Help me with my cab!

[zoidb3rg]

Hey ICmag

Hope fully i'm starting a cab soon and i'd just like to get your educated opinion on what kind of lighting to use for a W= 40cm(16") H= 67cm(26") D= 57cm(22") cab, i was thinking fluoros(SP?) or maybe a CMH hopefully totalling about 100-150w so i would get just under or over 100w/sqft, As it's a rectangular cab i was thinking about lining the roof with fluoros or just using a CMH what do you guys think, also what kind of fan do you think i should use to cool either of those two lighting choices?

I was thinking something like this: http://www.hvacquick.com/spfnconfig.php?fm...48pknkdeb1kpvo5 to really get some air moving through the cab keeping it nice and cool, not sure which maybe the 125 or the 100x, do i need to go bigger? help me icmag, so many failry important decisions, would like to try and make the best and i need your advice!

EDIT: I guess you should know i plan on doing a SCROG as well.

 

[igrowone]

your setup is a bit wider than mine, a 16 x 38 inch tube, but cfl's can work real nice in small spaces
here's my current nl#5 under 78w of cfl's at 6 weeks into flower

 

[stealthcabber]

i would use t8 or t5 tubes for that hieght plants need to be at least 8'' from the tops with a HID light (like hps or cmh) so you would only have about 10'' or less of hieght when you account for the pots

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

You have 2.44 square feet, go with the 150w CMH (or HPS). That's about 61 watts per sq foot, more than you need. A fan blowing on the bulb will allow plants within several inches of the bulb, strain dependent. These two options are easier to cool than equivalent CFLs IMO, they'll also leave you with more headroom than CFLs.

The s&p 100 is enough for your cab, will even pull a scrubber.

 

[zoidb3rg]

Thanks for the replies,

Igrowone That's looking good mate, cfl's doing the job then? I've heard some things about cfl's like they wont produce as big/crystalized/stinky buds but it might just be BS.

StealthCabber Cheers for the advice mate, i'm going to look into t5's and t8's know of any good sites that will deliver to UK?

 

[zoidb3rg]

DiscoBiscuit Thanks man, nice to know i can use a CMH, also i guess i made an arse of the calculations of my W/sqft haha, i'm sure you can forgive me i was stoned ^^ As for the fan im pleased, means i can spend a little more on other things now i know i don't need to spend so much on vent.

 

[texsativa]

150 watt cmh or 3-4 36 watt PL-Ls. I believe you can put the PL-Ls in the 22" you have up there. With a pot about 6" that will leave you roughly a foot and a half of growing room. Would work well for you to scrog. You don't need 100w/ft2, you can get by with 50 no problem.

 

[zoidb3rg]

TexSativa Cheers for the advice. Was planning on scrogging, Guess i shoulda put that in the orig post, Ill do it now!

 

[texsativa]

Welcome. Was just thinking, you want to go with PL-Ls. In that small a space, an even canopy is your best option. Rigging up a cmh bulb in the top is only going to take up more room and not give you even light disbursement. Check out Aerohead's micro-computer grow. Amazing. So efficient.

 

[zoidb3rg]

Cheers for the advice again TexSativa i'm looking at Aeroheads grow now and have seen it before, It looks so damn clean, Do you know where i can get those light fixtures he has or something similar? i have no idea what they're called ^^. I would probably be better off asking him but you seem like you know a bit.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

A 150 CMH (or HPS) will throw an even footprint with a cheap bat wing reflector (you don't need a big honking fixture.) They throw a rectangular footprint if you orient the arc parallel with the short side. Your box is perfect for a 150 CMH or HPS. PL-Ls are great lamps but a single 150 HPS throws ~16,000 lumens, CMH about ~13,000. Buds will be firmer and penetration deeper.

 

[texsativa]

Take a look at this thread regarding PL-Ls and fixtures http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=112670

The CMH is a great light. But after you install a 150 cmh and a reflector, how much height will that subtract from the growing area? I'd think 5 inches at least. If your cab height was three foot or so it'd be a better option than the PL-L in my opinion. But your height is only two foot...As well penetration is not that big of an issue for you.

 

[igrowone]

Thanks for the replies,

Igrowone That's looking good mate, cfl's doing the job then? I've heard some things about cfl's like they wont produce as big/crystalized/stinky buds but it might just be BS.

StealthCabber Cheers for the advice mate, i'm going to look into t5's and t8's know of any good sites that will deliver to UK?

cfl's can produce big buds, but it's not automatic
strain can be a big determiner, some strains will do very nice with cfl's
and placement can be critical
for nl#5, i think i can give a big endorsement for cfl's

 

[zoidb3rg]

I think i'm pretty set on pl-l's now, i just need to plan the cab i have a rough idea in mind but i need to put it all together on paper.

 

[Aerohead]

After going through my first grow with PL-L's, I am very impressed with them. I haven't harvested yet or cheated any smokes so I can't say for sure right now but it looks like the quality of the buds are easily par with a small HPS. I think 150w HPS would have given me larger colas and perhaps a bit more weight but not in that PC case.

Your cab is 26" tall? I am working with 24". I don't believe you have the room in there for a HPS to function at optimum performance. It's not just that it takes more space but you also have to have more space between the bulb and canopy. I know people have had success with HPS in smaller cabs but it makes the grow alot busier as well. Also 1 fan fails to start or burns up so do your buds. I had a bad molex connector early on in the grow that caused my blower to fail to start, case ran for 6 hours with 2 small intake fans and it got over 95F. Needless to say the plants were saved but if I had a HPS in there they would have been crispy critters.

You asked where I got my lights, I answered you in my thread but I believe we got the fixtures confused with my T5 HO one. You can buy the light fixture I used from HTG supply for $69 and add additional bulbs for 13.95 a pair in a spectrum of your choice. You might just want to buy 2 of them and you would have 4 X 55w bulbs, 2 hoods, 2 reflectors, and 2 ballasts $140. not bad! Only thing is they only ship in USA, don't know if this is a problem for you or not.

I almost forgot, 55w PL-L's are 21.5" with the socket attached.