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 13eetleJuice
The ghost with the most
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 368
Loc: 6' under fertalizing bud
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 Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? 
#502739 - 12/03/10 12:50 AM (14 years, 1 day ago) |
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I recently purchased a 400w HPS lamp w/ air cooled reflector. It should arrive late next week. In the meantime, I need to build a new cabinet. My options here are severely limited.
I've really only got one location that I can place the cabinet, which is in a corner that's partially obstructed by a computer desk. Unfortunately, it's the only option for cabinet placement.
Cabinet dimensions, however, I do have some control over and I've narrowed my choices down to two designs. In the images below I've tried to illustrate my dilemma as far as door placement is concerned.
If I opt for a cabinet that is 2.5ft. deep, I'm able to install hinged, double doors that open to a span of 28 inches across. With this configuration, I've estimated that I can grow six plants in 8.5x8.5 inch, 3 gallon, square pots.
If I decide to build a cabinet with 44 inches of depth (just over 3.5ft.), I'll be able to grow nine plants. The drawback to this design, as you'll see in the diagram, is the very limited access to the grow space through a narrow doorway of only 18 inches width. The right-most portion of the grow cabinet would be obstructed by existing furniture.
My thoughts on this design are as follows: I'm currently accustomed to removing plants from their flowering chamber to water them so it shouldn't be a major problem for me to remove the first four plants that are right behind the door from the grow room to water them. After they're out, I'll be able to step inside and water/inspect the other five plants. When done, I would need to return each of the four plants to their places inside the chamber. I imagine that this routine would become quite tiresome after some time.
So I guess the question is... Would you go through the extra hassle for the extra weed? How much extra yield would be harvested by adding 3 extra plants anyways? Perhaps I would yield more by focusing the light's 400 watts more intensely on just the 6 plants? Or maybe my estimation of the numbers of plants in those spaces is completely wrong?
I'd love to hear your suggestions.
P.S. Images drawn to scale. This is a soil grow. I have a separate chamber for vegging mothers and clones and thus can run this flowering chamber 365 days a year, if it matters in your consideration of which design I'd be best going with. Thanks for your time!
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mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High 
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 Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: 13eetleJuice]
#502774 - 12/03/10 01:10 PM (14 years, 19 hours ago) |
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I prefer less plants more light...The quality of the buds is superior and honestly adding 3 more plants in such a small area unless you intend to add CFL's around the sides(added heat) you'll end up with about the same.
You'll yield more but you'll have those fluffy ass buds...ROCK SOLID is the only WAY BABY!
I guess it depends, but with 6 plants in a rotation you can keep your cannabis habit(and others) happy for awhile.
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Suck my balls America
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 Godfrey
Forgotten Man
Registered: 09/20/10
Posts: 1
Loc: ashpile, city dump
Last seen: 10 years, 10 months
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: 13eetleJuice]
#503168 - 12/05/10 03:44 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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How you use it is more important that how big it is.
My last grow (only one I fully completed successfully) was in a closet 4.5' deep and the width of a standard door and molding. 5 plants in the same pots you have. 400w HPS in a Super Sun 2 reflector. Anyway, the 2-3 in back were a constant challenge. Even when watering I had to get thru the jungle to get to the ones in back or move roughly half my plants. Cultivating, clean-up, training, whatever ... even worse. So, guess what, they ended up not being as well cared for as the others (i.e neglected).
So mhbound is right on, the 6 pot design with the double doors is the superior layout. You will be able to avoid all the issues I had with my grow space, plus you should even be able to move the plants around without it being much of a hassle. Or to put it another way: You'll be able to take care of the babes better, they'll have all the light they need, and it'll be easier on you.
Happy plants, Happy grower.
Edited by Godfrey (12/05/10 04:31 AM)
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13eetleJuice
The ghost with the most
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 368
Loc: 6' under fertalizing bud
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: Godfrey]
#503171 - 12/05/10 06:19 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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Thanks, guys. With your help, I've decided to go with the double door design. I'll enjoy my hobby a lot more without the headache of working in such tight quarters as the single door offers.
Thanks again!
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mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: 13eetleJuice]
#503340 - 12/06/10 06:12 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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Hey you, if you have a camera take some pictures throughout your build and I'll do the same with mine I'm about to start. Seems to me like not many people do that for whatever reason, and I'd like to look at yours n how you did it compared to mine...take the best parts of the design from each and build a super cab next time 
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Suck my balls America
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13eetleJuice
The ghost with the most
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 368
Loc: 6' under fertalizing bud
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: mhbound]
#503380 - 12/06/10 11:53 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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Sure, I'll take pics of the process but, please don't expect anything even marginally resembling a decent grow cabinet. I'm on a ridiculously small budget which forces me to be creative with my solutions. In other words, my closet is gonna be ghetto as hell. It will be more of a stupor-cab rather than a super-cab.
Nevertheless, I plan to photo-document anyways. Poor folks need inspiration too! 
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mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: 13eetleJuice]
#503382 - 12/06/10 11:55 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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hey man i built a ghetto grow box on here somewhere and then i got sick in the hospital so my plants died so i scrapped the ghetto side of it and am going to make it a littler nicer hopefully.
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Suck my balls America
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13eetleJuice
The ghost with the most
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 368
Loc: 6' under fertalizing bud
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: mhbound]
#503869 - 12/08/10 07:32 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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My next question is about the height of the cabinet. I've got seven and a half feet to work with but, do I need it all?
I'm toying with the idea of adding a horizontal divider, splitting the cab into upper and lower sections. Five and a half foot tall flowering cabinet, over a two foot tall compartment for clones and bonzai mothers.
In this configuration, with the light raised to it's maximum height, I will have only 45 inches (3'9") from the floor of the flowering chamber to the bottom of the reflector.
So what do you think? How much would I benefit by having a taller flowering cabinet versus the smaller one?
My thoughts are that perhaps with only 400 watts, it would be advisable to keep the plants shorter as the light will likely not penetrate very deeply with taller plants. Amiright?
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Laysthepipe
Vivi Sex Symbol
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 1,359
Loc: KOREA
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: 13eetleJuice]
#503878 - 12/08/10 08:38 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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I like the idea of your veg being under the flowering chamber. Your flowering chamber doesn't really need the whole height of the cabinet in my opinion. Just make sure to get a good seal going so your veg light won't peak through.
Whats your plans on flowering though? Do you plan on sog'ing small plants? Doing scrog? Or vegging them out some an doing some larger plants? This is something we kinda need to know.
From the pic I am guessing you plan on vegging them a little bit and going for larger plants...
What kind of light do you plan on vegging with? Not too important, but with that space I would guess LED or CFL, which is all you would really need and not put too much heat down there.
LED's veg like a boss. They easily keep in the 75 degree range with pc fans for exhaust.
Quote:
My thoughts are that perhaps with only 400 watts, it would be advisable to keep the plants shorter as the light will likely not penetrate very deeply with taller plants. Amiright?
Actually I think 400 would be fine for plants to do full size in this cabinet... You gotta figure, your pots will take up some space, so take off about 8"-12" for the pot in height. 12" pot (heightwise) would leave you with roughly 33" of growspace for the plants, and you will want to keep the plants a good 6" (a guesstimate) from the 400 watter once fully stretched. So that leaves roughly 27". I'm pretty sure a 400 watter can handle that since my 250 watt hps done plants about that size without a problem a few years ago.
If you do decide to go for shorter plants than I would say fuck it and go sog, that way you can keep yourself a good supply going constantly, no reason to mess with small plants for 2 months for one harvest imo.
Here's another idea that works well, goto your dollar general/ family dollar (family dollar is a lot cheaper) and grab some shamwows.
These things will soak up all of your runoff without a problem and they quickly dry up too. Lay some mylar down and put the shamwow on top of it so no water will reach the wood and rot it. The shamwow will keep all the runoff inside the shamwow, so as long as it is laying ontop of mylar, you won't have anything to worry about.
If you split the cabinet, I would also separate the doors so you can access the veg without having to open up the flowering cabinet also.
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“If you want to find out who your real friends are, sink the ship. The first ones to jump aren’t your friends.” — Marilyn Manson
This isn't the correct place to confront me on anything.
Forum full of dead stars, and a necro I called Coma White
Edited by Laysthepipe (12/08/10 08:53 AM)
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13eetleJuice
The ghost with the most
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 368
Loc: 6' under fertalizing bud
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: Laysthepipe]
#503950 - 12/08/10 11:00 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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Thanks for the reply. I'd just like to maximize my yield in the space that I have available. I have experience with LST, SOG, and ScrOG under CFL lighting but, I don't have any experience with HID.
If I can yield just as much or more, doing LST, SOG, or ScrOG, vs full size plants then I would prefer the smaller flowering chamber with more space for mothers and clones.
However, if shortening my cabinet would be a waste of vertical growth area that could increase yields, well I don't want to ignore that. I can keep clones anywhere but this will be my only flowering area.
I've discovered my solution to all of this though. I'm going to build the cabinet so that it can go either way, with a removable partition. That way when I want to flower some trees I can remove it and when I go back to short plants I'll put the board back in again. I'll have to find some way to seal it real well but that shouldn't be a problem.
Hell yeah, transformer cabinet!
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jkell
Midnight toker
Registered: 10/29/10
Posts: 512
Loc: Don' worry bout it
Last seen: 5 years, 7 months
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: 13eetleJuice]
#503983 - 12/08/10 02:34 PM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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Just hit it up with some duct tape when you want to add the divider.
Love the way your cabinets gonna look haha make me one!
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muse42
Zomberrific
Registered: 04/20/10
Posts: 1,000
Loc: West Coast
Last seen: 13 years, 12 days
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: jkell]
#504153 - 12/09/10 01:23 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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More than meets the eyes...
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It looks like it's going to be another Gravity Bong type day...
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13eetleJuice
The ghost with the most
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 368
Loc: 6' under fertalizing bud
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: mhbound]
#505786 - 12/15/10 11:35 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
mhbound said:
Hey you, if you have a camera take some pictures throughout your build and I'll do the same with mine I'm about to start. Seems to me like not many people do that for whatever reason, and I'd like to look at yours n how you did it compared to mine...take the best parts of the design from each and build a super cab next time
Done. It's no super cab but I'm happy!
   
   
 
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Edited by 13eetleJuice (12/15/10 11:40 AM)
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mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: 13eetleJuice]
#506133 - 12/17/10 07:12 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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nice man, and those mothers look nice btw
you go with what you have and im guessing thats what you had around and im also guessing it will work just the same as any other high end cab.
im slowly working mine, having to completely seal it because odor is a huge concern for this particular cab being in a high traffic apartment and all. should have pics by new years, about to try to buy this lamp from harrry.
anyway, looks nice, now get it GROWIN!
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Suck my balls America
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13eetleJuice
The ghost with the most
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 368
Loc: 6' under fertalizing bud
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: mhbound]
#506140 - 12/17/10 08:34 AM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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Yeah I already had most of the materials except for the HPS, ballast, reflector, ducting, one sheet of OSB, a roll of duct tape, and a gallon of white paint. I kept the complete project under $250. I think that's pretty damn thrifty!
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muse42
Zomberrific
Registered: 04/20/10
Posts: 1,000
Loc: West Coast
Last seen: 13 years, 12 days
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: 13eetleJuice]
#506264 - 12/17/10 07:09 PM (13 years, 11 months ago) |
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I got my cab from work. Industrial 4x1.5x5 shelves. I only had to add a front to it. It was the best decision I ever made. Then I did what most newbs do. I bought a whole bunch of crap I did not need.  I love this hobby
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It looks like it's going to be another Gravity Bong type day...
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E99Energy
Evil E~tard
Registered: 01/05/11
Posts: 56
Last seen: 13 years, 10 months
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: 13eetleJuice]
#511837 - 01/08/11 04:01 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Looks fun!
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csmandpking
Shroomer
Registered: 12/17/10
Posts: 171
Loc: Shroomery
Last seen: 11 years, 10 months
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: E99Energy]
#515920 - 01/19/11 10:34 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Sweet setup man, Hows it coming along?
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The monster is always in us...
you are smart baby!
cept for when youre really high...then you turn into my other boyfriend dippy.
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BigBudz
USA Mind Controls You!
Registered: 01/18/11
Posts: 133
Loc: Oakland, CA USA
Last seen: 13 years, 8 months
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Re: Grow Space Dimensions: Does Size Matter? [Re: csmandpking]
#516346 - 01/20/11 06:44 PM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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If you do a Scrog, which I'm looking into something similar, you are going well. Fact is even with soil you have to use nutrients at least halfway through flowering. If you do the nutrients right, the plants are literally falling over trying to support the nugz. Really doesn't matter what you do, as long as you veg the plants for 2 weeks to a month.
Honestly you could do 2 plants, if you veg'd for a month, and have the same bud output as 9 plants technically.
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Art Music Music 2 Music 3
You are most likely being mind controlled if you live in the USA. The technology was discovered back in the late 1980's. You can easily see weird towers on government buildings...
http://www.cheniere.org/misc/sparkoflife.htm#mindcontrol
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