Apartment Growers

[PrimoVG]

Lots of good notes coming from you Primo! Yes indeed this is something to take into consideration, the older it is the more maintenance it will need.

And sensaphone :jawdrop: I was just talking about something like that the other day. Just imagine if you had a security system with motion sensors that would send a video direct feed from your house to your cell phone if there are any trespassers, then with the push of a button turn all your electronics off. This combined with a loyal homie next door or down the street... it couldn't get much safer than that. Of course that is some $$$$$, definitely worth it tho for a larger op.

hey, thanks man, just putting my drops in the bucket...


I looked around for something like that, and guess what? another data center product...APC's Netbotz...it looks a bit more robust than the sensaphone, take a look...

http://www.guardbotz.com/NetBotz-500.asp

I like it.

 

[Yes4Prop215]

I was really really close to growing in my old apartment, i bought all the equiptment and even made the grow space in my closet.

HOwever i quickly realized that this was impossible once my landlord and maitenance guy would come into my apartment to fix random things like the dish washer, garbage disposal, they even decided to totally change out all the windows during my lease. So i scrapped all my plans for that. Plus, carrying grow equipment in and out of an apartment building?

Now i rent a house, but my landlord is a straight douchebag. He is very privacy invading however we have a fool proof plan to ensure he will never see the grow room. First, we installed locks on the doors. Second, according to our landlord and everyone else who visits, the growroom is my "roomates bedroom". and my roomate is a stickler on privacy and he will not allow anyone to enter for any reason.

We turned my roomates real bedroom into a convertable office. Once 24 hours is posted, we deflate his aero bed and clean up his bedroom, converting it into an official looking office. Since we work in the automotive wholesale industry, its a pretty decent front. To all my neighbors, we are car salesman. We frequently have stickered cars parked in front of our house, and all i talk to my neighbors about are cars cars cars.

Other than that, i am mostly paranoid about any "spineless robbers" who might try to break into my house. For that reason, we always have one person at the house to defend it at ALL TIMES!!

One thing i like about apartments is that they are relatively secure from home invasions, but houses are much easier to break into.

 

[Rob547]

Haha this thread is a good read. I live in a college town, kinda in the "ghetto" area in apt complexes, have grown in 2 diff. apts over the past 2 years or so. I've been pretty lazy about security (esp. first grow). It was just in my closet....Actually left for spring break to return to a notice saying they were checking our apt for bugs, but no date on the notice. Started to worry, called the office and they were like "yea, its already done". My closet had been cracked open too cause of high temps. Just got lucky I guess. Here its just maintenance people that work for the complex that do everything, they're nice and pretty chill. I'm pretty sure I could buy their silence with money or weed, as mentioned above. I have a similar thing about not entering without 24 hr notice, but there's always something that can go wrong... For the most part I think a lock on a door would stop most problems, never even had a lock before I was drying an outdoor run with lots of weed everywhere a few months ago. Anyway, can never be too cautious I suppose, got about 25 days until I move out of this apt.. *knocks on wood*

 

[Graffiti]

Panoptocist- That is crazy! Sometimes your just lucky and you get a maintenance guy that's cool. But even then you still have to be safe some times, I wouldn't have gone that far, but hey, your not in jail right now so things worked out. I had my property manager see me and my brother growing one plant in his closet. Luckily she said "we all have our own addictions" which I guess is somewhat true. I told her that it was for my brother because he was sick with a deadly disease (god rest his soul) and that once we harvest we'll be done and the only thing she said was " I just don't want any fire hazards, that's all." Lucky us lol! Interesting side note, she wound up being fired for a drug related incident... I guess we do have our own addictions...

Cozy Amnesia- Nice little cab you got set up, I like the method of concealment, although I'd make sure to have a fire alarm and extinguisher on hand.
I was thinking about cutting the ends off of a bunch of boxes and gluing them to the outside of my cab so that it would look like a stack of boxes at first glance.... BUT it probably wouldn't fool a soul unless you did it just right.

Yes4Prop215- That is something small that no one has mentioned yet. Having someone at the house at all times can prevent a lot of the shit we have to worry about. Lucky for me I have my wife to watch over the place while im at work. Once I was living in a place with my bro and like 4 or 5 of my homies all crashing wherever. With homies like mine, I never felt safer in my life... of course the place was a mess tho lol. Yea, I think you put some thought in to it Yes4, sprout those beans and let those babies grow!

ROB547- Nothing can substitute a good ol lock on the grow room. But as you said yourself, you can never be too cautious. Since your looking for a place soon you've got a lot of stuff to keep in mind. I'd start looking now if I were you, find what options you have then decide which is best. And believe me I'm not looking forward to moving out any time soon. My box that I'm growing in was built inside the room and too big to fit out the door, that means !WORK WORK WORK! when I move it's gotta come down! hopefully that will be a few years from now... I'll worry about it then

 

[FreezerBoy]

My box that I'm growing in was built inside the room and too big to fit out the door

I hate when that happens. Not that -koff- I would know-koff koff.

 

[Yes4Prop215]

Yes4Prop215- That is something small that no one has mentioned yet. Having someone at the house at all times can prevent a lot of the shit we have to worry about. Lucky for me I have my wife to watch over the place while im at work. Once I was living in a place with my bro and like 4 or 5 of my homies all crashing wherever. With homies like mine, I never felt safer in my life... of course the place was a mess tho lol. Yea, I think you put some thought in to it Yes4, sprout those beans and let those babies grow!

Haha, its also an excuse to stay home and smoke!

 

[centralcoastbud]

I think I might have an interesting set up to add to this thread... my setup: a detatched two bedroom apartment. The unit sits on top of a garage which is shared with a tenant of a neighboring unit. It is a single floor, but on the second story and the grow room was built in the attic. The room is 8' x 11' and about 7' vertically. When we first got into the attic it was loosely filled with insulation but after laying flooring (2' x '4's + plywood) we sectioned off the room with black industrial tarp and a zipper as well as a few rolls of Guerilla tape. We veg'ed under 800 watts mH, and are flowering under 2400 watt hps ( 1000w + 600w + 400w + 400w).
As far as the situation with growing in the apartment has gone -- so far, successfully. The place is rented from an agency and the less we bother them, the happier they are. From the apartment level, nobody is the wiser to our grow op being run above. Behavior with the neighbors is a "good morning - good evening" basis and as far as we know, no attention has been raised. One issue that has been going smooth so far was going from an electric bill of $38 to $298 in a two month span. Paying the bill on time in full so far has been working. I'll have pictures and strain information in my own thread once I get around to starting it.

 

[Graffiti]

Sounds like you've got a fresh setup centralcoastbud. I'm definitely interested in learning more about your operation. Have you checked out the attic grow that just came up recently, very good shit, check it out...http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=110070

I had to chop down some males the other day (what a shame) and then I walked out to the dumpster with my trash all triple black bagged up to drop it off and I noticed that it was completely empty... I felt like I had to drop it off cause it felt too suspicious not to, but I don't like the idea of my trash being the only thing there and knowing it will be sitting there for a while until the garbage men come. If it was summer time those plants would be stinking up a storm if left in there for a few days. So for now on I will try to keep track of the garbage mens schedual and throw my garbage in hours before they come. Oh and make sure to keep your grow garbage separate from your personal garbage (Duuuhhhh) just a note, PEACE

 

[centralcoastbud]

Graffiti - Yes I did see that thread, we managed to make a more enclosed room than Bender and the forest is looking great. My first thread should be showing up any time now.

 

[Dreamscape]

Nice one.

I haven't been around here in a LONG time but its good to see this kind of thread going on.

In particular I have a question concerning intakes.

I live in the New England area and the winters are still cold around these parts.

I've got a room with A single window I could use however that particular window is directly across from the next building which is about 15-20 feet over.

I was thinking of using this window for the intake BUT:

#1. Winter air will kill the plants i'm sure.
#2. Its too close to the neighbors.
#3. I have a carbon filter however I dont have anywhere except the rest of the apt for outtake.

I'd be using a couple of T8 flouro's for veg and then switching them out for 2 600w HPS digi's for flower.

Any ideas ?

 

[whodair]

i wouldn't use that window to intake or exhaust. id probably take apartment air into the room and carbon scrub it before exhausting back into the apt.

 

[Sweet Inc.]

Highya!
Very informative thread ya'll got goin on here!
I've been on this apt. problem solving mission for about four years now,
and It looks like peeps got alot of the major issues addressed right.
One has to really look out for light leakage out of the apt. windows.
Even when growing in a closet, opening it with a HPS inside will flood the room with light. The color of hps light is a dead giveaway even through curtains, if the right person sees it. Double-triple yer drapes till you're sure it doesn't light up ur street.
Biggest problem that's directly under a growers controll is smell, like you all know.
Maintenance guys and your landlord are problems one can really only try to mitigate to the min.
Also a word o' warning: DO NOT vent into the buildings venting channels,
unless you are 100% sure your exhaust air will not even pass other apts.
Also removing/opening the buildings ventilation valves can drop every other apts. normal venting pressure, wich in turn will bring around maintenance men. This, of course, is totally dependaple on your building.

Being a quiet guy like me helps, but I got asshole neighbours who got the cops visiting the buildings allmost weekly. Lucky I'm the friggin pope next to'em. I also don't look anything like a stoner, a point well addressed here.

I have many majorly nuts stories of cops, maintenance, neighbours and friends almost fucking my shit up.

And lastly, a killswitch is bueno! Got one, it's so nice just flickin one big-ass safetyswitch then trying to scramble to ten power cords.

Two cents mo, stay safe and sweet!

 

[Dreamscape]

i wouldn't use that window to intake or exhaust. id probably take apartment air into the room and carbon scrub it before exhausting back into the apt.

SO are you saying open a window in the kitchen and vent it into the room or something ?? And just leave that window alone?

 

[crankndapot]

ive been growing in duplexes and apartments for bout 4-5 years now.
guess ill just list my top issues and concerns..
1. light leaks. dbl and triple check from outside.

2. maintenance/landlord- always have given me 24 hours but once or twice they surprised me with some1 wanting to look at the apartment..just told em i was busy in there with my girl.. have a good excuse prepared id say

3. carryin in supplies- i use a huge duffel bag where i put all dirt and everything in when i carry shit outside

4. odor- harvesting always seems worse than actual flowering for me.

5. trash- i always use a dumpster at least a few miles away. no personal info inside of course

6. paranoia- lol, 6 cop cars were around my place other day lookin for some robber(i think), had me spooked for sure

7. dont tell no1- duh i know. be careful when your trashed.

8. thieves- get a dog, and not one of those fuckin yippers either. i like german shephards.

i didnt read all through thread, so if i repeated somethin my bad.
good luck all

 

[centralcoastbud]

crankndapot - great tips, definitely a list i've gotten used to checking off. Had a slight issue last night which leads me to point out another factor that might be really important for some of us apartment heads: Roommates.

Woke up to a great story this morning. Left the central coast for the weekend to come south to keep the girl happy (valentines) two nights ago and of course I had a little worry leaving my other girls under the watch of the roommates. Any way last night three of my longtime friends (2 of which happen to live in the apartment in question) decided to get into a bag of shroom shake and from there shit went south. After a few hours the most retarded of the three started tripping out so hard he called 9-1-1 from his cell phone inside the apartment and told the operator he was dying on magic mushrooms and needed his stomach pumped. From there i'm not sure of the rest of the details other than he didn't give out the exact address -- just the street -- and within 10 minutes a patrol car was searching the area with his spotlight. Luckily, as far as I know, nothing else resulted and he finished his trip locked in the apartment. Needless to say, I went from being speechless to how one person could have obtained so much stupidity in a single lifetime to preparing his grave in the desert. Hopefully he survives my verbal beating long enough to feel the physical one he deserves. I should also add that these were not inexperienced shroomers, so there is absolutely (not that inexperience would justify such idiocracy) no excuse. Anyway... just a friendly reminder to everyone out there growing with roommates: kill them.

 

[centralcoastbud]

sorry -- laggy internet posted it twice

 

[C21H30O2]

one bedroom/ one bathroom/ one thousand watts...

 

[michocan]

I skimmed the replies and only saw no mention of emergencies for entry of apt. personnel.
I know apts. management come in to change the air filter, every 30-60 days. So the best advice is to not to grow in an apt. Sometime it takes years for you to have a situation that will work out. I have 10 guns and have never had a problem, thats because I stay our of trouble in the first place. I would rather camp out than live in an apartment, I'm sorry for those that have to, its the last stop before the street.

 

[Graffiti]

I skimmed the replies and only saw no mention of emergencies for entry of apt. personnel.

We've actually talked quite a bit about emergency entries. In a sense that is one of the main subjects of this thread, one of the things that make it different than the general indoor threads. And on that note...

Sweet Inc, it is good to hear that someone is using a killswitch in their op, I definitely need to get one together for myself now! Should be a must have for high security growers.
And I must agree with you on tampering with the ducts, also keep in mind that it is THEIR property, you're just living in it.

Crankndapot, you've definitely covered all your points, all great notes and great solutions. Something to mention in general is that if you have dogs, make sure that the apartment allows pets and that you are paying pet fees (if necessary). You wouldn't want any problems drawing in attention from the landlord.

CentralCoast, what a disappointment. I always hate to hear about people not being able to handle their psychedelics. You have to practically eat the equivalent to your body weight in mushrooms in order to die from them! But yea, you can figure yourself out but you can only know someone else so well, and when you're gone it's up to them. Sit em down and have a serious talk, a heart to heart if ya will, like the suburban white families on tv in the 50's, let em know how serious the situation is, if need be, beat em with a sack of oranges, that way it won't leave bruises! But dear lord don't kill em, homicide investigators might be a major security issue for your grow operation lol

C21H30O2, nice flower pick! 1 Bedroom, I dedicate this bong hit to you and all apt growers ha ha! Be safe and keep it up.

 

[Sweet Inc.]

it is good to hear that someone is using a killswitch in their op

Mine also has a override option wich i use for a cfl to keep the light cycle uninterrupted (when switch shuts everything down, the cfl lights up.)
I got this switch from a school renovation site, it was in the debris Anyhoo, they cost like 10€ and can handle like 400V and over 5kW.
Peeps oughta go 4 this. Lets keep this thread going, dang nice info for someone who's contemplating the same ride.