Need some advice on 'loft grow'

jasejtg

jasejtg

Active Member
Right....... this is my first 'propa' grow that im doin as i have experimented with a few plants in the past but not like this........
I've decided to grow in my loft as no other space avaliable. It also cannot be seen by anyone lookin through my loft so gotta make it light proof (make sure knowone stumbles across my stash). Im always looking through the site an hoping to get a grow room like some of the badboys ive seen on here.
i have purchased a full soil kit off a friend. Unfortunatly im such a stoner i have forgotten EVERYTHING i got with it but he's a few bits of equipment i know i have:

+-400 hps with ballas an reflector
+-large selection of different pots
+-propagator
+-miracle grow
+-clonex
+-grow and bloom
+-temp dial
+-humitidy dial
+-Ph down

i havent yet finished my grow room as still in 2 minds what to use for the reflective sheetin as buying off the internet a problem an no hydro shop near by. please if u have ANY idea's how to get my grow room 'up to scratch' just post a reply i would be very grateful (i will post pics of half finished grow room).i have recently finished lining the side off the loft grow with plastic bin bags an still need to find what to use for the inner layer (remember this gotta be pretty stealth). i have also build a small grow box out of an old tank that used 2 keep a lizard ..... that has a 100w energy saving bulb in it an seems cooler then 40w domestic light 'way to hot' (a friend got ok results with that bulb). i wana use this box for clones an then place in the flowerin room. if u have any idea's how i can produce extremely big yeild an still potent in that kinda space?? well i hope u can help me out an i'll be sure to keep u updated on all my grows an grow-to-be's ....cheers :joint:
 
Roseman

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
Man, I never respond to a SOIL Grower, I am HYDRO-Grower only.
But I was curious enough to read your post and I do try to respond to many posts that go unanswered. I was a newbie here last year and I just harvested 16 ounces of buds in the past two weeks.
What caught my eye was
Miracle Grow Soil and Miracle Grow Ferts are a NO NO!
and those HPS lights are going to need some venting.
Maybe some experienced SOIL Grower will respond now, if just to argue with me. Others here do know more than I.
I just try to help,
I'm stoned.
 
jasejtg

jasejtg

Active Member
cheers, i'll look 4 some other soil at the hydro place. i got an idea for the ventalation but dno how best to go about it. ive got like that ducting pipe goin to one of my toilets an then through the loft out a vent in the roof. i was thinkin of cutting it where it attaches to the bathroom an puttin it in the grow hut..... so i'll have ducting goin from the grow room to a whole in the roof? any better suggestions? :joint:
 
VictorVIcious

VictorVIcious

Well-Known Member
Yo are getting on the right track if your going try and grow in an attic space you will need to set up 'good' ventilation. Heat rises, so this will be the hottest spot in the house. And the sun will bake the roof, raising the air temp even more. YOu will probably want to air cool that hid light, you will need an oscillating fan to move the air around your plants and an intake for fresh air as well as an exhaust taking the stale air out. Fortunately this can be done to an attic space without raising questions. The fan you install for exhaust should be capable of exchanging all the air every 3 to 5 minutes. You will want to be able to keep the temperature below 80 degrees, a little less than 27 celsius. VV
 
A Widow Maker

A Widow Maker

Member
In am in the process of my first ever grow and I have decided to grow in the attic so thought I would post my experiences so far (I switch to 12 & 12 light today so here comes the fun part)

I see you have a floor down already and the studs are just begging for walls - excellent start.

You mention that you have ducting running from a toilet at the moment, is this attached to a fan or just a breath pipe?
Cutting this and using as extraction is a great idea if it is just a breath pipe.

For intake I have a bedroom that has a built in cupboard (over the stairs) so i have cut a 4" hole in the roof of the cupboard (floor of your attic) ran 4" ducting between this hole and a hole in the wall of my room (wrapped in insulation for sound dampening) with the TT100 inlet fan attached (on full speed).
A hole cut in the cupboard door next to my ducting coming through the roof of the cupboard ensures good air flow, then I placed a white £1.99 vent cover over it. Leaving a small window open in the room is also a good idea.
I have a TT125 extractor directly in to attic space, this is fine as I have a dedicated air intake from another location. Aim for 20% less inlet power than extraction to ensure a good air flow.

They are correct when they say attic spaces get HOT!!! Especially on days when the weather is good. I reached over 100f twice and nearly paid the consequences
.
In the room I have a tall oscillating fan 3 speed, and a 3 speed swamp air cooler. This keeps me good with temp (aim for 70 - 80f) however, this is after much trial and error with positioning of the fans.

Try and get your extraction as high as possible in the room & try to get your fresh cool air intake as low as possible in the room.

In hot weather = Be prepared for hot days by keeping 2 x 2L lunchboxes in the freezer as ice cubes. Place 1 x smashed ice cube in air cooler tank and add chilled water to desired fill level (as you are using ice allow room for the movement of the cooler ribbon in the ice water) Place as close to plants/light as possible and point louvers up at bulb on desired speed but try not to disturb the plants with the air movement. This keeps the bulb cool and reduces heat in room by 6 - 7F and with your extraction high that hot air is on its way out.
Now, the tall fan, put this on oscillate at desired speed as close to plants as possible. You will need objects to stand this fan on as the weeks pass and the plants grow as the objective is to blow this fan above the top of the plants but with as little leaf movement as possible. This combined with the upward movement of the cool air from the air cooler creates a steady movement of air upwards from below the pot top level (below the leaves)
Leaf movement = sweat and stress for the plant hence the objects you will need in weeks to come to stand it on.

Your humidity I have read over the past few weeks should be 50 - 60% during prop. Today is my last day of prop and I have achieved a stable 50 - 60% humidity with this setup over loads of diff weathers. Don’t get me wrong, you have to decide if the weather justifies the air cooler having ice water or if just water will do or even if you need water in it at all. I remove the water tank and just use as a fan on cool days.
I need the humidity at 40 - 50% now I am flowering and removing the water altogether 6 hour ago has dropped the humidity down to 46% so I’m winning at the moment but I will keep you posted.
Humidity in the final 2 weeks comes down again to a good 30 - 40% so a small dehumidifier might be on the cards......

I have attached some pics to show the progress so far.

I hope this helped and wish you all the best, good luck!
 

Attachments

Roseman

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
A Widow Maker said:
In am in the process of my first ever grow and I have decided to grow in the attic so thought I would post my experiences so far (I switch to 12 & 12 light today so here comes the fun part)

I see you have a floor down already and the studs are just begging for walls - excellent start.

You mention that you have ducting running from a toilet at the moment, is this attached to a fan or just a breath pipe?
Cutting this and using as extraction is a great idea if it is just a breath pipe.

For intake I have a bedroom that has a built in cupboard (over the stairs) so i have cut a 4" hole in the roof of the cupboard (floor of your attic) ran 4" ducting between this hole and a hole in the wall of my room (wrapped in insulation for sound dampening) with the TT100 inlet fan attached (on full speed).
A hole cut in the cupboard door next to my ducting coming through the roof of the cupboard ensures good air flow, then I placed a white £1.99 vent cover over it. Leaving a small window open in the room is also a good idea.
I have a TT125 extractor directly in to attic space, this is fine as I have a dedicated air intake from another location. Aim for 20% less inlet power than extraction to ensure a good air flow.

They are correct when they say attic spaces get HOT!!! Especially on days when the weather is good. I reached over 100f twice and nearly paid the consequences
.
In the room I have a tall oscillating fan 3 speed, and a 3 speed swamp air cooler. This keeps me good with temp (aim for 70 - 80f) however, this is after much trial and error with positioning of the fans.

Try and get your extraction as high as possible in the room & try to get your fresh cool air intake as low as possible in the room.

In hot weather = Be prepared for hot days by keeping 2 x 2L lunchboxes in the freezer as ice cubes. Place 1 x smashed ice cube in air cooler tank and add chilled water to desired fill level (as you are using ice allow room for the movement of the cooler ribbon in the ice water) Place as close to plants/light as possible and point louvers up at bulb on desired speed but try not to disturb the plants with the air movement. This keeps the bulb cool and reduces heat in room by 6 - 7F and with your extraction high that hot air is on its way out.
Now, the tall fan, put this on oscillate at desired speed as close to plants as possible. You will need objects to stand this fan on as the weeks pass and the plants grow as the objective is to blow this fan above the top of the plants but with as little leaf movement as possible. This combined with the upward movement of the cool air from the air cooler creates a steady movement of air upwards from below the pot top level (below the leaves)
Leaf movement = sweat and stress for the plant hence the objects you will need in weeks to come to stand it on.

Your humidity I have read over the past few weeks should be 50 - 60% during prop. Today is my last day of prop and I have achieved a stable 50 - 60% humidity with this setup over loads of diff weathers. Don’t get me wrong, you have to decide if the weather justifies the air cooler having ice water or if just water will do or even if you need water in it at all. I remove the water tank and just use as a fan on cool days.
I need the humidity at 40 - 50% now I am flowering and removing the water altogether 6 hour ago has dropped the humidity down to 46% so I’m winning at the moment but I will keep you posted.
Humidity in the final 2 weeks comes down again to a good 30 - 40% so a small dehumidifier might be on the cards......

I have attached some pics to show the progress so far.

I hope this helped and wish you all the best, good luck!
Click to expand...
FYI, look at the dates of the previous post, this is a 2 year + old thread.
 
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