New Inddor Grow Op in my Swimming Pool

Ok so im sort of new to this...

I got a new apartment back on the 1st of September and its a mother in law home, if your unfamiliar thats sort of like a mini home in someones backyard. The apartment is very small with cheap rent(the smallest and cheapest I've ever lived in and im 23). So it turns out that underneath my bed is trap door sort of, or a piece of wood that you pull out of the floor and underneath is a swimming pool, I know weird huh...well it gets weirder but i'll focus on whats important. The pool is about 5 feet deep, and about 6 feet wide, and about 15-20 feet long, that's because the last part on the other end is stairs that go to nowhere. So this week here i would like to start this grow op, i've been procrastinating for almost a month and i'm going to get my medical license tomorrow. Now my questions are how should i set this up, i'll get pics up later this week. How many plants can i put down there, and because of the short 5 feet of grow height i intend on using LST (low stress training). My funds are limited as i'm currently unemployed but at the same time i'll spend some money on this without a doubt, hopefully less hundred dollar bills rather than in more. As in Really no more than 400.00 for lights and everything i'll need.

The only things i sort of know:
-I'm pretty much leaning towards using 2mil mylar around the walls and ceiling, and likely putting a box fan into the floor and cutting out the piece of wood so it would fit in there on a permanent basis and blow air down there as there is no ventilation or lights down there.
-I have 1, 15 amp outlet for power to work with... sadly. Even worst by me doing that it leaves me 1 outlet for everything else in my house. Yeah its a small place.g
-Also this will be a soil operation i am thinking...

Alright if you read all that i appreciate it and please give me feedback and help in this situation as im going to start ordering supplies soon, Thanks Again...

That sounds crazy. Post some pics of the space.

Sound to me like you fell into a sweet ass deal! The only real issue i see is the power! 15 amps is not alot but you can probably have a nice setup! Bsafe

You will need to upgrade you amps. 20or 30.Only cuz you will be pulling alot of amps from 1 plug otherwise I would never say that. While your at it bump your other one to a 20 just in case you need to use a exstention cord for unknow reason. You will need to use cfl or t5's and 2 fans an intake and and exoust with filter. A de humidifier might be needed sence it's under the house. Black and white poly plastic is cheeper then mylar and can be bought in 10x100 rolls. Covering ceiling isn't realy needed sence light is aimed down. But Im not saying not to I did but for a buget every corner counts.

You will also need a oscillating fan so that the is air movement.

lights, nutes, soil. seeds. fans ,filter,duct work. going to take a lot more then 400. to do it right.

No you see i can't even stand up in there, the ceiling is 5 feet. There wont be any duct work in an area that small i dont think, seems it will be tough to just fit lights and plants.... I'm hoping to spend $150.00 on a 600watt hps for flowing and than maybe a 400 watt metal halide for vegatation($100.00) and hopefully some cfl's if the circuit can handle it. Like i said for ventilation i'm hoping i can cuit a square hole in the wood in the floor and put a box fan into it to blow fresh air into there. The swimming pool is pretty clean aside from a small amount of dust and is completely sealed down there. Basically they built this house on top of the pool. BTW i have seeds and that stuff that's not worth worrying over.

Turns out hassidic jews once lived here a they baptised children in that pool....creepy....

Also this isnt about making this hugest set up in the space for my first batch. This is more that i have this area to grow in and this money to work with. I'm hoping people can consider that and make suggestions for lights, growing techniques(lst),soil types, pot size, and costs as well as the option of using a tent which surprisingly my landlord recommended when i ran this past him...
Ebay seems cheapest to me...
Again i really appreciate help and i will probably get to posting pics tomorrow

You can't use a 600 and everything else needed off of a 15 amp. You need more air out then in. Or mold will happen. You might get a way with only a outlet but a a/c filter will be needed over a hole that let's air in. If your set on how your going to do this and not listen to what other growers have to say trying to help good luck to you and don't know why you posted this.

Sounds interesting, snap a few pics under there when you can

Just get one light, the 600 would be great. You can get a bulb that will work in it that will veg the plants great then switch to regular hps for the flowering. you can even just veg with the hps bulb. Slower growth but, genally, tight bud spacing.


For me i would get a 600 hps for 150 like you said.
Buy a cool tube or make one, 50$ or so.
Spend 100$ or so on a decent inline fan.
10-15 on some drier ducting.
50$ or so for dynagro nutrients, veg bloom and proteckt.
15-30$ for some coco
10 for some pots to grow in.
10$ for oscellating fan, try thrift stores.


That gets you just under 400$ and sets you up in a good way.

Try craigslist to get things second hand and very cheap.

Ah and to figure out how many watts you have and how that relates to amps, divide watts by 120 (volts). So 600w light plus 150w fan and misc (bare minimum). A 600w magnetic light will be closer to 700 watts, let's say 650. So 800w total. That's going to be 7 amps or so. Ideally you want two timers, one for fan one for light so that your fan doesn't kick on at the same time as your light, this will help prevent overloading the system. Magnetic lights start up surges amps a bit so its something to watch for.


Considering you have 1800 watts worth of usage and really it's more like 1200 as you can't run that kind of load without frying something or at least tripping breakers all the time, you should start with a 400w. You can still get a pound off a 400, it does a lot of people a great service.

But if you have a fridge your already really limited electrically.

Do you have access to your breaker or do you have your own breaker? Don't just put in a bigger breaker fuse, but there are other options.



To best help you, you should list all your appliances and their sizes. That will help a lot. Also be sure you just have a 15a breaker, it's a common size but for a whole apartment that's incredibly small. Most kitchens are 15 minimum.

First off, cool find on the hidden pool. +1 for pics. Low height and 15a power.. Got me thinking soil grow so you don't need any pumps. HO T5s and train the plants sideways to maximize what little light your going to be able to get down there. Power management is something your going to learn on this one. Karr has some sound advice but I think even a 400w is going to be to much with the rest of the system plus what ever your using up top.

jews baptize people???

also, you can just hang a bare bulb vertically and grow your plants in a circle around it. Cool the bulb with a fan under it blowing upwards.

That way you can save money on a reflector. and then you get all 5 feet of height to grow your plants

Clown Baby said:

jews baptize people???

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Actually not really a baptism but a mikveh:

The term mikveh in Hebrew literally means any gathering of waters, but is specifically used in Jewish law for the waters or bath for the ritual immersion. Ancient sages teach that the word mikveh has the same letters as Ko(v)Meh, the Hebrew word for "rising" or "standing tall," therefore we see the idea of being baptized "straightway."

The building of the mikveh was so important in ancient times it was said to take precedence over the construction of a synagogue. On the third day of creation we see the source of the word mikveh for the first time in Genesis 1:10 when the Lord says, "...to the gathering (mikveh) of waters, He called seas."

Sorry had to put in there...half jew here.

Anyways...really cool find on the pool...I would be a bit nervous I would fall through the floor into it...but that's just me. Ballasts can be had pretty cheap on e-bay, I just picked up a 600w Global Greenhouse for 78.00 shipping included. It can be done for less than 400 but it will be tough.

Fall thru, what if something comes up and drags ya to IT'S pool.......scary

beware the monster plant that lives below! lol

zako said:

.... So it turns out that underneath my bed is trap door sort of, or a piece of wood that you pull out of the floor and underneath is a swimming pool, I know weird huh...well it gets weirder but i'll focus on whats important. The pool is about 5 feet deep, and about 6 feet wide, and about 15-20 feet long, that's because the last part on the other end is stairs that go to nowhere....

Click to expand...

are you sure the stairs dont go to the master house? it could have a trapdoor like to your apartment. be worth trying to secure it so no one can open it from the other side.

+ rep for the hiddin pool thats sweet i wish i had one

im definatly subed i wanna see where this goes i hope the best for you