Another Stealth PC Desk... - Micro Grows - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

iowabaldguy · 07-11-2006, 04:44 AM

Like Trev and TacoBell530, I'm trying to figure out how to do a microgrow in my computer desk's built in cabinet. It's kind of narrow; only 1 foot wide but 2 feet tall and 2 1/2 feet deep. I was thinking to equip it with 3-4 42 watt CFLS and a couple of AC Powered PC Fans, using LowRyder or MasterLow for my first strain due to its short height and auto flowering.

It's got a built in door and the first thing I did was install a mailbox lock I got at Home DePot for $3. That's the brass thing on the bottom of the door. I screwed up and put the lock in the middle of the door and while cutting the slot for the lock bolt I hit a cam-nut that holds the kick plate on. Oh well, the lock still works. Live and learn.

The back of the cab didn't have that cheap cardboard back that most DIY furniture comes with. This is good because I also started to build a back out of plywood that will hold the PC fan, 1 or 2 power outlet boxes and the inside painted black to act as a light trap for the active exhaust. I don't have a picture now because it looks like just a boring wood box.

I was thinking about using the 65 cfm fan from Radio Shack or ordering one from Jameco.com that's 105 cfm. Worried about the noise though, not to mention the heat from 3-4 cfl's heating up the room where my fiance has her PC desk, too.

Also worried about odor control, but Home DePot has these plug in ionizers that look like a small night-light for about $15 and I was also thinking about building a small carbon scrubber.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

07-11-2006, 05:07 AM

If you're going the flouro route you might want to look into getting an envirolite. They are really big, but throw one 200 watt envirolite in there and you'd be set.

https://www.sea-of-green.com/store/pr...54446ab4025f9f

Personally I'd put a 150 watt air cooled light in there, but I'm a know it all noob so I'm just here for friendly advice.

iowabaldguy · 07-11-2006, 04:21 PM

Thanks, Jake. I was considering a 70w HPS, knowing the more light in a grow, the better. I'm kind of worried about the heat build up though. But I'll check out the envirolites, hoping I can fit 2 in there for a mixed spectrum.

pothead82 · 07-11-2006, 09:09 PM

nice setup bladguy... i agree with master jaco, those envirolites put over 10000 lumens in you little cabinet, you could put 2 plants there and get a lot of weed. maybe you could use an old computer case for some mothers and clones, that way you would speed up your precess and save money from buying seeds.
good luck with your cabinet and keep us updated!

iowabaldguy · 07-12-2006, 03:32 AM

Thanks, pothead. Another thing I was thinking of (among many when planning your first grow) was keeping the male plants in the grow to generate more seeds since you can't clone LowRyder or MasterLow because they autoflower.

In between grows, I'd wipe out the cab with a bleach water solution to kill any remaining pollen.

JARofHERB · 07-12-2006, 09:51 PM

MasterLow would be great in that space, with an envirolight, temps would be great also..

Trev · 07-17-2006, 06:30 AM

my 70 watt Hps, doesnt get hott at all!! i had a 40 watt cfl and my 70 watt HPS stayed cooler than the 40 watt CFL

dont let the hype fool you, CFL's get hott too. low wattage HID's arent going to heat up as much as you think, even a 150 wont be too hot not in my experience anyway

envirolites.. ive heard they have heat problems?! not sure. dont quote me on that lol

go with the 70 watt HPS you cant go wrong. remote ballast it like i did, and your all set, check my post to see pics of my remote ballasted 70 watter.

iowabaldguy · 07-26-2006, 05:15 AM

Thanks for the tip, Trev. I just might take your advice and start with the 70W HPS. I was going to have 3 or 4 40W CFLs in there, but the CFLs have the ballast built in which is where, I've heard, most of the heat comes from. I may just wire it for both the remote HPS and the CFLs, so I can choose if one doesn't work

I've got a couple of 4 inch holes cut in the floor of my cab already and I'll be finishing my back panel next week....pics to follow!

Maj.PotHead · 07-26-2006, 08:36 AM

theres ambient heat build up on a cfl a small fan blown across the ballast/bulb erea healp to control the buildup. and your exhaust if adequite enough should expell the rest

Trev · 07-26-2006, 08:16 PM

i use one PC fan in a 20 inch wide by 12 inch deep by 32 inch tall space. im running a 70 watt HPS and 3-26 watt CFLs it stays under 80 in there all the time. i had a spike of 82 once.. but it was a scorchin day. the key for me atleast is to position the fan were your greatest heat problem will be.. in my case my 70 watt HPS so i positioned the fan right behind it and a little up, so it pulls the ambient heat from the bulb as well as all the other air in the cab.. so the heat from my bulb never reaches my plants. low wattage CFLs you wont have a heat problem with.. my 26 watters have been on for the past 3 weeks 24/7 and i can still touch em no problem. but andthing over 35 they're gunna generate some heat so be careful with high wattage CFL's and how close you put them to your plants unless you have a fan near.

07-11-2006, 04:44 AM	#1
iowabaldguy Newbie Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 5	Another Stealth PC Desk... Like Trev and TacoBell530, I'm trying to figure out how to do a microgrow in my computer desk's built in cabinet. It's kind of narrow; only 1 foot wide but 2 feet tall and 2 1/2 feet deep. I was thinking to equip it with 3-4 42 watt CFLS and a couple of AC Powered PC Fans, using LowRyder or MasterLow for my first strain due to its short height and auto flowering. It's got a built in door and the first thing I did was install a mailbox lock I got at Home DePot for $3. That's the brass thing on the bottom of the door. I screwed up and put the lock in the middle of the door and while cutting the slot for the lock bolt I hit a cam-nut that holds the kick plate on. Oh well, the lock still works. Live and learn. The back of the cab didn't have that cheap cardboard back that most DIY furniture comes with. This is good because I also started to build a back out of plywood that will hold the PC fan, 1 or 2 power outlet boxes and the inside painted black to act as a light trap for the active exhaust. I don't have a picture now because it looks like just a boring wood box. I was thinking about using the 65 cfm fan from Radio Shack or ordering one from Jameco.com that's 105 cfm. Worried about the noise though, not to mention the heat from 3-4 cfl's heating up the room where my fiance has her PC desk, too. Also worried about odor control, but Home DePot has these plug in ionizers that look like a small night-light for about $15 and I was also thinking about building a small carbon scrubber. Any input is greatly appreciated!
	Quote

07-11-2006, 05:07 AM	#2
Jam Master Jaco Guest Posts: n/a	If you're going the flouro route you might want to look into getting an envirolite. They are really big, but throw one 200 watt envirolite in there and you'd be set. https://www.sea-of-green.com/store/pr...54446ab4025f9f Personally I'd put a 150 watt air cooled light in there, but I'm a know it all noob so I'm just here for friendly advice.
	Quote

07-11-2006, 04:21 PM	#3
iowabaldguy Newbie Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 5	Thanks, Jake. I was considering a 70w HPS, knowing the more light in a grow, the better. I'm kind of worried about the heat build up though. But I'll check out the envirolites, hoping I can fit 2 in there for a mixed spectrum.
	Quote

07-11-2006, 09:09 PM	#4
pothead82 Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Middle of Nowhere Posts: 42	nice setup bladguy... i agree with master jaco, those envirolites put over 10000 lumens in you little cabinet, you could put 2 plants there and get a lot of weed. maybe you could use an old computer case for some mothers and clones, that way you would speed up your precess and save money from buying seeds. good luck with your cabinet and keep us updated!
	Quote

07-12-2006, 03:32 AM	#5
iowabaldguy Newbie Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 5	Thanks, pothead. Another thing I was thinking of (among many when planning your first grow) was keeping the male plants in the grow to generate more seeds since you can't clone LowRyder or MasterLow because they autoflower. In between grows, I'd wipe out the cab with a bleach water solution to kill any remaining pollen.
	Quote

07-12-2006, 09:51 PM	#6
JARofHERB Organic Oregonian.. Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 277	MasterLow would be great in that space, with an envirolight, temps would be great also..
	Quote

07-17-2006, 06:30 AM	#7
Trev Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 292	my 70 watt Hps, doesnt get hott at all!! i had a 40 watt cfl and my 70 watt HPS stayed cooler than the 40 watt CFL dont let the hype fool you, CFL's get hott too. low wattage HID's arent going to heat up as much as you think, even a 150 wont be too hot not in my experience anyway envirolites.. ive heard they have heat problems?! not sure. dont quote me on that lol go with the 70 watt HPS you cant go wrong. remote ballast it like i did, and your all set, check my post to see pics of my remote ballasted 70 watter.
	Quote

07-26-2006, 05:15 AM	#8
iowabaldguy Newbie Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 5	Thanks for the tip, Trev. I just might take your advice and start with the 70W HPS. I was going to have 3 or 4 40W CFLs in there, but the CFLs have the ballast built in which is where, I've heard, most of the heat comes from. I may just wire it for both the remote HPS and the CFLs, so I can choose if one doesn't work I've got a couple of 4 inch holes cut in the floor of my cab already and I'll be finishing my back panel next week....pics to follow!
	Quote

07-26-2006, 08:36 AM	#9
Maj.PotHead End Cannibis Prohibition Now Realize Legalize !! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: in the astroplane Posts: 6,634	theres ambient heat build up on a cfl a small fan blown across the ballast/bulb erea healp to control the buildup. and your exhaust if adequite enough should expell the rest __________________ Man made booze God did not God made pot man did not The Old Farmers Almanac https://www.almanac.com/ U.S. State By State Laws on our hobby https://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4516 Beneficial Insects https://homeharvest.com/beneins.htm ICMAG'S OFFICIAL ~DIY~ LINK-O-RAMA https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=40637 sick plant ??? https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=11688 <-- mynamestitch's work Informative threads by I.M. Boggled https://www.icmag.com/ic/search.php?searchid=7549167 PotHeads BunKer 2011 https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=202387
	Quote

07-26-2006, 08:16 PM	#10
Trev Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 292	i use one PC fan in a 20 inch wide by 12 inch deep by 32 inch tall space. im running a 70 watt HPS and 3-26 watt CFLs it stays under 80 in there all the time. i had a spike of 82 once.. but it was a scorchin day. the key for me atleast is to position the fan were your greatest heat problem will be.. in my case my 70 watt HPS so i positioned the fan right behind it and a little up, so it pulls the ambient heat from the bulb as well as all the other air in the cab.. so the heat from my bulb never reaches my plants. low wattage CFLs you wont have a heat problem with.. my 26 watters have been on for the past 3 weeks 24/7 and i can still touch em no problem. but andthing over 35 they're gunna generate some heat so be careful with high wattage CFL's and how close you put them to your plants unless you have a fan near.
	Quote