First time grower...closet CFL grow.

Hello, all.

My seeds are germinating, and I'm gonna plant them in a fert free potting mix in 16 oz cups tonight. My box is a very sturdy moving box, about 24"x24"x36". I'm planning on lining it with bright white printer paper. I have a 125w 6100k in a reflector at the top, and 2x105w 5000k, which I plan to place on the sides of the box near the top. My space is in the attic, which is only accessable through a closet which is inside the master bathroom. I also have 1x250w and 2x105w 2700k bulbs set aside for flowering. Planning on 18/6 for veg and 12/12 for flowering.

My seeds came from Nirvana, I got the feminized indoor mystery 5-pack. I am germinating 2 seeds currently, and at last view, the taproot was barely visible in both. My plan is to ultimately transplant both plants into a 5 gal bucket, and use LST, training the plants around the rim of the bucket. I plan to drill holes in the bucket for drainage, and for root pruning. For veg, I'm going to use a liquid miracle-gro with a high nitrogen content. My water comes from my own well. I have plenty of PC fans lying around I can use for ventilation.

My main concern is this...the attic is cold, and it can get quite cold where I live. Will the CFL's generate enough heat in a box that size to keep it at a decent temp? Is there a way of insulating a box like that? I got a temp probe so I can track temps 24/7 without opening the box. I guess if it's too cold, I can get a small heater, or move the grow to a closet in the house proper. What's the lowest temp consistent with good growth?

Am I forgetting anything? Any constructive criticisms? As my frist grow, I am not expecting a lot, as I'm sure experience is the best teacher, but I'd like to give myself a chance to have the best first grow possible.

I've learned a lot from reading this board, and I'd like to thank all of you in advance for all the knowledge I have already gleaned from here. Pics coming soon.

Those high watt cfl's will more than likely provide enough heat for the box. I'd say the lowest night temps should be around 60F (meaning when lights are off). Anywhere in the seventies is good for growing (lights on).

One thing- do you have a small fan to put in the box to move air around? You will want it on even when the plants are just seedlings for strong roots.

Good luck!

Thanks for your suggestions.

My grow has been relocated to the barn. I got a Black and Decker garage storage cabinet, which is big enough to put 2 five-gallon buckets in, and I mounted a mogul-base reflector in the top, and have 2 105 watters flanking it.

It's cold in the barn (low 40's now and going nowhere but down). The CFL's do seem to provide enough heat while they are on, and I have it timed so that the lights are off from 10A to 6P each day. To avoid any temps below 60 I placed a small ceramic heater in the box as well. Temps are running between 70 and 90 degrees.

I let my babies (which are in party cups in potting mixture with drainage holes in the bottom of the cups) in about 1/2 inch of standing water for about 8 hours in order to make sure that the potting mix has no dry spots, and now they seem quite moist, with no dry spots.

I thought I saw a little green poking up through the soil yesterday, but no sign of it this morning. I put them in the cups 3 days ago, and I hear it may be up to another week before they break the surface.

I'll take some pics later and post them. Any constructive criticism will be welcome.