Attic Grow Security

Greetings and Salutations!

I am planning on putting my first grow in my attic. A quick description of what my attic has first.

-two 120v (standard household outlets) running to two locations
-two vents directly outside
-interior room (room within a room if you will)

So with that in mind, to anyone who has done an attic grow or had an isolated room. Do you feel that putting a lock directly on the most exterior door for security has or would draw more attention to the area in question?

I am planning on using a 3 1/4" double hasp lock and securing it with button head tamper proof screws. I will have roommates, and while they may be 4/20 friendly I have no plans on making my grow a group activity.

For my actual grow I'm ripping this guy's idea off and I'll be installing casters to make my grow portable in the event of an inspection etc. I've been considering buying a full sized fridge as compared to a smaller fridge. Thoughts/opinion?
https://www.rollitup.org/t/fridge-grow-clone-box-with-a-twist.844181/


Overall, with the lighting that I have and the ventilation that I'll be running power will not be an issue. The door is insulated and weather stripped (not sure if previous occupants were growers). So the overall sound, light and smell of the interior attic room is already where I need it to be, I'm honestly just concerned about security from visitors and roomates.

I haven't spent a cent in supplies yet apart from seeds, and I anticipate my grow running at ~$350 from scratch. What measures would those of you who have grown in an attic or apartment suggest to take or avoid? Any helpful, insightful or general critiques are welcomed and appreciated!

Your going to catch a bunch of flack for growing in an attic here.. But it works just fine.. That investment number is going to go up..temperature is an issue, also low co2 levels kinda suck. As for the lock, just change the handle on the door to an exterior and keep one key on you..hide the other elsewhere in your room (very important, I taped it under a desk drawer) good luck

Indagrow said:

Your going to catch a bunch of flack for growing in an attic here.. But it works just fine.. That investment number is going to go up..temperature is an issue, also low co2 levels kinda suck. As for the lock, just change the handle on the door to an exterior and keep one key on you..hide the other elsewhere in your room (very important, I taped it under a desk drawer) good luck

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Eh, I get that some guys are traditionalists that have dedicated grow rooms etc. For me, growing in an attic is the most secure option. I have my grow planned out, so deciding how to maximize security is honestly my #1 concern right now. I've calculated my rough wattage with the lights, ventilation and timer that I'll be using. I have a rough estimate of the total cost, and I know how I'll be running my lighting schedules.

My attic is un-ventilated and tightly sealed which means I have the ability to completely re-direct any air flow that is going through the area into my grow space, through a filter (or two) and then vent the air outside. I'm in the Midwest, so it gets notoriously cold. I am growing inside of a fridge so the direct heat source of the lights would be shielded from heating the roof directly overhead. Do you think I would need to put added heating measures in place if I'm running (4) 2700k CFL's?

I imagine I'll probably overshoot my estimate, however I already have lights, soil, ph testing kit, ph down and nutes from beforehand. So that is a considerable amount of $$$ that I won't have to spend. The only concern I would have with changing the door handle is that the land lord is a bit of a twat waffle when it comes to touching anything hardware-wise.

I'm doing two plants maximum, what do you think the yield difference would be from adding CO2 to not having it?

I'm seriously considering using my attic as well. Difference between mine and yours is I actually have windows, one in the proposed veg area, one in the proposed flowering area and one in the open area inbetween them so I may be able to control the heat a little better than you, especially since I'm considering running 600s. CO2 works best in higher temps so the attic should be perfect for it. As for the heat from 4 CFLs, it shouldn't raise the overall attic temp to much but if you can run your setup before adding plants, you'll have a better idea of your heat situation. Good luck.

Running 4 CFLS I wouldn't worry about co2. Unless maybe they are massive CFL's. What's the actual wattage? Expect around 1/2 gram per watt. I usually figure that I need 150 true watts per small 2ft plant.

Yea, changing door hardware is a good idea, but could draw attention if the hardware doesn't very closely match what's there already. I used an exterior lockset that looks just like everything else in my place. I also hung a sweatchort over the knob for good measure.

What are your goals? Is this just for some personal stash?

Here is a thought. How will you keep the plants warm when lights are off? If you ran autos you could just keep lights on 24/7.

sunny747 said:

Running 4 CFLS I wouldn't worry about co2. Unless maybe they are massive CFL's. What's the actual wattage? Expect around 1/2 gram per watt. I usually figure that I need 150 true watts per small 2ft plant.

Yea, changing door hardware is a good idea, but could draw attention if the hardware doesn't very closely match what's there already. I used an exterior lockset that looks just like everything else in my place. I also hung a sweatchort over the knob for good measure.

What are your goals? Is this just for some personal stash?

Here is a thought. How will you keep the plants warm when lights are off? If you ran autos you could just keep lights on 24/7.

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That's where I'm at right now, I'm halfway considering going to a hardware store buying a double hasp and just sticking tamper proof screws and the toughest padlock I can find on the door. The plus side to that would be that I would then have a completely secure room that I would feel 99% comfortable setting up a grow in. However, nothing arouses suspicion like a heavy lock secured on a small door for no apparent reason. It looks like the landlord probably didn't update any of the hardware in the house (to include door handles), so all of the doors are cheap flimsy doorknobs. I'm sure I could find a replacement that would have the same dimensions though. When it comes to harvest, the doorknob replacement would make much more sense. Because I'll need a room with odor control where I can trim without having someone barge in, otherwise I'd have to install an interior latch to ensure security. As for drying I would hang my nugs out in my grow area (my fridge/grow) until they were dry enough to package.

I'm planning on using (4) 60 watt equivalent cfl's that are rated at 900 lumens/2700k. I have adjustable lights to ensure sufficient proximity to the plants. With my fan, lights and an added estimated 40 watts for my timer, I'm looking at a grand total of 400 watts or ~$35/month if I was to run both my fans and lights 24 hours a day. ~$25 for 18 hours a day, and ~$17 if I was to run 12 on 12 off (for a month).

To address your question as to why I want to grow, my reasons are fairly simple. If I can, I prefer being able to smoke most if not every night. Given that an eighth here is ~$60, getting set up to grow will save me a lot of money down the road (with the potential to make money). I also really don't like having to go through middle men, waiting a few days and then getting shitty dried out bag weed. I know there are risks on both sides, but I'd like to have my own stash in addition to control the quality and strain of what I consume. For those who I know very well, I would be more than happy to either give or sell to cover the cost of production. But dealing is not why I want to grow.

sunny747 said:

Running 4 CFLS I wouldn't worry about co2. Unless maybe they are massive CFL's. What's the actual wattage? Expect around 1/2 gram per watt. I usually figure that I need 150 true watts per small 2ft plant.

Yea, changing door hardware is a good idea, but could draw attention if the hardware doesn't very closely match what's there already. I used an exterior lockset that looks just like everything else in my place. I also hung a sweatchort over the knob for good measure.

What are your goals? Is this just for some personal stash?

Here is a thought. How will you keep the plants warm when lights are off? If you ran autos you could just keep lights on 24/7.

Click to expand...

I just saw that now. If I had a yield of 8.5 ounces, that would last me personally a few years. I'm aiming for small victories for my first grow. Don't kill the plants with too much water or nutes, don't over-trim etc. If I get an ounce, I'll have met my desired goal. Something tells me with my estimated grow space that an ounce is totally doable and that I may surprise myself.

It all sounds good, but you need way more light. Six 100 watt equivalent bulbs per sqft. or four 150w equivalents per sqft. The 150's are expensive though so it's probably better to stick with the 100's.

Plants will veg under almost any light. At first you will think you are growing awesome plants. It's the flowering that takes intense light. You will end up with tiny airy buds that you won't even feel like trimming with just 4 60w.

With four 60 watters you will veg fine, but an ounce is way out of the question. 1/4 ounce at best.


Options:

A 200w CFL would probably be ok if it's a mini fridge. A pretty good choice. Get the 2700k
http://www.walmart.com/ip/200W-CFL-Fluorescent-Bulb-Grow-Light-Hood-Reflector-Hydroponics-Kit-200-Watt/41864375

Five to Six 100w CFL's per sqft. (Probably your cheapest and best option for starting out). Trust me on this one. You will need that many bulbs.4 per sqft would be bare minimum.
Might as well mix the spectrum a bit with 6500k and 2700k. GE makes the best CFL's available at Walmart. They are the only ones that have the 6500 and 2700. Otherwise you end up with 3000, 4000, or 5000k.. There's not a lot of usable light in these spectrums.

Cheap LED: This could be a decent little light. Says it covers 2x2, but all LED manufacturers lie. MARS is the best of the cheapies.
https://www.mars-hydro.com/Reflector-48-P2391.aspx

150w HPS. I love these lights, but there is heat involved like anything else. I am cooking one plant under a 150 right now.
http://www.amazon.com/Sun-System-900490-Light-Fixture/dp/B00KM1EXXW

sunny747 said:

It all sounds good, but you need way more light. Six 100 watt equivalent bulbs per sqft. or four 150w equivalents per sqft. The 150's are expensive though so it's probably better to stick with the 100's.

Plants will veg under almost any light. At first you will think you are growing awesome plants. It's the flowering that takes intense light. You will end up with tiny airy buds that you won't even feel like trimming with just 4 60w.

With four 60 watters you will veg fine, but an ounce is way out of the question. 1/4 ounce at best.


Options:

A 200w CFL would probably be ok if it's a mini fridge. A pretty good choice. Get the 2700k
http://www.walmart.com/ip/200W-CFL-Fluorescent-Bulb-Grow-Light-Hood-Reflector-Hydroponics-Kit-200-Watt/41864375

Five to Six 100w CFL's per sqft. (Probably your cheapest and best option for starting out). Trust me on this one. You will need that many bulbs.4 per sqft would be bare minimum.
Might as well mix the spectrum a bit with 6500k and 2700k. GE makes the best CFL's available at Walmart. They are the only ones that have the 6500 and 2700. Otherwise you end up with 3000, 4000, or 5000k.. There's not a lot of usable light in these spectrums.

Cheap LED: This could be a decent little light. Says it covers 2x2, but all LED manufacturers lie. MARS is the best of the cheapies.
https://www.mars-hydro.com/Reflector-48-P2391.aspx

150w HPS. I love these lights, but there is heat involved like anything else. I am cooking one plant under a 150 right now.
http://www.amazon.com/Sun-System-900490-Light-Fixture/dp/B00KM1EXXW

Click to expand...

Interesting. Would a separate outlet be needed for a HPS? I'm just looking at that and considering that I could get an LED that I could use from seedling to flower. If I went that route I would end up using the CFL's that I do have to provide light in hard to reach spots. With a 2.51 cubic foot grow area, I would be looking at having to trim and screen plants while vegging before flower. I had heard that CFL's unless they were in the 6500k range wouldn't yield good buds, so the choice would either be between an HPS or an LED light. What made you decide to go with an HPS instead of LED or MH?

I went with hps predominantly because it's a tried and true and industry standard. I watched a few videos on leds and was almost sold on them, but I went with the guaranteed product. CFLs can grow bud, just not as dense or as much weight wise.

HPS is just so inexpensive to purchase that it is a good option. It's also tried and true. It costs me around $20 per month to run my 150w HPS plus a 150w fan..

150w HPS lights run off a standard outlet. The 150w lights you just plug them in. They're pretty neat. No extra ballast or anything needed. By the time you rig up 10 CFL's you would have been better off with a 150w HPS. Rigging CFL's costs a lot because you need this piece and that piece and this chord and this socket etc.. It's a pain and it's messy inside your box.

LED is advancing VERY rapidly. It's a nice option for a small space since the units themselves don't take up much space. Theoretically they run pretty cool, but it depends on the light. Most small cabs I see tend to use LED plus a little bit of CFL.

The newest LED's all use COB (Chip on board) These are great, but still very pricey.

Also consider height. You really need 4ft of height to grow. Taller is better. It's easy to make a tent out of PVC and Panda Film. I do this all of the time.

Here is a 16x16 inch x 4ft tall LED tent I made last year. It worked great. Just ran one autoflower. I used a cheap LED, but it wasn't enough watts. I eventually moved my 150w hps into the tent to finish the plant. The smoke sucked If I had it to do over I would have just used the 150w HPS and it would have been awesome. An autoflower in a space like this in a 3 gallon pot will yield around 1-2 ounces of hard nugs if done correctly.

Few more pics.

I started out growing in an attic space above my shop. I'm in the Midwest too and can tell You that can definitely do it but it will only pan out during the late fall and winter months. Once I figured out all the details, I did pretty well for myself considering the obstacles of growing in unheated space. Your base idea seems like a decent way to go. My spot was a purpose built room, but anything with a decent insulation value will work out. You wont need extra heat during lights on but will need heat during lights out.

To the other question you asked though, My gut says that any kind of lock is going to get attention. Do your roomies even know that the room exists up there? Wont they take notice when you start heading up there on the regular? Seems likely unless you guys are always on different shifts in life. I'm a cautious person so call me paranoid, but I suspect that it will end up discovered. Even a small grow requires too much attention to fool someone living under the same roof for long. Growing is a blast and I would recommend it to anyone that's interested, but if it's important to you that no one knows, I got to be a bubble buster here and advise you to wait until you get a more secure living arrangement. Plenty of long timers here will attest to the fact that situations like you have going on can go spectacularly wrong. Always follow the growers rule of 3. No smell, No tell, No sell.

If you decide to proceed, I'd be glad to share what I know will and won't work for what you want to do. So will others here. Just post up your questions as they come to you.

droopy107 said:

I started out growing in an attic space above my shop. I'm in the Midwest too and can tell You that can definitely do it but it will only pan out during the late fall and winter months. Once I figured out all the details, I did pretty well for myself considering the obstacles of growing in unheated space. Your base idea seems like a decent way to go. My spot was a purpose built room, but anything with a decent insulation value will work out. You wont need extra heat during lights on but will need heat during lights out.

To the other question you asked though, My gut says that any kind of lock is going to get attention. Do your roomies even know that the room exists up there? Wont they take notice when you start heading up there on the regular? Seems likely unless you guys are always on different shifts in life. I'm a cautious person so call me paranoid, but I suspect that it will end up discovered. Even a small grow requires too much attention to fool someone living under the same roof for long. Growing is a blast and I would recommend it to anyone that's interested, but if it's important to you that no one knows, I got to be a bubble buster here and advise you to wait until you get a more secure living arrangement. Plenty of long timers here will attest to the fact that situations like you have going on can go spectacularly wrong. Always follow the growers rule of 3. No smell, No tell, No sell.

If you decide to proceed, I'd be glad to share what I know will and won't work for what you want to do. So will others here. Just post up your questions as they come to you.

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I'm currently looking at having one roommate in a large house who would rent the downstairs. The attic/grow area is right out from my bed room, so it is unlikely that people would be suspicious if I just walked upstairs. I think having an unsecured growing area would likely be more of a liability than the suspicion that might get aroused.

If I could afford to rent this house by myself, security wouldn't even be a question. If things are kept small, I don't imagine with one (maybe two) people living in the house that it would be that difficult to conceal. The house has three floors and is likely over 1200 square feet, so I wouldn't be growing on the other side of someone's bedroom or venting into the general living area. If you had to take a ball park estimate, how many hours would you think that growing one or two plants would take a week?

I do lots of microgrows and those 13 watt CFLs (60 watt equivalent) are really only good for seedlings or under canopy lighting. I use 6-8 20-30 true watt CFLs per plant depending upon life stage the bulbs get swapped out. Always atleast 1 bulb of the opposite spectrum for each plant. I bought a cheap lux meter and try to keep the upper canopy around 50,000 in veg up to 65-75,000 in flower. After about a month of flower add 1 or 2 of the 13 watt bulbs under the canopy. With decent genetics you'll pull an ounce each easy. Now you can redo some of your power cost calculations.

Northern Spark said:

I'm currently looking at having one roommate in a large house who would rent the downstairs. The attic/grow area is right out from my bed room, so it is unlikely that people would be suspicious if I just walked upstairs. I think having an unsecured growing area would likely be more of a liability than the suspicion that might get aroused.

If I could afford to rent this house by myself, security wouldn't even be a question. If things are kept small, I don't imagine with one (maybe two) people living in the house that it would be that difficult to conceal. The house has three floors and is likely over 1200 square feet, so I wouldn't be growing on the other side of someone's bedroom or venting into the general living area. If you had to take a ball park estimate, how many hours would you think that growing one or two plants would take a week?

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If you really tried to keep things to a bare minimum, you could probably get by with an average time of an hour and a half per week, but in the real world, you will spend more time than that. How much? who can say. It completely depends upon the issues that crop up and the enjoyment you get from being in there.

droopy107 said:

If you really tried to keep things to a bare minimum, you could probably get by with an average time of an hour and a half per week, but in the real world, you will spend more time than that. How much? who can say. It completely depends upon the issues that crop up and the enjoyment you get from being in there.

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With the amount of people there are in my apartment, I think that with a few safeguards in place the risk of detection is low. Right now I have seeds germing, and once I transfer from a towel into soil I'll be growing in an el cheapo tent. With the cost of panda film etc with the added cost of zippers and pvc pipe I can actually buy a tent cheaper off of ebay. I'm going that route and I'll be running a 6" inline fan to create negative pressure. We'll see how the smell does just venting into a single carbon filter matched for the cfm rating of the fan.

Since I will have one roommate living in the house, there is a risk of detection. If I think that is a considerable risk, I'll be ready to cut my losses as opposed to have someone find my grow. Being as this will be my first grow, costs are going to be kept to a minimum.

If you do end up installing an exterior knob on your door, familiarize yourself with the proper install. Ever use a credit card to open a door? Not if it's installed right.

if you are renting/leasing, they are required to give you a 24hour notice before entering, just change it back to the original.?

oregongrowpros said:

if you are renting/leasing, they are required to give you a 24hour notice before entering, just change it back to the original.?

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Yeah, state law here dictates at least 12 hours notice, but leases can require up to 24 hours notice. Anywho, seeds have popped and are sitting under a small lamp atm. I'm already getting excited to see them start popping out of the soil. Northern lights and one bean from a bag of schwag.