Heat and humidity issue

[Bohica1a4]

Hi everyone.... I'm getting a gentle reminder at the top of the page that I haven't posted in a while. So now I have a ??

I am experimenting with a CFL closet grow with some bagseed. The fluoro basement grow had to be put on hold due to an impending border who is very straight. This is the second time I've tried this - last time I had 'help' and we had a very meager harvest before we had to dismantle everything (LEO visit on an unrelated issue).

I have four plants that were outside for about 4 weeks and not doing very well so I brought them inside and they are doing very well under the lights. They are about 16" tall. I've got six other plants that I started almost 3 weeks ago that are almost 5" tall. I decided yesterday to put them under 12/12. When I woke up this morning and turned the lights on, the temp was 83 (it stays about that in my closet, even without lights) and the humidity was 90. Where I live (NJ) the summers can get too hot and humid for weeks on end. The AC in my room helps but not in the closet. I have one fan for fresh air, one on top for exhaust and the only place exhaust can go is back into my room. I have Co2 enhancement (sugar/yeast).

I have to admit that I have been beating these poor babies up (they've been knocked over many times in the small space and up until yesterday were in styrofoam cups. LST'd the taller, older plants to keep them low.

I can't cut a hole in the wall to the outside, even though it is an outside wall. There is no room for a dehumidifier (and it's also too noisy). Most of the time, I have to keep the door shut or cracked a little for fresh air. Pretty soon, I will have a very large bookcase in front of the closet for more stealth and would be able to open the door quite a bit, but I don't think this will make a difference as far as the humdity is concerned. When I get to the basement, it won't be an issue. The temps are pretty consistent there.

How do I reduce the humidity (if not also the heat)? Whatever method I use needs to be pretty automatic as I will be out of town for about 5 days at about 3 weeks of 12/12. The temps don't go down much at night either.

 

[Bohica1a4]

I say experimenting because I'm looking to see what works in this environment. Vegging is a beautiful thing cause I see the changes every couple of hours (of course I open up and look). They seem to love the conditions that they are in for that. When I transplanted yesterday, even the 3 week old plants were close to being root bound in the 16 oz styro cups, so they seem to be happy. I want them ecstatic. I'm not expecting a very bountiful harvest this time around, as I need to more light. I have a bunch of seeds to play with.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

The bottom line is that you cannot reduce the humidity without a dehumidifier, and a RH of 90 is WAY too high. If you can keep your temps under 85, you should be okay, but you have to deal with the RH, especially since they are now in 12/12. Did you change to red spectrum bulbs when you went into flowering?

When you decide to grow, you need to realize that there are certain things your plants will HAVE TO HAVE! If you cannot provide the environment needed, you might need to look for a different "hobby".

 

[bigbudsbruddah]

Air Conditoners also remove humidity so you could kill 2 birds with one stone.

 

[Tom O'Bedlam]

my dehumidifier does a good job at decreasing humidity, but it makes a lot of heat. I didn't know that it would. I'm managing anyway b/c I'm in a cool basement, but for you....no.

 

[puffnstuff]

airconditioner is your only option, other than waiting for winter.
puff

 

[Bohica1a4]

This is only a temporary situation (the closet). I'm wondering why the humidity wasn't as much of an issue the last time I used it. Could've been a different AC with a little more juice to it.

I think I'll move to the basement. There is a lock on the door of the room I'll be using. It's a big room that I can make smaller and I can use the many 4' fluoros that I already have. There's a window for fresh air and I don't have to worry about knocking them over cause it's so cramped.

As far as the border in the basement, I have always been able to get around relatively undetected. I'll be able to get in there before she gets here and set things up. It'll be MY space and she'll most likely not even wonder what's going on, especially if I spend a lot of time there, doing other things. I have many ways of covering the smell and the room is pretty sealed off (I built it myself so I know how tight it is). Or I'll just wait till she's gone. I don't expect her to be there very long; she will meet husband #6 and be gone in like six months.

When you decide to grow, you need to realize that there are certain things your plants will HAVE TO HAVE! If you cannot provide the environment needed, you might need to look for a different "hobby".

Hey, I'm just a newbie at this. That's what I'm here for, right? It was out of frustration that I started doing this -- my intro says that I'm tired of waiting for my phone calls to be returned cause this guy is waiting for that guy who's waiting for the other guy. Only to have to pay too much money for a little bit of smoke that may or may not be any good. The seeds were here and I adjust things as I learn more. I'm working on a low budget at the moment - looking forward to bigger and better things. I was lucky enough to have the 4 footers here. Seems that I'll be spending much less money growing myself in the long run anyway.
Since they've only been 12/12 for a day, I just won't turn the lights off tonight and let them veg until the space is ready. They should be nice and bushy by then.
Thanks all for the advice.