Hypothetically speaking???

hhibrownsbacker

Well-Known Member
Dont beat me up here but I am contemplating a indoor grow room and would like some advise as to if it sounds reasonable or not. First off I am relatively new to this (took a 30 year hiatus) so Im just tossing things around and after a very successful outdoor grow Im seriously looking at other options. I have a section of the house we do not use at all. The room I want to use is approx 16x12 and i was thinking of building a divider to give me two rooms approx 8x12 or two different size rooms like maybe 10x12 for flowering and 6x12 for vegging which should give plenty of room and keep me from not be stumbling over things. So that being said lets start with the questions? I see allot of you use tents BUT would it be acceptable to just cover walls with Mylar or possibly paint them white(which would be the best option)? Im planning on using two 1000 HPS in the flowering room and two 1000 MH in the veg room, would I need more lamps or would two of each be sufficient for rooms that size as they would be quite large compared to most tents. I want to use soil as its easier for me probably at this stage to get everything stable. Since my biggest expense is going to be the appropriate lighting Ill stop here and ponder any suggestions anyone would care to make. Thanks in advance.
 

AssDan

Member
It sounds like you are about to spend a lot of money setting up your grow. Mylar is great for reflecting light, but expensive. I painted mine white and I'm pleased with the results. In my opinion, I think it's better to go with white. It's not as expensive, it works well, it's not hard to install, and it won't focus light. I hear that mylar can help burn plants. I don't have experience with it in my grow room, but I built a solar water heater that successfully boiled water.

You do have a lot of space to light. My space is small, and I don't use HID. Someone else may be better able to help you with your lighting requirements. It seems like enough to me though.
 

hhibrownsbacker

Well-Known Member
Thanks, Ill try the white instead of the mylar and probably put the extra cash into more lighting, If worse comes to worse I can always hang mylar blankets over the walls and floor areas, Maybe someone will pipe in and recommend a good square footage of coverage for these 1000 watt bulbs so I can maybe get a better idea of what Im gonna need and start getting it in order.
 

DrFever

New Member
its not just lighting and growing outdoor is way different then indoors most importantly HEAT from them lights sure your talking about 4000 watts or more but you seem to forget the power bill that comes behind it and with all these smart meters its not hard to figure out usage in hr times like 18/6 12 /12
your planning on spending money on lights when mylar is prob one of the least expensive out of it all lol
if i were you before spending a serios amount for a indoor is just go with 1 or 2000 watts 1 room and see where it takes you
you need a room where you can exhaust the heat also a room where you can get readily amounts of fresh air
i forgot you need exhaust fans thats money
how up to date is your electrical system in the house cause pulling 2000 watts or more when you ad fans exhaust fans humidifiers / de humidifiers becomes a serious issue for safety how so many times i read of some grow op getting busted over a house fire isnt funny it happens alot more then you think
 

smokinrav

Well-Known Member
Don't forget smell control. You'll need to add serious carbon scrubbers to your ventilation system to handle the smell from rooms that size. And you'll have to design effective ventilation to the outdoors.

You'll have to have dehumidifiers running constantly if this will be done in a finished room.

You should expect at least a $250 - $300/month increase in your electric bill when everything is running full speed.

Personally, I'd go with 4 600 HPS for flowerin than 2 1000s. You'll be better able to cover a large space like that.

You probably don't need equal sized veg lighting, maybe 4 400 MH, again to better cover that large area.

Are you thinking soil or hydro? Each adds its own complications to a grow this size.
 

hhibrownsbacker

Well-Known Member
OK to address some points, I will be using soil//// I have 2 circuit breakers to work off of (10 and 15) if worse comes to worse I can always extend a couple 30 amp lines I ran for my amplifiers but they would need rerouted in crawl space which would be no big deal just new wire and time there//// ventilation shouldnt be a problem and I think I got that figured out already and I can vent right outside as there isnt a neighbor within a mile//// A dehumidifier I didnt think of(good idea)and its added to list//// if the mylar is the better route thats what I want, i just wasnt sure what would be the better option//// Smart meters?? LOL, not out here in the styx//// four 600s makes sense for better coverage than two 1000s for flowering////As far as anything needed for the rooms it shouldnt be a problem at all as Im quite capable of doing anything that would be needed from wiring to plumbing to ventilation system to whatever . Thanks guys as you have gave me some ideas to look into and start picking up materials for walls, ventilation and wiring. If you come up with anything else im all ears, hopefully by the 1st of the year I can fire it all up..
 

smokinrav

Well-Known Member
Smokinrav, excellent point about the dehumidifier!
DocFever beat me to most of my points, lol

brownsbacker, what Doc is talking about with smart meters is the power company has the ability to tell when and how much power you use. So if you have 2400 watts snapping on and off every 12 hours, that's a grow op red flag that could help facilitate a search warrant for your property. The thing to remember is power companies don't give a shit about how much power you use if you pay your bill on time. Your real weakness here is if you get investigated for any reason whatsoever, like loose lips, a broken garbage bag, a nosy meter reader, whatever that tips LEO off to a potential grow, the power company will gladly give up those records without a warrant and basically seal your fate.

Keep us informed of your progress, eh? I'd love to follow along....
 

indagroove

Well-Known Member
OK to address some points, I will be using soil//// I have 2 circuit breakers to work off of (10 and 15) if worse comes to worse I can always extend a couple 30 amp lines I ran for my amplifiers but they would need rerouted in crawl space which would be no big deal just new wire and time there//// ventilation shouldnt be a problem and I think I got that figured out already and I can vent right outside as there isnt a neighbor within a mile//// A dehumidifier I didnt think of(good idea)and its added to list//// if the mylar is the better route thats what I want, i just wasnt sure what would be the better option//// Smart meters?? LOL, not out here in the styx//// four 600s makes sense for better coverage than two 1000s for flowering////As far as anything needed for the rooms it shouldnt be a problem at all as Im quite capable of doing anything that would be needed from wiring to plumbing to ventilation system to whatever . Thanks guys as you have gave me some ideas to look into and start picking up materials for walls, ventilation and wiring. If you come up with anything else im all ears, hopefully by the 1st of the year I can fire it all up..
Wait a sec..

You only have 25 amps (a 10 and a 15, as you stated), and you wanna run 2k watts plus all the extra accessories like fans and stuff? You will be at max potential, and are quite likely to trip breakers with any surges. Your 10amp breaker is maxed with just one 1K hps! You need more power for that kinda grow. I would suggest you just start with a 4x4 tent and a 600w digital ballast for flower, and a 3x3 tent with 400 watt digital ballast for veg. Get the hang of indoor first bro, then go big!
 

Phaeton

Active Member
I'm going to ramble about indoor, sometimes not too coherent, but grown inside for thirteen years.

Reflectix way better than mylar, it is textured for no hotspots. Used both for years at a time, I pay for reflectix where shiny is needed.

Actual side lighting is better than anything reflective. 30% of the budroom lighting is from the side. The yield is 15% more than reflective sides. This is my day job, sidelights are not a cut in pay.

Veg table is all fluorescents, 33% of the veg table lighting is from overhead. I build a tunnel of fluorescent fixtures with the top edge of one side on pivots for access to the plants.

I put in a small test budroom. I test new lights, various spectrums, efficiencies of sidelights, etc. I have been paid back many times over by incorporating findings into the main budroom.

Our sizes are similar, I have 5000 watts in 10 x 10 mainroom, and 1000 watts in 8 x 8 test room.
600 watts on 4 x 8 veg table, and 200 watts on 2 x 4 clone table.

The veg and clone tables can outpace the budroom if I am not careful.

The room sizes are room sizes. The bud grow areas are walled by sidelights, 7' circle and 3' circle.
Veg table is currently 2' x 4' between the lights and is expandable with more lights.

The venting of the mainroom takes one CFM for every two watts. The test room takes one for one, I blame this doubling on not having crossflow inlet and outlet. In and out on the same door. This gives half the efficiency of in the bottom, across the room, and out the top.
Oops, cooling will depend on climate, I'm in the far north, your needs will be different.

Now for personal preferences, what I like that is not necessarily better, but is how I do it.

The 5000 watts in the main budroom, a 7' circle is 38 square feet, 130 watts/square foot. Sounds like a lot. The breakdown:
10 x 400 watts discharge toplights, four separate spectrums.
32 x 32 watts fluorescent sidelights, red aquarium through UVB lizard lights.
I find I like the results best when light is hitting the plants evenly from every direction possible.
Underlights have been CFL and white LED, neither was satisfactory.

Plants are 8-12 per tray for sativa and 2-4 per tray for indica. Three 16" x 35" trays fit at a time in the room. Staggered for a tray in/out every three weeks.
All plants together in a tray must be the same clone, no exceptions. If the roots of non clone plants intermingle they both stretch fiercely forever.
Clone mothers are singles and gets budded after two sets of clones are pulled. Usually in two gallon buckets yielding 4-8 oz.
Odd extra clones get put in whatever and stuck in corners, left in an 8 oz cup they grow no branches, achieve 10" and 7-10 grams.
Root binding determines size, a quart will get a whole oz usually.

Electricity usage is 3500 kw per month, during lights on the furnace stays off, that's with today being minus 27 F and dropping. Lotsa waste heat in the summer.


Being older, the rooms come from the children having grown up. Most of my setup is for my convenience and lifestyle. It is a good producer, low stress, and usually fun to play with, test room and all.

A straight commercial grow would not resemble my operation at all. I am a gourmet shop with twice the fixed costs of comparable grows I have visited.

I rambled at length because with a 30 year hiatus I am thinking your situation may be somewhat similar. Keep it fun, work was the old life.
 

hhibrownsbacker

Well-Known Member
I'm going to ramble about indoor, sometimes not too coherent, but grown inside for thirteen years.

Reflectix way better than mylar, it is textured for no hotspots. Used both for years at a time, I pay for reflectix where shiny is needed.

Actual side lighting is better than anything reflective. 30% of the budroom lighting is from the side. The yield is 15% more than reflective sides. This is my day job, sidelights are not a cut in pay.

Veg table is all fluorescents, 33% of the veg table lighting is from overhead. I build a tunnel of fluorescent fixtures with the top edge of one side on pivots for access to the plants.

I put in a small test budroom. I test new lights, various spectrums, efficiencies of sidelights, etc. I have been paid back many times over by incorporating findings into the main budroom.

Our sizes are similar, I have 5000 watts in 10 x 10 mainroom, and 1000 watts in 8 x 8 test room.
600 watts on 4 x 8 veg table, and 200 watts on 2 x 4 clone table.

The veg and clone tables can outpace the budroom if I am not careful.

The room sizes are room sizes. The bud grow areas are walled by sidelights, 7' circle and 3' circle.
Veg table is currently 2' x 4' between the lights and is expandable with more lights.

The venting of the mainroom takes one CFM for every two watts. The test room takes one for one, I blame this doubling on not having crossflow inlet and outlet. In and out on the same door. This gives half the efficiency of in the bottom, across the room, and out the top.
Oops, cooling will depend on climate, I'm in the far north, your needs will be different.

Now for personal preferences, what I like that is not necessarily better, but is how I do it.

The 5000 watts in the main budroom, a 7' circle is 38 square feet, 130 watts/square foot. Sounds like a lot. The breakdown:
10 x 400 watts discharge toplights, four separate spectrums.
32 x 32 watts fluorescent sidelights, red aquarium through UVB lizard lights.
I find I like the results best when light is hitting the plants evenly from every direction possible.
Underlights have been CFL and white LED, neither was satisfactory.

Plants are 8-12 per tray for sativa and 2-4 per tray for indica. Three 16" x 35" trays fit at a time in the room. Staggered for a tray in/out every three weeks.
All plants together in a tray must be the same clone, no exceptions. If the roots of non clone plants intermingle they both stretch fiercely forever.
Clone mothers are singles and gets budded after two sets of clones are pulled. Usually in two gallon buckets yielding 4-8 oz.
Odd extra clones get put in whatever and stuck in corners, left in an 8 oz cup they grow no branches, achieve 10" and 7-10 grams.
Root binding determines size, a quart will get a whole oz usually.

Electricity usage is 3500 kw per month, during lights on the furnace stays off, that's with today being minus 27 F and dropping. Lotsa waste heat in the summer.


Being older, the rooms come from the children having grown up. Most of my setup is for my convenience and lifestyle. It is a good producer, low stress, and usually fun to play with, test room and all.

A straight commercial grow would not resemble my operation at all. I am a gourmet shop with twice the fixed costs of comparable grows I have visited.

I rambled at length because with a 30 year hiatus I am thinking your situation may be somewhat similar. Keep it fun, work was the old life.
Thanks, it seems we have similar circumstances even down to the kids moving out, though mine have been out for years now. I have decided to add two dedicated 30 amp lines, so with the two 30 amp lines and the 10 and 15 amp lines thats already there I should be good to go no matter what I decide and be able to run everything safely. Hopefully I can get the partition wall and 30 amp lines run before Turkey day. Then I can work on the ventilation as I cant run and hang duct till I have a better idea of what this is gonna look like so i cant keep it relatively neat. Ill look into finding some reflectix also. Ill be back with more questions as i can think of them or stumble across them since Im running in the dark,
 

sso

Well-Known Member
i hear mold can grow on the walls behind the mylar..

and that being one of the reasons paint is better.
 

sso

Well-Known Member
depends on your walls of course, i guess (dry around here, havent seen mold alot)
 
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