heat!

[ncbud]

I started my grow in the basement, with a 400w MH hanging under the stairs, but it got too cold for them down there- I wasn't checking temperature at the time but I know it was going well under 60 degrees at night. So I stripped out the closet in my office and hung the light in there, pushed a cabinet in front of the opening (I plan on adding closet doors when I can), and moved the plants in there. They're growing alot faster, and the 'cold spots' I witnessed on the leaves are gone.. problem is now that it's holding 84 degrees in the closet. I've got a fan blowing over them, but there's really not much air actually being exchanged. I'm sure that what I've got blocking the door is ill-fitted enough to allow enough intake for now, but I'm going to have to put an exhaust fan in the ceiling to blow the heat out.

Do you think this is a viable option? It's an 80CFM panasonic

http://www.westsidewholesale.com/images/product/medium/470110-1.jpg

The closet is 6'x2'.. 10' ceiling I think. The fan is supposed to be very quiet, which is a goal, and if it blows odor into my attic, that'd be great too.

If I'm simply thinking in the wrong direction, I'd like to hear that too. Thanks for taking the time.

[Elephunt man]

I picked up something similar from Ace hardware for like $12 I think (50 cfm I think)...noisy little bugger. Here in USA, Home depot/Lowes have several installed in a display and you can play with them...see how loud they actually are.

[ncbud]

12$ is a damn sight better than the 55$ this costs, noise isn't that important. Is 50cfm enough to keep the temps safe? I keep my house at 72 in the winter and 80ish in the summer.

If the closet is 13 degrees higher than the room in the winter, the same should hold true in the summer- which would put the closet over 90 in the summer.. I'm gonna have to try one of these fans.

I hope they're idiot proof, I'm the least handy-man there is. I'm seriously dreading even trying to install closet doors, much less light proofing them.

[eyeseaire]

Noise is a difficulty to work out in a fan sometimes. Unless you are willing to shell out over a $100, you might as well go with something a little noisy.
You are on the right track trying to increase ventalation though. you will want to lots of fresh air in your closet especially if you are not adding Co2.

Personally, I would Run the lights at night in the basement to keep the temps up, and go dark cycle during the day, If it doesnt get too cold during the day for your plants with the light off. Air circulation would much better in a room. Not as much stagnant air as a closet.

[wakka]

I think before you buy anything, you should look around at some other growing areas that have photos here and at other places. nothing sucks more than having to redo something and spend more money because you tried to get in as cheaply as you can.

look at it this way, if you buy a good ventilation fan, it can be around one hundred bucks. that's less than you would pay for half an ounce of good smoke.

plan it through, pay for it once, build it once.

[ncbud]

Personally, I would Run the lights at night in the basement to keep the temps up, and go dark cycle during the day, If it doesnt get too cold during the day for your plants with the light off. Air circulation would much better in a room. Not as much stagnant air as a closet.

Do the plants adjust ok to changing what hour they receive light and dark? Would it be easier on them to shift it by one hour a day until they're on the new schedule?

[ncbud]

I think before you buy anything, you should look around at some other growing areas that have photos here and at other places. nothing sucks more than having to redo something and spend more money because you tried to get in as cheaply as you can.

look at it this way, if you buy a good ventilation fan, it can be around one hundred bucks. that's less than you would pay for half an ounce of good smoke.

plan it through, pay for it once, build it once.

I do certainly want to buy the right fan the first time, but I'd allow some noise to save some money... the computers in the room that holds the grow closet keep a constant fan noise to disguise anything going on in the closet anyway.

What I really need to figure out before I make a purchase is what CFM rating I need per the area.

[Elephunt man]

I do certainly want to buy the right fan the first time, but I'd allow some noise to save some money... the computers in the room that holds the grow closet keep a constant fan noise to disguise anything going on in the closet anyway.

What I really need to figure out before I make a purchase is what CFM rating I need per the area.

The figure I keep hearing is total exchange every 6 minutes, or 10x an hour. Mine might be twice that...but anywhere over won't hurt...and you can put your fans on timers or thermostats. I know it is alot of money but to me I still feel my digital ballasts and my Vortex fans were the best investment I made. Vortex's smallest model (4") is not cheap at around $200, but it is quiet, lightproof, positive displacement, and backed by 10 year warranty.

So 6x2x10 = 120 sq ft. So 20 true cfm would do it. If there are going to be any restrictions in airflow, I would probably go 5x larger on the fan. I believe if intake is passive, intake is supposed to be 3x larger than exhaust.

If I were growing in a closet, I would get or make a cooling hood and use it as your intake on a thermostat.

[eyeseaire]

the plants would be just fine as long as you don't give em more than 12h of light. just once having more hours of light in the light cycle would probably not mess with them too much.
If your worried you could do it like this;

Example: If your 6am to 6pm on, make sure lights don't come on in the morning, and move them down to the basement at 12pm. Your plants will get 18 hours of dark this way, and this has not noticably ever slowed any growth for me as a one or two time deal. Then set the lights to 12pm on, and 12am off. The next day you can let them get another 18hrs of dark, by waiting until 6pm to turn on the lights, and set it to turn off at 6am.

And there you go now you've carefully reduced the light cycle, without keeping them out of 12 hours of light a day, and only giving them 6 extra hours each dark cycle.

I've had the power go out for a few days at a time on stable mostly indica hybrids without any noticable effects...

[wakka]

we have ours from nine to nine. after nine p m, most of the days heat is gone, and when they go off at nine before the heat of the day starts.

let the environment where you live help. you want them to go off before you leave for work or school.

[ncbud]

That's a good idea, I don't know why it didn't occur to me to produce heat at night instead of daytime. I guess sometimes the most obvious things are overlooked.

[CB]

Do the plants adjust ok to changing what hour they receive light and dark? Would it be easier on them to shift it by one hour a day until they're on the new schedule?

say ncbud,

I grow in my attic and heat it with the lights only in winter....I moved time 1 hour at a time untill i got best i could then as the days got shorter i would adjust to that to keep temps the best I could:)

summer time I use AC :p

[Cakes]

If the grow can easily be moved, then maybe keep it where it is in the winter and then move it back to the basement in the summer. and then that would solve the temperature situation without any further modification.

84 degrees is an okay temperature to grow at. Maybe you have heard like I have that a little lower is optimum for potency (78F/25.5C) but buds will definitely be very good at 84.

The number of times to exchange air in a room can vary according to the goal one is trying to achieve. To control smell it needs to be run through a filter much more often than for temperature control. You can tell how often to cool the air by testing your grow space. Lower the temperature to ideal and then see how long it takes for the temperature around the plant to rise. using a fan to mix the air will make the air take longer to warm up right next to the plant. If it takes 15 minutes for the air to warm, than you must cool the air 4 times an hour or more to keep it ideal.

[ncbud]

It can be moved relatively easily, and I honestly hadn't considered using different areas at different times of year. I'm glad to know that I'm safe at 84, but I've got the temp down to 81 max now by repositioning the box fan in the closet. I feel fairly certain that summer's going to push temps over the top without intervention though. The basement does stay cool year round. I suppose I should do some humidity research before I have to make that move.

Good information regarding air exchange, I appreciate your taking the time. Odor's not really a concern for me because I've never had anyone but family visit my home and they all know I grow anyway.

[ncbud]

say ncbud,

I grow in my attic and heat it with the lights only in winter....I moved time 1 hour at a time untill i got best i could then as the days got shorter i would adjust to that to keep temps the best I could:)

summer time I use AC :p

I checked out my attic, but it's considerably colder up there right now than the basement, so I don't think the 400watt MH would keep it warm enough.. maybe if I put up some makeshift walls.

However, if the heat in the house isn't making into the attic, then the AC would likewise miss it in the summer; It must get over 100 up there in the summer.

[Cakes]

Closet doors are traditional but you can also use a decorative blanket or sheeting of some sort. if you attach it with velcro all the way around then it is easy to be light proof too.

I had it easy when I lightproofed my shed. I just closed myself in there during the day when the sun was shining and used caulking to seal everywhere that I saw light coming in. Cost about $2 and took about 15 minutes.

When you are lightproofing just to have enough dark for sexing purposes (as opposed to stealth reasons) then it might be good to have it 100% dark for sensitive strains but otherwise, it can take the light from two full moons to disrupt budding.

[ncbud]

Problem with a blanket (my wife keeps suggesting that too) is that it's obvious that *something*'s behind the curtain.. everyone wants to discover the great Oz I suppose ;) I'd like to be able to reveal the room without disclosing the grow. Right now it's totally exposed and it's not a problem because noone visits, but I realize a visitor is inevitable. If nothing else my sons are going to grow up and start asking questions.

Lightproofing's not an issue at this point because the only non-light light in the room is a computer monitor and I don't think it's brighter than a full moon.

[Cakes]

if I saw a decorative blanket, then I would have no thoughts about secrecy. I would only think it was a decorative blanket. but then I think using beads for doors is cool too... You are right to think that there are many old school people around still who would raise an eyebrow.

It may be that using a large tapestry would keep someone from thinking there was a closet at all but it would be quite a trick to be able to lock a tapestry against children. I am glad that I have no more worries on that front. For those kids who are unbeknownst, I would caution you to consider their reaction to a door which is locked. They may request entry or try to secure it on their own. and most kids are very good at getting into things...

and if they ever found out someone had lied to them? I imagine that they would cross that person from their list of those who can be trusted.

[CB]

However, if the heat in the house isn't making into the attic, then the AC would likewise miss it in the summer; It must get over 100 up there in the summer.

I installed a 10k btu AC unit in my attic :)

[ncbud]

You're right about kids and locked doors, but I've got a few years before I have start thinking about this too hard, my oldest son is 18 months old. I loathe society for making me even consider trying to hide something I'm not at all ashamed of from my children. At the same time, i know how cool I thought it was that my dad smoked pot, kids'll brag about their cool dad... and that could get me busted.

I've got so many bonsai trees sitting around the house that I doubt the kids would distinguish between them and my girls anytime soon.

I suppose I'll eventually take the cue from CB and put an AC in the attic, or maybe I'll finish the basement and add a false wall down there or something. For now, decorative blanket it is! They look cool hanging on the wall anyway.

[wakka]

I guess we were lucky. our kids were in their mid teens when we started growing my meds. some of their friends had started getting high. their friends would pull out their bud with that, look what I got panache thing going on. my kids both told me the told their friends, you call that bud?

they thought it was great fun helping at first to grow marijuana, but after a while, it got to be hauling water. period.

both of my kids say they don't smoke or drink, probably don't, but you never know do you?

every parent that thinks their kid would never lie to them? share what you are smoking with me dudes!

[Cakes]

being a hero is good

[Cakes]

you know, i think I have wall hangings on the brain. i have been thinking about covering a sliding glass door that is in my living room. the door leads to a side room where i was thinking of growing and covering the door would keep people from thinking of it being there and it would give the plants dark and even if i don't grow there then it would keep it a heck of a lot warmer in here and i always really liked these things my grandma made. Big collages of carpet and one had hangliders in the picture. Every piece of carpet was a different color and texture and it made a big picture on the wall. and then she had another one on the floor in another room.

you know, if i had a picture that might disturb somebody, i might choose to hang it in the back room. i (try to) understand that those people just don't understand.

and if my dad would pick dandelions from the schoolyard lawn and smoke them occasionally, then i might know that harvesting and imbibing is something natural for some (all) people to do.