Building my 4X8 Auto-grow tent/room

Bignutes said:

For autos I'd run a dedicated flower schedule, that's just me. Your yields will be bigger and nugs will be denser. If it were me your already set up for a perpetual grow with two spaces.

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SmoltimeGrow said:

Awesome setup my friend. You did this right. Looks great. You seem like the type that might like this; I use a couple wireless outlets so I can track the electrical usage of my fans, my lights, and the whole tent. Makes setting up schedules and things super easy. You might wanna look into it; usually only like $10-20/outlet

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CptTripps said:

Please elaborate. You mean run 12/12 out of the gate? I need the second tent for drying and curing.

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Bignutes said:

No run the small tent for veg at 16-24 lights on, then when they outgrow the space move them to larger tent and either continue vegging or go straight to flower 12/12. For drying and curing just put the colas in an enclosed but breathable box in the main flower tent you won't need that much space. Your temps and humidity will be just right if it's dialed in for both flowering and curing. You will end up with larf buds with a light schedule like your proposing.

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CptTripps said:

Hey, gang. Thought about putting this on my grow journal, but decided a thread here made more sense. I started growing only about 2 months ago, in an attempt to get a constant supply of cheaper medicine for my Fiancé, who suffers from Crohn’s disease.

I started out like everyone else these days…buying a cheap LED on Amazon. After about 3 days of spending time here, I realized that was going to be woefully underpowered. I bought a MarsHydro TSW2000 for the 3X3 tent that I purchased, and that seemed like it was going to be enough. But realizing that I can only put 4 plants in there at a time (and even that was cramped) I started thinking about going bigger.

I’d been contemplating how/where to put a 4X8 tent. I figure I could put 10 plants in there, only grow autos so I could keep the same light schedule, and plant 2 new ones every 2-3 weeks. So, as I fill up the tent, I’ll always have 2 seedlings, 4 in veg, and 4 in flower. I figured I’d turn my 3X3 into a “drying only” tent.

Since we’re in a “new construction” house, I have a large unfinished portion of my basement. There was one area that I could put up a wall, and would give me enough room for a 4X8, my 3X3 drying/curing tent, and I could vent it all out into the garage. Seemed perfect. Time to get to work.

Call to a few local construction companies netted me a number of quotes for building the wall. There was one guy that said if I wanted it quickly, he could come the next day and get started with his crew. Score! I had this all built under the rouse that I was building a darkroom for processing photos. (My father and grandfather were photographers, so I know all about that too.) I told them where I needed plugs on the walls for enlargers, and that I needed plumbing on another wall for the rince/development station. I drew up plans and showed him. He and his crew showed up the next morning, and banged out the wall, door, electrical, and plumbing in a matter of 5hrs. One of the construction guys took photography in college, so we geeked out on lab equipment for a while, and I showed him some of the prints that I’d done in the dark-room at my old house. (Were I did have a dark room.) No suspicion at all, I think.

Before:

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After:

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So now, I’ve got a 12’ X 10’ room, with all the electrical and plumbing I need…tucked away and hidden from prying eyes in the back corner of my basement. Time to get shopping for equipment!

Since I already had one MarsHydro TSW2000, I figured I’d just stick with that for the other two lights in the tent. (I know I could do better with DIY stuff, I just don’t have the energy for that.) I bought the Vivosun 4X8 tent to match my 3X3 that would be relegated to drying, and started researching bigger exhaust fans. I found that the Infinity CloudLine T6 had a built-in thermometer controller, so that was an easy choice. Coupled it with a G-Hydro 6” carbon filter. Since I already had a 4” carbon filter setup from Vivosun for the drying tent, I think I’m just going to put that on a timer to run for 30min every 3h and vent it into the grow tent. The grow tent has 6” plumbing, and will vent into the garage behind the trash cans. That SHOULD keep smell under control. I’m not sure what I’ll do if it doesn’t. I can cross that bridge when I get to it I guess.

Everything arrived over the next few days. I normally wake up about 4:00am, long before everyone else in the house gets up, so I decided to get started and see if it’d all go to plan.

The 3X3 fit perfectly into the nook I had cut out for it. Score! Next up was the 4X8. What a bitch that is to wrestle with at 4:30am by yourself. In the end, it only took me about 30min to put it all together. It’s about 3” longer than I expected, but it still fits well into the space. The vent from the (now) drying tent went perfectly into the side of the grow tent. Couldn't have planned that better.

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Next up was layout for all the mechanicals. The 6” carbon filter and fan are a LOT bigger than the 4” in the little tent that I’d set up a few months ago. These things are massive. I spent some time laying everything out, getting the straps where I wanted them, and hanging everything just so. Turned it on to test….and I had the fan on backwards. Damnit. So I started over and got that sorted. This fan has an external thermometer and hydrometer, separate from the controls. I set the sensor at about 2' off the ground so it's measuring at about the same height as the plants. I'll eventually mount the control panel on the wall...after I get a masonry bit for my drill and have some free time in the house. For now, it's on the ground outside the tent. Awesome purchase, of you ask me. I just set the max temp, and it adjusts the fan speed accordingly. SUPER quiet too. That really surprised me.

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Next up was lighting. I already had one TSW2000, so I knew what to expect there. The other two hung with no issues at all, spaced out so I have full coverage everywhere I'm growing. I have the first two turned down to 60% and 70% with the “flowering” light at 100%. When I had this light at just 100% all the time in my 3X3, it was too much for the younger plants. I’m planning on moving them “down the line”: as new plants come in, so I can just set the lights up, and let them run without needing to mess with them.

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The tent looks SO empty and I have a LOT more space than I was expecting. I don't think I'll have any issue getting 8 plants in here at all. So it'll just be these 4 for another 2 weeks, and then 2 more go in, then 2 more 3 weeks later as the ones in mid-flower right now come out and go to the drying tent. It'll be full in a few months.

About the only other thing I need to do is set up the humidifier, and get a larger fan. Haven't quite figured out how I want to handle that just yet. The tent is sitting at 50RH right now, so that'll do "ok" until I can get a better solution figured out. I have a small one I can throw in there that'll get it to 60-70.

Overall, I’m really happy with the new room. It’s out of the way of prying eyes, I have a lock on the door, and I’ve got decent gear. Now, it’s time to see if this all works out long-term the way I planned. Check my grow journal for updates on my progress. (Feel free to comment too…I’m still just a newbie at this.)

Overall budget for the whole operation has me at about $3,500 including the cost of the construction. With weed selling at the dispensaries for $600-oz here, after 6oz comes out of the tent, it's paid for.

Thanks for reading, Hope you all enjoyed it.

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JoeBlow5823 said:

Autos will flower when they want to regardless of how much light you give them. You are the first person ive seen recommend a 12/12 schedule for autos. Virtually everyone that grows autos says 18 hours plus per day.

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Bignutes said:

Yup I know, veg 18 but flower 12, it's your setup your call.

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Bignutes said:

12 hour light at 30 watts per sq ft will be more light than 18 hour at 15 watts per sq ft and the same as 24 continuous. Your bud quality and yield goes up with a lower color count during flower

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Bignutes said:

Cause I would bleach my plants, they are light saturated at 28 watts per sq ft (actual) at 14 hours. If your running three of your lights you can't reach 44w/sq ft in a 4x8, max would be 29. Unless your running them closer.

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JoeBlow5823 said:

I run a 1100w DE HPS in my 5x5. Plants love it.

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Bignutes said:

I thought it was three mars lights but I see what your saying now.

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