A PVC Scrog, Good Idea or Bad Idea?

[Stoner Smurf]

So I am planning on constructing a scrog out of PVC. I decided to go with PVC because it will be easy for a non-carpenter like my self to build a screen with adjustable heights. Having screens with adjustable legs will make them reusable for all my strains.

Currently my room is well ventilated, but I will be swapping to a sealed room within the month. I am worried about off gasing when I go sealed room. Rigid PVC traditionally has 10% phthalates by weight, which is one of the compound that causes off gassing (and the only one in PVC). Flexible PVC (like those used in cheap grow tents I'm assuming) can have up to 50% phthalates by weight. So will PVC pipe be cause enough off gassing to damage plants? Any science guys know if it's possible to remove all the Phthalates (or at least enough) via baking the PVC pipe in the oven for 15 min or so at 300 degrees?

 

[sky high]

Coupla thoughts from an unschooled mind....

I dunno about the oven approach. I sure wouldn't want to be anywhere near such an experiment because I think it will release more nasty than what you'd see from normal off-gassing @ room temps with no guarantee (I know of) that the plastic will off-gas less after it cools down.

My idea is this. All the pvc I see for retail sale has a variety of codes/info imprinted on it. One of the imprints is the manufacture date stamp. Logic (the one in yer brain, not the main Farmer...LOL) would dictate that the older the pipe is/the longer it has been exposed to air after manufacture...the less off-gassing you will have in your presence.

I don't personally freak over such things as we are simply bombarded by BS daily...especially those folks who live in "the city"..... though I do understand the concern. 'nuff said.

I made a nifty tent for veg from 3/4 pvc and panda plastic and felt there was more off-gassing coming from the latter than the former. No ill effects >noticed<....though....um... yeah..... therin lies the scary part....

good luck on yer project!

s h

 

[Stoner Smurf]

300 degrees would probably melt the PVC I meant more like 150. But like you said it would make all sorts of nasties. I'd wear a ventaltor and make a ventaltion hood. At temps warmer than 85 off gasing increases. That's the problem, a sealed flower room with co2 should be about 85. Although I do use PVC in my cloner and like you have seen no noticable effects. Sorry for all the miss spelling no spell check on my cell phone. :)

 

[Bobby Smith]

The UC and MPBs all use a decent amount of PVC, and I've not heard off-gassing issues from them yet.

My avatar is my growing system and 100% PVC, and I haven't noticed anything detrimental to my plants that hasn't been caused by me.

Budlust (and Integra21) both use PVC screens for their SCROGs and both do very well with it.