IgrowUgrow
Well-Known Member
The a/c you use in your 4x4 space is going to have to be big and strong enough to cool down a space that is at least 10x10. Attics are tough environments to grow in, luckily you are in a state that stays relatively comfortable all summer long. I personally love 600w lamps, and you should consider it because you have a very cramped space with very little over head room. You could accidentally burn your plants with a 1000w during the learning curve. The fact that it is only 5 ft tall means your plants cant get much taller than 2ft tall, and a 600w is a more appropriate lamp for plants of that size. 1000w lamps can grow 4-5 ft plants, but you need 1 1/2- 3 feet of of space between your lamp and your plants, usually. Air cool the living shit out of your lamp and add A/C and you will be fine. If you don't exhaust, humidity may be a problem, so think of a small exhaust fan to retrofit onto it, 4" Inline fan or a 6" duct booster would do, but I always have to recommend a real inline fan, you can put a speed control on it. You usually cannot control the speed of a duct booster.
If you are only growing 3 or 4 plants, the smell may not get strong enough to leave the attic and enter the streets, but if it is a fear for you, hydrofarm makes a little baby carbon filter for like 80 bucks. There is always DIY ways of doing it, which are fine, but I just want it done right, and I want it done the first time, so I'll pay a little extra.
I think the smallest BTU A/C I could find was 5000BTU and could cool a 200sf area, but portable A/C's are so expensive it sucks cause Im broke right this second so it could take a month or two before I can get everything for this grow, including soil, lights, seeds, pots, insulation, plastic wrap, and so on. I dont live in a place with a comfartable summer, South Carolina has an average of 90-95degree days all summer long. Also I was told that a cool tube with a strong enough fan will keep the bulb cool enough to be able to get 8-10in away from the bulb. I was planning on hanging a 2x2 sheet of 1/4" glass from my light and about 10-12" under the light so if the plants did hit a growth spur in a 3-4 day period, they wouldn't grow into the light just into the sheet of glass. I already built a DIY carbon filter so im not worried about smell, but thanks for the advise on the inline fan instead of booster since the booster is probably loud, also good thinking about the humidity thing but if it becomes a problem luckily I have a awsome dehumidifier.