San Diego, 1st indoor, 4x4 tent, soil, organic grow journal

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stp

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I have been taking my time putting things together, reading, reading, reading, and slowly it is coming together. Here's what has happened so far:

NEW STUFF:
(1) 4x4x78" Quicktent
(1) AC Infinity 6" fan with all the bells/whistles.
(25lf) of AC's 6 layer duct I've heard mixed reviews on.
(3) 5 gallon Smart Pots.
(1) 6" oscillating fan (Vivosun clip on rails type)
(1) iPower Charcoal filter 6"
(1) Vivosun muffler 6"
(1) Ph tester
(1) TDS tester
(4) pairs rope hangers
(4) round pot stands (airflow)
(4) round pot saucers

ON ORDER:
Bio Canna full line of their organics
(5) Timber Daisies with 10' extended cord to run driver outside tent

I set up the tent so far, still trying to determine what to do with all the holes. There is one really big 10" or 12" at the top (lid), two 4" right below that, then two 6" on either side a little lower, then at the bottom I have two 8" intake holes on opposite sides. Plus there are three square velcro holes at the bottom on three sides.

My plan is to hang the filter connected directly to the fan, then from the fan I go outside the tent with a straight short run to the muffler, but then after the muffler I am not sure if I need to add a little more flex duct just to be able to put some mesh screen over it or what? I am not going to run the exhaust out of the top hole, seems like adding a bend to the system to get out that way is not the best way to keep my CFM's up. So what do I do with holes I am not using? I thought about using these composite duct collars with the ability to open and close them. They come in all sizes, thinking about installing these from the inside and attaching a small piece of flex on each of them with a mesh cover to keep bugs out, any better ideas?

I am hanging the filter and fan today, I will post photos after it's done.

Plan is to grow three plants the first time. From seeds I have already, mystery seeds though. LST sounds like a good first timer training technique for this time.
Going to be buying RO water here in San Diego if I can find a station that has no mineral added water, not sure where that is just yet.

Passive intake is my plan for this room, it's indoors, so I am not sure I would need to use a fan for the intake.

Anything I am missing so far?
 
Duct collar
CosmoGrows

CosmoGrows

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We're pretty much running the same setup! Looks awesome! goodluck! i just picked up some happy frog and i gotta say, i like it better than Ocean because the aeration is awesomeeeee. ill stay posted, keep us updated!
 
stp

stp

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We're pretty much running the same setup! Looks awesome! goodluck! i just picked up some happy frog and i gotta say, i like it better than Ocean because the aeration is awesomeeeee. ill stay posted, keep us updated!
I was leaning towards something more like ProMix but the guys at SD Hydro said this stuff works great so why not. I was concerned with getting live slugs and worms in bags from places like Home Depot, so I thought if I bought some more expensive soil at a shop I'd get some "steamed" sterile bug free soil but they told me good luck with that, so I went FF.
 
Moshmen

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We're pretty much running the same setup! Looks awesome! goodluck! i just picked up some happy frog and i gotta say, i like it better than Ocean because the aeration is awesomeeeee. ill stay posted, keep us updated!
Jealous ! Lol looks great man
 
stp

stp

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I just bought one Honeywell HT-900 fan to help blow air into the tent. Plan to duct tape a short run of duct to the face of the fan into the tent with a Growbright dust cover/filter screen on the end inside. Going to try to make this as sealed as possible even though the guys at the shop said they don't plug or even worry about covering the un-used holes in the tent. I am going to make a cap for the large one out of the lid, two of the 4" I am not using, and then the others get little tails of duct with screens on them.
 
Jack og

Jack og

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Just fabricated two cross bars for my tent. Home depot, aluminum tube, drilled holes and used EMT clamps wrapped in duct tape. Works perfectly. Picked up Fox Farms Happy Frog for soil also.
Take a electrical conduit and hammer the ends flat, cut corners, then hammer it around a curved galvanized pipe to make a half circle and now u have a piece that doesnā€™t have a bolt and nut to potentially damage your tent
 
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CosmoGrows

CosmoGrows

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I just bought one Honeywell HT-900 fan to help blow air into the tent. Plan to duct tape a short run of duct to the face of the fan into the tent with a Growbright dust cover/filter screen on the end inside. Going to try to make this as sealed as possible even though the guys at the shop said they don't plug or even worry about covering the un-used holes in the tent. I am going to make a cap for the large one out of the lid, two of the 4" I am not using, and then the others get little tails of duct with screens on them.

Dont worry about the holes being open in your tent. Unless you are using CO2. I keep a couple holes open just for air flow into the tent. helps keeps temps level for me.
 
Smoking Gun

Smoking Gun

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Just keep the drawstrings closed on the ports, it will be fine. Being that you are in a tent don't worry about it being sealed, it won't be. Just do your best to keep light out and you will be fine.

Which SD Hydro location did you go to?
 
stp

stp

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Take a electrical conduit and hammer the ends flat, cut corners, then hammer it around a curved galvanized pipe to make a half circle and now u have a piece that doesnā€™t have a bolt and nut to potentially damage your tent
I think I saw this idea as I was trying to figure out ways to do this. I opted for this method just because I did not want to hammer in the place I reside to bring attention to me building something. I was all in on that method, simple and strong, my way is not as strong. The nuts and bolts are no worry to me, they are not close to touching tent parts. The slightly sharp edges of the EMT clamps are what was worrying me, I filed and taped them, they should be fine. Thank you for the suggestion.
 
stp

stp

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Just keep the drawstrings closed on the ports, it will be fine. Being that you are in a tent don't worry about it being sealed, it won't be. Just do your best to keep light out and you will be fine.

Which SD Hydro location did you go to?
I go to the Morena shop. I was just figuring it's not much to help keep critters out, plan is to cut two short 8" pieces and they will be attached to a duct collar with a damper just in case I need to adjust airflow intake for any reason ($12 each). The ends of these short ducts will have either Bright Grow mesh/carbon filters ( I am not buying these for their filtering ability really), or just panty hose. I have a Honeywell HT-900 fan that will push 185CFM and fits an 8" duct, so I plan to use this as an assist fan for intake opposite side of the exhaust. The additional 6" hole across from the 6" exhaust hole I am using will get pretty much the same thing as the lower intake vents. That leaves one small 4" at the rear and the large 10" in the LID. I have drawstrings pulled shut and we shall see if I do/don't throw some sort of mesh/or solid insert just to make sure if the tent moves, I get no light in these un-used holes. Thanks for the information!
 
stp

stp

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Got the power re-routed for less cables inside. The issue I am wonder now is, to run the Cloudline with the timer and the lights or run it on it's own program system. I was told I should run the lights and fan on the same circuit, so since it's all the same power strip, I am not sure if their interface is better to use than just on/off with a timer? Setting it up for Hi Temp, Hi RH, or Low Temp, Low RH...anyone have experience using Cloudline fan. This thing is super quiet and it's pulling air through 25 feet of duct and the filter and it's working great! I am shortening that 25' as soon as my muffler arrives. Here's a video of it running. CHEESY Ikea $10 shelf to hold the Cloudline fan and power converter. It's also going to hold the Nutes and testers.
 
Jumbobudski

Jumbobudski

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Awesome. I got a similar set up too. Iā€™m playing with different substrates rite now but Iā€™m really leaning towards a living organic soil. Iā€™m growing in coco loco at the moment. I have 3 plant well I got 2 in the tent and I just moved one outside because I think itā€™s a male. Lol. Now Iā€™m second guessing myself but hey. Only time will tell. Grow looks awesome man. Good luck.
 
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Smoking Gun

Smoking Gun

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Got the power re-routed for less cables inside. The issue I am wonder now is, to run the Cloudline with the timer and the lights or run it on it's own program system. I was told I should run the lights and fan on the same circuit, so since it's all the same power strip, I am not sure if their interface is better to use than just on/off with a timer? Setting it up for Hi Temp, Hi RH, or Low Temp, Low RH...anyone have experience using Cloudline fan. This thing is super quiet and it's pulling air through 25 feet of duct and the filter and it's working great! I am shortening that 25' as soon as my muffler arrives. Here's a video of it running. CHEESY Ikea $10 shelf to hold the Cloudline fan and power converter. It's also going to hold the Nutes and testers.
In a tent I would say you want the fan running all the time. I try to keep negative pressure in the tent, so be careful with all the air you are trying to pump into your tent.
 
stp

stp

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In a tent I would say you want the fan running all the time. I try to keep negative pressure in the tent, so be careful with all the air you are trying to pump into your tent.
I understand, I need to see how hot it gets with lights and my thoughts about forcing air were only because I am exhausting into the corner of the room, furthest from the door and the intake vents are facing that side and the door. The thought is that maybe the room gets too hot from that exhaust and this fan will help to pull air from the main part of the house where windows can be open for fresh air. It's theory at this point.
 
stp

stp

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Hooked up the muffler, it helps, there's no sound coming from the exhaust duct now. I added a short tail after the muffler and will eventually figure out a better idea for how it will sit. The fan is quiet until you get to 10. I hear some whiring that I am wondering had I used insulated duct to run to that muffler would it cut this sound? I've got great negative pressure so far. Still have two 8" passive intake to deal with. The other holes I am not using, and the cord hole got blackout pieces stuffed in them and pulled string tight to ensure no light leaks.

Question: we talk about light leaks and to look for light getting in more than getting out. What about the duct holes in the tent, you guys said to just leave them and make sure no light gets in, so what about the two 8" at the bottom for passive intake? How do I leave these open for air flow but not have light entering the tent during flower? What about the velcro flaps with the mesh over them, can those be open during flower or do I need it to be blackout dark?
 
Jack og

Jack og

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Hooked up the muffler, it helps, there's no sound coming from the exhaust duct now. I added a short tail after the muffler and will eventually figure out a better idea for how it will sit. The fan is quiet until you get to 10. I hear some whiring that I am wondering had I used insulated duct to run to that muffler would it cut this sound? I've got great negative pressure so far. Still have two 8" passive intake to deal with. The other holes I am not using, and the cord hole got blackout pieces stuffed in them and pulled string tight to ensure no light leaks.

Question: we talk about light leaks and to look for light getting in more than getting out. What about the duct holes in the tent, you guys said to just leave them and make sure no light gets in, so what about the two 8" at the bottom for passive intake? How do I leave these open for air flow but not have light entering the tent during flower? What about the velcro flaps with the mesh over them, can those be open during flower or do I need it to be blackout dark?
Close or tie the passive ones out , if the air flow is ample we done want light leaks if there is say something with a light always on in the space . I usually have isolated spaces for veg bs flower so the passive stays open as that room is dedicated
 
stp

stp

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Close or tie the passive ones out , if the air flow is ample we done want light leaks if there is say something with a light always on in the space . I usually have isolated spaces for veg bs flower so the passive stays open as that room is dedicated
Then where does my intake air come from after I close those vents? I think I am going to run short pieces of duct and create an upside down U, panty hose one side and grow bright mesh covers on the other unless someone has better suggestions to allow air in and not light.
 
Smoking Gun

Smoking Gun

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Then where does my intake air come from after I close those vents? I think I am going to run short pieces of duct and create an upside down U, panty hose one side and grow bright mesh covers on the other unless someone has better suggestions to allow air in and not light.
Ducting is exactly the way to go. Have a bit sticking into the tent and the rest outside the tent in an 'S' bend, or 3, in the ducting. You can use pantyhose on the end as you suggested or you can the same The bends in the ducting will be enough to eliminate the light from getting into your tent. You can use pantyhose on the end as you suggested or use a product called Bug Net that is sized correctly for you vent size

The drawstrings on your ports should be enough to keep them closed off from any light getting in, particularly if they have two sleeves not just 1.
 

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