Planning budget first grow - stuck on some issues (temp, vacation etc)

I

ihuskarl

Member
Hi all,

Am planning my first grow and currently I've built my own 2x2x4 grow box and installed a MarsHydro TS600 with 2 120mm PC fans for air intake and exhaust.

Got Zkittlez auto seeds and planning to grow 1 plant in a 3 gallon smart pot. (Don't want to plant more than 1 for my first grow so that if I mess up, I don't mess it all up)

Growing medium - bottom 1/4 super soil / followed by a mixture of coco coir + worm castings + perlite

I plan to hand water for the first 1-2 weeks while it's a seedling till it begins veg proper.

Current issues that I'm facing:
1. Temperature and humidity. I'm growing in Thailand and it's generally really hot here both day and night. Tested my grow box last night with the lights on and had a temperature of 32 degrees c (90 deg f) with a humidity of around 60+%. AC is out of the question as I've got no AC in the place I'm growing in. My plan is to move my intake PC fan to the top of my box and make it into an additional exhaust hoping that 2 exhaust can help to drive out more hot air. The other thing I'm going to do is add an oscillating fan to the bottom of my box so that it helps to blow the hot air upwards faster.

2. I've got a vacation planned around new year for about a week. Am concerned about the water situation. Based on what I've read, a wicking system could help me in this situation. My plan is to stop hand watering once the root system has developed and change to a wicking system. I'm planning to place my smart pot into another 3 gallon smart pot half filled with perlite which I'm hoping will be useful as a wick. From here both pots go into a tub of water which will only be contacting the pot with the perlite. Hopefully this will provide enough water for a week.

3. Nutrients. I'm using super soil because I'm looking for an easy organic grow where only water is necessary. Do I need to add any nutrients during my grow (many of the brands of nutrients that I see recommended are not available here).

4. Smell. I am slightly concerned about smell and I don't really have much budget left for a carbon filter. I'm wondering if using an activated carbon sponge will help reduce some of the smell. Plan to put it over the exhaust fans.

Hopefully I can get some insights to solve my 4 issues so that I can start growing soon.

Thanks in advance!
 
mysunnyboy

mysunnyboy

Well-Known Member
ihuskarl said:
Hi all,

Am planning my first grow and currently I've built my own 2x2x4 grow box and installed a MarsHydro TS600 with 2 120mm PC fans for air intake and exhaust.

Got Zkittlez auto seeds and planning to grow 1 plant in a 3 gallon smart pot. (Don't want to plant more than 1 for my first grow so that if I mess up, I don't mess it all up)

Growing medium - bottom 1/4 super soil / followed by a mixture of coco coir + worm castings + perlite

I plan to hand water for the first 1-2 weeks while it's a seedling till it begins veg proper.

Current issues that I'm facing:
1. Temperature and humidity. I'm growing in Thailand and it's generally really hot here both day and night. Tested my grow box last night with the lights on and had a temperature of 32 degrees c (90 deg f) with a humidity of around 60+%. AC is out of the question as I've got no AC in the place I'm growing in. My plan is to move my intake PC fan to the top of my box and make it into an additional exhaust hoping that 2 exhaust can help to drive out more hot air. The other thing I'm going to do is add an oscillating fan to the bottom of my box so that it helps to blow the hot air upwards faster.

2. I've got a vacation planned around new year for about a week. Am concerned about the water situation. Based on what I've read, a wicking system could help me in this situation. My plan is to stop hand watering once the root system has developed and change to a wicking system. I'm planning to place my smart pot into another 3 gallon smart pot half filled with perlite which I'm hoping will be useful as a wick. From here both pots go into a tub of water which will only be contacting the pot with the perlite. Hopefully this will provide enough water for a week.

3. Nutrients. I'm using super soil because I'm looking for an easy organic grow where only water is necessary. Do I need to add any nutrients during my grow (many of the brands of nutrients that I see recommended are not available here).

4. Smell. I am slightly concerned about smell and I don't really have much budget left for a carbon filter. I'm wondering if using an activated carbon sponge will help reduce some of the smell. Plan to put it over the exhaust fans.

Hopefully I can get some insights to solve my 4 issues so that I can start growing soon.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t do it until your vacation is over.
I live in Florida. But I use ac.
It’s gonna smell.
Man I wish you luck.
 
dbz

dbz

Well-Known Member
ihuskarl said:
Hi all,

Am planning my first grow and currently I've built my own 2x2x4 grow box and installed a MarsHydro TS600 with 2 120mm PC fans for air intake and exhaust.

Got Zkittlez auto seeds and planning to grow 1 plant in a 3 gallon smart pot. (Don't want to plant more than 1 for my first grow so that if I mess up, I don't mess it all up)

Growing medium - bottom 1/4 super soil / followed by a mixture of coco coir + worm castings + perlite

I plan to hand water for the first 1-2 weeks while it's a seedling till it begins veg proper.

Current issues that I'm facing:
1. Temperature and humidity. I'm growing in Thailand and it's generally really hot here both day and night. Tested my grow box last night with the lights on and had a temperature of 32 degrees c (90 deg f) with a humidity of around 60+%. AC is out of the question as I've got no AC in the place I'm growing in. My plan is to move my intake PC fan to the top of my box and make it into an additional exhaust hoping that 2 exhaust can help to drive out more hot air. The other thing I'm going to do is add an oscillating fan to the bottom of my box so that it helps to blow the hot air upwards faster.

2. I've got a vacation planned around new year for about a week. Am concerned about the water situation. Based on what I've read, a wicking system could help me in this situation. My plan is to stop hand watering once the root system has developed and change to a wicking system. I'm planning to place my smart pot into another 3 gallon smart pot half filled with perlite which I'm hoping will be useful as a wick. From here both pots go into a tub of water which will only be contacting the pot with the perlite. Hopefully this will provide enough water for a week.

3. Nutrients. I'm using super soil because I'm looking for an easy organic grow where only water is necessary. Do I need to add any nutrients during my grow (many of the brands of nutrients that I see recommended are not available here).

4. Smell. I am slightly concerned about smell and I don't really have much budget left for a carbon filter. I'm wondering if using an activated carbon sponge will help reduce some of the smell. Plan to put it over the exhaust fans.

Hopefully I can get some insights to solve my 4 issues so that I can start growing soon.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
1. Good luck without AC in a small area, Remember to increase the size of your intake as it becomes passive it should be a lot bigger than your exhaust area.
2. I have used Bluemats with success, there are a few others here that use them just search. They work well, but you have to make sure you have them dialed in first.
3. That depends on the soil itself. Look at manufacturer recommendations and just pay attention to the plant. If you need more and you want to be organic you can add some top dressing like earthworm castings, or teas made from EWC
4. That won't help very much. It will smell. Remember adding anything to those case fans will reduce their efficacy in exhausting.
 
I

ihuskarl

Member
dbz said:
1. Good luck without AC in a small area, Remember to increase the size of your intake as it becomes passive it should be a lot bigger than your exhaust area.
2. I have used Bluemats with success, there are a few others here that use them just search. They work well, but you have to make sure you have them dialed in first.
3. That depends on the soil itself. Look at manufacturer recommendations and just pay attention to the plant. If you need more and you want to be organic you can add some top dressing like earthworm castings, or teas made from EWC
4. That won't help very much. It will smell. Remember adding anything to those case fans will reduce their efficacy in exhausting.
Click to expand...
Tried bringing one of the exhaust to the top cover of the box yesterday and managed to bring the max temp down by about 1 degree. Now I'm just slightly over temp. Am thinking that adding an oscillating fan would help bring it down a bit further by pushing the hot air up towards the exhausts faster.

Will check out bluemats.

Thanks so much!
 
mysunnyboy

mysunnyboy

Well-Known Member
ihuskarl said:
I may hold it off till next year while I try to save up a bit more and resolve some of the issues. Just don't want the seeds to go stale. Currently have them in a dark zip loc bag stored in a drawer.
Click to expand...
I keep mine in the refrigerator.
 
Oldreefer

Oldreefer

Well-Known Member
I've kept seeds in a frig for over 15 yrs...recently popped 3 9 yr old seeds so I know they keep a while.
I remember budget grows with no information or forums to learn from. 15 yrs ago, I actually threw a couple bag seeds in a friends winter flower room and they got whatever kept the flowers alive during cold months under 1000w hps. I learned quickly that cannabis grows itself with very little care.
Good luck.
 
Romeo7701

Romeo7701

Well-Known Member
ihuskarl said:
I may hold it off till next year while I try to save up a bit more and resolve some of the issues. Just don't want the seeds to go stale. Currently have them in a dark zip loc bag stored in a drawer.
Click to expand...
Don't worry about the seeds man I just planted some that I found in a medicine bottle from 1997 in the glove box of one of my old beaters, still don't know what made me look in there I was looking for a lug wrench there was 7 of them beautiful seeds 2 have popped only planted 3 Of them... They last awhile man...
 
Last edited:
Romeo7701

Romeo7701

Well-Known Member
Romeo7701 said:
Don't worry about the seeds man I just planted some that I found in a medicine bottle from 1997 in the glove box of one of my old beaters, still don't know what made me look in there I was looking for a lug wrench there was 7 of them beautiful seeds 2 have popped only planted 3 Of them... They last awhile man...
Click to expand...
Damn was just thinking I was living down in Miami Florida back then no telling what they are...
 
I

ihuskarl

Member
Alright guys. Gonna leave them in the zip bag and put them in the fridge. Regarding blumats, those look really interesting. However, I can't find them here. I have found hydrospikes instead. They look similar. So I think I'll try those. Wondering if I should start using them from germination or wait till veg.

Regarding the smell issue. Gonna be cheap and try to build my own carbon filter. If it works, I'll probably add one more exhaust fan to make up for the loss airflow.
 
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