Need advice on setting up mid sized grow in attic, First Attempt!

MIGrowGuy · Aug 21, 2019

Hey Guys, new grower here in Detroit MI area and I am looking for what pretty much amounts to an education on setting up and starting my first ever grow attempt. Haha, I know that is asking a lot but here is where I am at. I don’t have any experience growing at all. I have been doing as much reading and video watching as possible and have a few pretty experienced friends growing on larger scales I can go to for advice as well but other than that I am a true beginner. My hope is to grow somewhere between 25-36 plants (my legal limit) or better yet, simply have the goal of producing as much yield as I can out of this limited space. I am setting up in an attic area of my detached garage. The garage and room are well built and insulated with heat and central AC that are not currently ducted into this attic room but could be fairly easily if need be. The room I am working with is pretty restricted with a total size of 19.5 ft by 8 ft and very hight limited, being only 6 ft at the highest point and sloping down to the floor. One of the biggest challenges may end up being working in the room once it is set up as I will likely be on my knees or at the very least crouched pretty much the entire time. I plan on sealing the room off to be as airtight as possible and installing an intake vent at one end and exhaust vent at the other with a carbon scrubber attached to keep smells down and neighbors happy. The garage has full electrical but due to the existing loads I am fairly sure I'll have to install a whole new panel and all new electrical to the room before setting up. I have put in my share of outlets and switches and such but am looking for help with this or somewhere I can go to find good wiring diagrams or power calculators for this. I also have yet to decide the best way to effectively regulate the room temps on a long term basis and need some guidance here as well. I am hoping to get things off the ground within the next month and with the cool fall temps here in Michigan and heat generated from lights and stuff I think I might be right in the comfort zone without too much additional regulation for summer I will probably go with split AC and could possibly use space heaters for the winter or try and duct the air from the furnace in, however I don’t know if I could thermostat regulate it.
The most pressing questions I have at this time are number one, what is the best source or sources you can recommend as a pretty comprehensive guide for a beginning grower like myself. These could be either online or hopefully even local. I am ordering the growers Bible and I have just joined a number of forums as well as subscribing to you some YouTube channels. In regards to the room I am trying to set up I am really hoping that someone with experience growing in a height limited space restricted area like this can chime in and tell me what they think the best way to go about it is and answer questions such as:

How many plants do you think I can fit in this space and what might my yields be if I do
How much equipment will I probably need to get started
What size lights, ballasts, blowers, fans etc
How should I go about laying things out?
What should I expect for startup costs and time investment?
What is a realistic weekly or monthly time budget to maintain and manage a grow like this?
Any other good ones you think I should know the answers to

I have attached photos of some very rough plans I drew up so far with estimates of 16 plants in 12” pots fitted pretty snug per side of the room for a total of 32 with 8 lights, 8 ballasts, two blowers, two dehumidifiers, 6 oscillating fans, light controller, thermostat, carbon filter etc. There is also a crowded pic so you can get some idea of the shape of the space I will be using. My budget is slightly limited at the moment and will probably end up being between 1.5 and three thousand to get started. I will very likely be able to find some good deals on used equipment in my area and the budget could be increased by another 2-3K if not more after the first cycle if things go well. That said, I am trying to do everything as professionally as possible with that budget, build a room I can continue to improve on and focus on as high of yields and as little maintenance as possible as well as minimal energy consumption costs. Thanks in advance for any help at all. I am hugely looking forward to becoming a member of the community here and embarking on what will surely amount to a lifelong journey into the world of growing.

oldskol4evr · Aug 21, 2019

MIGrowGuy said:
Hey Guys, new grower here in Detroit MI area and I am looking for what pretty much amounts to an education on setting up and starting my first ever grow attempt. Haha, I know that is asking a lot but here is where I am at. I don’t have any experience growing at all. I have been doing as much reading and video watching as possible and have a few pretty experienced friends growing on larger scales I can go to for advice as well but other than that I am a true beginner. My hope is to grow somewhere between 25-36 plants (my legal limit) or better yet, simply have the goal of producing as much yield as I can out of this limited space. I am setting up in an attic area of my detached garage. The garage and room are well built and insulated with heat and central AC that are not currently ducted into this attic room but could be fairly easily if need be. The room I am working with is pretty restricted with a total size of 19.5 ft by 8 ft and very hight limited, being only 6 ft at the highest point and sloping down to the floor. One of the biggest challenges may end up being working in the room once it is set up as I will likely be on my knees or at the very least crouched pretty much the entire time. I plan on sealing the room off to be as airtight as possible and installing an intake vent at one end and exhaust vent at the other with a carbon scrubber attached to keep smells down and neighbors happy. The garage has full electrical but due to the existing loads I am fairly sure I'll have to install a whole new panel and all new electrical to the room before setting up. I have put in my share of outlets and switches and such but am looking for help with this or somewhere I can go to find good wiring diagrams or power calculators for this. I also have yet to decide the best way to effectively regulate the room temps on a long term basis and need some guidance here as well. I am hoping to get things off the ground within the next month and with the cool fall temps here in Michigan and heat generated from lights and stuff I think I might be right in the comfort zone without too much additional regulation for summer I will probably go with split AC and could possibly use space heaters for the winter or try and duct the air from the furnace in, however I don’t know if I could thermostat regulate it.
The most pressing questions I have at this time are number one, what is the best source or sources you can recommend as a pretty comprehensive guide for a beginning grower like myself. These could be either online or hopefully even local. I am ordering the growers Bible and I have just joined a number of forums as well as subscribing to you some YouTube channels. In regards to the room I am trying to set up I am really hoping that someone with experience growing in a height limited space restricted area like this can chime in and tell me what they think the best way to go about it is and answer questions such as:

How many plants do you think I can fit in this space and what might my yields be if I do

How much equipment will I probably need to get started

What size lights, ballasts, blowers, fans etc

How should I go about laying things out?

What should I expect for startup costs and time investment?

What is a realistic weekly or monthly time budget to maintain and manage a grow like this?

Any other good ones you think I should know the answers to

I have attached photos of some very rough plans I drew up so far with estimates of 16 plants in 12” pots fitted pretty snug per side of the room for a total of 32 with 8 lights, 8 ballasts, two blowers, two dehumidifiers, 6 oscillating fans, light controller, thermostat, carbon filter etc. There is also a crowded pic so you can get some idea of the shape of the space I will be using. My budget is slightly limited at the moment and will probably end up being between 1.5 and three thousand to get started. I will very likely be able to find some good deals on used equipment in my area and the budget could be increased by another 2-3K if not more after the first cycle if things go well. That said, I am trying to do everything as professionally as possible with that budget, build a room I can continue to improve on and focus on as high of yields and as little maintenance as possible as well as minimal energy consumption costs. Thanks in advance for any help at all. I am hugely looking forward to becoming a member of the community here and embarking on what will surely amount to a lifelong journey into the world of growing.

first off ,the room,hang sheet rock over the insulation,the flat white will reflect well for you.
second thing.you have high hopes and im shoot them down i guess,but 36 plants with a brand new newbie isnt gonna work,try 2 plants to harvest and then save your money and make desision from there.
next start out with one of the lights you plan to use,i would not recommend anything used for a grow thing happen all the time and flowering you dont want to have a ballast go out and take a few days to replace.
buy your metering gear first,2 ph pens one for back up,2 tds pens,one for back up,ph up and down,doesnt matter which method of medium you choice ,your gonna need them.
next the light,fan filter combo
next think on a nutrient line you want to use
think on de humidifer and humidifer your area see lots of snow and moisture coming off the lakes
now it up to you to decide which medium you choice,which ever way you go dont buy soil with nutrients already in it period
ok so your head space is limited,so you gonna to have to grow indica plants ,that are more bushy than tall
hit the books on training,feeding,signs of over and under watering,learn how to read plants is the main factor in growing,more hopes are lost from wanting to shove the next best thing at them and lead to problems ,simple is what you thrive,anyway these are just a few things,but lower your goal to you get your feet wet and understand growth and feeding patterns that will make you sucessful friend,get a couple grows under your nails and save your money to expand later if you dig,there is a market out there that wont every penny you got,dont fall for it,watch the other growers and see what really works and take info from folks that have used and done this art by sweat and labor,not from reading a book dig,that goes on a lot ,there are folks that have photographic minds,read stuff and can detail every word to you and have never even used what they are recommending to you,you will figure this out sooner than later,dont fall for the gimmicks.
well hope this helps a bit and you at least take the last few sentences into your heart,your fixing to find out,good luck friend and welcome to the farm

Terpeneluv · Aug 21, 2019

To me, 25 to 36 is a freaking huge grow. Hell, I have a 2x4 text work only 2 in there and it seems like a lot. Of course I trained them and let them veg longer than normal but still. It's takes up a lot of time (that I'm happy to spend).

Like above, start small. You'll figure out what you need for a bigger grow throughout that process. Start with one good light. I went with a really good LED and I feel I made the right choice as it's easier to deal with heat, not to mention takes up half the energy.

I think if I had 25 plants, it wouldn't be as fun and it's be more overwhelmed than feeling like I'm learning things.

Good luck whatever you do.

JWM2 · Aug 21, 2019

More plants, more problems.

As you get more plants each one will receive less attention and that will affect growth and yields. If you aren’t used to growing indoors you’ll want to have a few rounds under your belt before expanding. It’s better to fail with just a dozen plants than to fail with 2-3x that. Dialing in your grow medium, ferts and strains will take some time not to mention your grow space which imo is the most important single factor to dial in. Without the right environment you’re doomed from the start.

MIGrowGuy · Aug 23, 2019

Ok reassessing things and switching gears a bit. I have another space I could use which would fit an 8 x 8 x 6.5' or an 8 x 4 x 6.5' tent, I have decided to stick to 12 plants for my first crop or two and will be growing in soil. I have looked at a few readymade se tups such as this 8x4 here at hydrobuilder , gorilla-grow-tentIts a bit more than some I have seen but from what seems to be one of the higher esteemed manufacturers. So my new questions are; do you think this is a good deal or a good idea to go with a package system or would I be better off putting together a similar setup on my own, likely through amazon or similar brokers. I think it would probably be cheaper that way, as I have seen a lot of these items at lower values but still good reviews on amazon and such. If I did it that way I would probably go with a larger tent and LED lights instead as well as adding an intake fan and maybe a few other things. And lastly and MOST importantly, how much weight do you think I should be expecting to yeild from a smaller tent grow like this providing I do a decent job, have good strains and buy good nutrients. I always hear such broad averages with people getting anywhere from a 1/4 oz to a LB a plant for large outdoor grows so I am still trying to determine what my very realistic expectations should be.

Mr.jiujitsu · Aug 23, 2019

MIGrowGuy said:
Ok reassessing things and switching gears a bit. I have another space I could use which would fit an 8 x 8 x 6.5' or an 8 x 4 x 6.5' tent, I have decided to stick to 12 plants for my first crop or two and will be growing in soil. I have looked at a few readymade se tups such as this 8x4 here at hydrobuilder , gorilla-grow-tentIts a bit more than some I have seen but from what seems to be one of the higher esteemed manufacturers. So my new questions are; do you think this is a good deal or a good idea to go with a package system or would I be better off putting together a similar setup on my own, likely through amazon or similar brokers. I think it would probably be cheaper that way, as I have seen a lot of these items at lower values but still good reviews on amazon and such. If I did it that way I would probably go with a larger tent and LED lights instead as well as adding an intake fan and maybe a few other things. And lastly and MOST importantly, how much weight do you think I should be expecting to yeild from a smaller tent grow like this providing I do a decent job, have good strains and buy good nutrients. I always hear such broad averages with people getting anywhere from a 1/4 oz to a LB a plant for large outdoor grows so I am still trying to determine what my very realistic expectations should be.

Estimate your yield on 12 plants, I run quantum board leds, in a 4x4 tent with 1 plant I get around 2.25-2.5. With two plants I pull closer to 3.25. I have grown inside and out for a long time, planted my first seed over 25 years ago. I am currently juggling a bit more than that many plants indoors, but I am making feminized seeds in one tent, vegging in another, flowering in another. Honestly get a single tent (like a 4x4) and grow a couple out (this can be your clone or mid stage tent in the future). Until you have your grow groove about you it can be really easy to take a fun project and have it become a life encompassing nightmare. Either way best of luck - I would recommend Quantum Board LED lighting, and would suggest diy setup will save you a ton and give you excellent performance... looks like you could modify the bed frame in the back of the room as a massive light hanger if you wanted

Munch517 · Aug 26, 2019

I'd avoid ready made setups in general unless you're really confident you're getting a good deal. Just for fun this is what I'd do using your budget of $3k:

2 hlg 600h v2 - $1500
8x4 tent from Amazon -$200
6"-8" exhaust fan - $100-$150
Carbon filter - $50-$150
2 oscillating fans - $80
Box fan (for floor) - $30
Dehumidifier (probably 30-50 pint??) - $150-$200

That puts you right around $2300 leaving some room for nutes, pest control, soil, pots, measuring cups/droppers, spray bottles, pH pen, ppm pen, mixing reservoir, watering can, light pulleys, magnifying glass/microscope, etc... There's always something else.

There's wiggle room on the quality you can go on a lot of things but I wouldn't get any lesser lights than those if you can afford it, you won't be disappointed. Buy once cry once is a good motto if you're truly getting good products.

If you fill the 4x8 canopy and do a decent job with good strains I'd hope for at least 2 pounds per harvest or very close to that at the least. You'd probably max out around 4 pounds per harvest without Co2 assuming really good genetics and you do a great job with no problems. I haven't used Co2 yet and don't know anyone too close that does, but from what I can read/hear the 4 pound number should be much easier to attain and something like 6 pounds per harvest in a 4x8 becomes realistic.

Need advice on setting up mid sized grow in attic, First Attempt!

MIGrowGuy

oldskol4evr

Terpeneluv

JWM2

Premium Member

MIGrowGuy

Mr.jiujitsu

Munch517

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