DIY quick and cheap grow box for a first time, what do you think?

[uneducated1]

So, i got bored and decided i wanted to start growing some autoflowers. I got some ideas online and i put this box together. Im a first time grower so this is completely new to me. Any input would be completely welcome and appreciated. The box is 2 fet by 2 feet wide and 3 feet tall. I have an extra foot on top for a storage type space but i can add stilts to raise the box to 4 feet if i need to. I have a 70w high pressure sodium light on a timer. also there is a fan hanging also to provide circulation and a breeze for the plant. There are a number of 2 inch holes along the wall behind the fan. Think that is enough for ventilation? I am debating installing a few small computer fans to provide it with more air circulation. Im also worried about how the light will affect the temp inside the box. Do i need to worry about humidity for my first grow? is it that important? Thanks for anyone input!

 

[swampman]

looks like ya got some handyman in ya lol ......I couldnt tell u for sure on the ventilation but i would suggest this ....maybe run the box for a day with the lights on and see what ur temp gets .......maybe even add a bucket of wet soil and let it get hot for a few hours and see what the humidity does .....I have learned in my grow that i get a 4 deg temp rise after i water and humidity climbs as well as does mother natures box .......Never used that light but u will need small pots alot grow in party cups 440z drink cups from the soda fountains ......I would suggest the dwarf strains of autos ...did u order beans yet ....

Better suggestions will come so in my eyes thats what i would do ....when its closed u also losing valuable light so maybe find summn that will seal it a lil better at the cracks !!!!!!
these are just a few minor opinions hope thay help ....
there is a lot of Micrgrow threads u could do some research there and see if u catch anymore ideas ....

good luck bro

 

[Muddy]

Sorry, but I see a couple of major issues with your setup. First, I think you need to make it taller. By the time you add up the height of the pot, the plant, space between the plant and the light, then the light itself, you're going to run out of room pretty fast. Second is the light. That looks like an industrial type fixture. Even though it's HPS, I doubt the bulb itself was designed to provide the proper light spectrum for growing. Also, 70 watts is only enough for 1 plant. The general rule of thumb with HPS lights is a minimum of 50 watts per square foot, so for that space you would need at least 200 watts. If you upped to a 250 watt HPS, you'll likely have trouble keeping the heat down in that small space. You would probably be better off using CFLs or LEDs, less heat and you can have the plants closer to them than you can with HPS. You're also going to need a carbon filter to control the smell from the plants. Without one the smell will be very noticeable.

 

[sativalover]

like muddy said a 70 watt puts off more heat than light technically
only the higher wattage bulbs get more efficient w/ the higher wattage
a cfl addition is where i would go next
i will take some pics of addapters and connectors to add a Y connection to a normal bulb outlet to put two bulbs closer than one cfl could go
really i have found that the 24 watt cfl's are really the most plant efficient being as you can place them slightly closer than the larger due to heat but still gives some better penetration than the lesser wattage ones
but cfls still get pretty hot as you increase the amounts
i have a cabinet i test stress issues on plants and other things
but in the cabinet that is 2 1/2' X 3 1/2' X as high as 5' depending on where i set the reflectors and lights at but it has alot of verticle room for heat dis
it stays easily into the 90's w/ less air flow w/ 600 true watts of cfl
every plant in there is surrounded by cfl though and i mean sorrounded
in this case i would say you couldn't give as much usable light to the plants even w/ hps
but this is putting bulbs " away from plants and multiple angles of light coverage not just on top like one hps but on the sides as well coming from all angles
and once you increase distance from lights the usable radiation rapidly decreases so this is only good real close and at multiple angles

 

[shumway]

If it were me i would rip that security light apart and remote ballast it so its out of the growing space.

It would cut down on the heat and if you bought or made a different reflector it would give more head room instead of having that bulky thing in there :thumbs:

 

[sativalover]

If it were me i would rip that security light apart and remote ballast it so its out of the growing space.

It would cut down on the heat and if you bought or made a different reflector it would give more head room instead of having that bulky thing in there :thumbs:

if you have the electrical know how yes this is a good idea because the ballast in the light will contact alot of the heat you will need to displace out of the cabinet
good call
but in the longer run youi need more circulation and more light to do the job well in the end

1 plant i would surround that plant w/in burning it to death w/ suppliment light added to the small hps
in the future remember that at about 150 watt hps or mh is where the balance of heat to usable radiation (light) becomes more in your favor for plants

 

[sativalover]

and if you don't have the electrical know how there are quite a few people here me inluded that can help just shoot a pm if it takes more than a day to help
it is sometimes hard to keep up w/ who what where when why

 

[swampman]

what do u guys think of the SunSystem Large CFls 100w 125 wat bloom ....im also making summn like this In a closet with shelves ......i did gander at the !50w hps tubes .....they seem they would fit as well

 

[sativalover]

1. what do u guys think of the SunSystem Large CFls 100w 125 wat bloom ....im also making summn like this In a closet with shelves ......i did gander at the !50w hps tubes .....they seem they would fit as well

2. -
   
   
   the main problem w/ clf i have found is this they won't produce enough heat for proper humidity displacement at higher watt and longer distance wich will promote bud rott fot some conditions
   but this is my major point if looking away from hid because of any reason especially heat
   than remember in the smaller wattage less wattage and multiple light sources and angles is the key
   if 150watt will stay around your temp for quick example than honestly you arte better off dividing it by dif points of contact on plant
   not just 50 watt sq as the standard because the cfl is better spent closer than the hps so alot of smaller wattage closer almost touching plant will give alot more energy to the lower portion of the plant than a stationary higher wattage hps bulb fixed on top of plants
   hope this makes since
   suck at typing​

 

[swampman]

i got ya ..IM also looking at 400 wat HPS cause the closet stay really cold the ac unit is right on the side of it ......i like the idea of the cfls too allova