MFGB: My First Grow Box

Right on. I was planning on trying to get both 6500k and 2700k cfl's, and switching to 6 lights when i switched to the 2700's, flowering. But I considered leaving 3 as 6500k's alternated for multi spectrum. But yeah, budget wise, I am pretty close. I am hoping Living Earth Organic Potting Soil will be fine for my uses. I need to do some more reading about how to test out the nutes in your stuff.

Oh as far as how many I want to end up with, 2 is my goal.

I used to have a box simalar to this on a previous grow, just used it for vegging out clones. The lights were 6x20w 6500k cfls box was painted flat white. Althought there was only that light they grew very quickly and looked healthy even in this tight space. Within 4 weeks had to put them back into flowering as they were too big for the box!

Your box looks great man and im sure you will have great results with this. Were you planning on useing this for vegging/clones or looking at a more compact strain?

Ackaroth said:

Pretty sure I am gonna paint the box and then maybe add a small wood psuedo weather stripping just inside the door to cut down light leakage. If it goes ok, might put rubber stripping on over it to completely seal. Any thoughts on using a caulk like substance to make a seal that the door would close against?

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Oh and what you could use for this. I actually just screwed small lengths of wood to go all round the inside edges about an inch from the front into the cabinet i then sealed this all off with silicone in the corners. I was then able to cut a piece of wood to fit into the gap perfectly and there was no light leakeage. Failing this you could always just use a sheet of panda film/mylar sheeting/binbag, attach it to the top and roll it each time you want in. Hope this was of help

Coming along nicely. You look like you know what your doing. I don't think you'll have a problem. History is right too. I'd make the lights stationary and move the plant instead. Having a smaller box, you'll find it eaiser than moving and readjusting the lights.

Thanks for the great advice guys! Yeah, more and more people are saying I should stationary my lights, thats probably what I will end up doing. As far as paint, I was planning on it, but alot of people have also suggested just getting a walmart emergency blanket, which, now that I have mostly tapped out my budget, is seeming more and more likely

@ JRToken - Right now I will be working off bagseed, but I am hoping to use this bag for complete growth, maybe barring the last couple weeks if I just cant get it to happen in this small of a space. Eventually, if I can get it working successfully, I will be seeking out a short stubby strain.

Just got done cutting the holes in back on alternate sides for intake and exhaust. One is bottom left, other is top right, I'm hoping that will create a nice flow. Electrical taped up my case fans, and now trying to sit down and think of *exactly* what I still need before germinating these bad boys. A list may ensue

Edit: List (and then thoughts after it)

• Mount fans - Zipties?
• Mount doors - Loud, daytime project
• Buy mylar blanket - Walmart
• Buy oscillating fan - Walmart
• Mount mylar blanket - Staplegun?
• Buy bulbs and Y's - Check local lightbulb stores, Y's can wait
• Start testing inside box temps near lamps - Sensor right under a lamp and then finally about 6-8" away, take this time to completely figure out how timer works and do a few test days
• Buy pots/soil - Organic/Pearlite/maybe some nutes?
• Buy Ph tester
• Start testing water/Also test soil after running through water
• ....
• Germinate?!

Looking really nice man, keep up the good work! +rep

SLB

a staplegun will be overkill if you're trying to save money. Scotch tape works fine for me.

Ya we also tossed around thoughts on tacks and 2 sided tape. I'm sure I'll be able to figure out something semi-affordable.

So, through more reading, I think my understanding of what I was looking for in CFL's might have been a bit off. I thought that 2700k and 6500k referred to the lumen output, and could find nothing near 6500k at home depot or the local hardware store. Last night I was reading and it appears this is the light temperature output, am I on the right track?

Ackaroth said:

So, through more reading, I think my understanding of what I was looking for in CFL's might have been a bit off. I thought that 2700k and 6500k referred to the lumen output, and could find nothing near 6500k at home depot or the local hardware store. Last night I was reading and it appears this is the light temperature output, am I on the right track?

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Yessiree 2700K or "warm white" I believe it is (anyone feel free to correct me if I get one transversed) is for the flower stage as it is higher in red than blue spectrum light and for your vegging ladies you need cool white (4000K I think) will work but I personally used daylight aKa all spectrum aKA 6500K color temperature.

By the way have you considered a plexi heat shield?

Note: I just woke up from a nap if need be can edit later to make less confusing.

6500k and 2700k are all about the spectrum of light that is being put out. You know how it feels brighter in the summer but you notice a warmer light in the winter? 6500k puts out a "white light" to describe it casually, and 2700k has a more warm or yellow color. Luminosity just deals with brightness. I believe 1500 lumens is typical for a 26W cfl whether it is 6500k or 2700k. But more lumens is a good thing no matter what spectrum you're using. 6500k are better for vegetative growth, and 2700k is better for flowering growth (think of spring and fall) but a lot of people recommend using a little of both spectrums for a natural light source.

p.s. sorry my grammar is horrible. I got off work earlier and I'm too lazy to think.

No you guys cleared it up, thanks!

Ok so tomorrow I have light bulbs, oscillating fan, emergency blanket, soil, and ph tester on the mind. I got one door mounted, but other needs to be trimmed down about 1/4" to fit well, after that I may add a little middle seam piece to the back of one of the doors to help against light leakage. I am hoping to cut the emergency blanket in a way that it basically clam-shells out from the back, all as a solid piece to the doors and ceiling/floors. Tossed around thought of 2 sided tape and velcro, for now I think I am just gonna go with thumb tacks and some masking tape wrapped into 2 sided tape "O"s. Hoping walmart has the bulbs I want, some 42w 6500k's, otherwise maybe this hydroponic store that sells Fox Farms will have them?

Ackaroth said:

Ok so tomorrow I have light bulbs, oscillating fan, emergency blanket, soil, and ph tester on the mind. I got one door mounted, but other needs to be trimmed down about 1/4" to fit well, after that I may add a little middle seam piece to the back of one of the doors to help against light leakage. I am hoping to cut the emergency blanket in a way that it basically clam-shells out from the back, all as a solid piece to the doors and ceiling/floors. Tossed around thought of 2 sided tape and velcro, for now I think I am just gonna go with thumb tacks and some masking tape wrapped into 2 sided tape "O"s. Hoping walmart has the bulbs I want, some 42w 6500k's, otherwise maybe this hydroponic store that sells Fox Farms will have them?

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Sounds like a plan! My walmart does not have bulbs with that high of wattage =/ If walmart fails try homedepot and lowes
G'luck

Arg page ate my post.

Short story: bought some new lightbulbs (5000k 42w to go with my 14w 6500k's) and some rockwell cubes, FFOF soil, FF Big Bloom, perlite, a fan (not oscillating though, angry face here), ph tester and ph up/down, 25' roll of mylar, and maybe a few other goodies. I want to get started germ'ing tomorrow so I started a gallon of water to sit overnight and let the chlorine disipate, initial ph test said tap water is around 7, so hopefully this wont be too tough to screw with.

Ackaroth said:

Arg page ate my post.

Short story: bought some new lightbulbs (5000k 42w to go with my 14w 6500k's) and some rockwell cubes, FFOF soil, FF Big Bloom, perlite, a fan (not oscillating though, angry face here), ph tester and ph up/down, 25' roll of mylar, and maybe a few other goodies. I want to get started germ'ing tomorrow so I started a gallon of water to sit overnight and let the chlorine disipate, initial ph test said tap water is around 7, so hopefully this wont be too tough to screw with.

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Good stuff =] If you can fill up some clear bottles with tap water and let them sit in the sun for a day with the cap open it'll speed the process of removing the chlorine. It's always better to have a lot of water ready for backup incase a flush is needed on spot and if you have no good water ready and happen to be stuck with tap... you will honestly wish chlorine never existed haha. Since you are using test strips, try to keep the ph lower to 6.0 on the reading. (Just be as sure as you can about it being closer to 6 rather 7 color-wise) Everything is sounding good to go. I'm about to add some more pics tmrw so take a peak at my journal ;]
~Newb

Ya I am getting close to germ and so now I am getting anxious and nervous. Doing a lot of reading on LST and hoping I treat this first batch well.

Ackaroth said:

Ya I am getting close to germ and so now I am getting anxious and nervous. Doing a lot of reading on LST and hoping I treat this first batch well.

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I feel ya lol I suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder xD Things will go smooth Don't worry ;]

Not to steal anyone's thunder here, but my current grow seems very relevant to what your doing, currently i have 7 ~2.5wk old plants in a kitchen cabinet that had the inside painted white. It has a single desk lamp running 5 Y connectors and 6 CFL's 4 are 23w 2700k 2 are 43w 6k. the lights have been placed 2-5" from the plants, as close as possible basically. 4 are in 1 gallon pots and 3 are in 4" pots, i have a bonsai starting as well Downstairs i have a flowering room that has mylar along the inside and i have a 70w HPS security lamp attatched to a movable shelf. I plant to build a wooden structure to house 3 light sockets and build Y connectors off of those, and place that structure around the sides of the plant, staying as close as possible. Hope any of this might be of help or inspiration :!