Grow Closet Advice Needed

CatManMoo

Member
Greetings fellow cannaseurs. I am ready to purchase everything for my grow closet and need some advice to see if my setup is on the right track. This is my first grow ever. I am in a non medical state and would like to keep this as low key as possible. I will be growing in soil. Here is what I have decided on so far:

SPACE:

Closet 2'3"x4'10"x7'3"
*Doors might be modified for ventilation.

View attachment 2957841

TENT:

2'x4'x7'+ Gorilla (with extension I will have it touching the ceiling at 7'3")
I know this is pricey but at exactly 2'x4' it fits the space very nicely leaving room for ducting to come out. Most of the other 2'x4' tents I have seen are actually much larger than 2'x4'.

LIGHTING: (HTG Supply)

400w HPS/MH Lumatek digital ballast
HY EasyCool 6 Reflector
Hortilux 400w HPS bulb
AgroMax 400w MH 6500K bulb
Steel wheel reflector hangers
Timer.. Suggestions? Can get one with the package for cheap

FAN/FILTER: :wall:
This is where I am having most of my issues. I know that negative pressure can cause my tent to collapse in on itself. Here is the setup I am considering mostly because it is from the same place I am getting lights. I am certainly open to other suggestions. I will get a speed controller regardless of the setup. http://htgsupply.com/Product-A-GrowBright-6in-Inline-Fan-&-Carbon-Filter-Combo

I am also unsure on how exactly to set everything up. Here are my two ideas.

1) 6" A/C Hood > Ducting > Fan pulling air > Ducting outside of tent > Carbon Filter > Into room
This setup would be the least amount of stuff inside of the tent. I was thinking of mounting the fan on the edge/wall in between the tent and outside to save some room.

2) Carbon Filter > Ducting > 6" A/C Hood > Ducting > Fan pulling air > Ducting to room
This may get crowded in a 2'x4' but I like the idea of having everything in the one space.

Do I need a booster fan bringing air in or is a passive intake sufficient?

VENTILATION:

The tent will be vented directly into the 9'x10' room. The door to this room will remain open to the larger basement. I live in a cold state and temps are usually pretty low in the basement. If I cannot control temps I will look into getting a small A/C for the room.

SOIL/NUTES:

Fox Farm. I will purchase locally. The number of pots will depend on how many seeds pop.

SEEDS:

I have some bagseed that I have been saving for the last few months. If I cannot get any of them to pop or if none are female I have a friend I can get some decent seeds off locally. I will be acquiring quality genetics in time for my next grow. Here is what I have for now:

White Rhino: 5 seeds
Cataract Kush: 1 seed
Snow White Kush: 1 seed
Random orange bud: 1 seed

METER:

Milwaukee is the name that keeps coming up. I am not sure everything I need to test for but I would like something easy such as digital.

EXTRAS:

Thermometer/Hygrometers
Fan/Fans for room to circulate air
6" Ducting
Water filter to clean water??

This will be my only complete grow in this tent. While I am working through this grow I will be constructing a Mother/Clone/Veg cabinet to speed things along. This will be to the right hand side of the closet, helping conceal the wires coming out of it.

Here are a few questions:

1) Fan/Filter. Which design is best from above? Suggestions on other types or designs?

2) Do I need a booster fan bringing air in or is a passive intake sufficient? If yes, what cfm?

3) Can I start my seeds under the MH? Or would a single/double CFL from Depot in the corner of the room do the trick?

4) What do I need to be testing for other than pH, if anything? Suggestions on a good meter.

5) Am I forgetting anything?

Thanks for stopping by. I am open to any suggestions. The wifey will not allow this entire room to be a grow room until the laws change so its closet/cab for now. I currently medicate at about 2oz/month but would like to increase this amount. I believe this is possible with what I have designed. I will be purchasing everything this weekend and cannot wait to get started! :lol:

Peace
 

rwbrock

Active Member
You and me have a similar setup.....I am in a 2x4x8 foot closet. I have a 400W HPS. I run a vented hood with glass in and use a 4" inline fan. I go carbon filter ducted to hood, then hood ducted to attic where it lets hot air out. Instead of buying a tent to fit my closet I bought panda paper with zipper so you open the closet doors unzip like a tent and my grow is inside. Cheaper that way but takes a little work to set up....I was going passive but still having issue with negative pressure. I cut a 4" hole in the panda paper toward bottom corner used some left over ducting and bought a $15 little 5" desk fan I duct taped to ducting and rigged up for intake which reduced the negative pressure some....you want some negative pressure. I recommend starting seeds under CFL get a couple 22 watters should be fine. I rigged up a couple bathroom light (3 bulb fixtures) which are cheap and made my own little hanging light fixture (with 6 cfl total) and use that to veg right up until I am ready to transplant before flower. Then put under 400 let things settle down and a week later flip to 12/12. Def. want to test PH, I ended up upgrading and getting RO water system (I have bad water here)....but not required. I grow in soil and use fox farms ocean forest....I use DynaGro nutes....don't overdue it with the plants your space is limited and more is not always better. I did 6 in my area (too crowded) and found 4 produced just as much. I got it down and now only do 2 plants veg a little longer and train them so my (2) plants fill up the same space. Easier to manage and I typically pull 3-4 oz per plant. Couple months to veg, couple to flower, and another month to dry cure.....so the key is to have a sep veg area so your pulling plants out of flower area and the others are ready to go in. I like to start seedling in solo cup, then 2 gallon pots and end up in 5 gallon smartpots. You may want to get a TDS meter eventually too.
 

CatManMoo

Member
@rwbrock Thank you so much this is exactly what I wanted to hear! I have scrapped the tent idea. IDK how I was even going to get it set up in that closet. I am now going to make the whole closet my grow area. I will follow this as a guide.

I will probably end up needing the RO, we will see.

What did you do for a floor tray? I am going to pull the carpet to make things easier.
 

rwbrock

Active Member
IMG_0923.jpgNo prob....always happy to help! My closet doesn't have carpet, I ended buying some small storage containers from Lowes that fit my pots perfectly they work better than saucers, have a taller lip for overflow and have cutout handles on the side for carrying.
 

B166ER420

Well-Known Member
I just used the entire closet with an exhaust fan cut into the ceiling,sealed around the doors and left the bottom of the doors unsealed for intake air.I cut a piece of 3/4in plywood that i aluminum taped for waterproofing and it looks cool:) to fit the bottom over the carpet.Closet temps with all 40 cfls going is 84max during summer to 80 now with room temps with lights out.Peace bro,GL!!

Pics if you'd like;)
 

CatManMoo

Member
@rebrock good idea about the storage pots I will check stuff out while at the depot tomorrow.

@prosperian wow that is a killer set up. So clean and stealth. Thank you for stopping by.

@B166ER420 thank you I would love to see pics!
 

B166ER420

Well-Known Member
Photo01111442.jpg..intake under the doors
Photo01111443.jpg...my jalapeno peppers and others:eyesmoke:
2946682d1379209458-my-first-grow-28-800-2822183d1379209458-3rd-party-cup-growoff.jpeg...cleaned up
Photo01111444.jpg...fan exhausting into the attic(I know I coulda used a better fan)
My cfl closet setup.. i'll gladly answer any questions as best I can:)GL on your closet:)
 

B166ER420

Well-Known Member
Your welcome!:)We have the same closet space I think(mine is 2x5x9)....just thought you might woulda liked to have checked out what I did with it.Give you some different ideas for your own use
 

Kleptonical1337

New Member
I am a first timer and just threw together a little area to try out one plant, let me know any advice that i might need. I attached a pic of it. Its just a closet with half blocked off, i have the room lined with the dull side of some foil, i'm running one 42w 6500k cfl and one 23w 5000k cfl above the plant about 2 in away and 2 more 23w 5000k on the sides. I have a small space heater to keep temp up and am watering every other day and feeding 20-20-20 ferts every other watering. Any input would be appreciated
 

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B166ER420

Well-Known Member
I am a first timer and just threw together a little area to try out one plant, let me know any advice that i might need. I attached a pic of it. Its just a closet with half blocked off, i have the room lined with the dull side of some foil, i'm running one 42w 6500k cfl and one 23w 5000k cfl above the plant about 2 in away and 2 more 23w 5000k on the sides. I have a small space heater to keep temp up and am watering every other day and feeding 20-20-20 ferts every other watering. Any input would be appreciated
GET YOUR OWN DAMN THREAD!!!:evil:........welcome to riu:mad:.....you don't need to feed until there is enough root to convert(first set of five fingered leaves).c-ya
 
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