My official grow-cabinet weed blog (pix)

the official (donnieosmond)
grow-cabinet weed blog...

Hey guys! I'm kinda new to the forums but today was my first official day building my very own grow cabinet which I am going to use for flowering my plants in a few months.

My cabinet was purchased from Your Average Tool Store for $59.99, as was the Reflectix insulation and foil-tape pictured. The cabinet is a Rubbermaid.

Attached to the cabinet is a 70w HPS, which is screwed into the back of the cabinet and held in place with a metal plate and nuts. To electrically install the HPS, I simply snipped the female end off your average computer cord and stripped the wires and attached them to the HPS using wire nuts (that came with it). I used a drill with a forstner bit to drill a hole in the back of the cabinet to allow the cord to go cleanly and unnoticed through the back.

Throughout this blog, I will attempt to keep an updated product list for anyone attempting to follow what I am doing for their own projects or ideas.

Supplies needed so far:

• Rubbermaid cabinet $59.99
• Reflectix reflectable insulation $19.99
• Aluminum foil tape $5.99
• 70w HPS light $49.75
• Computer cord: Free for me, had extra ones.

Tools used so far:

• Wire strippers/snippers
• Electric drill with forstner bits
• Small wrench to tighten nuts on the back of the cabinet

Here are some pictures of the cabinet, more to be posted tomorrow:

ImageShack - Hosting :: cab1xm0.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: cab2tj7.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: cab3ca1.jpg

To-do list:

• Use composite saw to remove shelf to allow for max growth
• Install exhaust fan(s)
• Use foil tape to seal any leaks on inside of cabinet
• Figure out a way to make doors light-proof
• Install Temperature/Hygrometer gauge
• Install power strip to back of unit
• Install Reflectix insulation
• Connect unit to timer
• Start growing!!!

A quick note:

Just something I've noticed: the rubbermaid container conveniently comes with an area to lock the unit from unwanted visitors... BUT after a little thought on this matter I realized that all they'd really have to do is remove the top of the cabinet which slides right off. On the top of my list tomorrow will be to purchase some very strong rubber cement to bind the unit together so that this will not happen.

I like the handiwork but that looks like it's going to be too short for flowering....how tall is that thing?

Just a few things that some of you lovely people might be able to help me out with:

Do you think that this is enough light for the given space? The 70w shines pretty brightly.

What kind of exhaust system will I need for this unit? I live in an apartment and don't have access to any ducts.

Any ideas for light-proofing the doors? I'm still brain-dead in that area.

Any ideas for improving the chamber? I want it to be top-notch for what I have to work with, as my primary consideration is stealth. I am not someone who would be associated with smoking (OR GROWING) marijuana and could lose my job. Also, living in an apartment, there's always the off chance you can have a pesky landlord or maintenance man come in.

The two strains of weed I will be flowering in here are Dutch Dragon and Hawaii Maui Waui. Any thoughts on how they will do in this environment? Also, any information on these two strains would be helpful. I have about 25" of vertical space to work with, tight I know. But I'm only growing for myself.

My goal is to ideally harvest 8-12 ounces of marijuana in 12 months using this setup. I'd freeze the extra buds and have them on hand when I need them. I probably will not be selling and only using for personal use at home.

THANKS GUYS!

That's a small area to work with, does the 25" of vertical space take into account the light and the container(s) for the plant(s)?

For your purposes a Screen of Green would probably best to maximize yield, and I don't think you'll be able to fit more than one or maybe two plants in there. The 70w light will cover a little over a square foot of space adequately for flowering, you may want to add in some CFLs to allow for faster growth and bigger/denser bugs in the end.

As for the light covering the doors with mylar wrapping paper or the reflective aluminum tape on the edges should work fine. You don't really have to worry about it for a while though if you do 24/7 light during the veg period.

That looks awfully small there man, how do you plan on growing these plants?

peace
k-town

The 25" accounts for the light and soil pot yes. I only plan on growing 1 or 2 plants at a time so I am perfectly happy with that fact. Like I said, discretion is a must for my setup and it's my first grow. Start small -- a fact of life ya know? I was definitely thinking of adding some floros to the chamber, maybe dual 18" verticals on each side?

I would find a way of mounting that HPS vertically and creating your own reflector for it, you will get much more space and you will get more light out of that bulb. I would add flouros to the setup, you will need them but also add them to the back as well. To save space you could make a mini DWC hydro setup using a tubberware container and some net pots and air stones, might save you some space.

25" could work well with a screen in there. One thing is this type of setup would be better starting with clones than seeds so you may want to use some CFLs to keep a small mother plant in there once they're established. I wouldn't use the tubes, I'd use the compact fluoros, the spiral ones, higher wattage the better, they're cheap though. Then you can move them around as the plant grow to adjust lighting all over.

So should I just install some sockets around the box or what for these CFLs? I'm going to the store tomorrow and I'll pick them up then. Where could I find some really good information on Hydro setups? Should I combine the SoG setup and a Hydro setup? Since this was my first grow I was initially considering just sticking a pot with good soil in there and baking it for a few weeks but I'm starting to think about spending a little more to completely maximize my yield for the space.... soooo a little help here? I have Grow Great Marijuana marijuana on the way from Amazon but in the meantime...

I'd combine the hydro and ScrOG (SOG involves a lot of plants and no screen going for only the top cola) I'd go to a Salvation Army store or Goodwill and get some lamp cords, just an extension cord with a lamp socket on the end, and get a few 27w or 42w CFLs from home depot. I'd just run a surge protector to the box and all the CFLs from that.

Hydroponic bubble bucket
Lets Build a Bubble Bucket *Step by Step* - Grasscity.com Forums

scrog it is thanks m8

Donnie, I used a box very similar to yours (see pic) and I will tell you that unless your top or lst like a mofo, you will outgrow that height in less than 2 weeks of flowering. You would have done better to outfit the $40 wooden pantry cupboard that Target has on sale right now. It's 6' tall and will provide plenty enough room. Videoman has a very good how-to using this cupboard. Good look!

Thanks for the input hearmenow, i'm going to keep on plugging away with this cabinet and the ScrOG setup, here are the 2 newest pictures. I used a combination of a composite hacksaw and a handsaw to remove the shelf and the aluminum foil tape to remove all of the light from the connecting joints of the cabinet. Next step: run to the store and pick up a screen and a few 42w CFLs...

Good luck with that. Keep us poste.

well first off is that 70w hps one of those commercial street lights? if so that thing is gonna get hot as fuck. you might want to go 12-12 from seed to keep em small, and be careful adding cfls with that little box it could raise temps alot more than u think. 8-12oz will not happen , you might get a fat 1oz

Hmm, that is a small cabinet.
Looks like you could make a run of it though as long as the plants do not get to close to the light.
Temp will be a problem.
You will need some sort of intake and exhaust fans. Computer fans will prob work.
If you could take the shlef out then you would have more room to work with.
You may have to set a small box or make shift shelf in closer to the bottom depending on that light.

I installed a computer fan in my box well within the CFM recommended for my space. I will say that one will NOT be enough to deal with the heat. Mine was hot all the time and that was without a HPS. I would need to install 2 or 3 exhaust fans to keep that box cool. If you seal the box up good, then you'll need intake fans as well.

25" will work fine for SCRoG or LST.

I have a 21" high grow space. The plants are LST to 12" pot and all. Lights are still hanging and raised only when I can't tie down the plant.

Good luck with your grow, Bra.

P

Sorry.. just realized I forgot to post the newest pics!

Here they are:

ImageShack - Hosting :: cab4de4.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: cab5nt8.jpg

Where should I put the fans? I was thinking about getting 3 120mm computer exhaust fans and mouting them in the top left, and putting another small oscillating fan on the bottom right with some holes on the bottom right as well. Can I scrap the CFLs and hope for a decent yield without them? I don't want it to get too hot in there.

Thanks

Heat rises, so anywhere high up in the cabinet is good. If you install intake fans, to pull cool air in, you want those near the bottom. I tried installing an oscillating fan in my grow box but couldn't get it to fit with the door shut. You also want to allow yourself some flexibility in moving your other lights around. I am assuming you'll also get some CFLs for side lighting. As your plant grows and fills out, you'll need to move your side lighting around accordingly.