Help Choosing A Grow Cabinet

[Snafu]

hello farmers time has come to pick up a grow cabinet and I could use some help with figuring out which will be the best bang for my buck.

I'm in a place where my wife has given me the ok to lay out the cash on everything I need to begin growing my own meds, but she has given me some parameters to go by.

1. Must be locking
2. Must have filtration to keep smell down
3. Must not be larger than 5' wide x 6' tall x 3.5' deep
4. I must buy everything I need to go from seed/clone to final cured meds (I am looking at getting the main grow cabinet, a dryer, & a mother/clone box to go with)
5. Must be LED to keep electricity costs down

That said I am looking at a few options
Bc northern lights has a few packages that look really nice and could fit my needs.

Although a few things I'm unsure about with Bc are they don't seem to offer an LED version/conversation also seems Bc Only offers hydroponics systems (I am thinking I want to grow in soil but am no opposed to hydroponics or aeroponics I just don't want to be locked into one and not be able to try the others.)

I also hear that Bc's drier is small and has a hard time drying what can be produced in the producer or the bloom box which would mean needing a second dryer since I cannot hang dry unless it is in a second cabinet (the supherb drying cabinet seems like a good option but might be over kill for what I need.).

The next company I am looking at is the hydroponics group I'm looking at the bud buddy or the grow daddy.

These cabinets interest me because they are made with wood and look more like they are furniture than industrial like the Bc cabinets (not that this is a huge deal breaker though) and these cabinets don't lock me into scrog (although of scrog is the best idea for small personal grows I'm ok with that just need some input either way on that).

Also the grow daddy allows me to stand and garden for the most part where as the Bc cabs are really close to the ground normally without adding a platform or something to lift it off the ground.

Pros and cons of each box are many but I haven't used either to know which is honestly better or if there is a brand I haven't researched if there are other high quality cabinets out there I'd be interested to know about them so I can begin looking.

I'd build my own but I got missed with the DIY gene so I'm left buying a cabinet and that's why I am trying to make the money spent go towards the best unit available.

Thanks for any help or ideas any of you farmers might offer.

Also looking to stay away from tents and go strictly with a solid cabinet.

Thanks again!
-Sanfu

 

[Seed Buyer]

For the price of those BC cabinets you could rent a 2 bedroom house just to grow in.

 

[Snafu]

For the price of those BC cabinets you could rent a 2 bedroom house just to grow in.

That's true but I am not able to do this as my back and hips are all fucked and cannot build to suit. To be fair I found a dealer that will give me a helluva deal in either cabinet.

Just need to find something good for my meds.

Is there a local cab builder? I'll be spending cash and if I can keep it local to Colorado works for me as well.

 

[Tripsick]

I have made a few but nothing as large as you are asking. Home-depot their panel saw and some MDF.

a tent or two seems like it would be easier. do you want a spot for 1 or 2 flowering plants.. then in another compartment in the same Cab for vegging upcoming plants. if you do what i do and add a new plant every 3 weeks i can run about 3 at a time in my tiny closet.

Use a vortex 6 inch to cool the entire thing.. you will have a large filter that will eat up room inside the cabinet.

and you will have duct work to deal with as you will want to remove the heat that is building up.

Liquid Nails and 2 inch drywall screws. = 10.00

3 sheets MDF 3/4 inch = 99.00

4 bulb 2ft t5 for veg. = 80

315 cmh Light and hood =480

Fan Filter combo = 300

other parts and fittings 50.00

I have a box that i dry in.. and if i am worried about smell i put it in front of my veg cab intakes and no more smell.

you could go 2 x 4 and dry wall.. it would save some money most likely be lighter.. use pre hung doors and what not..

I think i would use a tent next time or just the entire room.

Here are some of the cabs i have made.. turned a closet into the same design as all my cabs.. when you find something that works why change it..

 

[LocalGrowGuy]

That's true but I am not able to do this as my back and hips are all fucked and cannot build to suit. To be fair I found a dealer that will give me a helluva deal in either cabinet.

Just need to find something good for my meds.

Is there a local cab builder? I'll be spending cash and if I can keep it local to Colorado works for me as well.

There is a large consignment shop across from where they have the rodeo at i70 and washington. They sell new product as well. I've seen discounted cabinets there.

 

[Snafu]

Thanks @LocalGrowGuy i will Check that place out.

Also great work in your cabs @Tripsick seems like you're making nice cabs and putting out good meds :)

 

[Tripsick]

also with the dimensions above is this cabinet going to be assembled in a room or you have a massive door to slide this big box through? That is why most of my cabs are 23.5 inches on a side so i can get them through doorways.

if you end up using MDF make sure you are wearing a dust mask this shit is no fun on your throat..

And Seal/primer and paint all of it so it isn't releasing that nasty smell of formaldehyde.

You could just get two of these Metal Storage Cabinets that are 36 w 24 deep and 78 high.

Just need a hole saw and some drill bits..

these run about 350.00 per cab.

Paramount™ Storage Cabinet Assembled 36x24x78 Tan
http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/s...nt-174-storage-cabinet-assembled-36x24x78-tan

 

[LocalGrowGuy]

Heat is always an issue with metal cabinets in my limited experience. But I always had other options so I never tried to find a solution. I was going to make plans to look into it but then I got high.

 

[Snafu]

I'm thinking about getting a local builder to see about building out a cedar box so I can customize the dimensions and get it set up the way I want it and not have to drop the asking price of the Bc boxes.

I like the automated features but I don't like not being able to run the CMH/LEC lights as that's the route I have any to go. I'd like to build out for a SS 630 fixture and work on piecemealing the rest of the parts and pieces I need.

And those cabs seems designed for hydro and I am really wanting to with super soil (I'm going to work on beginning the cooking process this week).

Now I just need t figure out what brands or type to f stuff I need.

Is it advised the to push air into the the filter by mounting the filter outside the box or pulling air through the filter with it mounted inside the box?

Also can anyone suggest some fan and filter brands that work well and have had good success with? As there are so many freaking choices these days.

Also it is better to run a larger fan then necessary? Sorry for the newbish questions this is the first time I am actually looking to grow the right way with a proper setup.

Also are the LEC light aimed more at sog or scrog or do they like small bushes with lots of tops?

Just trying to figure out exactly what I want to do sog or scrog seems to be the best that way I can run more plants and keep them smaller. But the I like the idea of fewer larger plants to spread out my plant count for easier preptual harvests.

Thanks again for your help and advice. As soon as I get this going I will do a grow Thread :).

 

[BubbaG]

I almost bought a grow daddy once. Seems a good product and you can deconstruct it easily if you ever want to move it. You will spend almost as much money on material if you buy high quality lumber that will actually end up looking like a piece of furniture and build it yourself. I know, been there

 

[Snafu]

I almost bought a grow daddy once. Seems a good product and you can deconstruct it easily if you ever want to move it. You will spend almost as much money on material if you buy high quality lumber that will actually end up looking like a piece of furniture and build it yourself. I know, been there

I'm leaning toward the grow daddy for that very reason. I really like the fact that these cabinets are made of sustainable/renewable cedar source.

I also dig the amount of customization that you have with these systems and the fact that I'm not locked into needing to Garden on the ground as well as not having to be stuck having little to no flexibility with the BC systems since you're not able to customize your lights or grow medium.

not to mention it's much cheaper than the BC systems. My wife is sold on the cabinet being furniture quality and we all know happy wife happy life

 

[xavier7995]

Regarding your fan question, oversize it and dial it down. You can easily adjust down, adding more is the hard part.

Really impressed with all the thought going into this.

 

[BubbaG]

Agreed on fan size - that goes for the filter too.

A piece of household furniture doesn't typically shriek like a miniature wind tunnel either lol. Oversizing and turning down will reduce noise by more than 50%. All you need do is keep a slightly negative pressure in the cabinet to control the odor, that way all exhaust goes through the filter... until you open the door that is :)

No reason you couldn't use the 315W CMH lights with the grow daddy, just buy it without lights and buy the lights separate. My 315s will let the plant come all thme way to the bulb without burnin.... 2 of those in a godfather grow daddy box would be very cool