Sealed Room Questions

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Bluedreaming

Bluedreaming

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These forums have been really helpful but couldn't find any answers on a few things.
For starters I'm a noob but studying vigorously, I'm starting a sealed room of my own.

I was wondering what determines if the room is %100 sealed or not how would you tell? My room can trap heat very well on cold days but does that mean its totally sealed?

I had a full sized split AC installed which I was confused about at first because up untill that point it was sealed off no ventilation but the handler goes to the condenser outside but still doesn't ventilate air?

All my hoods could of been sealed and added ducting but I was told taking off the glass increases yield alot and I had a high power ac to control the heat but I notice the ac cycles on every 20-40 mins to get the tempature right. Is this something I should worry about? I still have all the glass sealer pieces.

I have yet to set a tempature schedule and thought maybe this would fix the cycling problem? Or maybe I'm jumping to a conclusion but my split ac is loud and I wonder what other people think hearing it go on and off all through the night.

Also what's the general consensus for not having CO2 in a sealed room? I haven't made any final decisions on it yet but every thread here says it's a necessity. Also plan on just scrubbing the air with a open carbon filter or two during flower.

Any help on these topics would be greatly appreciated and pro tips and tricks anything. Thanks and much love.
 
Homesteader

Homesteader

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AC will need to work extra. You need CO2 for a sealed room. Kind of a requirement.

I used my CO2 controller to check for seal. With no plants inside (as they will respirate) crank up the CO2 to 1500 and hold it for 24 hours. IMO if there is 1400ppm after 24 hours then you are good to go but in actuality it is probably okay at 1000ppm after 24 hours.

Tuck tape helps.
 
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Bluedreaming

Bluedreaming

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Homesteader said:
AC will need to work extra. You need CO2 for a sealed room. Kind of a requirement.

I used my CO2 controller to check for seal. With no plants inside (as they will respirate) crank up the CO2 to 1500 and hold it for 24 hours. IMO if there is 1400ppm after 24 hours then you are good to go.

Tuck tape helps.
Click to expand...

Awesome well when I get CO2 atleast I have a process to find out if the room is sealed now. I had insulated all the walls and boarded up the windows weather stripped the main door but I never did touch the roof. Which is my concern with it being sealed or not, but it traps heat like a champ. Just out of curiosity what happens in a sealed room without co2?

Also is a big problem having that split ac (not a mini) power cycling anywhere from 20mins on and then off for like 30-40 then back on for 20 in intervals? Its doing its job and maintaining temp but when I'm outside and its 11pm and hear my ac kick on just doesn't sit right with me.

Would the only fix to go back and seal and vent the hoods with inline fans and duct? And then I would have to make holes going outside correct?

Also is my split ac still keeping the room 'sealed' and for a sealed room is standalone carbon filters with inline fans scrubbing the air good enough for smell reduction during flower?

Sorry about so many questions I really appreciate your response and I'm finally getting some needed info, shoulda done this ages ago.
Thanks man.
 
Homesteader

Homesteader

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Without adding CO2 the plant will quickly use up the CO2 in the airspace and this will stunt their growth. The law of minimum applies to light and CO2 as well.
CO2 will allow you to increase the temp in the room by a few degrees as well.
 
Bluedreaming

Bluedreaming

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Homesteader said:
Without adding CO2 the plant will quickly use up the CO2 in the airspace and this will stunt their growth. The law of minimum applies to light and CO2 as well.
CO2 will allow you to increase the temp in the room by a few degrees as well.
Click to expand...

So if my plants haven't been stunted is it safe to say the room isn't sealed and enough co2 is seeping in through the roof and when I open the door? Honestly I wouldn't know what stunted progression looks like because it is my first time but I've definitely seen progress and growth.
Is checking a rooms seal with co2 controller and co2 over a 24hr period the only option because I realize now the room will have plants in it for a while so am I just destined not to know for sure until after harvest and the room is empty?
 
Homesteader

Homesteader

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Microbes produce a good volume of CO2 FYI. Im sure there are ways to check and do a diy blower door test but it is usually done by checking pressure levels while fans are blowing.
 
907debow1234

907debow1234

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Whew, a lot to figure here... I have a sealed room I built by my definition. . When my exhaust turns on it will suck panda tarp straight off the staples. And room actually ducks in from vacuum... "sealed" by my book.. I control air in and out.... now that doesn't mean there isn't a few holes air can creep through. But then again its not gonna hold water. So no issue...

Second I run my fans to a temp controller. And the air I pull in is cold enough to cool my room quickly with out shocking plants (outside at night cold air can shock em. Take air from a neutral area if you can) note, i run my lights on open reflectors. Most fresh air will have enough co2, to make your plants happy. Thus no need to any extra issues in the grow tent.

Just my two cents.. hope it helps.
 
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Homesteader

Homesteader

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I run my carbon and HEPA filters in the room and exhaust them back as air circulation. One pointing below the canopy and the other above along with oscillating ones.
I don't have any exhaust although I use LEDs and have slightly less heat. IMO sealed is the way to go. Do it right now and you wont have issues later.
Fix the ceiling if you have an issue. Gypsum any gaps, Orca film and some tuck tape should do it.
If I were to do mine over, I would ditch the carbon. Not sure how effective it is with constant 65% rh anyhow but it isn't needed in my situation.
 
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Freshone

Freshone

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A sealed room is no air in and no air out from outside the room.your mini should cycle on at off at intervals to maintain set temp,minis are usually quiet but vary by brand.ill mention that you are also going to need a good dehumidifier,all that water needs to go somewhere,I use quest myself.yes you need co2 in a sealed room.
 
Bluedreaming

Bluedreaming

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I don't have a mini it's full size and quite loud if it was a mini which is probably what I should of went with I wouldn't be so concerned but this thing is loud and power cycles alot. Also I have a dehumidifier in there and it does fill pretty fast and my ac drips directly into the resivore I was told I could use the water or dump it and I might run a drip system for it outside. Before I had the ac I had real trouble battling humidity and heat. After the ac and dehumidifier it's just a matter of the outside condenser power cycling really weird times alot. Also on a side note my ceiling sweats if it snows and I'm really worried come flower that its gonna drip on the buds and cause mold. Any tips on fighting that?
 
Freshone

Freshone

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You need a better dehuey if it's raining in your room,temp differential is causing this.It is all about dialing in your environment with a sealed room,sometimes a pain in the ass but once your dialed it's great.You need to get that moisture under control quick as it will cause mold if you don't.
 
Homesteader

Homesteader

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Can you get more insulation up top? metal roof? Sounds scary. Is your insulation soaked up there?
 
Bluedreaming

Bluedreaming

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Only rains if there's snow on the roof once it melts it stops doing it but I agree on better dehumidifier most of my equipment is hand me downs but works so I'm happy for the moment. And funny thing is that ceiling is part metal and part wood and I never did touch the ceiling with insulation or plastic left it as is, the property owner did an inspection and said everything is fine and that I should refrain from building my own roof because of moisture build up problems he's had with other people. It's not a flat roof don't know the word but its triangle formation and goes much higher then my lights but if I needed too I might be able to insulate it?
 
Bluedreaming

Bluedreaming

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Homesteader said:
can you get a picture?
Click to expand...

Need help identifying what the white lighting like streaks are developing on wood part of roof. Can't remember if they where there before or after the heat and humidity problems.

Update on the loud condenser, the ac guy who hooked it up had priority to just get it running, it's not even level and or attached to the 'cooling stone' light cement block thing. The condesor I have is suppose to be quiet in general but my area is dead silent at night and the cycling is what gets me. But anyways, I plan on leveling the ground it's on, mounting it too the block then buying rubber pad or pads to go under the block, and in a extreme case a condensor compressor silencer blanket?

Still haven't devised a good temp schedule but idk if that would fix my cycling problem anyways but right now its a constant °72 with °2(-,+) difference catcher so once it hits 74 cuts on and drops it back down. I wonder if any of this is alterable or if the schedule of hotter nights (lights on) cooler days (lights off) wouldn't make it cycle as much.
 
KIMG0428
KIMG0426
KIMG0427
Homesteader

Homesteader

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Definitely not very sealed but not a big deal. The water damage in the corner has some white mold but that is typical with a ceiling that had water damage ( I assume it is dry and old?). I also assume that fix was taken care of with a new roof? The white streaks may be from a bore beetle or insect of some type. Is it frosted now? Im just wondering if it is that color in the summer.

I would try to work on this after this run. Close off the ceiling envelope which seems to be wasted air space, and button ship.
 
Bluedreaming

Bluedreaming

24
3
Homesteader said:
Definitely not very sealed but not a big deal. The water damage in the corner has some white mold but that is typical with a ceiling that had water damage ( I assume it is dry and old?). I also assume that fix was taken care of with a new roof? The white streaks may be from a bore beetle or insect of some type. Is it frosted now? Im just wondering if it is that color in the summer.

I would try to work on this after this run. Close off the ceiling envelope which seems to be wasted air space, and button ship.
Click to expand...

Yeah when I first saw it I freaked out a little bit but as days went on and it all stayed dry with no color change I loosened up, can't tell if it's getting worse (streaks). The roof was redone right before I started using it so that's why I assumed it was airtight up there even without insulation. I planned on putting those insulation boards half way up there to split the pocket of air and make it like an attic up top or just splitting the room with a diy tent out of panda film but I was warned not to do one because of moisture build up above the tent thing weighing it down.

Honestly I was given alot of spoken word personal advice on this first time build and after seeing other people break theirs down in the build forum I notice subtle differences that I should of took note of lol. But yeah once the room is empty it will be nice to redo alot of it. Any advice helps.
Also my friend says it's too late to seal and air cool the hoods, makes me wonder if it would of helped.
 
KIMG0429
KIMG0435
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