GreenNerd420
Active Member
I'm looking for people who've grown using under the stairs type closets. I'm hoping to find out what (hydro, aero, soil, autostrains, etc.) has worked best for others in the past. Please share!
Under the Stairs (What Feeding System Should I Use?) Please share!
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Nitegazer
Well-Known Member
I work in cabinet basements, and will be building an under-the stairs space this summer.
I like passive hydro (ie. soiless). Since I don't have a drain handy, I prefer to work with hand watering. I don't like working in soil, since the basement is too inviting for bugs. So, I use a promix base with hydro feedings. I love it since ph is easy to deal with (the promix buffers a bit), and I can really fine tune the feeding to meet the needs of the plants.
I like passive hydro (ie. soiless). Since I don't have a drain handy, I prefer to work with hand watering. I don't like working in soil, since the basement is too inviting for bugs. So, I use a promix base with hydro feedings. I love it since ph is easy to deal with (the promix buffers a bit), and I can really fine tune the feeding to meet the needs of the plants.
GreenNerd420
Active Member
Nitegazer
Well-Known Member
That's a nice space. Did you frame it up yourself?
In terms of the type of grow, you may be limited by your height. I'll assume that your stairs form a triangle roughly 7' long, and top off 7' above you. A HPS will take up at least 18" (hood plus space under the light). So (and this is a guess here)-- even if you put a light 1.5' into the space (for a 3x3 grow), you have 4' for the plants in their medium. Since any system you use will be at least a foot off the floor, your plants are limited to about 3'---- all that is to say that you are most likely looking at a SCROG setup or maybe SOG-- either way, you'll probably want to work with young clones. You could do it from seed, but you would have to become an LST master in the process.
Do you have a separate place for vegging?
I'm also going to build under my stairs, and will be putting 5/8" fire retardant wallboard over all wood surfaces. Building codes generally require it for under-stair rooms, and for good reason. A fire under the stairs could easily trap someone who needs to use them for an exit. Consider giving yourself the added safety margin.
In terms of the type of grow, you may be limited by your height. I'll assume that your stairs form a triangle roughly 7' long, and top off 7' above you. A HPS will take up at least 18" (hood plus space under the light). So (and this is a guess here)-- even if you put a light 1.5' into the space (for a 3x3 grow), you have 4' for the plants in their medium. Since any system you use will be at least a foot off the floor, your plants are limited to about 3'---- all that is to say that you are most likely looking at a SCROG setup or maybe SOG-- either way, you'll probably want to work with young clones. You could do it from seed, but you would have to become an LST master in the process.
Do you have a separate place for vegging?
I'm also going to build under my stairs, and will be putting 5/8" fire retardant wallboard over all wood surfaces. Building codes generally require it for under-stair rooms, and for good reason. A fire under the stairs could easily trap someone who needs to use them for an exit. Consider giving yourself the added safety margin.
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