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I will be using four 26 watt (90 watt equivalent) CFLs at 1200 lumens at 6500k (daylight). The lights will be mounted in adjustable peg holes drilled into the four corner posts of the frame.
For watering purposes and due to the fact that there is no easy access to the inside of the grow chamber from the side, there will be a two liter bottle mounted to the outside of the chamber with a shutoff valve attached. On the inside of the chamber a hose will run into a loop that has small holes punctured in the bottom at regular intervals then mounted at a slight angle inside the grow pot near the top so water and nutrients are distributed equally.
There will be two 120mm computer fans mounted on opposing sides outside of the box, one will be an intake fan and the other an exhaust. The exhaust fan will have a carbon filter between it and the box. There will also be a fine wire screen placed inside the chamber to protect the plants from the spinning fan blades.
The interior will be painted a flat white and weather seal will be applied to the inside of the opening at the top of the chamber to seal out/in light.
Seeds are currently germinating and construction begins tomorrow, pics ASAP.
I am currently considering placing two to four more CFLs at the bottom of the chamber pointing up to ensure that as the plant grows the lower leaves get enough light.
Any thoughts or input on lighting/watering system/overall layout will be more than appreciated.
-------------------- There can be only none!
"Prohibition...goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded."
-- Abraham Lincoln, December, 1840
It has been four days since starting bag seed germination.
Construction of the grow chamber went well though I did end up making some modifications. Instead of the lights being movable the floor is adjustable.
I had some pepper plants in there, as you can see, but had to remove them today to move my seedling closer to the light. I am considering adding another mounting point for the floor four inches above the highest one. Right now my highest mounting point puts the floor 10in from the lights and the plants in their current containers about 8in from the light. Is that close enough?
I am still planning on using 120mm computer fans for FAE though they are not installed yet.
I am slightly worried that after installing the fans my box won't be as light tight as it is now. How much light will a carbon filter let through?
-------------------- There can be only none!
"Prohibition...goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded."
-- Abraham Lincoln, December, 1840
If you still havent installed the fans yet, I would try to leave the intake fan at the bottom, but move the exhaust fan to the top. This will help heat issues most efficently, and create good air circulation for the plant as air is force up from underneath. You always want your exhaust fan as high as possible in your grow room, as this is where most of the heat builds up. And about the bulbs. It is easy to find 43w cfl's that are 200w equiv. for about the same price as the bulbs you have, and they are obviously double the lumens, and still fit standard sockets and reflectors no problem. This isn't just ballbusting though. That was a good cabinet design. Looks really good. Keep up the hard work and it will pay off.