(Another) Newbie with questions growing in an enclosure

[McConaughey]

Hey guys,

First off let me apologize if my questions have been asked and answered elsewhere. I've looked through so much material and am still a bit hazy...

I have a plant that is approximately 8 weeks old, and seems to be growing well. Except for the bugs that are eating the leaves (which I'm trying to take care of). This plant has some "history" (think "How High," the movie) and so I'd like to keep it around and alive. Right now it is growing outside, but for a few different reasons, namely neighbors and bugs, I want to bring it inside. Because I rent I can't setup a dedicated grow room just yet (moving out in 2 months). What I would like to do is setup a "grow box" to try and grow and flower this plant. My idea is as follows:

I currently have a rectangular wood box that is 46" tall, 25" wide and 26" deep. The plant is around 10" tall and is planted in an 8qt pot; so about 19 or 20" overall. My first idea is to use 2, 27W CFLs on the top and sides for a total of 6 lights and 7500 lumens. From what I've read, though, they don't seem to flower the plants very well, so I'd have to switch to HPS for that, or use it from the start. I was thinking a 150 or 250W system? Heat is my concern though, with only 24" of vertical growth left, will an HPS get too hot? Intake and exhaust would be handled by two or three 120MM computer fans.

External light is another concern I have. Certainly I'll caulk or otherwise seal the joints, but what about the holes for the fans? Is there some sort of black, breathable material I could put over the holes and mount the fans over that? Or is there a better solution?

I think that's all the questions I had, but I just had a session, so please allow me to recap.

Should I bother with CFLs if I need to flower with HPS anyway? 150W or 250W? I don't think I'll grow more than 2 plants at any time.

Is 24" tall enough or should I go higher? I suppose I could build a 5 or 6ft enclosure.

Is there a good method for sealing the fan holes?

Thanks in advance, and I apologize if y'all read posts like this daily I just want to do this right, and though I've grown vegetable gardens for years, I'm new to indoor growing and this particular plant.

 

[UKgirl420]

i think a 4 ft enclosure will be better as your plant will double if not triple in hieght ,,,,id go with a 250 hps ..i use a 400 in a room 5ft x1.5ft ,,
with the intake and out take cpu fans plus a couple in side it keeps the temps ok ,,i just put a cover/board over/infront the door when light s out

just give a good hosing down of the plant and try and get all the bugs off ,,before bringing her indoors ..as they are more likey to thrive and multiply more intensely under hps ,,eace:

 

[Caretaker]

Did you put someones ashes in the soil??

 

[McConaughey]

Did you put someones ashes in the soil??

A little bit. And this plant was grown from the seed of a plant that had some of a friend's ashes in it.

Hmm. In retrospect, that sounds sort of odd. Maybe I shouldn't have told everyone that

UKGirl: I made a mistake in the original post. The enclosure is 46" tall, the plant and pot is slightly shy of 24". Then the light takes up vertical space, too, I guess, so I'd guess I'd have around 18" of vertical space left to grow. Does that seem like enough, or should I get the enclosure up to 5 or 6 ft?