Unreal's Gun Cabinet Grow! CFL's and more!

I figured I would start this thread before I even got started so I didnt miss a thing!

Ok, so what I have is this.
1 cheap gun safe from walmart $129 new(got mine used for $50)
Mylar to wrap gun safe with.
2 socket outlet with 2 dual bulb screw in Y's.

This system is going to be a hydroponic drip system but I have not bought the equipment to build the system with.

My clone/veg area will be a tall computer tower wrapped in mylar(may use 2 computer towers) with a small bubbler for cloning and vegging.

I am a little on the nervous side to grow the good stuff right off the bat(live in indiana were there is a no warrant law to enter my home) so I think I am going to start it off with practice plants....tomatoes seem logical to me. Practice makes perfect!(atleast until I move to another state).

Tons of pictures to come of the build Any tips welcome, I have only grown indoors one other time and it turned out like crap with really loose and small buds....I think my lighting was insufficient not to mention I never fed them anything but planting soil....after 2 years of reading and watching video's I think I am ready to undergo a good soil less grow.


Question: How much difference is there between bag seed(all out of good green bags) and ordered seeds? From my past experience with outdoor grows as long as you take care of them, pick the males out, and feed them nute's they all turn out good.....any opinions on this subject? Or is all about being able to say "Hey man, I got some killer white widow!" vs saying "hey I have some good dro". please inform me, my dad has been growing for years with ordered seeds and bag seed, he says the only difference is in the name(BTW I am almost 30 YO, not a kid).

how do you plan on venting a gun cabinet?

I was going to drill holes in the rear of it with a 120mm pc fan pulling air out of the cabinet with 3- 1 1/2" holes in the bottom sides(with some filter over the bottom holes)....may need a bigger fan and carbon filter on the back top hole eventually to kill the smell.

ok, I think I have the gun safe ready to start vegging. Any advise is welcome. The gro-lux 24" light was given to me, figured I would throw it on a wall to see how it does. The two 18" lights on the right side were from an old medicine cabinet that I was throwing out and the two CFL's were from my house(incadecents now light were they once did). I am not sure this is going to be enough light to veg them completely...if its not I can always throw some more CFL's in there. I have pretty much decided on buying a 150w HPS when it comes to flowering. Still in the process of piecing together my ponic's setup. So far I have a small air pump($7 at wally world), 25' of hose($3 wally world) and some plastic ice maker water line that I "think" I can turn into a low cost dripper system once I get a tote to fit the cabinet...anyone have any good plans for a small hydroponics setup for this safe?

ok, so after much, much more reading and tips from other growers.......I acquired a 250w hps and a uncut sheet of 3/4" OSB(will prolly need another?). I am wanting to make the most of the 250w HPS so I was thinking about going 3x3x5 with my grow box. I think I'm just going to make the gun safe my veg chamber and make a computer "bubbler/cloner".

I would appreciate any tips.

PS I already planned on wrapping the new flower box with Mylar.

abandoned the gun safe completely due to lack of cutting tools to make holes for ventilation.

I have already made my new seedling/clone box out of a end table.

Watch for my new journal. This new little box I made is AWESOME! The seedlings are LOVING the fresh air that I am feeding them with 2 PC fans. When I get the rest of my materials to build my Veg box I will be starting a grow journal to show construction of the box, DIY carbon filter, and installing the 4x48" Florescent. This grow will be in soil(except for the bubble cloner I built). The startup cost of all of the nutrients to do hydro is WAY too much for me.....I mean I only have about $50 in everything...spending that same amount on nutrients is just CRAZY to me for my first crop...maybe my second will be in Hydroponics(if i dont feel I harvest enough for just my personal smoking pleasure in soil).

The new dimensions for the veg box will be approx. 52"wide 28"deep 48"tall(just enough to clear the light I will be installing). The dimensions for the flower box I am building for the 250wHPS will be 4'x2'x6'(building a little tall for future upgrade to hydroponics) and I *plan* on doing a SCROG so this little light will get the most penetration it can get.

All together my hopes may be a LITTLE high for my first harvest, but, I was thinking 150grams dry would be my estimate every 10-12 weeks.....is that hoping for too much?