My first grow - stealth "high pod" v2.0

a_marie · Feb 22, 2009

The details: My can will hold just one girl I'm starting from seed (Eva's Monster). I used 6-CFL 55W lights in flourescent tube guards. The bottom end of the guard fits in PVC fittings that vent outside. I have three additional 3-inch vents along the bottom. The lights are wired to two ballasts (WH6 and an 8), and connected to a timer. There is a thermostat on the inside that has been reversed, and is connected to an outlet box on the can. My Vortex Inline 4 (badass) fan is plugged in to that, connected to the can's lid with a dryer vent. I am not a "handy" person and had to buy most of this stuff at Home Depot... dropped about $400 for everything. But if I get half the harvest infectualize had it'll pay for itself and then some on the first grow!!!

I'm germinating in paper towels right now and dialing in the fan/thermostat. With the lights going and the fans on "low" I'm running a consistance 80F. I'm planning a soil grow, and hope to have baby in the dirt tomorrow evening.

This is my first grow, and I'm really excited to use this design. Again, thanks to everyone in this thread for the advice and inspiration!

My set up:

Weezard · Feb 22, 2009

Brilliant!

Brilliant!

a_marie said:
The details: My can will hold just one girl I'm starting from seed (Eva's Monster). I used 6-CFL 55W lights in flourescent tube guards. The bottom end of the guard fits in PVC fittings that vent outside. I have three additional 3-inch vents along the bottom. The lights are wired to two ballasts (WH6 and an 8), and connected to a timer. There is a thermostat on the inside that has been reversed, and is connected to an outlet box on the can. My Vortex Inline 4 (badass) fan is plugged in to that, connected to the can's lid with a dryer vent. I am not a "handy" person and had to buy most of this stuff at Home Depot... dropped about $400 for everything. But if I get half the harvest infectualize had it'll pay for itself and then some on the first grow!!!

I'm germinating in paper towels right now and dialing in the fan/thermostat. With the lights going and the fans on "low" I'm running a consistance 80F. I'm planning a soil grow, and hope to have baby in the dirt tomorrow evening.

This is my first grow, and I'm really excited to use this design. Again, thanks to everyone in this thread for the advice and inspiration!

My set up:

Aloha A marie :yeahthats

Hadda quote the whole thing because it bears repeating.
That is impressive!
Subscribed!

Weezard

greenpenguin · Feb 22, 2009

A marie, nice little setup you got there, that is pretty creative of you. What strain are you growing? Also I notice there are a bunch of openings along the bottom which I'm assuming is intake, and there's a bunch of light leaking out; are you planing on fixing that?

Also how do you plan on feeding and draining?

EDIT: Ok I see you mentioned the strain is "Eva's Monster", I've never heard of that what is the lineage?

smokesalot420 · Feb 22, 2009

Nice clean set-up! You say you're not a "handy person" but you obviously take pride in what you do....
Hopefully your grow does well, I'll be watching!

a_marie · Feb 22, 2009

My "newb" status is pretty evident with this post... it's a duplicate froml another thread posted by infectualize that laid out the blue-print for the design. I posted here so as to not hijack that link, got a little "post" happy and suddenly have two threads, and half of it was cut off this one... Ugh- technology. I'd like to post my grow diary, so I'll be updating here.

I woke up this morning to an adorable litte taproot... she's in the soil and I'm starting 20/4 light schedule:

I cannot take any credit for the wiring handiwork- my handy father installed the lights, thermostat, etc. He does great work!!!

As for the seeds- I don't know much about them either, truthfully. In reading the catalog, they were advertised as "very easy to grow", and as a shorter (sativa) strain. The website mentioned strain notes as "cross between south american hybrid and G13". It seemed like a nice beginners strain.

a_marie · Feb 22, 2009

oh- forgot to mention. I plan on feeding with a rubber hose through the foliage down to the bottom, but I could always pop a vent and go through the bottom too.

I'm not sure how concerned to be about the light leak. The six 1-1/4" holes along the bottom do leak, but I don't want to sacrifice air flow if I can avoid it. I thought there would be enough light with six 55W lamps that I could afford a little leak? Thoughts?

stink.whistler · Feb 22, 2009

What color temp lights you using? I think if I were doing one of these grows, I would try it with 4 lights instead of 6. The recommendations for watts/square foot may be different for vert grows, however.

I assume you are using a soil mix? What mix are you going to use?

I've got your thread bookmarked a_Marie, good luck! I'll be looking forward to seeing it progress.

greenpenguin · Feb 22, 2009

Your father definitely does do some fine work, very clean wiring. As for light leaks, it's not about losing light intensity. I think it's important that there are no leaks during the flower period because the plant relies on a 12 hour period of darkness for flower. You can do it without compromising your airflow too. Just get some PVC elbows to make an S shaped tube and you have light proofing and it doesn't hurt airflow much since you're using negative pressure.

There are two things that concern me with this setup other than light leaks.
1) water drainage - you have soil and you're feeding with essentially a rubber hose, the water isn't all absorbed by the plant and has to go somewhere? Where does it go?

2) Plant growing into lights - I don't have much experience with vertical grows but I'd be concerned about the lights growing into the light fixtures and getting burned. Like I said, no experience with vertical grows so this may be dumb advice but perhaps installing a vertical screen that goes around the plant to help avoid growing into the lights.

Hydro-Soil · Feb 22, 2009

Great setup a_marie!
I'm looking forward to how well this turns out for sure.

If you don't mind me jumping in here, I had a couple of quick things....

The only thing I would change about the design would be to wire the sockets at the bottom instead of the top. Knna has pointed out that they run more efficiently that way when used as vertical lighting. I'm not actually sure how far away the sockets can be from the ballast.

Since you have 6 lamps, you're definitely not going to notice any issues due to the way you mounted them. Not in that small of a space. :yoinks:

greenpenguin said:
As for light leaks, it's not about losing light intensity. I think it's important that there are no leaks during the flower period because the plant relies on a 12 hour period of darkness for flower.

Definitely important as light leaks during the dark period of 12/12 flowering will cause male flowers to form and drop pollen(hermies). The only time light leaks are not important is when you're growing a strain that flowers in 24/hr lighting.

greenpenguin said:
2) Plant growing into lights - I don't have much experience with vertical grows but I'd be concerned about the lights growing into the light fixtures and getting burned.

a_marie has modeled this after the construction of infectualize's 'Highpod'. When you take a look you'll see that the lamps are actually covered with a plastic tube. The plants never touch the tubes.

With enough airflow, your main concern with these lamps is light bleaching from being that close. The PL-L 55w lamps are very intense yet won't burn your hand. (I'm not saying they're not hot! LOL just not flesh searing hot)

HerbGlaze · Feb 22, 2009

Never seen a trash can look like a UFO.. now I have :abduct:

This little set up looks really tech, pulling up a chair hope you don't mind.

HerbreH · Feb 22, 2009

I too am planing on doing a high pod grow in the near future, I'll be watching this.

Looking good so far.

inefectualize · Feb 22, 2009

just wanted to put my stamp of approval on this thread! the questions and concerns have pretty much been worked out and the wattage has been proven with the results. I did a soil grow without drains and it worked out quite well. I have grown drainless before with great results, you just have to know how much your plant is drinking.

ShantiShiva · Feb 22, 2009

Nice dood, what a interesting installation but seems to really do the job, well done mate im deffently gonna keep an eye out for anything else comming out of this "Can" :joint:

Have fun

#ShantiShiva

D0MiN0 · Feb 22, 2009

very nice setup, marie, hope u get some nice nugs!
inefectualize, that plant rocks!

tagged
cheers

greenpenguin · Feb 23, 2009

Hydro-Soil said:
Great setup a_marie!
a_marie has modeled this after the construction of infectualize's 'Highpod'. When you take a look you'll see that the lamps are actually covered with a plastic tube. The plants never touch the tubes.

Ah ok, got it, this is my first time seeing this design so I was not aware of that. Infectualized shots are quite impressive. I'm definitely going to be watching this to see how it turns out.

blunted skyline · Feb 23, 2009

this is a realy cool design, where can you get large/long cfl's like that? or are they just florescent tubes?

foo_bird · Feb 24, 2009

http://www.1000bulbs.com/55-Watt-4-Pin-2G11-Base-Compact-Fluorescent-Bulbs/
thats where the bulbs are

foo

Dissect · Feb 26, 2009

a_marie - nice work with the BruteBox, looks dope. Let me know if you need a surrogate chiefer in a couple of months, my services are free of charge....Think about it. Peace.

FirstTimer76 · Feb 26, 2009

I'm Tagged :lurk:

K.J · Feb 26, 2009

I loved Infectualize's design and I'm really happy to see people imitating it and improving on it. I really like the clean (yet complicated) look on the outside. I'm seriously considering building me one of these after our current cab build is done.

My first grow - stealth "high pod" v2.0

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