MUST it be a small space?

I'm getting ready to start a small indoor setup. I don't have family members to worry about, so I don't need to hide it.

I have a room I plan on making my "greenhouse" room. It's already painted white. I guess my question is, do I HAVE to make a box of some sort, or can I put my plants in a corner of the room with my light and fan setup?

Also, how important is a reflective surface? I just bought three 23w CFLs and two 40w CFLs. I also bought some clamp on lights with the big aluminum-looking dish around it. My plan was to put the 40w bulbs over it, and the 23w around the sides.

Right now I'm just trying to get my girl to finish flowering because the temps outside are dropping. I plan on trying to germinate some new ones from seed after my big girl is done and keep some growing through the winter.

Would this work, or do I need to create a box-like setup?

a box setup with reflective material would give you more light, cause without one, the light has to travel 10 feet or whatever to the far walls then back another 10 feet, and by then its useless. you could just make a 2 by 2 frame and put mylar around it if your looking for something nice and simple.. and cheap.

I have used an entire unfinished basement for a flowering room and the only real problem with something like that is getting (and keeping) complete darkness for 12 hours every night. The advantages being better airflow, heat dissipation and more room to work with the plants.
HAving said that, i would get some more light if were you. More cfls if you have to, but you know you wanna get an HID!!!!
check out the $20 150w hps at http://www.e-conolight.com
15 minutes and a length of cab tire and you can convert this into a great little growlight.
anyhow i say you'll be fine, just make sure you light proof the room!!!!

cheap is our favorite price.

Free is even better. I'm currently unemployed, so I'm trying my best not to spend any dollareenies.

Where does one get mylar? What IS mylar? The only use I know of for mylar is for racing sails on yachts. I don't think I'm thinking of the same stuff you guys are.

I have a shitload of tinfoil. Could I make some kind of contraption with that?

Also...what do you guys use to block out windows? Right now I just have a bunch of curtain/shower curtains/ sheets/ et al, nailed over the window but I think don't think it's light proof. I'm not so much worried about light getting in, since the days are so short now, but rather the room appearing lit up all the time outside.

Also, I have a bunch of extra mirrors. Big ones, like the ones you see in dressing rooms. Would these help with reflecting light?

rambler420 said:

Also, I have a bunch of extra mirrors. Big ones, like the ones you see in dressing rooms. Would these help with reflecting light?

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mirrors are not good, they create hot spots. a flat white is best

skip the tinfoil too, causes hotspots as well.
Mylar is a reflective foil, like the kind they make helium balloons out of. its fairly expensive and in my opinion not worth it, its generally too thin and flimsy, rips and crinkles everywhere.
If you're gonna buy reflective sheeting of some sort my recommendation would be panda plastic, white on one side, black on the other, generally its really rugged, the white is very reflective and its completely opaque, so no light will seep through it. When i built my grow room i just built a studded frame for a wall and put up the panda plastic everywhere. It comes in a roll 8' by 100' and cost me $35.
anyhow good luck and happy growing.