Psychadelibuds Underground Laboratory

psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
Howdy Folks!

I have been posting for a couple of weeks over on the "Grow Room Design and Setup" thread section. If you want to follow my progress of the construction of my operation please click this link to get more details of the setup...... http://rollitup.org/t/underground-dream-garden-construction-and-troubleshooting.954386/

Now, on with the basics and introduction...

Basically the op itself is still under construction, however, I have decided to go ahead and move my progress from the setup thread to a journal, as the grow will be under way hopefully by this coming Monday...

Now let's go over the basic history and setup of the operation.

I will be running this grow underground in a large storm cellar that was built back in the mid to late 90's by a man whom ran a concrete business, on a new property I have purchased recently. So this tells me that the structure itself is made very well and is going to hold up for a while. I have had a zero turn mower and a terramite "small backhoe" on the top of the cellar so we know it isn't going to cave in...

I have put 3 layers of flat white drylok masonry paint on the walls and filled in any cracks I had found in the process with masonry crack sealer which there were very very few small cracks here and there.

I then built a studded wall structure out of 2x4s. The cellar itself measures 18ft long, 8ft wide and 6ft 3 inches tall. So I went ahead and enclosed a 6ft by 18 foot room and left a small walkway/lung room on the outside of the grow room.

I insulated the inside of the room with 3/4 inch reflective rigid foam insulation, reflective side turned towards the grow room. This material seems very reflective.. The outside studs for the wall in the lungroom/walkway are also insulated and sealed so this room will be insulated extremely well. Sealed all cracks and crevices with spray foam sealer.

I also went ahead and split the center of the room with studs and foundation support just in case I ever wanna split the rooms into two, all I have to do is throw on some foam board insulation and it will become two 8x6 rooms... Easy does It!

That is most of the basics for the structure. Oh, And I do have dirt floors that will be lined with plastic and heavy duty tarps over it. I believe this will work just fine because you seem them do the same thing beneath homes in crawl spaces, they lay thick plastic to create a vapor barrier.

Now for the electric..

The room is setup with a 100 amp panel currently and is fed in with 2246 aluminum wire, enough to power an entire home. I will only be running 4 1000 watt lights for now on 240v from a titan Helios 7 controller, but in the future I plane on upgrading to 6000 watts total and also digging out the room deeper and adding a concrete floor to help with height and moisture issues. Honestly before I ever done anything period to this cellar I never seen a leak except from around the window which will be sealed. No moisture has ever been seen either on the walls or celing.

I will have a 70 pint dehumidifier, 6 inch insulated duct, 2 blockbuster hoods, 2 dominator xxxl hoods, one carbon filter, a can fan pro 450cfm inline fan (have an even stronger one for backup if needed ( connected to a thermostatically controlled outlet, a space heater to heat the room during lights off and a few oscillating fans.

I will be running promix bx, either 3 or 5 gallon grow bags and likely a scrog system as well. It will be my first time ever doing scrog so I will have to get that dialed in.

Basically I feel I am off to a good start. There may be a few changes that I will make here and there but for now I believe I am ready for take off.

This is not my "first grow", I have at least 20 indoor under my belt and 15 plus years experience outdoors. This is however my first run in the cellar, in a larger grow area where I am used to running two 5x5 tents. This will in a way be new to me and I am extremely excited to see how it all works out!

I had obtained around 32 cuttings back in October that have been vegging since they rooted so my first go I am going to just throw them from the solo cups and tote they are in now into 3 gallon grow bags and veg them out for 2 weeks or less before flipping to 12/12. Now I do have a veg room in a separate location but it is getting some construction done now as well and I need to make sure the spider mite infestation is gone from when I shut it down back in late August.

I will be running the following clones...

Headbanger #4
GG #4
413 Chem
Chem 91
And finally, StarDawg "Corey cut"

I also have a $2,200 seed order I will be working with soon as well. Will list those later on. For now, heading back to the cellar to get to work :D...

Here is some new progress...

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psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
I almost have the walls finished. Stayed up overnight on "3rd shift" and put the work in. Also covered the 80ft trench and main wire feed, back filled with dirt removing rocks. Now that was a job.

Gonna get some rest and instal some outlets upon awakening and then get started in a heavy duty reinforced entry door!!!

Hoping by Monday night we will see some green under some T5's vegging for a couple of weeks :D!!

And over look the mess, this is what happens when ya get in a hurry.

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psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
Well here is a little update... Progress is coming along fine so far. Just got my 120 outlets wired up lastnight and my 240c Titan Controller wired as well. Now I need to finish the floor and get my main entry door build and put on, order my nutrients and a few other things and I'll have this grow rollin'!!!

I had really planned on having it going by tomorrow but looks like it isn' gonna happen. However it WILL be finished this week. Once I get floors installed tonight I will take some new photos to throw up if the progress.

Had a heart to heart talk with the girls earlier and they are ready to show me what they got... Said they would not let me down and I trust them haha...
 

psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
Nice work PDB. Cant wait to see something green in there. Seems like you got strain variety well under control too :bigjoint:
Thanks Red! I couldn't wait myself, any longer. So the room has progressed very much more so since posting the last update.

I had planned on getting it all done by Monday which I would estimate that I have around 95% finished for now. But the good news is, the girls finally come out of that little ass tote and squatted themselves beneath some T5's!

Finally, we are on our way somewhere!

As of now they are still in the solo cups and clear plastic party cups that I rooted them in unfortunately...

However, tomorrow/today (tomorrow to me because I have not been to bed yet haha), they are finally getting transplanted to one or 2 gallon bags into promix and a dose of veg nutes and something to tickle and stimulate those roots. Yes, they do look a little ruff but hey they have been crowded in a small tote since October just dying to get more root space and a beautiful home to dwell in!

I am planning on a week and a half or maybe 2 week veg before flipping and taking cuts off the lowers to continue my milf's. I still have not decided to run them in 3 or 5 gallon bags during flower. I'm really feeling 5 but then again I'm seeing 3 work better as well.

Now for the room, I laid 8 mil plastic down on the floor and sealed the plastic to the walls. This is the same method they use beneath homes these days called a "vapor or moisture barrier". Then on top of that I put heavy duty tarps and sealed those down as well. Beneath the white plastic you will see in my photos lies a heat blanket I purchased for 19 bucks from Wal-Mart. I am gonna test her out and see how she works on increasing rapid root growth vs no warmth. The blanket heats very well and has 3 settings to control the heat.

Probably go ahead and hook my dehumidifier up tomorrow as well as I noticed sweat a couple nights ago on the ceiling "the side that I did not paint with drylok" of course.. But that particular night was extremely cold and it happened when the heater was turned on while I was working. So I know dehumidifier is going to be a must. May still possibly insulate the ceilings eventually but I believe a 70 pint dehu to drain would work out very well.

Stay tuned folks!

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psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
Nice work PDB. Cant wait to see something green in there. Seems like you got strain variety well under control too :bigjoint:
Oh, and Red, I hope to get the veg room sorted out soon so I can start popping those beans and begin my pheno hunt. I am going to set off three foggers in the room over a period of two weeks to make sure I wipe out any mite or other bitch ass insect that exists, for that matter. Outside area of veg room is infested with brown recluses as well so I hope they all fuckin die! Lol, excuse my language.

Then I will likely run a couple hot shot no pest strips as well and then finally spray the room down with 90% isopropyl alcohol. And then, my friend... In that moment, the hunt shall begin.
 
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psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
I remember reading somewhere that the hotshot strips are a no go,can contaminate plants ?

Looking good PDB !
Yes I have read the same. But I'm talking about using them in my veg room for a bit during the cleanup phase, before I put the plants into the room. It will be 2 or 2 and a half weeks before I put any plants in the veg room.

And thanks man, wish I could have concreted the floors this go around but I'll catch up on that after next harvest.
 
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psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
Well I thought that I had a new package of some grow bags on hand for the short vegetative process they will be going through.

But little had I known, I used them begging this past guerilla grow over the summer. So, being near the veg room, I am giving them a good soakingwith a mixture of hot water and bleach for about 30 minutes. Then rinsing, then off to the lab we will go to start transplanting!

Ahhh boy am I excited!
 

psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
Another update for yall :D!!

Started early AM doing transplants, finally got them done. Ran out of one gallon bags and had to cut some 3 gals down to around 2 or 1.5 gallon, oh well... It will work the same.

Got the dehumidifier plugged up and to my surprise the humidity in this room was only 65%! Wow, figured it would be super high. A 70 pint dehuy is a very large dehumidifier for this size of space. So hopefully it would be more efficient than a smaller one. Turned her on high and literally the humidity dropped from 65% to 50% in less than 8 minutes. So honestly I do not think humidity will be as big of an issue for me as people previously claimed in my construction threads. At least not with this bad ass dehumidifier... :)

I am one less plant down too sadly, dropped a head banger and it banged its head alright, snapped the poor girl in half... Fortunately I have around 8 or 9 more HB #5's so thank God for that.

Also pimped out my Titan Controls Helios 7 haha.. It is now legit.

Gettin' r done son!

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psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
Hmmm, well I have been doing a lot of reading in the past hour and a half. I have done this in the past, but with a way smaller room a 5x5 tent with I believe it was somewhere around 45 to 65 plants? I don't quiet recall right now but once I get everything dialed in, get me a few mothers vegged out and do some pheno hunting, I am going to pull the trigger on a SOG.

It will be a while unfortunately before I am able to do so. I am going to compare yields with the sea of green vs the way I am running them this time. I want it to be set up to perfect timing though so I am absolutely going to wait until everything is dialed and zeroed in.

I have also been wanting to try growing in coco. What about a half and half mix this round (coco/promix)? Or Fox Farms has a mix called "CocoLoco", anyone ever tried this stuff???
 

psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
I believe I am going to try coco. I know I have them in promix now but I am going to transplant from the one and two gallon containers into 5 gallon containers come flowering time filled with coco. Anyone advise against this?? Will this work?

I don't personally see why it wouldn't. I believe the roots would be more than happy to grow on out into the coco. I would likely use Advanced Nutrients Sensi coco PH perfect grow and bloom as well.

What do you guys think about this plan??? Should I go with straight coco like CannaCoco or Coco Loco by fox farms??
 

HydroRed

Well-Known Member
Sorry PDB, I have no experience in coco. My advice on the whole thing is maybe get your feet wet with it when in veg instead of swapping out to 5gals right before flower. Maybe you would have a little more wiggle room for the learning curve vs learning on a flower cycle. Then when you get your feet wet with it, toss em in flower from the pots they are in and go all in with uppotting to 5 gal on the next round. Just my .02
 

thumper60

Well-Known Member
Hmmm, well I have b lot of reading in the past hour and a half. I have done this in the past, but with a way smaller room a 5x5 tent with I believe it was somewhere around 45 to 65 plants? I don't quiet recall right now but once I get everything dialed in, get me a few mothers vegged out and do some pheno hunting, I am going to pull the trigger on a SOG.

It will be a while unfortunately before I am able to do so. I am going to compare yields with the sea of green vs the way I am running them this time. I want it to be set up to perfect timing though so I am absolutely going to wait until everything is dialed and zeroed in.

I have also been wanting===I used to cut my bx with coco just to save a few pennys,it worked well now I just run the hp same results less work no more breaking up blocks.i hate straight coco holds to much water for my liking
 

psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
Sorry PDB, I have no experience in coco. My advice on the whole thing is maybe get your feet wet with it when in veg instead of swapping out to 5gals right before flower. Maybe you would have a little more wiggle room for the learning curve vs learning on a flower cycle. Then when you get your feet wet with it, toss em in flower from the pots they are in and go all in with uppotting to 5 gal on the next round. Just my .02
Very good advice Red.. I am bad to jump into things too quickly. Lol.
 
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