Apartment Growers

[Joey56789]

I use a PC fan for cooling, and it needs to be at full power to cool my box off, but the air wooshing noise is definitely there. How do you guys deal with that noise?

Most either minimize it as best they can, or try and cover it up, or both. You can try a muffler (probably not the best for a PC fan because of static pressure) or put sound deadening material where the noise is coming from (like in the utility compartment of a NGB box). You could also use a fan that makes less sound per CFM. The bigger the fan, the slower it's running, the better. If you use the 120mm fans, it is best to use the 120x120x38mm variety (as opposed to the 120x120x25mm). They work much better in static pressure environments, and can be run slower.

Most PC hardware enthusiats and overclockers will recommend Scythe brand, and so do I. They make 3 different 120x38mm fans. I used thier 120x38 3000RPM fan hooked up to a Zalman Fan Mate 2 for my rubbermaid. It pushes a ton of air, and you can turn it down with the twist of a knob till it is as quiet as need be, but still keeps your setup cool.

The other option is covering it up. Some put an aquarium on top of their cabinets. A PC next to your grow is a good way to cover up the grow's PC fan.

 

[Lord Doobie]

just read 10 pages...fun read...I'll tip

I'm more of a cab fan but these can apply...

make an little insulated box for your noisy fan for a whopping $2 out of foamboard (crafts store) cut with a knife and glued together

since smell is a major concern, why not start with a low odor strain like NL? ( I made a thread here I think a while back...search "Low odor strains" in the strains forum)

you really can't vent to a wall...like mentioned, the wind has to go somewhere
better a drain...the water trap (~) in the sink and toilet blocks the stench so it doesn't exit in someone else's apt

some apts have a corner in the kitchen that's dead space...where 2 sets of drawers come together perpendicular to each other...perfect for a cab (I kept staring at my kitchen knowing there was space somewhere..ha ha..then I saw it )

obviously, don't tell a breathing soul. next to odor, your huge pie hole is the major reason for being busted...

apartments are a crap shoot...anything could happen at any time whether you're home or not...lightning could strike for all you know

good luck!

 

[Sweet Inc.]

...I'm more of a cab fan...

Yeah?

I'm using my kitchen cabinet as a cloning space as we speak, I guess most apt's are utilised more or less the same way

 

[bakelite]

apartments are a crap shoot...anything could happen at any time whether you're home or not...lightning could strike for all you know

good luck!

Absolutely! I had to tear down my apartment grow about a year ago. The people above me hooked up their washing machine wrong and flooded my apartment. I didn't report it until I broke down my setup and the coast was clear. I had two beautiful Deep Chunk females going and it sucked to pull them. Like you said Lord Doobie, you have to be ready for anything.

-bakelite

 

[FirstTracks]

Its been long enough that I can say it now.
My last apt grow with 3x NYCD xStrawdiesel, 3X Menage a trois (all at about 24-36") and 12x Kodiak Gold (at about 4-6") was trashed due to a gas leak in the building. Wasn't enough time to clear everything out..........it was clear out the plants or potentially die in an explosion...... Firemen running all over.....I felt my stomach drop when the cops rolled up and I'm standing outside helpless.

No one made it into my place, and if they did, they either didn't go in my closet, they didn't check out why the back half was walled off with poly, or just decided to spare me.

I tore down the grow later that week about 2 weeks into flower with those 18 beautiful plants in hydro......
I didn't know when somone would fuck up installing gas appliances again and try to get me busted.

Still regretting tearing that down, as it would have been an amazing harvest.

 

[Sweet Inc.]

Sorry to hear you guys had to go the final route with the ladies, but eh, whatta ya gonna do?
Congratulate yourselves from being spared from this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOBlq3Nr2Mo&feature=related Hurts my heart to watch...

I've come close to ripping my shit apart, but I've been spared so far. Can't even imagine the work and heart ache of taking everything down.

 

[INDO247]

for all u apartment growers, how bad is the smell? is it noticeable when someone walks by your room or how about when u walk inside? can u smell it? if not what set up do u guys use to minimize the odor?

 

[jtk707]

Originally Posted by Lord Doobie
apartments are a crap shoot...anything could happen at any time whether you're home or not...lightning could strike for all you know

This is true any where you grow whats your point

 

[bakelite]

for all u apartment growers, how bad is the smell? is it noticeable when someone walks by your room or how about when u walk inside? can u smell it? if not what set up do u guys use to minimize the odor?

There is no smell what so ever from my small setup. You can't even smell it when you first come in after being away for a while. If there is someone that you trust you can use their nose as well. IMO good carbon filtration is key. Personally I like to use a second filter with a very quiet small fan that runs all the time making sure that there is a constant (albeit slight) negative pressure on the grow area. I also have is portable carbon filter with a decent sized blower attached that use to scrub the air in the room. I fire it up for about 10 minutes any time smell escapes when I'm doing maintenance on my setup. Also a strategically placed Glade Plugin can be key. Also change your carbon regularly.

 

[kylej1]

One of my friends has a Homebox L tent set up with a 400w, about 7 plants or so, he has a carbon filter and I cannot smell anything even very late into flowering unless you open up the tent. Now he lives in a 1/1 in a college apartment complex(its not university affiliated, but its all college kids). Management doesnt come to your apartment unless you request them to fix something, inspections are only done when you move out.

I plan on doing a grow in my apartment sometime in the fall, basically the same exact set up. It kind of helps living in the college area, due to all the kids, noise really is all around so fans are the last worries.

 

[jtk707]

I think anyone can pull off a micro grow in an apartment , but it takes a dedicated gardener to pull off a commercial grow in an apartment

 

[Regginata]

But it really is risk management and doing all one can(sometimes to weird extents) to keep the grow from being noticed by the grumpy granny right behind your grow room wall. Apartment growing really is different from a proper, private house grow...

LOL!! fosho those grumpy granny's don't have anything better to do then to get into your business. I also have to agree that it would be well worth to have a more private place to grow. But apartment growing can offer alot in helping you learn security management,

 

[shadow]

What do you guys think of this, I live in an apartment that apparently due to some sort of fucked fire code, does not have windows that open. I want to do a small micro grow in a closet, or speakerbox, or something but I can't vent it outside. The A/C pulls in air from the outside, but that is the only fresh air comming into my place, and I can't think of a way to vent anything through it (at least without making everyone elses room between my room, and the vent smell like a plant). Would carbon filters be suitable for odor control if it was just being vented into my room? If it has to happen, I will scrap the idea until I move out, but I don't know if I want to wait another year when my lease expires.

Security does come first though, so let me know what you guys think.

 

[TroubleGuy]

Carbon Filter will kill the smell, even if you do vent into your place... Just make sure your growroom has enough negative pressure that it's sucking air in from the rest of the room, that way you know everything is passing through the filter.

What about your dryer? Do you know if it vents out the roof or out the side of the building? You may be able to tap into that and vent outside...it'll just look like you're drying clothes all the time, haha

 

[shadow]

Oh my god, I love you for that idea. It does vent outside, and I may be able to use that...I will check that out once my roommate gets his clothes dried lol. +rep

 

[TroubleGuy]

No problem, glad I could help! Let me know how it works out, I've had to be pretty resourceful here, I might be able to come up with some unique ideas if you need some help.

 

[shadow]

Yeah, I don't know if I will be able to tap into the dryer easily, but I will think through how I could do it more in depth when it isn't being used. The only problem is it is tucked into a nook in the hallway and mounted on top of the washer, so moving it is out of the question. but maybe being a little tricky I could feed something in behind it?

 

[HIGHGROOVE]

just like some ideas i have the large tent with two 600s ss2 a can fan max 8 and can 100......my issue is getting fresh air in the room opening the window doesnt seem like really a option being downstairs....i do have a vent thats used for heat or ac....which i use neither can i bring in fresh air from there? what would be the most efficient setup in my situation

 

[LD420]

Hey guys! Just joined.. loviin this thread btw

 

[Bodhita]

Apartment grows are extremely high risk. Especially if you rent. I would not grow anything else than a 250/400W stealthy grow, if I would choose to grow in an apartment I didn't own.

Once I did a large grow in a top floor, 2-bedroom apartment. 18 sqm, 24 plants, 2400W. I was extremely careful, everything was planned to the smallest detail. But the weak link was the landlord. In the contract it was stated he had to give me 24 hours notice for visits, and that he couldn't enter without my permission.

However, one day he called and said the roof windows had to be replaced, and that he had to come by to take measurements. I said he could come the next day, and immediately disassembled the entire room. Only took care of a few mother plants in a small closet.

Later, I met him to pay rent, and he tells me he has been in my apartment while I was away. He tells me to get rid of the plants, and that he will be stopping by without my knowledge every week...

I was very lucky he didn't see the whole setup. I think his reaction would have been much more severe then. I should have gotten rid of everything in the first place. But I didn't want to lose my genetics. Lesson learned. I could have gone to jail.

Next time I grow in an apartment, I will be renting through an agency, and only growing on a very small scale. If you want to grow big, you need to own the place.