New attic grow room build - advice appreciated

badmojo

badmojo

Active Member
Hi all, I am in the process of designing a new grow room above my garage. The area that i have is about 13x16 but the ceiling height slopes along the walls. In this area i must have everything in it - veg / flower. I have "almost" decided to go with the RDWC system but not sure yet. I currently have (3) 600w lights for flower and in all likeliness will add another to round out for 2400w . Would like to have a perpetual at some point. Anyways,...as you can see from the pics, i have to insulate, will be adding a window unit for AC. here is a list of what i have but would really appreciate any advice in the initial setup - its so much easier to do it right in the beginning rather than fight problems down the road. Thanks in advance

equipment list

RDWC hydro system (3-4 buckets)
water chiller
window unit AC 24k btu
3 600w lights
4 T5 clf for veg / clones
will be adding co2 generator but dont have it yet

there is more but still shopping, and kicking around how best to do a sealed room grow due to smell and neighbors. Thanks guys and grow safe

The pics are of the area from different angles. 13x16 usable area. I will be adding more pics as the build continues and when finished will do a journal
 

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MeJuana

MeJuana

Well-Known Member
You didn't list ambient temperatures but you mentioned an air conditioner. Attics are too hot and you are already adding more cost by doing rdwc and water chiller. Also no matter how careful I am building a system I typically end up finding a way to have a leak. I think you should setup to use soil and specifically so you don't have to deal with run off you should use a living organic soil. If you could invest in a minisplit a/c unit for your attic you can get pounds for a few hundreds dollars on the perpetual with your lights already. I am currently convinced I want to stop investing in cooling and start investing in L.E.D. because I can run more actual light for the same wattage. I need to test one before I get nuts but my whole existence is the most top quality buds for the least amount of money. For me I shut down in the summer then only use a/c in Sept and May.. All other months for me are cool enough I actually need to uncover hps lights.
 
justugh

justugh

Well-Known Member
badmojo said:
Hi all, I am in the process of designing a new grow room above my garage. The area that i have is about 13x16 but the ceiling height slopes along the walls. In this area i must have everything in it - veg / flower. I have "almost" decided to go with the RDWC system but not sure yet. I currently have (3) 600w lights for flower and in all likeliness will add another to round out for 2400w . Would like to have a perpetual at some point. Anyways,...as you can see from the pics, i have to insulate, will be adding a window unit for AC. here is a list of what i have but would really appreciate any advice in the initial setup - its so much easier to do it right in the beginning rather than fight problems down the road. Thanks in advance

equipment list

RDWC hydro system (3-4 buckets)
water chiller
window unit AC 24k btu
3 600w lights
4 T5 clf for veg / clones
will be adding co2 generator but dont have it yet

there is more but still shopping, and kicking around how best to do a sealed room grow due to smell and neighbors. Thanks guys and grow safe

The pics are of the area from different angles. 13x16 usable area. I will be adding more pics as the build continues and when finished will do a journal
Click to expand...

yah 1 move it 2 move it 3 move it

1 your heat is not going to be controllable .........black shingle roof summer time and all the heat from the house is raising up
2 Co2 is a heavy gas ........u are doing it above ground lvls in a attic ......u have to seal the area up to hold it in (heat build up even more)
3 u are talking hydro in a attic the heat will build up more then u can control i the water killing the plants......plus u are having water above u (so u need to seal it up for water find away to move it up to the area u need and to move it down from the area


just some simple help .....THC degrades faster in temps above 80f ........really man move it u do not understand the amount of energy u will use attempting to control the temp (unless your attic is covered by trees to shade it or it has white shingles what u want to do is not possible with out some mad money ) it would be more cost effective and less headache with it not in the attic
 
badmojo

badmojo

Active Member
Ambient temps are HIGH (deep south here) Currently I am measuring temps of 110-120 range. Heat will be be a major concern. I could use a "portable shed" as they call them. i have the space and could do so without much more problem than trying to insulate my attic. what are your thoughts?
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Its a above a garage not a house!!! If the guys in Australia can insulate a grow space and control temps I'm sure you have a chance badmojo. I will try and remember the folks who are doing so and point them over hear.
 
justugh

justugh

Well-Known Member
badmojo said:
Ambient temps are HIGH (deep south here) Currently I am measuring temps of 110-120 range. Heat will be be a major concern. I could use a "portable shed" as they call them. i have the space and could do so without much more problem than trying to insulate my attic. what are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
the shed is going to be better then the attic .........110 120 f u are looking at a 3 ton mini split just to have a chance of controlling it

if u can place the shed in a shaddy area ........u can line it with insulation inside and install a 6000btu or 10000 btu AC and effectively controll it

as u are in deep south u have RH troubles too......u are going to need a strong dehumidifier and if u add a Co2 burner a big strong dehumidifier (70 pints)
 
badmojo

badmojo

Active Member
If using the shed then yes i have a shady area that it would be in...any and all advice is appreciated. I have the funds to do this right ONE time...i have to get it right in the beginning
 
justugh

justugh

Well-Known Member
coreywebster said:
Its a above a garage not a house!!! If the guys in Australia can insulate a grow space and control temps I'm sure you have a chance badmojo. I will try and remember the folks who are doing so and point them over hear.
Click to expand...
i can do a attic but the cost of doing it is 3 to 4 times the cost of setting up a grow room any other way except a hidden buried room
 
justugh

justugh

Well-Known Member
badmojo said:
If using the shed then yes i have a shady area that it would be in...any and all advice is appreciated. I have the funds to do this right ONE time...i have to get it right in the beginning
Click to expand...
it is simple buy the shed kit put it up
in the wall us foam board ........line the walls ceiling with it ........then use a drop sheet from the paint dept (20x100ft polywrap rool 6 mils thick) then use 1 peice of it to seal the walls off .....repeat with the floor .....then u just have to tape the peices together and u have made a Tub shape to hold in the Co2 for u

to get in and out u will need to use a zipper thing they sell them near the sheets (they are used to controll dust allow u to make a door u can enter then zip up)
 
bryangtho

bryangtho

Well-Known Member
badmojo said:
Ambient temps are HIGH (deep south here) Currently I am measuring temps of 110-120 range. Heat will be be a major concern. I could use a "portable shed" as they call them. i have the space and could do so without much more problem than trying to insulate my attic. what are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
I live in Australia and have to deal with heat all the time. I have build over 7or8 rooms over the last 25 years and have never used a AC ever its not needed. All I use are big fans the problem would be if you are going to use co2. But with only 3x600 it would not take mush to keep it cool. I have temp of 110 and 120 just make sure you get a good dimmable ballast for the very hot days. And try and draw the air from a cool place
 
GroErr

GroErr

Well-Known Member
Even insulating the attic you may have heat issues running hps in there through summer with a window AC. For less than a mini-split or larger AC unit you could invest in 1000-1200ww of COBs which would equal or better the 3x 600's and make the heat a non-issue.

Another option would be to build a room within the room using insulated panels if you can source them cheap it may be faster and cheaper to build. Utilize the wall with the window for the AC unit and build/box it in from there. There's a thread going for reference on those insulated panels, they're something I'll be considering for my next build.
https://www.rollitup.org/t/new-grow-room-using-cool-room-panels.912773/
 
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