Grow Cabnets

Smokey and I are two peas in a pod when it comes to being tidy it seems, but he is more 'scientific' in his approach as I am more 'earthy' in mine. I have to scratch my head at those that grow without compost or even soil for that matter. Hats off to you all that can do the whole PH stabilization, ppm's, etc etc etc. WAY too much shit for me to worry about and deal with. I just don't have the patience for that. Me...I like it simple as dirt.

I look forward to seeing what you put together Check. I'm sure it will work itself out given enough time and effort.

 

JCIO, the growing area in my flowering cab in 70" tall. Even when scrogging, as the light goes up during the stretch, I get real nervous as I start to run out of room. It's not too big of a problem with a familiar pheno as the stretch can be planned for. But new ones can catch you by surprise. This last one sure did.

The extra distance that LEDs seem to require would suggest taller is better. I'd love to have just one more foot. Even if I never used it, it's there just in case.

I'd like to make a veg cabinet that's just big enough to fit the plants that would fit into the flower cab. Perhaps 3.5' tall. I've been using a tent that I put up for about 3 weeks each cycle and then take down until next time. I'm getting good at indoor camping... ;-)

I'm a Useless 3-part user too, but I use the meter every time. I guess I'm still learning. One thing that I found real helpful was using a spreadsheet program to get my nute levels where I wanted them, while maintaining the proper Useless ratios. I've gotten lots pickier lately about having the numbers right and it has improved my growing and the taste of the bud tremendously.

 

That is why I like dirt right there. That method is too much science for me....I'm a simple man. I guess I follow the Greenthumb420 model myself. He taught that if you give the plants everything they need in the soil there is no need to feed. Problem with that in my indoor setup is that the pots are not big enough to allow for the full growth cycles of MJ plants from start to finish. They just grow so damn fast that it depletes the available nutrients in the soil before it can be replenished. Not that the nutrient potential isn't still there...they just aren't readily available to the plant at the time. There is a process to the natural breakdown of soil into usable nutrients that takes time. In my outdoor garden where I grow my veggies in 25 gallon containers it works like a dream. My new outdoor garden will have 10 gallon pots for the MJ and I plan on using a compost tea to feed with. Talk about taste.....best tasting MJ I ever smoked was compost grown. Just goes to show that there is always more than one way to skin a cat. You guys rock with your science though...wish I had the patience.

 

JCIO, my setup is based around an Intermatic digital pool timer. It's got 3 outputs. I use one of the outputs for the light and another for feeding. Three times a day, the pool timer turns the "feed" output on for 2 minutes. This powers up another programmable timer that sets the duration of the feeding, about 60 seconds in mid-flower and maybe 20 seconds in veg.

For drainage, the cabinet has 2 independent pump systems that pump out the sump where the water collects. When the sump water level gets too high, the pumps suck it up and pump it to the drain under the sink in the bathroom. This works real well during flushing. As long as I only do one bucket at a time, the system can drain all the water that I can flow through a bucket. Generally, only one pump is needed, but I've had both pumps going at the same time. Electrically speaking, the thing that makes this work automatically is a liquid level controller that senses the presence of water in the sump. It turns on a relay that runs the pump until the water is gone. So far this has worked really well.

 

Mine is quite simple.....I run my fan constantly and use a fan speed adjuster to regulate the CFM flow. The speed adjuster just plugs into a regular 120v receptacle and the fan plugs into the adjuster. I run the fan constantly (at any given speed based on temps) in order to pull the air through the carbon scrubber to eliminate odors.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007TFTITS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My light is run on a simple rotary timer.....the type you would use for lights in your house when you go on vacation.

Here's the kit I bought...came with the timer.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0076RDRUK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

If your fan and light are close enough to the outlet to plug in directly, directly is usually better. If you use a strip, just be sure it can handle it on the plug end, as well as the outlet it's plugged into. Everything plugged into the strip has to feed through this.

My biggest electrical draws are the AC, which is hardwired and the dehumidifier, which has its own outlet... The cabinet pulls less than the dehumidifier when its compressor is running.

 

Seems like most folks have an exhaust fan to keep the cabinet below atmospheric pressure. That way the stink doesn't leak out.

Wait, what? Sealed? Splain...

 

So the other ends of the intake and exhaust ducts go outdoors? I'm wondering where the cold air comes from.

 

Will you exhaust back into the house?