
1. 88 system gallons contained in (5) 27gal. totes
2. The Under Current Deep Water Culture (UCDWC) Hydroponics system was modeled after Current Culture Hydroponic's UCPRO4 model. http://www.cch2o.com/p_ucpro.html
3. 1/4 hp. water chiller maintains temp. at 68 degrees
4. MAG700 water pump used for a system recirculation rate of about 6.5 times per hour
5. (4) 8.5" disk air stones connected to AL-100 air pump (breaker 1)
6. (1) Double XL Air Diffuser for the res hooked up to AL-70 air pump (breaker 2) http://www.hydroponics.net/i/131650
7. Eight 10" netpots with hydroton expanded clay pellets as plant sites (2 netpots per tote)
8. 55 gallon drum provides backup R.O. water for res (fed by recirculating R.O. system on float valve)

Lights
1. (2) 1000 Watt bulbs in Magnum XXXL hoods
2. Sealed intake/exhaust
3. Air pulled through lights by 535 CFM fan located in utility room

Environment
1. Air Conditioner built into inner wall to cool/dedumidify recirculated grow room air
2. Carbon filter and fan hung from ceiling
3. 12" oscillating fan mounted on inner wall (doubles to disperse CO2)

CO2
1. (2) 20lb. CO2 tanks located in Utility room (Secondary set as in-line spare)
2. CAP PPM-3 CO2 Monitor Controller used to maintain 1500PPM level in grow room

I am sure I am missing something. So will post again if I notice anything.

Nice drawing. I'd like to see it done please.

I messed up the link initially. The video of the finished room is linked above.

Wow, this is pretty awesome, I like the sketchup vid. I was looking today for something like this program. Thanks for the information and happy growing.

EDIT:
I was thnking about doing the same thing with the door actuators with a room that I am building. Can you give me some information on how you accomplished this, please?

Installing the actuators was actually a simple process, although, it was a little labor intensive. Basically the actuators came with all the wires, receiver, and keys. You will also need to purchase some sort of power source. We chose to use a motorcycle battery that is hooked up to a trickle charger. The actuators come with rods for car doors, which we modified to fit onto deadbolt latches. Basically we bent the rods in a loop around the deadbolt head so that it pushes or pulls the lock. Then the assembly was screwed into a small 2x4 which we beveled to size. That 2x4 was then positioned on the door so that the lock could slide over the frame freely. We did have to purchase extra wire and splice some of the longer runs to the receiver, but this was the easy part. Where the doors open we made some loops in a sort of spring looking fashion so that the wires could stretch as the doors opened without any problems. I hope that helped.

do not count on the ac to do the dehumidifying. when lights are out the ac will not run much and humidity will sky rocket. for what you are doing you want to be able to control every aspect of the environment, seperate the ac and dehumidifying aspects, buy a dehumidifier.

Thanks Superstoner. We have already bought a dehumidifier and have a contingency installation plan, should we need it. So far, though, we have been observing the opposite during lights off. Lights on have stayed between 82-87(AC set to 82) RH 45%-50% and lights off is between 69-76 (off 10am-4pm) RH 37%-45%. Things might change, however, as it gets colder outside, or as the plants get bigger.

Cool thank you for the information. Where did you get the kit from?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AUTO-KEYLESS-REMOTE-CONTROL-2-4-DOOR-POWER-LOCK-ACTUATOR-KIT-4-BUTTON-CHROME-/221073820945?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item337906cd11&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-7AH-SLA-Battery-for-Razor-Pocket-Mod-Pocket-Rocket-Sport-Mod-/290771550334?pt=Electronic_Battery_Windup_Toys_US&hash=item43b355c07e

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Deltran-Battery-Tender-Jr-12-Volt-Charger-Maintainer-Trickle-Car-Motorcycle-RV-/140884095521?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20cd58b221&vxp=mtr

This reminds me of a poo I took the other day...nice, but expensive

If does bulbs are actual 1000 watt mh you should really raise them higher , I know u probably could have them 2'' away and no heat issue but I personally think they will grow faster if you put them a little higher . Its like if you put your fluorescents to high your plants stretch , well this would be the opposite .