LED Grow Light Forum

hallo,

I'm in tha process of making my grow list before i build my grow cabinet [3X3] in a few months from now. i want to make sure i get everything right and done the right way.


I wanted to grab the solarflare 200 full cycle, an run it through out the whole grow cycle. I'm planning on growing 2-3 plant max. I was thinking of starting with 3 differences Autoflowering Dwarf strains as they stay short. then move to Feminized seeds and low stress train them, to maximize space an light and to keep them all even.


Down the road when i have more funds, I'm planning on adding 1 or 2 kessil H150 MAGENTA or one magenta and one purple to help with more coverage.

my concern is, what type of intake and ventilation fans would i need. i have come up with three different option

-option 1-

i was thinking the hurricane inline 171 CFM 4inch fan for exhausting air out.. but that seems kinda over kill. for the intake fan, i was thinking of using [4]Cougar Turbine CFT12S4 120mm Case Fan for the intake fan.. but I'm not sure if it would be strong enough to draw air in and circulate my cabinet and keep it cool. here are the specs for it

-Focus Air Flow, Optimize Cooling Efficiency, Hyper-spin Bearing, Aero-dynamical Design.

-RPM - 1200 ~ 2400 RPM
Air - Flow 60.4 ~ 102.6 CFM
Noise - Level 17 ~ 21 dBA


-option 2-

i was thinking of using the EcoPlus Inline Duct Booster 4 inch 70 CFM for exhausting air. then using the [4] Cougar Turbine CFT12S4 120mm case fan for drawing air and and circulating it through out the whole cabinet.

-option 3-

was to use [4] Cougar Turbine CFT12S4 120mm case fan for drawing air in. then use another [4] for pulling air out.
would these computer fan have enough power to pull air in and keep my cabinet kool. i have the ac running inside the room at a temperature of 77 degree through-out the day.


I'm gonna use the Return Air Filter Grilles - LOUVER STYLE for fan lightproof and build my own carbon filter to help with the smells.


for the inside i'm planning on covering the wall with Orca Grow Film reflective material.


these were my major concerns.. all help and input is appreciated as this will be my first grow.



pS.. hps/mh is out of the questions as during the day, it average a little over 1OO+ degree and then fall back down to mid 8O' during the night.


thank you for taking the time to look over my log.

I'd go with the 4" (or 6") fan and skip the 4 PC fans. Passive intake (filtered) should be fine.

However, a SF200 is not enough light for a 3x3 area and I'd skip the kessils too. Also, even with LED, AC may be required if the grow area gets too hot so HID is an option.

YMMV...

okay. what do you mean by passive intake ?

what other light's should i use to supplementary the sf2OO or should i just get a different light set up ?

A passive intake is an intake without a fan pushing air in. If you have a large exhaust fan, it creates negative pressure inside the tent and air will come in from any place it can, such as a passive intake vent hole.

Is the 3x3 space set in stone? Are you going to use some of the 3x3 for equipment, like a dehumidifier or a portable AC unit? If you plan to use the *entire* 3x3 space for flowering plants then, imho, you'd want closer to 450w or more (actual draw, not LED watts) to get top-shelf results. Even the SS400w wouldn't be enough and the SS800w would be about 68w/sqft if you wanted to push your plants even further. You could go with 3 of the SF200w lights, 1 x SF100 + 1 x SS400, if you want to stick to CLW lights or you could go with another brand or even HID lighting. There are a lot of options...

ohh okay, i thought as much but wasn't sure.
will the hurricane inline 4 be enough ? as i don't want to draw too much attention to it.

yeah 3x3 is as big as i can go, also i will have everything inside of there.
my cabinet is a few feet away from my room a/c or rite under it.
i will be reorganizing my room once i get wooden floor install and when my cabinet is done.

what is your recommendation on lights for a 3x3 area ? i don't want anything over the top, as it will only be for personal usage.

thank you for all your input so far

A 6" fan on a fan speed controller will be quieter than a 4" running full speed but since you have AC in the room where the cab will be a 4" on a speed controller will probably work and keep the noise down. Since the price difference between a 4" and 6" is so low ($14), I'd still go with the 6" so you'd have room to expand or vent more equipment later if desired but you will want a speed controller which is an added expense.

Define "everything" that will be inside?

What kind of yield do you need to satisfy your personal needs? I generally suggest taking your goal and doubling it to be safe, if you have extra that builds up over time you can skip a cycle or find other ways to deal with excess inventory. From there it might be easier to help you pick a light that will work for you.

okay, i will keep that in mind. any particle exhaust fan you have in mind ?

hmm... lights, fan, pots, orca film reflective material..
i think that's about it but not sure, might be missing a few things.

I would be happy with 1oz a plant. if three plants is pushing it, then i would go with 1 or 2.

You said Hurricane fans but I like Can Max-Fans, it's really up to you though...

You might need a humidifier or a dehumidifier in there depending on ambient. You'll want some kind of oscillating fan(s) for circulation and to help with stem/trunk strength too. Soil or hydro? What size pots? Carbon filter? Can the exhaust fan go outside of the cab?

I meant how much do you need per month? 1oz/mo? Do you plan on growing from seed/clone one whole cycle at a time or are you working towards a perpetual harvest setup?

okay. would this work, i was thinking of a Inline Duct Boosters or multiple case fan to draw air in. if not i was gonna use a small table fan aim at the plants to circulate air and to help build the trunk.

then i would be using a stronger inline fan to draw air out, having the fan and carbon filter hanging in the back would seem best with a ThermoFlo duct attack to the top.

I'll would be growing in soil with 3 gallon grow bag or smart pot.. haven't really decided as it's not a major concern like the fans and lights..

i plan to start from seeds then move over to clones, as i have a small humidity dome to start the seed and clones in till there ready to move into the cabinet

sorry forgot to mention, that i'm not looking for a particle yield. as i just want to be stealth (sound, odor, and lightproof)

With passive intakes and a good exhaust fan you don't need fans to draw air in but you will still need fans to circulate the air inside.

2 x SF200 or 1 x SS400w would be less than ideal but if you don't care then you could potentially yield up to 13 ounces (much less at first) per harvest. From seed, each harvest will take 3 or more months depending on the genetics and length of veg.