First Time Setup!

[Aggle_Baggle]

Hey Guys!

It's my first post! Yay! Just breaking the ice really! Wanted to show you what I have planned and firstly see what you think and secondly benefit from any suggestions you have based on your experience.

I'm a first time grower eager to get started. I have absolutely drowned myself in research, burnt myself out and now I just wanna do it! I am in the prep stages of a small stealthy cupboard grow with a punch.

Heres what I have:

Premium Cupboard Dimensions 80cmL x 73cmH x 60cmD


Rhino 100mm Carbon Filter + 100mm Alu Ducting + 100mm Bathroom Fan


250w HPS With Euro Reflector


250w MH Bulb


I MAY ditch the HID for a complete fluro setup, in which case I would go for:

4x55w Fluro Reflector (18,000 lumens)


250w CFL Red


250w CFL Blue


Bit more expensive because I will need more lights, but no worries of overheating and burning. Anyhoo I wanna end up with something like this:



Inside will be fully reflected and light sealed. Plants will be on an adjustable shelf to adjust distance of the light.

I plan to grow short, 12" plants giving them enough breathing space to bush out then bloom. I wanna veg under MH for two weeks or so then switch to HPS for flowering. The passive air intakes are at the bottom so air is drawn up through the leaves. I will also have a small oscillating fan in there for cooling and for strong stemmed plants.

Let me know what you think guys! I will keep you posted as the project progresses.

Peace.

 

[lmv931]

solid plan bro! can't wait to see the final product

 

[Dislexus]

Yaaaaaaay its such an exciting time.

 

[Aggle_Baggle]

Baked!

Baked!

Hehehe...

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=11336&pictureid=222598

 

[jdmramon]

looks like a good plan, are you planning on soil or hydro? and what kind of training will you be using ?

 

[jdmramon]

haha my bad forgot im in a soil forum, so im guessing soil is your medium.

 

[Aggle_Baggle]

Soil all the way bro. From the research I've done it seems to be better for the plants and easier for 1st timers like myself! But I dunno what "training" is? Help me out?

 

[cellardweller]

Low Stress Training, Supercropping, Topping, etc..
To use the search function here @ IC simply click "search" at the top of the page >advanced search = "Training" > search titles only > http://www.icmag.com/ic/search.php?searchid=8637734

this will get you started..have fun and stay safe

 

[Hank Hemp]

LST training is in the pruning and topping sticky at the top of this forum. This sticky is a good read for anyone. Kodiak's what I've learned thread is a must read(study) for the 1st timer. Hope these help. http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=112662

 

[Aggle_Baggle]

Superb reading. That has opened up a broad new perspective for me. Given the limited height of my proposed set-up, using training and topping techniques I could sustain ample distance from the lights to avoid burning, while at the same time cultivate a lush canopy covering the entire grow space.

Regarding the project;

Given the restricted height of the cabinet (80cmL x 73cmH x 60cmD) I have decided to go for a 150w HPS setup, which eases my mind of heating and burning problems. Its a meeting in the middle for me between Fluros and HIDs and the trade offs between the two. Especially as I have found a superb 150w HPS/MH digital ballast made by Sonlight and a high quality 150w HPS and MH Tubular bulbs.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=11336&pictureid=223805

As a general rule of thumb (and do correct me if I'm mistaken), minimum light should be in the region of 2500 lumens per squf. A 150w HID puts out around 15,000 lumens so;

15,000 lumens / 6.82sqf = 2200 lumens per squf

Using topping and LST I would like to acheive a covering of the area using 3 - 4 plants.

I will keep you guys posted when the materials arrive and building starts.

Peace.

 

[whatissixbynine]

.

 

[Aggle_Baggle]

Materialisation

Materialisation

Hello all, I've been a busy boy!

Finally all the materials turned up and me and a friend got building. I decided to go for 4x55w tubes in the end, it seemed to make the most sense.

Soz I don't have pics of the actual build. It was very simple to do and if you've ever messed around with your Dad's powertools, it's not gonna be hard wok up something similar.

So here goes:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=12243&pictureid=243860

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=12243&pictureid=243863

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=12243&pictureid=243858

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=12243&pictureid=243861

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=12243&pictureid=243864

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=12243&pictureid=243859

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=12243&pictureid=243862

Merry Xmas People!!



Peace.

 

[sneaky101]

Grats on getting started. One point to make with a cab that small. Don't get too ambitious...make sure you train or scrog or something to counter the height that these plants can get too.

Hydro isn't that difficult, I was pretty intimidated by it too at first though. Over a couple of grows imho I think hydro is a bit easier and will be going all hydro on the next grow.....maybe keep a mother in soil. The only thing with that is that it is more important to have a ppm and ph meter which just costs more money on top of everything else needed to get started, but if you just feed somewhat sparingly you would probably be fine.

Good luck on your initial grow!

 

[bp420!]

Superb reading. That has opened up a broad new perspective for me. Given the limited height of my proposed set-up, using training and topping techniques I could sustain ample distance from the lights to avoid burning, while at the same time cultivate a lush canopy covering the entire grow space.

Regarding the project;

Given the restricted height of the cabinet (80cmL x 73cmH x 60cmD) I have decided to go for a 150w HPS setup, which eases my mind of heating and burning problems. Its a meeting in the middle for me between Fluros and HIDs and the trade offs between the two. Especially as I have found a superb 150w HPS/MH digital ballast made by Sonlight and a high quality 150w HPS and MH Tubular bulbs.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=11336&pictureid=223805

As a general rule of thumb (and do correct me if I'm mistaken), minimum light should be in the region of 2500 lumens per squf. A 150w HID puts out around 15,000 lumens so;

15,000 lumens / 6.82sqf = 2200 lumens per squf

Using topping and LST I would like to acheive a covering of the area using 3 - 4 plants.

I will keep you guys posted when the materials arrive and building starts.

Peace.

I think min is some where around 60w/sqft and 6500lumens/sqft. You can grow with less but will probabley wish you didn't. I've read that the sun puts out ~10000lumens/sqft on a clear sunny day. So the closer to that number the better as long as you can keep the temps down

my 2c

Edit:
My cab is 3sqft and i run a 250 in a cooltube with 4 computer fans for ventillation...it hovers around 85, a bit higher than i'd like but the plants seem to be doing fine.

28000 lumens / 3 = 9300lumens/sqft.

250w / 3 = 83w/sqft.

Edit#2
Good luck on your first grow.