Mr. Micro's PC3 : Big Box Lazy Organic

Hey again guys and gals, and welcome to my third documented grow show!

While this grow will actually feature the 4th PC case growbox I've built, it's my third documented grow and "PC3" just sounded cool to me so that's the name I decided to go with for this thread.

The PC case growbox that will be used for this grow is a brand new one, since I unfortunately had to sell my beloved Nanomachine growbox a while back when I came upon some financial hard times. I do plan to build another Nanomachine style stealth growbox at some point the future, but I wanted to grow again sooner rather than later and my budget is a bit limited right now. So I decided to build a new growbox from spare parts and whatnot that I had laying around from previous PC case growbox builds. All in all I'm pretty pleased with the results... it's not anywhere near as stealthy as my old Nanomachine box, nor is it as clean looking (I did use a lot of epoxy and black duct tape on this project) but it is certainly the most powerful PC case I've ever built in all respects.

So enough talk, here's some pics and the lowdown on the basic construction of the new box that will be used for this grow




























Box Specs
=======

The PC case used is a ChenMing brand full server case that measures about 26" (H) x 8.1" (W) x 18" (L). It features a lockable door and front panel.




Lighting
======

Lighting is supplied via a single 70 watt HPS that is hard mounted to the ceiling of the case. It has been remote ballasted for cooler operation and the ballast box can be seen mounted to the back of the PC case with a cord running to a timer on a power strip that is also mounted to the back of the case.
This will be another 12/12 straight from seed grow, so 12 hours on and 12 hours off every day from start to finish.




Reflectivity
========

Like in all my PC case builds the walls, ceiling, and floor have been covered in Reflectix brand reflective insulation and reflective tape for it's reflectivity and ease of installation. This time though I made a simple reflector for the 70 watt HPS bulb by taking a sheet of aluminum from the hardware store, bending and cutting it to size with a regular old pair of scissors, and affixing it to the top of the HPS mount with a nut, bolt, and washer set.



Ventilation
=========

Air intake is supplied by three 4" darkroom midget louvers that let air in but prevent light from escaping. Two are installed towards the bottom of the case on the right hand side for the main growing section of the cab and one is installed at the very top of the case on the right side as well.

There is a 5/32" thick glass heat shield that has been cut to size and installed approximately 1.5" below the HPS bulb. With some shelf mounting brackets, epoxy, and reflective tape on the edges of the glass heat shield I have completely sealed off the upper light chamber from the lower growing chamber so that there is an air tight seal between the two chambers.

The exhaust in the lower growing portion of the cab is accomplished via 120mm 70-110 CFM adjustable PC fan. The adjustment knob for the fan speed has been wired to the front panel of the case, as seen in the picture above showing the front panel open.

The exhaust for the upper portion of the cab containing the HPS is a 80mm PC fan rated at 54 CFM (and a mere 24 dBA, so it's very quiet) that is mounted at the very back of the case behind the mount for the HPS bulb.

Both PC fans are wired to 12 volt DC adapaters from Radio Shack.




Odor Control
=========

For odor control I am using a Can Filter brand Can 705 filter that has been attached to a 4" flange and another flange has been mounted on the back of the case that attaches to the 120mm 110 CFM PC fan. It's connected to the case with a length of 4" dryer duct tubing that has been wrapped in a few layers of black duct tape to make it light proof and not stand out so much in the dark environment underneath my desk.



Light Proofing
=========

Light proofing has, as usual, been done using my favorite silicone caulk method. Just apply it in a small layer of black silicone caulk to the door frame (or any other part you want to light proof) and then put a very small layer of vaseline or similar petroleum jelly on the edges of the door that will be touching the caulk before you put the door back on. Then when the caulk sets it will form a light tight seal between the door and the frame of your cabinet.
After the caulk has had 24 hours to set you can remove the door and you'll notice that the caulk sticks nicely to the frame of your cab but will not stick to anything that had vaseline smeared on it, so it won't stick to your door. Then you just wipe off the vaseline, peel or cut away any excess caulk for a clean finish, and you're done!

It's certainly the most simple and 100% effective way I've ever found to light proof a cab.

Also, I constructed a simple and removable light trap for the exhaust fan for the upper light chamber by using a disposable rubbermaid tub, a 2" black plumbing elbow, and a lot of epoxy and duct tape. Here's a quick shot of the case running in a pitch black room to show how well this light proofing method works...



Not a spec of light escapes!




CO2
===

A constant flow of CO2 is supplied from one of these cheap and simple Nutrafin CO2 setups originally made for aquariums ---> http://www.aquariumguys.com/nutrafinco2.html

It's a simple matter of putting some sugar in the bottom of the canister, adding in the activator and stabilizer tablets along with some warm water, screw the cap back on and connect the 1/4" tubing to run it into your growbox. And voila! You have a constant flow of CO2 into your micro cab for 30 days. After 30 days just clean it out and refill it with sugar, water, and the activator and stabilizer tabs and you'll have another 30 days of CO2.

It's simple, cheap, and my yields in my PC case growboxes have always been substantially larger (at least 1/4 oz. bigger) when using this CO2 system when I did side by side comparisons of with CO2 and without. The CO2 output tube is placed on the top right side of the cab, just below the heat shield and directly across from the exhaust fan for the growing chamber. That way when the CO2 comes out of the tube the exhaust fan will suck it across to the other side of the case, and since CO2 is heavier than air the CO2 particles will fall down over the canopy (a ScrOG screen in my case) as the exhaust fan pulls it across the case.

Cheap, simple, and highly effective for PC case growboxes. You can see the CO2 canister mounted on the back of the case on the bottom right side.





Temperature
==========

The temps in this case vary a bit depending on how empty or full the case is, but it is always between 1°F and 5°F above ambient room temperature. And since the room temperature is usually around 75°F or so that means the PC case runs 76°F to 80°F at most. Quite good for a 70 watt HPS in such a small space I think!
Temps can be monitored with the thermometer mounted on the back wall of the case, placed directly where I think the canopy should be when the ScrOG screen fills up.




Training
======

Over the past few grows I've really fallen in love with the ScrOG method, as I find it much easier and less time consuming to work with than LST in confines of a PC case growbox. So I've once again chosen to use the ScrOG method of training in this grow. Even with 12/12 straight from seed plants will still likely outgrow the confines of a PC case growbox so this ScrOG screen should make my life much easier when the plants get bigger.
The screen is made of a metal towel rack purchased at Target that was cut down to the right size and shelf mounting brackets have been installed inside the case to hold the screen up. The screen is removable though, so it will be removed until the plants show sex, at which point the males will be removed, the ScrOG screen will be installed by attaching it to the mounting brackets with zip ties, and 2 (hopefully) females will be placed under the screen.







The Gear
=======








This grow will feature my long time favorite Sensi Seeds's Skunk #1 along with Dutch Passion Northern Lights #2 (Oasis).

I'm growing the Skunk #1 since it was always my favorite plant to grow and smoke (very easy to grow, uniform, massively trich coated, good yeild, great smell and taste, good mellow all around high, and just plain beautiful plants every time) and I'm trying the Dutch Passion NL #2 since I'm still searching for a overwhelmingly piney smelling Northern Lights like the locally grown one that rocked my world some 8 years ago. I've never forgotten that stuff and have been searching for a similar Northern Lights ever since, and after my big let down with Sensi Seeds NL (not a single seed germinated!) I'm gonna give Dutch Passion a try.

So yeah, for this grow I'll once again be sticking with the classic old school 80's-90's strains that I've always been a fan of






The Dirt On The Dirt
==============

Just like the title says, I'm doing this grow in soil with organic methods. But I'm a lazy man (so very very lazy) so I think I've come up with a very simple way to grow organically without too much effort.

The seeds are started in Rapid Rooter plugs placed in a soil mix that contains 3 parts Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil, 1 part Perlite, and 1 tablespoon of dolmetic lime (for calcium and magnesium supplement as well as PH balancing) per gallon of soil.

The plants are started in 20 oz party cups with a few holes drilled in the bottom for drainage and once they show sex the females will be placed in 1/2 gallon 6" square containers. All containers have a 1/4" thick layer of aquarium gravel on the bottom to insure proper drainage.





Nutrients and Feeding
===============

For the first 3 weeks or so the plants will be fed with plain RO/UV filtered water that comes pre-balanced to a PH of 6.5 from the local food Co-Op. After that they will be given only PureBlend Pro Soil Formula at it's recommended dosage once every 3 or 4 waterings as needed. The only other nutrient supplement that will be used is organic blackstrap molasses at a ratio of 1 tablespoon per gallon of water which will only be used for the last few weeks of flowering.

And that's it! Very simple, very basic, and I think it should provide great results. No need to check the PH, no need for complex supplements, just easy and carefree organic... and that's the way I like it









Well, that about wraps it up for the intro!
As of now both of the Skunk #1 seeds have germinated and have been placed in their containers in the PC case (still waiting on the Northern Lights to germinate though).
This thread will be updated again with more pics once all seeds have germinated and sprouted, but in the meantime feel free to comment or ask questions if you have any and I'll answer them to the best of my ability.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to look at my new grow show and I'll be looking forward to sharing the next 3 months of growing with all you fine folks here at the IC Mag forums!


Until next time, stay safe and grow smart my friends!

I was really inspired by your first two PC grows and GL on this new one!

Where did you come by that case? I have given the PC grow house consideration but am apprehensive. that cause tho makes me think hard about it.

looks like another great set up from you and cant wait to see what you can pull from it
i need to copy your silicon method on my case. i get light leaks on edges of my door

(dont mind the back huge light leak i fixed that already, but the sides of the case leak like hell)

Yes sir!

I'm on board Mr_Micro!

Looking good. I'm working on a pc grow myself right now. I'm still in the building stage though.

nice set up the only thing i would work on would be cleaning up the back

Nice Mr_Micro, as always. Looking forward to seeing this.

Damn nice work as always Mr Micro! I might do something similar with a spare case. If you had a desk with a dedicated section for the tower, it would be pretty stealthy.

And it certainly doesn't look like it's built of duct tape and glue Very tidy.

mad propsss

MrMicro this time is the best pc case ever, and with hps!!! no s*it good job!

Mr.Micro ... Just looking at your PC again i love how you light proof that bad boy ,,, but what did you do to lightproof the holes in the door... just tape? or something else?..and have you had any luck finding a "low Potency" indica strain i commented on your other thread.... Maybe Lr2 is what you need.... Im a light weight and a few tokes from just about anything and im feeling pretty good

So ... i just realized that the low potency indica thread is a year old.... so happy birthday old thread.... and im assuming that you've come to like the skunk and NL for their high... not racy or anything... the first plant i grew out was some sort of skunk... it stunk like a skunk and was some great smoke even after all the stress and crap i put that poor plant through... Im dying to try some NL though... maybe i'll order some seeds...

I was so close to getting that exact same case for another build. I love that it has a locking front door and that the side panel comes off without sliding.

In this boxing will grow up many buds. Excellent work
Possibly, it is better to put a grid more low

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! Before I get to the first actual grow update, let me take a minute to respond to everyone who has posted in my thread since the first post


ianmkv - Glad you found my first 2 grows inspiring! I hope I can inspire you with this one too! I'm hoping for the biggest yeild yet with this one, 2 oz target


Huggie bear - I picked up the case from Newegg.com a few years back. They don't have it in stock anymore, but if you do a Google search for "Chenming server" you should still be able to find some place find one of these cases for around $80 or so. And yeah, I'll admit that PC case growboxes are probably the most challenging micro grow boxes there are to build. There is a whole heck of a lot to think about when building one, but once you come up with a good plan for your lighting, ventilation, odor control, reflectivity, and light proofing the actual building process is pretty easy. You should give it a try though, I don't think there is any stealthier way to grow indoors than with a PC case


minigreens - Thanks a lot man! I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, especially given the limited budget I was on. And heck yeah, get a tube of black silicone caulk and some vaseline and get that sucker light proofed! People are going to start thinking aliens have invaded your computer!


jrw - Good to have you on board kind sir! I've always been a fan of your micro boxes.


sphinx13 - Thanks! Your build looks like it's going pretty well too! I'll be excited to see how your grow turns out!


jmn2dmb - Thanks for the kind words! And yeah, I do need to clean up the back at some point and give the light traps and ducting a good coat of black spray paint instead of that tacky duct tape. I think it would look a lot nicer then... but hey, the inside still looks nice and I think it's going to grow some nice buds so for now it's all good. Besides, this case is just going to be a temporary thing until I can build another Nanomachine style 100% stealth box (but on a much larger scale next time).


d4. - Thanks mate! I'm sure looking forward to getting some plants growing in here too


ScrubNinja - Thanks a lot! You're too kind But yeah, my only concern with this case is that someone might eventually see the back and be like "what the hell!?". But I rarely ever have visitors (maybe a few times a year at most) and I'm thinking of building an addition onto my desk out of some fiberboard and painting it white. A sort of upside down "L" shape that would just look like an extension of the desk and would fit over the stuff coming out from the back of the PC case to keep it hidden. Gimme a week or two on this and I'm sure I'll get around to it.
Good luck with your PC case too! Please do post some pics when it's all done, I'd love to see how it turns out.


djff - Thanks a ton man! Yeah, this might not be the cleanest looking PC case I've ever built but it certainly is the most powerful. Huge case, 70 watt HPS, big fans, big carbon filter, and the worst trouble I'm having right now is actually to get it up to room temperature! It's running like 68°F when the room temperature is 80°F! Usually I'm just struggling to keep the temps under 10° over room temperature, but this thing is running so cool it's ridiculous! I think I'm gonna have to bump it up to 100w of HPS as soon as I have the spare cash for it.


jmn2dmb (again) - You know, honestly, I've still gotten a little bit of anxiety every time I've smoked over the past few years. But oddly enough it seems with the Skunk #1 I only get it about half of the times I smoke, and when I do it only lasts 15 minutes or so. The rest of the time I just chill, laugh my arse off, and generally wander around day dreaming and doing goofy stuff.
I am pretty excited to try the NL though and I sure hope I get some females out of this batch, since NL was always my favorite smoke back in the day.
But I should probably be sticking to mostly low potency indicas, so I've been thinking of giving Big Bud a try. Any thoughts on that?
Anyhoo, as far as the holes in the door goes I just used black electrical tape over the holes on the inside of the door and then put reflective tape and Reflectix insulation over the top of that to hold it in place and make the inside of the door reflective. Pretty simple really



RudieJ - Heck yeah! I love the easy to open and close lockable doors and front panel on these Chenming cases. For my next case though (since this is just a temporary one until I can build another larger Nanomachine style 100% stealth box) I think I'm going with an Antec Sonata II case. It's pretty decent size without being so big as to turn heads like the server case I'm using now does, but it has the same style of lockable doors and front pannel as my Chenming case. There's a lotta options out there so look around a bit, but I think the best cases for growboxes are made by Chenming, Antec, and IN WIN.



microRU - Thank you my old friend! I'm glad you stopped in! I had thought about putting the ScrOG screen a little bit lower, but then it would have interfered with the door lock on the case so I decided it was fine where it was. I still have about 5.5" (14 cm) of space between the ScrOG screen and the glass heat shield though, so I think that should be plenty enough space to develop a good thick canopy of buds.













Whew! Now that the individual replies are taken care of, time for the first update with some plant pics!












So lets see here, I started off by trying to germinate a total of 5 seeds (two Sensi Seeds Skunk #1, three Dutch Passion Northern Lights #2 (Oasis)) using my usual paper towel method and ended up with both of the Skunk seeds successfully germinating and only one of the NL germinated. But as you can see there are 4 cups, so here's the weird thing... the single NL seed grew 2 seedlings out of one seed!

It's the weirdest thing and I've never seen anything like it before in my growing experiance. One was normal size and the other was a bit undersized, so I transplanted the under size one into it's own cup yesterday and it seems to be doing just fine. But it makes me wonder, if they both grew out of the same seed will they both have the same genetic properties? If one is female will both of them be female?
For reference, the regular NL seedling is on the front right side in the pics and the smaller one is on the rear right side, both Skunk #1 are on the left.

Also, I did have a little trouble with one of the Skunk seedlings (the one on the front left hand side). The tap root got tangled up in the seed casing and ended up growing upwards out of the rooter plug towards the light! So I carefully removed the seed casing and replanted the seedling with the taproot facing downward and it seems to be doing alright, although it has yet to properly straighten out.


Lastly, since I put in all those VHS tapes as risers for the planters I've only been having one problem with the PC case and that's my temps... they're too low! For the first time in my life I'm struggling to keep the temps in my growbox above 70°F when the room temperature is almost 80°F!
I'm actually pretty thrilled that I was finally able to build a grow box that runs below room temperature, and but I am just a touch worried about how well the seedlings will grow in a cooler environment.
If the temps stay this low for the first month or so of the grow I think I'm going to upgrade the ballast/ignitor and HPS bulb from 70 watts up to 100 watts.

On that subject, anyone know where I can find a good cheap 100 watt HPS ballast, ignitor, and bulb set? I'm thinkin 1000bulbs.com since I could get the ballast & ignitor for $17.06 and the bulb for $6.73, so $23.79 + shipping for the full 100 watt upgrade set, for but I don't know if anywhere else has em cheaper than them.





Well, I think that about wraps it up for now! Thanks for tuning in on my grow show and I'll be back in a few more days with more pics and updated info.

Until then, stay safe and grow smart my friends

Sweet setup can't wait to see it in operation.

Thanks for the props OneWill, but look at the last post on the first page :wink: The grow is officially underway!

Great lil PC box you have these kind of grows really do amaze me.

It is possible to change only a ballast for 100 watt, and a lamp to leave the same and it will shine as 100 watt
But I see a serious problem in illumination which I yet have not solved in we howl boxing. On flowering you to see, that the area is covered not in regular intervals. It happens because the lamp is installed not correctly - along boxing, instead of across him

Ahhh I think I understand what you mean Micro RU! My illumination won't be even because the area towards the back of the case and the area in the far front of the case will not receive as much light as the area directly in the middle of the case. Because the bulb and reflector are installed along the length of the case and not directly in the middle of the case, yes? So some buds at the back and some at the front will not be as big and even as the ones right in the middle.

I was going to ask though, what do you think about my idea of upping the wattage to 100 watts instead of my current 70? It would be inexpensive to do and since my temperature is currently only 69°F to 74°F (20°C to 23°C) I think I might be able to get away with it without having any heat problems.
Think this might be a good idea?