Please help me...

[mina]

Hello to everybody. I have found some great info in this site and I hope that you will help me clear some things and start growing my own plants.
My big problem is the grow box height…I haven’t build it yet but the place I am going to put it is only 75cm (almost 2 ½ ft) however I have no limitations for length or width. So…here is my options, my thoughts and my questions…
I intend to use a 400W HPS Osram plantastar (55000 lm) that I have and place it vertical. If I use this bulb I can surround it with plants. With this plan I can put a screen around my bulb and let the plants grow toward the light. The light of the bulb will penetrate enough the plants but maybe not all the way (or is it enough?) so I think I have two options, to trim the plant at the other side or use some T5’s or something like that for sidelighting around the box. Second plan is to rotate them often and maybe put a screen at every plant to train them sort and bushy. Do you think I am going to need a cooltube (it’s not difficult to find one) and what is the right way to place vertical an HPS, base down or base up?
One other thing that I am worry about is the box I am going to build. Is it ok to be square (much easier) since the plants will surround the bulb or it has to be something like an octagon box so the light to be spreaded the best way? The dimensions of the box is another trouble because I want to have as much lumens as I can in there but in case the plants bleach from the intense light I want to have the ability to move them several inches away from the bulb…
The other option is to go with multiple small HPS bulbs and hang them between the plants but this is not what I want to do if I have the choice to use my 400W HPS…At the beginning I thought that the best solution was a fixture with 8 T5’s and scrog but I put away this idea because the fixture would limit more my cab height…
Any ideas? What would you do under these conditions? I really need your help because I am a new grower and with my limited space I am having a big problem to find similar constructions to the internet since cab height is most of the times not a problem. Thank you in advance and forgive me if you don’t understand everything I am writing because It’s not my mother language.

 

[In Vino Veritas]

2.5' is not enough height for much plant, let alone with a 400 in a hood or tube.. Maybe with a 150hps..but I would consider going old school and run a bunch of cool tubes and scrog or sog your females..

 

[EvilTwin]

Hi Mina,
I agree with IVV, for what you describe, a 400 is way too much. Read up on some of the micro-grows and perhaps you'll get some ideas there.

I know you'd like to use your 400 but I think that might be unmanageable.

Of the ideas you presented, having a vertical grow with multiple tiny HIDs sounds the best. You'll have to grow from clones so that you can flower while they're still quite short. And a strain that isn't too stretchy (indicas).

My second choice would be a T5HO grow with sog. I think you just may have enough height for that. Good luck on setting up a grow in such a challenging spot. People have succeeded in less.
ET

PS: I just came up with an idea. You say width and length aren't an issue. Make the space say...4' x 6' and run the vertical 400 (on a 6' light mover) back and forth between two rows of plants . You would want to rotate them weekly, but it would be a way of optimizing such a low space. You could have perhaps 5 plants in each row and being vertical, you'd get bud all the way to the bottom. I'll keep thinking...

 

[mina]

Thank you very much for your answers!Until now nobody has answered me!I was feeling alone!!!
Do you think that the 400W is overkill because the temeraure that comes out from the bulb is impossible to control it, even with a cooltube?As I mentioned before I have no problem with lenght or depth of the cabin so I could place my plants in a right-secure distance arround the bulb.
I don't know if I can find a light mover in my country but it's a good idea.

 

[EvilTwin]

Mina,
Well my thought was that you wouldn't be able to get enough distance from the bulb. But with what you describe...perhaps if you had the plants in a circle with say 15" minimum distance it may be possible. Keep your ballast out of the room and have a decent exhaust fan.

I was considering a vertical grow in a rather inaccessable corner of my flower room. My plan was to put the plants on a large lazy susan (that's American slang for a revolving turntable) So you could simplify watering and tending the plants by simply rotating the plant platform.

Fitting a cooltube might be difficult, but if it's still too hot, add another fan so you have both an exhaust and intake fan. With brisk air exchange, you may be able to pull it off. And if still, it's too hot. Go buy a 250watt light.
Good luck,
ET

 

[Taikonaut]

Hi, I need help to. And use same post.
I plan to build grow room size 100cmx90cmx140cm.
I plan to grow there 2 plants and use there 250W HPS.
Wall I paint not reflecting white color.
Ventilation i juse pc fans.
plan: http://img5.imagebanana.com/view/vo9gyjbs/growroom.JPG

Reflector or cooltube? Are 250W HPS enough? Or is enough 150w or meibi 400w?
How many fans what size i use?

All ideas are welcome

Hopefully someone understand what i attempt to say. My English not good.

And Hopefully Mina not be angry i use hes post Andeks et sinu posti kasutan.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Paragraphs, please.