Hey, I’m getting ready to start growing for the season and I was hoping you fine people could answer a few questions for me. I’m relatively new to growing and always learning
First and probably easiest to answer:
I’ve heard that when a seedling first sprouts it’s better to use a weak CFL bulb then a full spectrum LED grow light. I have a 150 W Mars Hydro LED for reference. I have some 60 W CFL bulbs, but the temperature is 2700 Kelvin. I think I saw that a cooler temperature is preferred. Is it better to use that CFL bulb even though the temperature isn’t ideal or should I just use the full spectrum LED on a very low power at high distance away (~100 ppfd)?
Next…
So my tent is in my shed, and the shed isn’t insulated. It sucks, but I have to work with what I’ve got. It’s more or less the same temperature in the shed as it is outside. The shed is roughly 12x16 feet. I’m in zone 7b and my temperatures range from too hot to too cold during the grow season. To help with the cold, I bought a radiant oil heater. I built this little thermal box. I thought maybe by putting a fan in front of it I would be able to concentrate the heat more in the direction of the tent and cut down on wasted heat. Is it worth it to use the box or not really?
Lastly…
I have a 4 inch duct fan outside the tent, pulling air from inside the tent and exhausting back into the shed. I know the air is just being recirculated, but I figured at least it’s pulling some humid air out of the tent, and I do have a dehumidifier set up in the shed. I was recently given a second 4 inch fan. It has a speed controller but no thermostat/humidistat. Should I use the second fan in some way? I could switch things around if it was worth the extra time. Maybe exhaust to the outside and use the second fan as an intake? But the intake would just be pulling air from inside the shed. I imagine it probably wouldn’t hurt but it’s added expense and labor. How would you configure your fans?
Thank you guys for any responses you can provide. I know that was a lot of information and I’m not always the most concise, so if there’s something that isn’t clear Please just ask
This isn’t impossible but it isn’t going to be fun either. I agree with using leds over cfl but it’s not like you couldn’t do it with cfl either.
We run exhaust in your grow tent to replenish co2 plants use just as much as much as we do to help control temps. So even if temps stay reasonable (they probably won’t once you hit summer) you’ll still most likely be starving your plants for co2 without doing something.
You could fix co2 issue by using other fan to exhaust your shed and cut in a passive intake, but this won’t help your temps. And I don’t know if putting holes in your shed is reasonable for a partial fix. Just like installing heater/ac would fix your temps but not co2. Which takes you right back to what is reasonable to do, buy, and put up with to run a grow being stuck with having to do it in a shed.
A small enough grow can probably be made to work but you’ll almost never be in ideal conditions for one reason or another.
Oh for sure, I’m just running one plant lol. 3 gallon pot, 2x2 shed.
And it can definitely be done. Not to toot my own horn, but considering my less than optimal conditions, I think I’ve done pretty well. No cannabis cups in my future, but I’m overjoyed with it.
As far as exhausting the shed, clarify for me. Are you saying exhaust the air from the shed (which is the lung room, right?) to the outside? I just hooked up a portable ac today. I only have a rudimentary understanding of how it works but I know it pulls air in from the room it’s in and exhausts it outside. Does that accomplish the goal?
I’m not sure I fully understand the co2 thing. The air coming passively into the tent doesn’t replenish the co2? I have three vents in the tent that I would otherwise keep closed but I could keep them open if you think it’s better. Just gotta figure out light leaks
Tbh, it freaking kills me having to grow in my shed. I grow (what I consider to be) pretty ok weed and I know I could do better if I was inside.
You don’t want to exhaustshed if you’rerunning ac, 8 must’vemissed that. Chances are you’ll be okay on co2 with only 1 smallish plant. Levels will increase when you’re around, opening doors, etc.
What i was saying is that you’re basically reticulating the air in your shed. Your exhaust pulls air out of tent but also pulls air back into tent from the shed. With zero interaction the co2 consumed by plant would eventually be depleated because there’s nothing exchanging the air within the shed.
I think I understand. Yea, I figured it was a bit of a waste to exhaust back into the shed, but I thought at least I was pulling transpiration moisture of of the tent, thinking the dehumidifier in the shed would take care of it.
I definitely won’t be running the ac all the time. I’m wondering if since I’ve already got the second fan, does it make sense to use it as an intake? I could put it right next to the ac when it gets hot. High temps have def been an issue before. The air coming in would have fewer contaminants if I put a filter on it. Just don’t know if it’s worth the extra electricity costs, plus the cost of buying a second carbon filter.
What do you think? Passive intake or use the second fan? Does it matter?
My grow room is built in a corner of my garage in zone 9b. I found it more difficult when its hot outside say like 65 degrees or more to keep my temps right in grow room. The grow room typically runs about 20 to 25 degrees warmer than outdoors and I dont or wont use ac. So when it gets too hot plants go outdoors, maybe in a slightly shaded spot if temps are over 80.
Once its cold enough outside 60 degrees max I can grow inside the grow room. I use an infrared heater set at a temp necessary to keep room at 75 when outdoor temps go below 45. I have found it easier to maintain good temps inside when its cold out.
My stuff is outdoors currently until harvest then start inside in nov.
Thanks for the reply. Not trying to tell you what to do but I just want to share what I e heard. I heard those infrared heaters really dry out the air, so just watch your humidity.
I got a radiant oil heater. Only did some very quick testing but it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be terribly effective, probably because my shed is drafty as hell. One day I’m gonna say to hell with the expense and insulate it.
In the past I’ve always tried to grow from like April/May to September/October. Maryland is a tough place to grow because by the time you get to a point where the daily low temperature isn’t TOO low, you’re running into daytime highs that are too high. And the humidity is so all over the place
I checked your soil temps and ambient and that is a challenging environment, and not very consistent temps. Could see where outdoor grow would be challenging.
I guess if me I would resort to taking out during decent days and putting back in under light at night when it cooler.
Regarding humidity, with the heater and when i use to grow in a trailer I had major high humidity problems due to condensation because roof was metal.
When I built the 4x7 grow room in garage humidity is lower and no condensation issues but i have an automated wifi humidifier I can keep it where I want it.
I tried running ac, heater humidifyer and dehumidifier in trailer but everything was so all over the place it was a bitch. Ac caused humidity and dehumidifier caused heat just an impossible situation forcing me to garage lol
It’s a wooden shed. I’d need to measure it but it’s roughly 12x16. The ceiling isn’t finished so it’s probably 8 feet high, plus the area where the roof slopes. There’s no drywall so studs are visible all the way around
