How do i Build My First Grow Box / Room

Rp21 · Mar 19, 2015

This is going to be my first time growing
I want to start my own grow box room but i don't know how big to make it
I have 3 spaces that i can put the grow box that i'm going to build in
here are the measurement of the space i have

how big should i make it and how much plants can i grow in that much space
i wanted to at least grow 2 plants
also how much Money would i use on electricity each month for just the electricity i use on the plants
I was thinking of using a lot of cfl's because i read that they were electricity saving and work good
i would prefer better lighting but i don't want to be wasting too much each month on electricity
Can anyone tell me and provide me links if possible to any products [lights, soil, fan, nutrients, and etc] you have tried or just now that they are good

i have 3 white widow FEM Seeds anybody now if those are good?

i was thinking of just using the most space possible in and of those 3 spaces but not sure if thats a good idea

i wanted to make the box with wood and make some holes on it for ventalation the room im going to put the box in gets a little cold in the night will that effect the plant? i was thinking of putting the lights on in the night and turning them of at the day time so that the lights can warm that box a little so it wont be as cold

do you think that ill have bug problems because i sleep right next to the room i want to start growing in i dont want bugs going in my room lol the rooms are somewhat small.

i want to have enough space for the lights, plants, and anything that goes in a grow room
i found some pretty big piece's of wood for like 10-13$ the piece and i think with 3-4 of them i should have enough to build the room but not sure what do you recomend builing it with
I really want to start growing already but i need to buy all the stuff first
Please help me out if you need more info to help me out let me know and ill reply as soon as possible any help will be appreciated

Boatguy · Mar 19, 2015

Lol... Funny dimensions you got there. Not sure which pic is what you got but it looks like plenty of room. Im still confused but it looks like way more than enough room for 3 plants.
13 for a piece of wood isn't much info..... I would go over my plans again and post a more clear question

StonedAgeTimeTraveler · Mar 19, 2015

A 4'x4' base is more than enough for 5 to 9 plants (depending on spacing, size of pots, and so on), and you'll need a minimum of 3 feet or so in height to get any appreciable grow. If height isn't an issue for you, 6 feet is much more ideal.

If you're planning on a DIY build (instead of buying a growbox or tent to fit into your space), you'll need a circular saw and drill for sure. It might be easiest to get a dresser or armoire and convert it into a growbox than to build one ENTIRELY from scratch, but if you're handy enough and know how to work with wood (and stealth appearance isn't an issue), a basic box with doors on hinges is do-able without much cost or effort on your part

Lighting cost of operation is really too hard to answer online: local markets, lights used, quality of bulbs/LEDs, and more all have an impact on the final cost. As long as you don't plant grow more than 4-6 plants for personal use, it's doubtful you'll draw enough more power to get the attention of the authorities.

CFLs are not light-saving, per se. They use less power than HPS or HID, but still much more than LEDs (I'm not sure where T5 is on the scale, but I imagine it's more costly than LED). Lighting is very much a "get what you pay for" aspect of the operation, so be prepared to dish out a few hundred minimum. There's lots of arguments about which is best, but the bottom line is if you have enough light from whichever you choose, and you get decent lights, you'll get a decent harvest. If you have a single tent, the increase from non-LEDs shouldn't be TOO steep, but if monthly cost absolutely MUST be as low as possible, spend the money up front on LEDs (BlackStar and Mars-Hydro are good brands, and Mars-Hydro is openly 420-friendly) so your consumption costs will be lower (they also last longer than other bulbs, so the up-front cost tends to be balanced by lower replacement costs over time).

Bug problems are a risk with any grow setup; the best thing you can do is keep your shoes out of the room you keep your box, change clothes in the bathroom and keep your hamper there (so when you go into the room you're in clean clothes), and be proactive in searching your plants from base to tip, top and bottom of leaves, every time you check on them, so you can catch bug problems at their earliest (when they'll be easiest to fight).

Just be aware: if you're building it yourself and plan on running photos, your box MUST be lightproof, and ideally should have two separate areas (one for vegging and one for flowering). If you're growing autos, you can be more forgiving with light leaks and go with one chamber, but autos are a different beast than photos. Also, make sure you do your research BEFORE even germing the seeds: read up on how to spot and fight pests, diagnose diseases and deficiencies or burns, watering and feeding schedules, training techniques, all that before you start. It will shock you how fast the weeks roll by once you're ACTUALLY growing, and you'll fare better if you go in prepared rather than blind.

Good luck!

Rp21 · Mar 19, 2015

Boatguy said:
Lol... Funny dimensions you got there. Not sure which pic is what you got but it looks like plenty of room. Im still confused but it looks like way more than enough room for 3 plants.
13 for a piece of wood isn't much info..... I would go over my plans again and post a more clear question

lol i reread it and your right its not that clear lol well the picture i uploaded are the size of the spare space i have in a room i keep all the stuff i dont use and i uploaded those photos so someone can tell me what space is the best place to put the room im planning to make. im new to all this but i really want to learn i have seen 2 hour videos but the videos dont tell me what lights soil nutrients etc to buy and that is the info i need also i need to now where to buy all my products from i have seen some good deals on dhgate.com but not sure if thier good because they are all from china

Rp21 · Mar 19, 2015

StonedAgeTimeTraveler said:
A 4'x4' base is more than enough for 5 to 9 plants (depending on spacing, size of pots, and so on), and you'll need a minimum of 3 feet or so in height to get any appreciable grow. If height isn't an issue for you, 6 feet is much more ideal.

If you're planning on a DIY build (instead of buying a growbox or tent to fit into your space), you'll need a circular saw and drill for sure. It might be easiest to get a dresser or armoire and convert it into a growbox than to build one ENTIRELY from scratch, but if you're handy enough and know how to work with wood (and stealth appearance isn't an issue), a basic box with doors on hinges is do-able without much cost or effort on your part

Lighting cost of operation is really too hard to answer online: local markets, lights used, quality of bulbs/LEDs, and more all have an impact on the final cost. As long as you don't plant grow more than 4-6 plants for personal use, it's doubtful you'll draw enough more power to get the attention of the authorities.

CFLs are not light-saving, per se. They use less power than HPS or HID, but still much more than LEDs (I'm not sure where T5 is on the scale, but I imagine it's more costly than LED). Lighting is very much a "get what you pay for" aspect of the operation, so be prepared to dish out a few hundred minimum. There's lots of arguments about which is best, but the bottom line is if you have enough light from whichever you choose, and you get decent lights, you'll get a decent harvest. If you have a single tent, the increase from non-LEDs shouldn't be TOO steep, but if monthly cost absolutely MUST be as low as possible, spend the money up front on LEDs (BlackStar and Mars-Hydro are good brands, and Mars-Hydro is openly 420-friendly) so your consumption costs will be lower (they also last longer than other bulbs, so the up-front cost tends to be balanced by lower replacement costs over time).

Bug problems are a risk with any grow setup; the best thing you can do is keep your shoes out of the room you keep your box, change clothes in the bathroom and keep your hamper there (so when you go into the room you're in clean clothes), and be proactive in searching your plants from base to tip, top and bottom of leaves, every time you check on them, so you can catch bug problems at their earliest (when they'll be easiest to fight).

Just be aware: if you're building it yourself and plan on running photos, your box MUST be lightproof, and ideally should have two separate areas (one for vegging and one for flowering). If you're growing autos, you can be more forgiving with light leaks and go with one chamber, but autos are a different beast than photos. Also, make sure you do your research BEFORE even germing the seeds: read up on how to spot and fight pests, diagnose diseases and deficiencies or burns, watering and feeding schedules, training techniques, all that before you start. It will shock you how fast the weeks roll by once you're ACTUALLY growing, and you'll fare better if you go in prepared rather than blind.

Good luck!

Do you recommend i buy a grow box? i have seen some on eBay but they seem to cheap like their are just stick things to put the lights and fans that's why i want to make it out of wood that way i can screw things in and they can be held on better for example i want to mount a fan for ventilation.

you think you can make a simple blueprint with measurements like mine and put where i separate the room for veging and flowering where i put my lights and where do i put a fan i also wanted to put the chrome aluminum tube thing with a fan to take out the warm air and bring in cool air

StonedAgeTimeTraveler · Mar 19, 2015

I only recommend you buy a box or a tent if you're not very good with tools, or if you have none and can't afford to buy them on top of your build. There's also the time factor: do you have the day/days to spend building a box?

Dealzer, for example, sells a nice PC stealth box for $600, but I know enough about wiring, building, and the like and had all my tools except for a drill and bit (which only cost me about 40 bucks at Ball*Mart). It still cost me quite a bit to make a proper box (about 400 or so), but it was a bit cheaper and it's roomier and better suited than the one they sell. It also took me a couple days to get most of it done, and I had to finish the last few bits and pieces today due to time restrictions.

Pre-built tents and boxes are something you should research if you decide that the cost and convenience is worth it. You're right that a number of them are flimsy and overpriced, and the wooden box definitely offers customization benefits that you might not get out of a tent or prebuilt box.

I will say this: if you can handle a saw and drill competently, know how to accurately measure and cut, have the patience to research and draw up plans before hand, and have the time to invest, a DIY build is an EXCELLENT way to save cash and get the exact build you want. If stealth isn't an issue (i.e., you're not worried about people walking into your room and saying "what's with that crude, unpainted/not stained box or cabinet or whatever in the corner?"), it will definitely be cheaper to build your own.

As far as soil and nutes, that's a complex issue. I prefer organic growing, but you'll need to decide if what you're going to do first: hydro, soil-less, or soil. Then, whatever sub-category (aeroponics, or coco, or sythentic or organic soil), then research it in more detail. They all require different setups.

spek9 · Mar 19, 2015

One of three White Widow fem plants I grew in a 2x4x5' tent that I flowered with a 400w HPS.

-spek

Blue brother · Mar 25, 2015

Use all 3 spaces, have the 7ft tall room split into two shelves which would act as seedling and veg areas. T5 for seedlings, maybe a couple small mh or hps cooltubes for veg. Then both other rooms could take 2 400w hps in cooltubes each. Harvest perpetually 6 plants every month.

Just a few ideas for you. Small grows need to utilise every square inch of space.
Hope this helps

How do i Build My First Grow Box / Room

Rp21

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Boatguy

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StonedAgeTimeTraveler

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Rp21

New Member

Rp21

New Member

StonedAgeTimeTraveler

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spek9

Well-Known Member

Blue brother

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