Computer Desk CFL grow box conversion

Grey Matter · Feb 20, 2011

This is my 2nd grow, first indoor. CFL grow desk with Blue Dream, Headband, Grape Jelly & Sour Diesel clones with Green Crack and Strawberry Cough seedlings.

Using General Hydroponics Flora Series for nutrients.

More pics to come as I perfect the build and add more accessories.

homer371 · Feb 20, 2011

first!

haha, finally got to do that. looks interesting man. i like the desk grow box idea. plants looking nice too! sub'd.

Grey Matter · Feb 20, 2011

Thanks Homer, congrats on the First post! I grew some great outdoor my first time, using the Flora Series nutrients and I decided to move it indoor with CFLs, even though I plan on doing some more outdoor as well, when weather permits. I just loved the outcome last time. My 1st grow was Strawberry Diesel, UK Cheese, and Trainwreck. This time is much different, but I plan on putting out some great medicine. I'll be posting regular updates, since I decided to use this forum as a journal of sorts. I also have a digital microscope camera, so you'll be able to see my actual trichomes and close up buddage at the end. New pics often.

Grey Matter · Feb 20, 2011

Added my cardboard drain tray covered with a trash bag and finalized my fans.

homer371 · Feb 20, 2011

nice in action pics, i like the trashbag idea for the tray. you're gonna love that sour diesel. i grew it my first grow, stinky lady, she was. still is lol. what are plans for odor control?

jhod58vw · Feb 20, 2011

looking good glad you finally got it going

Grey Matter · Feb 20, 2011

homer371 said:
nice in action pics, i like the trashbag idea for the tray. you're gonna love that sour diesel. i grew it my first grow, stinky lady, she was. still is lol. what are plans for odor control?

I don't really have any reason to control odor. Although I did add some weather stripping, but mostly for climate control. I have my medical papers here in Cali. and my landlords are kind of slumlords which makes it easy for me to maintain my privacy. I really don't get any company that doesn't medicate or that I don't trust, so no worries.

Grey Matter · Feb 20, 2011

Thanks jhod, I appreciate all the support.

HippySmoke · Feb 20, 2011

Grey Matter said:
I don't really have any reason to control odor. Although I did add some weather stripping, but mostly for climate control. I have my medical papers here in Cali. and my landlords are kind of slumlords which makes it easy for me to maintain my privacy. I really don't get any company that doesn't medicate or that I don't trust, so no worries.

With all due respect even with a medical license you may wish to keep odor control a thought, if it reeks on a warm day when you open your window and your neighborhood has a lot of children or your window is right by a playground or a school or some other conservative institution it can lead to hassles. Nothing they can do if you play by your states rules but a hassle nonethless. and it honestly gives anti-medical radicals ammo. My old ladies place reeked of cannabis when I was growing under her license but we made sure the house reeked and not the rest of the area (she was in a duplex at the time houses you have more room to work with as nobody who has the right to gripe has the right to just hang out in the lawn.) not only the ammo factor a big factor is the smell of grown cannabis can attract thieves.

But this is just a thought, do as you wish just please be safe.

(p.s. subbed!)

Grey Matter · Feb 20, 2011

HippySmoke said:
With all due respect even with a medical license you may wish to keep odor control a thought, if it reeks on a warm day when you open your window and your neighborhood has a lot of children or your window is right by a playground or a school or some other conservative institution it can lead to hassles. Nothing they can do if you play by your states rules but a hassle nonethless. and it honestly gives anti-medical radicals ammo. My old ladies place reeked of cannabis when I was growing under her license but we made sure the house reeked and not the rest of the area (she was in a duplex at the time houses you have more room to work with as nobody who has the right to gripe has the right to just hang out in the lawn.) not only the ammo factor a big factor is the smell of grown cannabis can attract thieves.

But this is just a thought, do as you wish just please be safe.

(p.s. subbed!)

I did buy some extra weather stripping for the box and for my house cuz I have poor insulation (see slumlord comment above). Thanks for the concern though, but thieves around here likely have more growing than I do and I say that with a straight face. I'm also only doing 10 plants for 2 patients with documented illnesses. Nothing conservative or educational around here either. I'm not big on following laws, but I'm HUGE on staying out of trouble and I've gotten real good at it. Again, I do appreciate anything I can learn on here, especially safety advice, so thanks. I'm new at this and I'm learning, but I'm not young and naive.

btw, how do I sub a thread? I see everyone doing it and I have yet to post, but I plan to today. Just been busy with the setup.

HippySmoke · Feb 20, 2011

Toward the top is a drop down menu that says thread tools click and the bottom option is subscribe to thread

Grey Matter · Feb 20, 2011

HippySmoke said:
Toward the top is a drop down menu that says thread tools click and the bottom option is subscribe to thread

Thank you, I think I've gotten more used to the site now.

HippySmoke · Feb 20, 2011

Glad to help!

Grey Matter · Feb 21, 2011

Well, looks like I made a beginners mistake. I found my bulbs at the 99 cent store and was so excited about saving money, I forgot to check if they were daylights (6500k), which they are not. So, I have a bunch of flowering 2700s in there and need togo out and get them replaced. Simple mistake, but almost cost me the whole damn batch. I'll be out getting those today hopefully, but other than that everything is up and running. I fed them last night, General Hydroponics FloraSeries trio. I'll post pics when I get the bulbs changed and clean it up a bit, but the ladies are looking fresh as can be without the proper lighting.

Another minor problem is my circulation, which is slightly poor because of my choice of fans. 2 x 80mm case fans, pushing less than 17 CFMs each. I didn't know about CFMs until after I installed them but there is a small desk fan inside pushing way more, I'm sure and that is keeping the circulation going well and the temp is not going over 80F.

My budget is pretty much gone for this box, but small changes or adjustments can be made, so any suggestions are welcome.

HippySmoke · Feb 22, 2011

My grow boxes are always in a state of upgrade, every week or so I get another 20 bucks worth of parts so I feel ya on the budget issues.

Some growers have had effective grows with 2700's through the whole run but they flowered practically from seed to minimize the red spectrum stretch. But 6500's would be much preferable for happy plants of course.

Yup ol' air circulation is key. If you got a spare "el cheapo" $10 box fan you can enclose it in cardboard and put ducting on the front or back and boom ya got ghettofied intake or exhaust. Like I took cardboard covered 3/4th's of the back of the fan from the top 3/4ths down and cut a hole for the engine to breathe (very important otherwise the fan will get hotter and hotter increasing temps) and then to direct the air better plus lightproof it I took a piece of cardboard and taped it to the bottom 1/3rd of the front side of the fan then put the fan in front of the box. Not as good as exhausting the heat but I can move some AIR and it is way quieter per cfm than the smaller fans. I guess due the the area of the blade, since it is bigger the fan likely does not have to move as fast to displace the same level of air.

Grey Matter · Feb 24, 2011

HippySmoke said:
My grow boxes are always in a state of upgrade, every week or so I get another 20 bucks worth of parts so I feel ya on the budget issues.

Some growers have had effective grows with 2700's through the whole run but they flowered practically from seed to minimize the red spectrum stretch. But 6500's would be much preferable for happy plants of course.

Yup ol' air circulation is key. If you got a spare "el cheapo" $10 box fan you can enclose it in cardboard and put ducting on the front or back and boom ya got ghettofied intake or exhaust. Like I took cardboard covered 3/4th's of the back of the fan from the top 3/4ths down and cut a hole for the engine to breathe (very important otherwise the fan will get hotter and hotter increasing temps) and then to direct the air better plus lightproof it I took a piece of cardboard and taped it to the bottom 1/3rd of the front side of the fan then put the fan in front of the box. Not as good as exhausting the heat but I can move some AIR and it is way quieter per cfm than the smaller fans. I guess due the the area of the blade, since it is bigger the fan likely does not have to move as fast to displace the same level of air.

I know what you mean about upgrading, I learned that the hard way. Outdoors was much easier for me, but I'm hoping for some slightly better success this time around with improvements on every grow.

As for my light and air flow issues, they'll have to wait, I just can't afford any fixes, unless it's next week or beyond. I have some suggestions to flower already, but I've got to get my smaller seedlings and clones p to speed, but early flowering might be coming soon. I do have some picture updates, so stay tuned!

mimsy · Feb 24, 2011

Looking good so far! I recently built my first couple cfl's boxes and now have a 400 watt wardrobe with cfl's aswell!
Check it out if you've got a sec! https://www.rollitup.org/general-marijuana-growing/407692-my-new-wardrobe-grow.html

Blaaaaze upp bongsmilie

Grey Matter · Feb 25, 2011

mimsy said:
Looking good so far! I recently built my first couple cfl's boxes and now have a 400 watt wardrobe with cfl's aswell!
Check it out if you've got a sec! https://www.rollitup.org/general-marijuana-growing/407692-my-new-wardrobe-grow.html

Blaaaaze upp

Thanks mimsy, I really appreciate you checking me out. I need to post more pics, I just had a charging issue with my camera, but I hope I get some more advice and get to see some more great CFL grow concepts. I'll check yours out mimsy, and follow your progress!

HippySmoke · Feb 26, 2011

Have you been youtubing greymatter? most of the videos available aren't too informative but hey great ideas to integrate into ones own grow.

Grey Matter · Feb 26, 2011

HippySmoke said:
Have you been youtubing greymatter? most of the videos available aren't too informative but hey great ideas to integrate into ones own grow.

I've checked a lot of youtube stuff, before I even started, but I am mostly constrained by budget. I have a group of people helping me including jhod58vw and a friends collective in my city. I plan on doing improvements on my desk grow and possibly building a few more small boxes to fit in one convenient space. If you have any good youtube links, post em up, cuz I always look for help.

I'll post my latest pics.

Computer Desk CFL grow box conversion

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