Grow Box Help

x3gop1yr

Well-Known Member
OK, so me and a friend are planning on making a grow box. It would be in a cabinet that sits on the ground. Its about 2 and a half feet wide, and 4 feet tall. It has to large doors in the front that open out. The plan would be to put 2 small peat pots on the bottom, and on the top have (4) 27 watt full spectrum cfl lights. We figure wed need some type of venting system or cooling so we thought we would put a fan blowing in one side and out the other. Im not sure what else we would need this sit he idea we have know. We would mount the lights on the top of the thing hanging down.
 

P@ssw0rd

New Member
Why does it need to be a box? I have one, it's a bitch to keep it cool, and i have sent hundreds trying.
 

x3gop1yr

Well-Known Member
well it needs to be somthing that i can put in my garage and can't be seen. So i mean maybe u could help me out and show me some other ideas if you know of ny good semi stealthy ones. Tyvm
 

Stockpicker

Active Member
guess that's not going to be enough light. Other than that, paint the inside white or buy some mylar. Also, make it easy to raise and lower either the plants or the lights since cfl's need to be very close.
 

Streetsk8

Well-Known Member
ya
dont waste ur space putting the light up high
they must be over 2inch over plants all the time
ur exhaust air should be on top
and intake very low
to get fresh cold air
and try to optimize ur light
and have enough soil for ur plant
well.. lets see what that give u
 

x3gop1yr

Well-Known Member
thanks. that helpful. so how do you recommend i do the intake and the exhaust? Put holes in the side? I'm just not sure.
 

surfnugget

Well-Known Member
get a 4 of the 4" pc fans from a computer store they should be about 5$ a piece. cut holes that they fit in perfectly. 2 at the very top, 2 at the very bottom of the sides. then wire up your fans, and make sure the bottom 2 are fanning in, and the top 2 are fanning out. then attach a homeade carbon filter to your exit fans. you'll be in good shape.

another cheaper way to setup a fan, is to find a small-medium sized fan, and cut a hole in the top of your box the size of the back of your fan. set the fan face up on top of the box, and make sure it pulls air thru the box. then build a new box around the fan, light proof, but not air proof. (use pvc corners as air outlets/inlets)


get as many cfl's and 2-way socket splitters as you can and make sure you have 1 cfl within 1 inch of every part of each plant. this may be tricky, might need to install a trac for them to go up and down along the sides or corners of your box.

make sure you start out with as many seedlings you can, and narrow it down to your best 2-4 plants.

also make sure your grow cab is portable. you may need to move it to another location to mantain it's secrecy.

good luck, mate.
 

edcocks

Well-Known Member
That's a great idea with placing the fan on the top. I like it. It will be noisier than the computer fan thing, but a decent desk fan placed on the top will move some serious air and keep things cool. Probably will only need intake vents cut into the bottom (rather than additional intake fans)if you go this route. I personally use a S&P MIXVENT TD100 fan- it is both quiet and moves a ton of air, but it is $70. It will push or pull air through a carbon scrubber too. I would use as many CFL's as you can while maintaining temps. VENTILATION is the key with a cabinet setup. If you can get the ventilation right you can even go with a small HPS in that space.
 

surfnugget

Well-Known Member
yea, i love my setup. its a rubbermade tote tub, stacked on top of another, with the bottom cut out, to make it taller. my fan sucks a shitload of air.

if you want it quieter, you can put an upside down laundry basket over it with a couple sheets in it. it should dampen it.

and damn straight you wont need bottom fans.

all good points, edcocks. i'd like to hear more about your mixvent. do you have any pics? i need to build a carbon scrubber soon, depending on how many plants i transplant outside.
 
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