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70w HPS: first true micro grow

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brindle

Member
Hello! :bandit:

Well in the past I've done a 150w hps cab a couple times and a 400w, but never something this small. I spotted the perfect cabinet and decided to set it up for a micro cab for kicks. It's 11" x 11" x 30" (around 2 cu. ft), and I may partition the top 6" or some with a piece of glass or plexi and air cool it, if that's even needed. 80w CFL for the first couple weeks for veg, then 70w hps from there out. I plan to do 9 AF plants for a small seed run with some extra beans I had laying about, and I was planning on planting them in one singular square planting bed instead of individual containers.

I guess the real problem comes down to what kind of fan is small enough yet powerful enough for this size cab, and for odor control do they happen to make some pro-quality tiny odor scrubbers by chance? I looked but didn't turn up anything, it looks like most micro growers make their own scrubbers if they even use one.

Thanks for all insight/input/and questions!:help:
 
5

5FingrdSloth

Hey brindle, welcome to IC!
I also have a small cab, running 6-23w CFL and 1-150hps which is not hooked up yet and I am using a 120 computer fan mounted to a can1500 filter as seen here:
picture.php


you can see I basically hacked this cab together in virtually minutes. :pointlaug
I'm also not too worried about temps as my cab is in an unheated basement. I don't think you would have to cooltube that lil 70 unless it were in a pc case.
 
C

ComradeToker

New member
I'm running in a cab just 2 inches shorter than yours. Except I'm going to run a 150 HPS in there for flower. If you're worried about heat look for squirrel cage fans they have good suction I can show examples if you need. Also 120's will be good. For a carbon filter the best option for whatever you make will more than likely to DIY as you can build it to your exact needs, for whatever ventillation you choose, that's what I will have to do.

What pot sizes are you using for 9 plants in a 11x11 area?

Good luck interested in seeing your cabinet come to life.
 
B

brindle

Member
Well I actually found two scrubbers I think should be okay, the can-705 (39cfm?) and can-9000 (95-115cfm, so let's say 100cfm). I wonder if the can 705 is strong enough to both scrub the air and ventilate 70w hps in 2 sq ft well enough to keep it cool.

Also any suggestions for best particular fans or optimal styles of fan?
 
blynx

blynx

WALSTIB
Moderator
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Crake said:
How are your sound levels with that setup, blynx? That looks like one of those panasonic whisper fans. Their sound levels are pretty low natively (though still audible), but I know they start to get pretty loud and "choppy" as soon as they encounter some static pressure.
Click to expand...

It's an older model I picked up used for a couple bucks. I wouldn't say it's loud, but definitely noticeable. I think the newer models would be a lot quieter.
 
S

Stromisle

New member
I have a panasonic whisper bathroom fan and it's pretty quiet. But I'm not sure how it would do with a filter. I am debating between building a filter for it, or buying an expensive fan-filter combo.
 
B

brindle

Member
I may just use a cheap 50cfm or so bathroom fan and the can-705


ComradeToker- I couldn't find 3.5" x 3.5" square containers deep enough, lol. I plan on planting them all together in a 10" x 10" tub, I'd say 7"-8" deep. Soil mix is 50% shredded coco, 40% plain bagged soil, 10% worm castings, a little lime, and some espoma garden-tone
 
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B

brindle

Member
I also plan to cull the males leaving just females, and spray half the females with C.S. solution and try to make fem beans.
 
Z

zen_trikester

I run 252w of cfL in a 19x14x30 cab and vent it with a 120mm PC fan "COOLER MASTER R4-L2R-20CR-GP 120mm Red LED Case Fan" I think it is about 70cfm and 19db... very quiet. I basically built a box in the top of the cabinet with the fan recessed in about 4" to cover noise a little, allow the exhaust some room to breath before hitting the wall, and give me a little shelf to put air freshener if I need it. (I don't) I run it at 7v and that makes it much quieter yet. For odor control I simply built a carbon bed out of 1x2's and bug screen on the bottom of the box. Caulk the box, use a diy gasket around the tray to seal it in ( I use pipe insulation tubes cut in half and staplegunned to the tray), and use about an inch of carbon in the tray. Good to go! I've been running this for almost 2 years.

After a few monts I started to get some odor because the wooden box shifted some and I needed to re-caulk it, so watch for that. I also put a lip of 1/4" pine around the bottom outside edge of the tray to prevent air from traveling up the sides of the tray without contacting carbon.

this same set up should easily cool and smell proof your cab. especially if you separate the ballast and put that on the fan shelf or other place outside of the cab. If you are handy the cost is scrap wood and some carbon.

***edit*** oh yeah... cut the wires to the led's on the fan! Ha! Almost forgot that part!
 
B

brindle

Member
Well i ordered two pc-fan mini squirrel cage blower type fans so I'll post updates on their specs when they get here, I plan to use one with the can705

I also figured out that my cab is actually 11.25" x 11.25" so I can fit 9 half-gallon milk jugs in there perfectly.

I still plan on making a small reflector out of sheet metal and mounting the ballast and ignitor at the top of the cab and sealing off with a plexi or glass window, and aircooling that whole little reflector/ballast "box" with fans, and using a separate fan for the can705 scrubber for odor and ventilation
 
M

MR GANGA

New member
Nice, im doing a 70 hps grow in a pc with some auto ak, i've added a few cfls in there also (1 42w 27k and 1 26w 65k) Best of luck to ya.

Cheers
 
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