# Introduction, and 100 Watt HPS Cabinet Grow



## swelchjohn (Mar 9, 2010)

I have decided to properly introdce myself to RIU. I am a long time reader, and this site has been a blessing. I appreciate all of the great help from every grower of every level over the years. 
Any way my first grow thread here will be a new little project of mine, a cabinet grow with only 100 watts of High Pressure Sodium light from start to finish. I've got 6-7 years indoor & outdoor growing experience and recently only have a small space to work with. No matter how large or small my living space, I still need my meds. 
My goal with this grow is to maximize my yield through efficiency, quality, and simplicity while maintaining a low budget. For the sake of experimentation(never grown with these conditions before), I have decided to go with store bought ready made soil mix and simple three step nutrient system.
The entire cabinet is constructed from left over scrap material and hardware laying around my garage, for starters. As I am not finished with the cabinet yet, there may be a couple things missing here and there, but you'll get the concept. I want to try and grab some attention for this thread from start to finish. Here we go :

-1.5ftW x 1.5ft L x 4ft H Custom Built Cabinet, Reflective Liner
-3 1/2in 12v Intake/Exhaust, Activated Carbon Filters, Custom Built Redwood Housings(coastal redwood resists moisture stress, pests, molds and mildews)
-Standard heavy duty mechanical timer
-100 Watt HPS Lamp with custom made height adjustable reflector.
-Fox Farm Grow Big, Big Bloom, and Tiger Bloom nutrient set
-Fox Farm Ocean Forest Potting mix, 40/60 perlite/soil ratio
-Some Master Kush seeds from last season's outdoor crop

Here are my current cabinet photos. Any/all questions, comments, critiques. Keep in mind this cabinet is NEAR, but not quite complete but I will still answer all questions accordingly. Thanks for looking I hope to get some feedback soon


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## buch (Apr 12, 2010)

Very cool.


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## naturalhi08 (Apr 12, 2010)

cram a 250 in there and double the yield


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## swelchjohn (Apr 17, 2010)

thank you, but it just got a lot nicer. i was waiting to become legal in the county i moved to and i finally took care of it yesterday. instead of the seeds i ditched them for a couple clones to start with since i lost a LOT of time. updates shortly.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 17, 2010)

cramming a 250 in there was a first thought of mine, believe you me. i got to thinking : would i want to beef up the ventilation and re-do my plans for this cabinet for more than double the lighting? would this benefit me in my situation? all in all, no. if i stay efficient i will more than likely pull, or close to pull, the golden 'one gram per watt.' this is going to yield plenty of medication for myself.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 17, 2010)

So i've got pre-98 Bubba Kush on the left, and Banana Kush on the right. Ditched the seeds and went with clones to make this quicker and easier on me. I added a 4" inline duct fan that sucks 65CFM; the two 3.5" weren't cutting it after i tested. Now i have both 3.5" fans as intake(researched, and they have a little less than 65CFM combined) and the 4" as exhaust at the top rear of my cabinet. I've also added a better door jam that is all the way around the door instead of just 3 sides. Added some weather stripping to around the door as well. Things seem to be going nicely. NOW here is my latest co-op pick up :


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## BCbudEZ (Apr 18, 2010)

Beautiful setup! Nice and small. Really, I don't think you could efficiently use much more than 100w of light in that space anyhow. You've got a bunch of experience.... And if you walk a tight rope with this grow, I bet you might even break a gram a watt.

Isn't it hard to choose which pictures to upload?


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## swelchjohn (Apr 18, 2010)

BCbudEZ said:


> Beautiful setup! Nice and small. Really, I don't think you could efficiently use much more than 100w of light in that space anyhow. You've got a bunch of experience.... And if you walk a tight rope with this grow, I bet you might even break a gram a watt.
> 
> Isn't it hard to choose which pictures to upload?


Thank you very much on the compliment. I couldn't agree more on my light usage. There were others near me while this was in production giving me a ration of shit about how my lighting was insufficient. PLENTY of lumens per cubic ft, if thats how you want to look at it. And again, with all of that reflectivity something any larger than even 150 watts could potentially fry my plants. As far as pulling more than a gram per watt, i'd have to have EVERY base covered, and i don't. No Co2 system, and i lose a bit of light due to the 4-6" distance my bulb has from the plants. Granted, this could be solved with a piece of glass. And yes i do find myself lost in thought when trying to put the right pics up. I want to go into detail on how i wired up the ballast kit and what materials i used to house it all make my reflector and how etc etc. Updates after lights on today keep watch!


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## swelchjohn (Apr 18, 2010)

Today things are looking great. The bubba has grown an inch in the last couple days, and the banana is doing just as well. The banana had some yellowing in a few lower leaves, but since it's been here i've seen lots of improvement. Both of them looked a little unhappy, with some minor droopage. I think it was a lack of moisture in the air given they were sitting in open air inside the collective for all to see. Whatever it was they love it here and it shows. They're on a very mild nutrient solution of FoxFarm Big Bloom reduced to 1/4 potency to give just for a little extra push. They've been getting a daily mist at lights on of 1/8 Strength big bloom also. Once i see some more vigor, hopefully in the next week, i'll start easing in the Grow Big to my nutrient mix. Any questions let me know. What everyone actually wants :

Bubba Kush






Banana Kush






Family Portrait


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## swelchjohn (Apr 21, 2010)

They both have completely bounced back from the condition I bought them in. All of my new foliage is perky and healthy, the older foliage is now much more green but still has a little disoloration. Tomorrow I'll be introducing Grow Big starting at 1/4 strength.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 22, 2010)

Wasn't paying attention to yesterday's upload.Wrong pictures.Those pics were a few days stale, my mistake. Oh well, an update none-the-less..Past that, here are pics taken today at lights on. I can't show much detail in a duo photo, as these girls are getting chubby so here are individual shots. Sexy, as usual.

Bubba Kush







Banana Kush







I gave 50% more water than I generally would yesterday(sort of a micro flush, if you will) to make ready for the Grow Big in my nutrient mix. The above average amount of water in the run-off pan shot the humidity up 30%(to 76%, to be exact)..This cabinet maintains no lower than and not much more than 45% humidity. This prompted me to add more water for evaporation once or twice a week; I am now aware of the effectivness of standing water[to add humidity] in such a small scale grow.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 22, 2010)

BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP. I see people do this, I guess to get attention. There has got to be SOME ONE that wants to drop by!


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## Jer La Mota (Apr 22, 2010)

Very cool setup!
Love the pot flasks banana kush


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## swelchjohn (Apr 22, 2010)

This is pat. Can't sex for quite some time, thus the ambiguous name. He/She lives in my window sill, and I never intended to do anything with the seed other than see if it actually grows.I wanted a little "bonsai" project to mess with while I'm at the desk. It's from a bag of old "buds"(Circa 1979, did not look much like buds anymore) my old man taped into a photo album as a momento. Assuming anyone could guess the taste of this poorly stored herb of this age, I do not need to tell you how awful it was. Why? Curiousity and nostalgia.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 22, 2010)

Jer La Mota said:


> Very cool setup!
> Love the pot flasks banana kush


Thank you, I'm glad someone has shown moderate interest! Those containers are pretty much standard at most dispensaries in the area, I just toss them when they are empty. Today's pick : Grand Daddy Purple...Of course


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## JN811 (Apr 23, 2010)

looks nice dude, off to a good start


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## sickstoner (Apr 23, 2010)

is that a fuse box on the side there?? thats sick looking setup bro props


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## swelchjohn (Apr 23, 2010)

sickstoner said:


> is that a fuse box on the side there?? thats sick looking setup bro props


That big ol metal grey box is actually the mechanical timer. So much better than the stupid digi timers out for so cheap these days, it's never fouled me. Thanks for the props. Keep watch, updates shortly


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## swelchjohn (Apr 23, 2010)

JN811 said:


> looks nice dude, off to a good start


 
Thank you, I was hoping you would stop by. Updates soon, lights on 40 mins ago.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 23, 2010)

Updates :

Bubba Kush






Banana Kush






Couple feet away :


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## gumball (Apr 23, 2010)

may i ask you what the banana kush tastes like?


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## swelchjohn (Apr 23, 2010)

gumball said:


> may i ask you what the banana kush tastes like?


It's very smooth, and mild and a just a little bit peppery, but very sweet and somewhat fruity on the after taste. In my opinion the banana kush buds I bought at the dispensary could have been better all around. So, ask me this same question again in a couple months


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## redivider (Apr 23, 2010)

when do you plan to flower them? they'll reach the light soon at the rate they're growing.....


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## swelchjohn (Apr 23, 2010)

redivider said:


> when do you plan to flower them? they'll reach the light soon at the rate they're growing.....


I'm waiting until they are around 18 inches tall. The light is adjustable, when the plants get a little too close, I move the light up just that much more...Stretching can be a problem with less intense lower wattage HID lamps : I'm keeping the lamp as close as possible to avoid stretching while not burning the plants either, and just under 3 inches is about my magic number it seems.


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## greenmoney (Apr 24, 2010)

swelchjohn...couldn't happen to notice your MMJ bottles and specific strains...healing dragon by any chance???


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## swelchjohn (Apr 24, 2010)

greenmoney said:


> swelchjohn...couldn't happen to notice your MMJ bottles and specific strains...healing dragon by any chance???


Fuckin a man. Small world.


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## greenmoney (Apr 24, 2010)

lol...subscribed to this grow, can't wait to see the results. by the looks of your clones, i might be picking up a hps to replace my cfl's....


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## swelchjohn (Apr 24, 2010)

greenmoney said:


> lol...subscribed to this grow, can't wait to see the results. by the looks of your clones, i might be picking up a hps to replace my cfl's....


If space and power are an issue, ask me for some advice on making the most out of it. I made the entire cabinet from scratch, and bought all the electrical parts at an electrical supply store in north county. Assembled my own ballast and fixture, as well as made my own hood. The whole set up works cherry now that I've taken the time to guess and check before slapping these worth-while clones in there. Depending on your grow experience, you may be surprised at my results with a low wattage system. I want to shoot for as close to a QP as I can get. I'm trying to stay confident on breaking 1 gram per watt, but I am still skeptical. As efficient as this setup is, 100 watts has nothing on the intensity of much larger lamps.


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## Danielsgb (Apr 24, 2010)

I'd look into CMH bulbs. That is what I'm gonna use on my next project. Way better than a HPS, for light and less heat.
Daniels


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## Jer La Mota (Apr 24, 2010)

swelchjohn said:


> -1.5ftW x 1.5ft L x 4ft H Custom Built Cabinet, Reflective Liner


Was gonna say why only 18" tho just remembered the cabinet measurements


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## sickstoner (Apr 24, 2010)

Danielsgb said:


> I'd look into CMH bulbs. That is what I'm gonna use on my next project. Way better than a HPS, for light and less heat.
> Daniels


 where do you get the cmh bulbs form and how much cooler and better are they?


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## Danielsgb (Apr 24, 2010)

http://www.growlightexpress.com/pages/ceramic-metal-halide-pv-c0-2.html
This should show info. Check it out.
Daniels


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## Bagz (Apr 24, 2010)

Hey swelchjohn. That is an awesome set u you have there. Very similar to mine. I have a 150watt HPS in an 80cm tall cabinet. Where do your temps sit at at the moment? 
temperature is a huge issue with my set up. I am at day 43 of flowering, check it out if you have time. I will definitely watch this one through to the end. It is good to see another stealth HPS setup. Have you thought of using the LST mehod with your plants? That is what I have done, it is easy and works a treat. especially with small spaces like this.

Hope you don't mind me throwing pics of my grow up here. Might give you a few ideas.


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## sickstoner (Apr 24, 2010)

Danielsgb said:


> http://www.growlightexpress.com/pages/ceramic-metal-halide-pv-c0-2.html
> This should show info. Check it out.
> Daniels


 sorry to hijack your thread, but you can use it in flowering? and how much cooler are we talking? its sick how it works in a normal hps ballast!


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## swelchjohn (Apr 24, 2010)

Bagz said:


> Hey swelchjohn. That is an awesome set u you have there. Very similar to mine. I have a 150watt HPS in an 80cm tall cabinet. Where do your temps sit at at the moment?
> temperature is a huge issue with my set up. I am at day 43 of flowering, check it out if you have time. I will definitely watch this one through to the end. It is good to see another stealth HPS setup. Have you thought of using the LST mehod with your plants? That is what I have done, it is easy and works a treat. especially with small spaces like this.
> 
> Hope you don't mind me throwing pics of my grow up here. Might give you a few ideas.


Thanks for the interest. Thanks for the props. My temps stick around 85 solid. Sometimes lower if it gets cool here. I'll lose a degree or so every time i raise the light a few inches.The trick is as much air going in and out of there as possible.I've got two smaller fans for intake , one on bottom right of the cabinet, and one on the upper left.Having my intakes kiddie-cornered like this allows the air to circulate on its own without an oscilating fan agitating the air.At the top rear of the cabinet is my 4" inline exhaust fan running a little more than twice the CFMs of the individual intake fans.The air in my cabinet is being exchanged about 9 times a minute, thus the steady temperature. I am not into LST at all, but to each his own. I've topped religiously through-out my seasons, but with more vertical space than horizontal space this time I'm not going to alter the plants at all. Pics of your grow are great, just don't try to take over my thread. Thanks for the feedback


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## swelchjohn (Apr 24, 2010)

Danielsgb said:


> I'd look into CMH bulbs. That is what I'm gonna use on my next project. Way better than a HPS, for light and less heat.
> Daniels


CMH lighting was something I looked into. Especially due to the smaller space. I chose the HPS because I know what makes it tick. Simple as that. I didn't want to change the ball game and experiment around, and end up reverting to HPS if things didnt go well.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 24, 2010)

Jer La Mota said:


> Was gonna say why only 18" tho just remembered the cabinet measurements


18x18 was the largest floor area I could give up for this cabinet to fit into my closet.


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## sickstoner (Apr 24, 2010)

you really had to PM me to stop this is what the site is for info calm down


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## swelchjohn (Apr 24, 2010)

sickstoner said:


> you really had to PM me to stop this is what the site is for info calm down


Well, I wasn't going to send someone else a message to get your attention. Right? And no worries, calm as they go here


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## JN811 (Apr 25, 2010)

y do you have 2 plants in 1 pot????


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## swelchjohn (Apr 25, 2010)

JN811 said:


> y do you have 2 plants in 1 pot????


That is not two plants in one pot. The banana kush clone grew into two main stalks.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 25, 2010)

^This makes me think..Why not take cuttings to grow like this on purpose? Two main stalks like that can be quite beneficial in a SCRoG, I would think.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 25, 2010)

We seem to be thriving today .


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## Danielsgb (Apr 25, 2010)

That cabinet is sweet. Your girls are looking great. I'm subbed in on this one.
Daniels


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## swelchjohn (Apr 25, 2010)

Danielsgb said:


> That cabinet is sweet. Your girls are looking great. I'm subbed in on this one.
> Daniels


Thank you! I'll be flowering in 2 weeks give or take if things keep momentum, so keep watch. I'll take a look at your threads and see what you've got going.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 25, 2010)

Bubba Kush is great. Especially when I don't have to wait her to flower. Obtained some earlier and took a macro shot. I hope to do better than this.


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## raggaestoner (Apr 26, 2010)

WOW loads of crystals!

Setting up my first grow https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/325147-building-grow-room-closet-good.html#post4081584 is my "in head" design. Might take awhile to set it up but will be fun once it does


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## swelchjohn (Apr 26, 2010)

raggaestoner said:


> WOW loads of crystals!
> 
> Setting up my first grow https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/325147-building-grow-room-closet-good.html#post4081584 is my "in head" design. Might take awhile to set it up but will be fun once it does


You friggin bet your sweet ass there's load of crystals! It tastes good too  I'll swing by your thread.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 26, 2010)

I don't have a close hunch why, I just really liked this picture. Maybe it's the bubba kush bubble hash bong load before I took it, IDK. It's today's update reagardless. Questions comments concerns post away.


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## purplecheese (Apr 26, 2010)

I need help... I have 6 seedlings that are in those little black containers that have 6 or more in them. Dont know if they are male or females yet. Will you be my teacher PLEASE!! I have a grow room but hooking it up financial fell through..I want to do it in the closet with tin foil and a warm light.. can you help me please. My dad was a pot farmer and all he used (from what i know) is that he grew hella plants in his closet (hes gone now or i would ask myself), with the walls and doors covered in tin foil and a flood light (i think) please help.. you can reach me at [email protected] or just im me if it says unavailable no worries i am always on line. I will be up til about 5am today so please let me know what to do with these kids before i lose them.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 26, 2010)

purplecheese said:


> I need help... I have 6 seedlings that are in those little black containers that have 6 or more in them. Dont know if they are male or females yet. Will you be my teacher PLEASE!! I have a grow room but hooking it up financial fell through..I want to do it in the closet with tin foil and a warm light.. can you help me please. My dad was a pot farmer and all he used (from what i know) is that he grew hella plants in his closet (hes gone now or i would ask myself), with the walls and doors covered in tin foil and a flood light (i think) please help.. you can reach me at [email protected] or just im me if it says unavailable no worries i am always on line. I will be up til about 5am today so please let me know what to do with these kids before i lose them.


I'll be more than glad to help you here, but here only. It's past me to have a private conversation with someone from RIU. Sorry. It sounds like you are starting off completely new and need the basics. I can very well teach all of this, but it's lots of information and easier for me to paste a link. So, here is Roll It Up's Newbie central : https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/ . All of the forums with stickies are what you want to look into. Once you have some idea of what you are getting into, then come ask some questions.. Oh, and for future reference, if you need general help start a thread of your own and let everyone see it. You get much better results that way. Lastly, but most important, take your face off of your profile picture. The last thing you want is a creeper, or even worse law enforcement knowing who you are.

Good luck


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## swelchjohn (Apr 27, 2010)

At this rate I'll be able to start flowering towards the end of next week. Yes, 48" of headroom is available...BUT Subtract 9" for the pots, 3-4" for the distance between the light and plants and also knock off another 6" or so for the reflector and light. That roughly brings me to 30". Oh, and does anybody know what the lowest wattage water-cooled setup available is?


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## boricuaboi (Apr 27, 2010)

*Nice scrog just started one myself check me out always looking for tips!!! First time scrogg here!!! Subscribed*


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## swelchjohn (Apr 27, 2010)

boricuaboi said:


> *Nice scrog just started one myself check me out always looking for tips!!! First time scrogg here!!! Subscribed*


This isn't SCRoG, sorry. You might have been mislead by what I said a couple posts back about it. Thanks for checkin it out either way it's nice having people take interest.


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## smkone2dadome420 (Apr 27, 2010)

Those look health good luck at harvest time pulling a Qp.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 27, 2010)

smkone2dadome420 said:


> Those look health good luck at harvest time pulling a Qp.


Thank you. I'm sure things will end up over a gram per watt, but a QP is a tough goal, I agree. I never said I was going to pull a QP, just get as close to it as I can.


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## gumball (Apr 28, 2010)

not to still your thread swelchjohn, but I seen someone ask about cmh. i have done quite a bit of research and I like these in the attachement. i like the ones that danielsgb recommended, but I think those are only 250 and 400 watts, too big for a lot of small stealth cabinets. if anyone has any questions about them, pm me cause I dont want to still this awesome grow journal from swelchjohn.


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## gumball (Apr 28, 2010)

By the way swelchjohn, very nice and clean setup, I expect u will have close to ur qp in the end. I am definitely subscribed. So u are able to keep ur hps within 3-4 inches wothout burning the plants?


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## swelchjohn (Apr 28, 2010)

gumball said:


> By the way swelchjohn, very nice and clean setup, I expect u will have close to ur qp in the end. I am definitely subscribed. So u are able to keep ur hps within 3-4 inches wothout burning the plants?


Thank you GB, it's nice to read! I like some more encouragement towards my QP goal. Yes, 2-4 inches is completely suitable. I find myself moving the light up sometimes twice a day now, given the fast growth. While those clones were still babies I had the light up around 20-24". They were under T5, and I didn't want to shock and burn the piss out of them by immediately giving them maximum HPS. I'm thinking just for the sake of the plants' rapid growth and not having to move the light as often, just keep 6 inches distance . This shouldn't cause stretching, if I'm wrong give me some figures.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 28, 2010)

gumball said:


> not to still your thread swelchjohn, but I seen someone ask about cmh. i have done quite a bit of research and I like these in the attachement. i like the ones that danielsgb recommended, but I think those are only 250 and 400 watts, too big for a lot of small stealth cabinets. if anyone has any questions about them, pm me cause I dont want to still this awesome grow journal from swelchjohn.


Thank you for the courtesy bro it's much appreciated.I really did look into CMH, and I don't want staggered results. Simply put : I won't use it because I don't know what to expect, not because I think it won't work. I want to have an experiemental cab with CMH, just to see what you folks are talking about.


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## gumball (Apr 28, 2010)

I haven't used it yet either. But with an efficacy of 95 on the 100 watt 3000k bulb, I believe it to be comparable to mh or hps of the same wattage. I plan to order on in the next month or 2. I will finish my current grow with the cfls, and I will supplement the cmh with a couple cfls as well. 

I can't wait to see ur girls in flower. What do u think bout gradually lowering the light hours until you get to 12/12? I think it worked good for me, more natural. 

That's funny bout the old bag of herb!! Should have tried to make hash or bho out of it.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 28, 2010)

gumball said:


> I haven't used it yet either. But with an efficacy of 95 on the 100 watt 3000k bulb, I believe it to be comparable to mh or hps of the same wattage. I plan to order on in the next month or 2. I will finish my current grow with the cfls, and I will supplement the cmh with a couple cfls as well.
> 
> I can't wait to see ur girls in flower. What do u think bout gradually lowering the light hours until you get to 12/12? I think it worked good for me, more natural.
> 
> That's funny bout the old bag of herb!! Should have tried to make hash or bho out of it.


If I lower the light anymore than it is it will burn the girls. That, and I want to avoid stretching(common with low wattage HID lights) and use as much light as possible, so raising it up much higher wouldn't do me much good either. That bag of herb was not so bad, after you got by the taste. It was a little degraded, but it must have been primo when it was purchased way back when. Pat is still moving strong in the window sil lol. Actually, I should add a pic today.


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## gumball (Apr 28, 2010)

I'm sorry, I meant lowering the time the light is on by like 15, or 30 minute intervals until your down to 12/12. Basically mimicking the natural onset of fall. Should have worded it differently b4, my bad


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## swelchjohn (Apr 28, 2010)

gumball said:


> I'm sorry, I meant lowering the time the light is on by like 15, or 30 minute intervals until your down to 12/12. Basically mimicking the natural onset of fall. Should have worded it differently b4, my bad


Oh ok, I gotcha'. That's a great idea but I think for the sake of keeping it simple this round I'll stick to the plan. Thanks for the info, however.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 28, 2010)

Update time.


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## gumball (Apr 28, 2010)

looking lovely, they're gonna fill that box wall to wall!!


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## swelchjohn (Apr 28, 2010)

gumball said:


> looking lovely, they're gonna fill that box wall to wall!!


Light penetration ain't a thing either. Between close promixity of my lamp and great reflection of light things are very bushy. I was concerned about 100 watts being too little once the plants got much taller, but being anal about the reflective material fixed that problem for the long run. So wall to wall we'll go


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## theloadeddragon (Apr 29, 2010)

scribed, just checkin out some new 100 W gear myself.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 29, 2010)

theloadeddragon said:


> scribed, just checkin out some new 100 W gear myself.


Sweet. Let me know when you get started with that. It will be nice following another 100 watt thread.


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## theloadeddragon (Apr 29, 2010)

I can go pick a couple soon. going to use 1 for a Jack Herer tribute grow. And the other is going to be for my wifes grow


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## swelchjohn (Apr 29, 2010)

theloadeddragon said:


> I can go pick a couple soon. going to use 1 for a Jack Herer tribute grow. And the other is going to be for my wifes grow


Growing a Jack Herer plant, yeah?


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## theloadeddragon (Apr 29, 2010)

yeah. She is going to be growing a couple other strains. The 100W MH will probably only last 2 or 3 weeks during veg depending on how soon I go pick them up.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 29, 2010)

theloadeddragon said:


> yeah. She is going to be growing a couple other strains. The 100W MH will probably only last 2 or 3 weeks during veg depending on how soon I go pick them up.


What do you mean by only last 2 or 3 weeks? As in only use it for 2 or 3 weeks, or it won't be good after 2 or 3 weeks?


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## the420projeckt (Apr 29, 2010)

my clone i just got is dropping a lot i just came back home and i notice my clone is dropping i have it under 24 hours light under my t5. do i need to water it or is it over watered i havent watered because i just put it in a pot and the soil was moist already so i didnt water. whatt you think it is?


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## theloadeddragon (Apr 29, 2010)

swelchjohn said:


> What do you mean by only last 2 or 3 weeks? As in only use it for 2 or 3 weeks, or it won't be good after 2 or 3 weeks?


I mean the plant may outgrow the light in 2-3 weeks. My wifes will probably last a bit longer before they need more light.


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## swelchjohn (Apr 29, 2010)

theloadeddragon said:


> I mean the plant may outgrow the light in 2-3 weeks. My wifes will probably last a bit longer before they need more light.


Ooh I see. I was wondering why you were getting 100 watters when you are already working with so much more. Now I see it's just to start a few off.


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## swelchjohn (May 3, 2010)

Packed on tons of foliage since the last update. I plan to start flowering towards the end of the week as I am about to pass up 12" quickly. They can be no taller than 30-32" and I expect we'll be at 14-15" very soon. Anyway here's a photo :


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## gumball (May 3, 2010)

Again, very nice and clean. They are growing so much! I can't wait to see them flower. You gonna try and take any clones, I can't remember if you said or not?


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## swelchjohn (May 3, 2010)

gumball said:


> Again, very nice and clean. They are growing so much! I can't wait to see them flower. You gonna try and take any clones, I can't remember if you said or not?


No sir, these are clones themselves. I don't have the means to support them anyway. I've got materials to grow but it would take a trip to the hydro store to be set up for clones today. I've still got my Master Kush seeds from last season's outdoor to use for my next round. They've got strong genetics so I'll not only be cloning but doing some pollenating as well. I would like to start breeding Purple Cream x Master Kush along with continuing the Master Kush I have. We nurtured a couple of the PC males and collected loads of pollen. What do you think about that? Master Purple? or what about Creamy Kush?  ..Needless to say, soon enough there will be a thread on the construction of my new grow room and lots of goodies coming out of commission.


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## MJ Crescendo (May 4, 2010)

O boy, they look very healthy! Mad respect on the small grow and getting your plants to a admirable size in veg. This is the key to us small growers! Honestly, as far as I can see, each of those will cola up pretty nice and I'd estimate around 20 grams dry a plant. Of course, you have a full flower period before any real estimates can be made. Get them on 12/12 and watch as they stretch out and fill out with pistils. I have come to think that there is no point in having these upward 600w hps lights for a personal grow. I know my 150w hps (cost $20 + ship) has yielded me almost 20 grams of headies over the past few mini grows. If you put your mind to it and train the girls (veg big) a 150w hps can yield pretty well. 

You seem to know exactly what you are doing, but just a note: keep that light as close as possible, I heard that 150w hps only has 6'' of penetration into a canopy, so gotta utilize that as much as possible. Also keep a close eye on pH as that seems to be the #1 problem I have seen from growers. I personally use fox farm ocean forest soil which has some pH buffers to keep it in the 6.5 range and everytime I check the runoff, of course 6.5. All n all lookin good brotha and I can't wait to see them flower. Best o luck!


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## swelchjohn (May 4, 2010)

MJ Crescendo said:


> O boy, they look very healthy! Mad respect on the small grow and getting your plants to a admirable size in veg. This is the key to us small growers! Honestly, as far as I can see, each of those will cola up pretty nice and I'd estimate around 20 grams dry a plant. Of course, you have a full flower period before any real estimates can be made. Get them on 12/12 and watch as they stretch out and fill out with pistils. I have come to think that there is no point in having these upward 600w hps lights for a personal grow. I know my 150w hps (cost $20 + ship) has yielded me almost 20 grams of headies over the past few mini grows. If you put your mind to it and train the girls (veg big) a 150w hps can yield pretty well.
> 
> You seem to know exactly what you are doing, but just a note: keep that light as close as possible, I heard that 150w hps only has 6'' of penetration into a canopy, so gotta utilize that as much as possible. Also keep a close eye on pH as that seems to be the #1 problem I have seen from growers. I personally use fox farm ocean forest soil which has some pH buffers to keep it in the 6.5 range and everytime I check the runoff, of course 6.5. All n all lookin good brotha and I can't wait to see them flower. Best o luck!


Thank you very much for the notations and I will keep the advice in mind. You're right, more healthy foliage = more buds in the end. I hope to break 1gram/watt so let hope your estimate is off lol. I've never handled such small space before, and it is VERY surprising how these ladies thrive. PH isn't as much of an issue as one might think; cannabis is a PH tolerant plant. Sure there are certain elements that get used MORE efficiently at certain PH levels, but PH is definately nothing to worry about if the plants are healthy as can be. I have used nothing but municipal water straight from the tap or hose whether indoors or out OH NO, and never ran into all these wicked PH problems folks rant about. It's a scape goat more than anything, if you ask me(not trying to start an argument, so please don't jump at it). TRUE, light penetration for lower wattage HPS systems is not nearly as effective as their larger cousins but I have my air exhanged around 7 times a minute so I am able to keep my lamp between 3-6" from the plants at all times. Also with this cabinet, the higher the light goes, the closer the plants can be to it. It cools off more the closer is gets to exhaust. I went nuts with the reflective material. There isn't a square mm left in this thing that won't reflect light. That has loads to do with my light penetration. If I had gone with a lesser material, or none at all, I bet my girls would not be NEARLY as bushy. Stay tuned. Going 12/12 soon.


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## hardroc (May 4, 2010)

Hey man, 
Nice grow so far.
Where'd you get the Bannana Kush?


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## swelchjohn (May 4, 2010)

hardroc said:


> Hey man,
> Nice grow so far.
> Where'd you get the Bannana Kush?


Thank you! They are both clones from a local dispensary. I've got access to the seeds of both as well. I was thinking about adding both to the next grow, as I already have Master Kush seeds. All Kush grow? MM MM.


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## gumball (May 4, 2010)

what did you use for reflective material? it almost looks like overlapping HVAC duct tape. looks reflective though!


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## swelchjohn (May 4, 2010)

gumball said:


> what did you use for reflective material? it almost looks like overlapping HVAC duct tape. looks reflective though!


I used a heat-resistant type of tape that's about 4" wide, 3M makes it. It wasn't ducting specific, but you could use it as such.Extremely reflective and very durable. It was what I had on hand when I constructed this cabinet so that was what I used. It does the job as well as or better than mylar.


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## gumball (May 4, 2010)

yeah, i used the sheet insulation with the foil on one side, and it is very reflective, and dimpled in a weird way which appears to reflect very well. you gotta use what you got.


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## swelchjohn (May 5, 2010)

Started flowering last night. Things are on the go and looking very lush. Photo :


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## theloadeddragon (May 5, 2010)

lookin good man.... lookin good.


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## swelchjohn (May 5, 2010)

theloadeddragon said:


> lookin good man.... lookin good.


Thank you sir.


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## 18fan (May 8, 2010)

Those look insane bro!

Keep it up, the fun is just starting,lol


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## swelchjohn (May 8, 2010)

18fan said:


> Those look insane bro!
> 
> Keep it up, the fun is just starting,lol


Thank you, but this ain't my first rodeo. Keep checking in these pictures get better every update.


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## 18fan (May 9, 2010)

I will keep checkin in, looking forward to more pics!

Have a good day!


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## bigv1976 (May 9, 2010)

Great grow bro!


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## swelchjohn (May 9, 2010)

bigv1976 said:


> Great grow bro!


Thanks man. Later today I'll get a couple update pictures after lights on. Tomorrow or tuesday marks the start of week two of flowering.


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## swelchjohn (May 9, 2010)

The humidity is only getting worse, as it is spring time on the coast. I've stated before this small of a grow is unfamiliar so finding a solution for my humidity problem in such a small space has had me searching and pondering for the best solution.That and I've never grown coastal and boy I gotta say this is the first time I've really had issues with humidity. I thought about amping up my big ol 14,000 btu dehumidifier from the grow room at my old place, but that is too much for the small space. I don't want to dehumidify my whole house either, it's comfortable. I spent some cash on a mini dehumidifier and it's a complete piece of shit. It does not work nearly as well as it should for the noise it makes and is pretty much only good to prevent mold in closets and bathrooms. I got it at a local department store but here's a link of the same one : http://www.amazon.com/Bionaire-BDQ01-UC-Mini-Dehumidifier/dp/B002BWSKTS . I looked at a few others, and it seemed the best buy for what it was. With a RH of no lower than 65% and as high as 75% I risk flowering going to hell so something needs to be done quickly. I came up with a much more simple solution and I hope it works. First, I'm going to have my exhaust venting entirely outdoors. It's going into another room now so maybe venting out will help. Second, I'm going to pick up a couple buckets of desiccant and just set them inside the cabinet. I've used big 900 gram silica gel boxes for moisture control on the floor of large closets that I dried in and have one in my gun safe right now to prevent moisture corrosion. I factored in the possibility of the desiccant not even working because they're ment for normal rooms that don't have the air being exchaned 7-8 times per minute. I'm going to go a bit overkill with it to start and dial down until I've got the right amount, if it even works. If this solution doesn't work, I guess I'll just hook up my dehumidfier in the house and pretend I live in the mountains again.


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## swelchjohn (May 9, 2010)

Bump bump. Anyone have a few thoughts? Better yet are there any cabinet growers on the south coast of California with humidity issues and viable solutions?


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## swelchjohn (May 13, 2010)

It's about fucking time for an update. Solved my humidity issue with some desiccant boxes outside of my intakes, completely venting exhaust outside and running my fans 24/7. They're so cramped in the cabinet that I want as much air moving in there as possible at all times..We're approaching summer so lights off temps aren't too cold for them at all. Banana Kush started showing mild signs of P deficiency at the end of 1 week flowering so I just moved both of them up to bloom nutrients. I usually stay with vegetative nutrients for the first week or maybe two of flower and add a couple points of pure P to round it off, but Banana needed full flowering nutrients so that's what happened. Otherwise things are going well. Here are photos I snapped while they were in the bathroom for a thorough neem oil spraying.
Bubba Kush






Banana Kush






That two main stalk thing with the Banana is still interesting. It seems most of the bud growth is going to be concentrated on two main tops with much fewer small bud sites. Bubba is going to make me drool after harvest, I know it. She's got 7 large tops forming with one more that's not too far behind and lots of inner foliage going on as well.


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## swelchjohn (May 15, 2010)

12 days.


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## swelchjohn (May 15, 2010)

I guess everyone forgot about this thread


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## Danielsgb (May 15, 2010)

I've been 'scribed and watching
Daniels


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## swelchjohn (May 15, 2010)

Danielsgb said:


> I've been 'scribed and watching
> Daniels


Ha! Fantastic. How do you like the new Bubba update? I like the way the clone grew as if it were topped.


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## rmoreno1771 (May 15, 2010)

swelchjohn said:


> Thank you! They are both clones from a local dispensary. I've got access to the seeds of both as well. I was thinking about adding both to the next grow, as I already have Master Kush seeds. All Kush grow? MM MM.


Nice Grow bro!!! we have similar grow areas except yours is way cooler lol.....I have some master kush growing right now check it out!

https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/315613-master-kush-cfl-grow.html


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## swelchjohn (May 15, 2010)

I appreciate it. I'll stop by and check out what you have going.


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## rmoreno1771 (May 15, 2010)

thanks for stopping by....what do your temps range from? I NOTICE THIS STRAIN DOESNT LIKE TEMPS OVER 87....


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## swelchjohn (May 16, 2010)

rmoreno1771 said:


> thanks for stopping by....what do your temps range from? I NOTICE THIS STRAIN DOESNT LIKE TEMPS OVER 87....


No higher than 82 and no lower than 70.


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## swelchjohn (May 27, 2010)

My camera's battery died after I took this pic of Banana Kush, so none of Bubba right now. I guess I should charge it more often.


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## sublimed (May 28, 2010)

looking taaaaaasty my brotha 

subscribizzled


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## swelchjohn (May 28, 2010)

sublimed said:


> looking taaaaaasty my brotha
> 
> subscribizzled


Thanks. You should smell it. Obviously some Banana in there, but a very cool, mellow, sweet scent that calms.


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## sublimed (May 28, 2010)

yea i know exactly whatcha mean.. that kinda shit leaves a fruity tang in your mouth wen you blaze


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## swelchjohn (May 29, 2010)

Bubba Kush





Not as frosty as the Banana yet, but she has been the slower growing of the two since day one. Sticky dense buds to the touch, amazing potent aroma.

Banana Kush





I've gone absolutely bananas waiting for Banana. Such an amazing Kush, hard to believe I haven't discovered it until now. Covered in frost from tops to popcorn, and stanks so sweet and smooth.


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## swelchjohn (May 29, 2010)

I like this Banana pic.


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## SimC33 (Jun 6, 2010)

If you dont mind me asking...how is the light rigged under the shade you made? Could you show a picture of how it is attached? I am asking because I am setting this up as we speak while waiting on my seeds to get here. And I noticed in the thread you mentioned you can adjust, so I really am intrigued and highly enthusiastic about this grow lol. Also, where can I find that bulb? Thanks! and look forward to the update.


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## MR Zulu (Jun 4, 2016)

so this will be my first indoor grow, I just got my girls this morning, going to start on cabinet tonight after work, Durbin Poison is there strain. Was wondering if you guys/gals think I could get away using a 70-100Watt HPS bulb for my Two/One plant grow? And any suggestions on what brand or types of nutrients that are good for indoor growing? Sorry if these are common sense questions, but like I said this will be my first indoor grow. Well besides the many fails as a child trying to grow some pot in a closet but that was many moons ago. Here is a picture of the Two girls.


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