Indoor A.I. Growroom Build (Aquarium Interface)

Betelnut

Growing is part science and part spirit
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Hi Folks,

I am getting ready for a new grow, and am currently building out my growroom with an aquarium controller for its "brain".
I'm not sure how many people will be interested in the build, but I plan to start my grow, and my journal, in about a week.

So for the next few days I will be turning this:

20161118_185325.jpg


Into an auto-farm!

The closet is 240 cm tall, 160cm wide, and 85cm deep.

I have a Neptune Systems Apex Controller for reef aquariums that has 8 time-able plugs for lights or whatever, ports for a ph meter, thermometer, dissolved oxygen meter, and conductivity (EC) meter etc.

But honestly I wont be using most of that functionality until I can do a DWC.

Here is the device (this is a new one, mine is dusty as hell):
51pUcQdfvaL._SL1000_.jpg

You can also hook it up to the internet and get alerts through email about all sorts of things, like if there are water leaks, or temp spikes/drops etc.

I plan on using 4 300w "no-name" LED banks (100x 3w each):
20161118_211432.jpg

They are three years old and were never spectacular, but for now they will have to do.

I plan on putting in a 100x200mm carbon filter like this:
carbonfilter_s_black_01.jpg


Or maybe 100x300mm like this:
carbonfilter-003.jpg



I will probably pump the exhaust under the house, but I might just pump it through the wall into the center of the house for extra heat.

This is the 100mm in-line fan I will use:
in-line-fan_03.jpg


I hope to have the fan/filter/ducting by Tuesday.

You cant see it in this picture but there is already a hole cut in the back right floor (under the tarp at the moment) that leads under the house. When I moved in the insurance company made me cut a hole so they could photograph the foundation.
:shrug:
So under the house is easiest for now.

I am still deciding between airpots or hempy buckets. Until now it has been 100% hempy buckets, but I am thinking I'll get better roots with airpots, and unlike my previous grows I'll be onsite everyday, so watering will be easy, taking some of the usefulness of hempy buckets away.

First thing to do is add a few coats of pure white paint over the ice white primer.
After that I will use a clothes rod across the top for hanging the lights and whatnot, and will mount at least two fans to the back wall up high. I will probably use small standing fans for under the canopy.
(Thanks for the advice @Fairlynew!)
:thanks:

I still need to light proof the door. In time I would like to put a tent in there, but I would have to make it myself as buying a custom sized one would be difficult here.

Anyway, I don't expect this to take too long as I'm going pretty simple. I hope to be growing by next weekend.

If anyone has ever used an aquarium controller, or has any ideas on how to best use the room I am all ears!

:jointman:
Cheers!

P.s this is my first auto grow from a few years ago, back when I knew even less:
https://www.autoflower.org/threads/new-grower-using-hempy-buckets-and-led-with-canna-nutes.28949/
 
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Looking good!
I run a 60cm x 100cm x 200cm DxWxH cab.
The bigger the carbon filter the less the fan needs to work, trying to pull air through it and it and so the fan should be quieter.
Make sure the clothes rail is properly supported the plastic support with a couple of small screws may not be up to the job.
Try adding additional support at the rail hangers ie some pieces of wood with additional screws and some no nails adhesive for good measure.
LED's can be quite weighty and the last thing you need is for them to crash on to your plants etc.
Under canopy air movement is nice!
I have never used an aquarium controller but should be nice for DWC!
Have a good grow!
 
Subbed in and ready to follow along, love a little DIY project ;) should check out @BayLee420 DIY project thread he built a thing of true beauty, looks like any bit of furniture you would see sitting in a room and produces top grade ganja without gaining unwanted attention, lots of tips in their that may interest you and ask away to him any questions or doubts you may have, as he is a super friendly and responsive person who is also a hell of a cook.

Here it is if you feel like checking it out - https://www.autoflower.org/threads/television-armoire-grow-box-aka-baylee420-goes-stealth.48345/

Peace best of luck and may there be many frosty sticky buds in your future ;)
 
Better to keep all ventilation straight out or in. Less turns and bends the better. Hot air rises, so keep the exhaust as a straight out. Need an air intake on the bottom of the door or some where to bring cool fresh air into the grow space. Yin Yang my DYI Stealth ganjanista.
upload_2016-11-18_20-57-26.jpeg


The grow area needs fresh air coming into from the bottom and the hotter air being exhausted from the top. Cold air or cooler air is heavier than hot air and the hot air being exhausted creates a sort of vacuum that exchanges clean fresh air. The set up should exchange fresh air constantly.
 

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Better to keep all ventilation straight out or in. Less turns and bends the better. Hot air rises, so keep the exhaust as a straight out. Need an air intake on the bottom of the door or some where to bring cool fresh air into the grow space. Yin Yang my DYI Stealth ganjanista.

@Betelnut pal you really want to take on all this guy can and will teach you, he is a true guru in the art of micro growing and DIY cab building and will never do you wrong ;)
 
Ok I got a lot of work done, in spite of, or maybe because of, getting surprise jar of crit+2.0 from my last run a few month ago lol.

Here is what the room looks like now:
20161120_170246.jpg


With one of the lights on:
20161120_165058.jpg

The in-line fan and carbon filter are from my old commercial grow, and I don't plan on using them. I hope to have a smaller setup here by early next week.
I got the bar across the top installed and the lights hung. Before I string up the electrics or put in the circulating fans I want to install the exhaust though.
The square fan will pull in air to the room through the bottom of the left hand door. I have a filter attachment for it designed to remove kitchen odor that should help keep out pests/mold etc.

I got two coats of pure matte white paint up. Not as good as Mylar but it will do for now.
I plan to get the aquarium controller mounted to the wall in the next few days.

I also have an RO/DI water filter left from my saltwater system I'm going to take the canisters out of and turn into a plain carbon filter for watering.
 
Easy may not be easy..Hot air rises no matter where you want it to go. Some how fresh air needs to be brought in.

http://www.growweedeasy.com/perfect-growing-environment

My growing bible of info...is STOLEN from Grow Weed Easy.com. Everything of canna growing is right there. http://www.growweedeasy.com/steal-our-articles.

Do you think a kitchn exhaust fan at 15cm like this will pull enough to deal with a 100mm inlinefan pulling out through a 100x300mm filter?
 
Do you think a kitchn exhaust fan at 15cm like this will pull enough to deal with a 100mm inlinefan pulling out through a 100x300mm filter?
Need an HVAC engineer to calculate that. There has to be a link in GrowWeedEasy.com on this.
 
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