How do you darken your grow room?

[mthmchris]

Hey, sorry if this has been asked before, but I did a quick search and couldn't find anything.

After reading up, it seems crucial to have a grow room that is completely pitch black when dark, especially when you're flowering. Now, I have a pretty good extra room, but it has one problem: it has an enormous window. Now, I currently reside in a developing country so stealth isn't nearly the concern that it would be state-side, but my problem is with regards to how to make the room pitch-black during the evening/early morning (I live sorta close to the equator). From 7PM-5:30ish (AM), if I draw closed my curtains and hang an additional blanket over the window I'm pretty sure the lack of light is sufficient, but what about the remainder?

I was thinking about buying a tarp and stretching it across the window - should this be fine, or do I need something else? Anyone else have this problem? I'm just growing a few plants for personal use.

 

[the chef]

Check into mylar, you'll have the darkening effect on one side and the reflection for your plants on the other.

 

[Locked]

I think I read somewhere that the dark period needs to be dark enough to where you can not see your hand in front of your face....so try that test on your room and if need be then tarp the window...

 

[MindzEye]

I just went to the hardware store and bought some black plastic and white plastic. Then taped the black up over the window and then the white... It ended up costing me $10 and a trip to the store...

But Ham is right, if you cant see your hand in front of you then its dark enough. Plants dont respond to green light either, some people use green LED's so they can work on thier set up at night time with out messing with thier plants... I still wouldnt leave a green light on for more than a few minutes though...

 

[StoneyBud]

As shown in "The Green Man"'s video, you can easily make it light tight with minimal cost. Some black poly and a bunch of velcro tabs. Then just lay a board on top of the excess at the bottom. Man, it'll be as dark as Satans arse in there!

 

[StoneyBud]

Plants don't respond to green light either, some people use green LED's so they can work on their set up at night time with out messing with their plants... I still wouldn't leave a green light on for more than a few minutes though...

I read an interesting report on that very thing one time. It seems that a scientist did a study on the effect of green light on plants. Some green light is used by almost every plant. Not much, but some. That means the receptors do receive green light *if* it's in enough brightness for the plant to use. Whether or not that green light would be enough to affect the plants "dark cycle" into a change, I don't know. The only way to make sure it's not affecting your plants is to do what work you need to in the light cycle and leave the plants alone during the dark cycle and completely blocked from *all* light if possible. A little scheduling and some timing will accomplish that.

 

[D3]

Seal the room, & I just spray painted the window black.

 

[StoneyBud]

Seal the room, & I just spray painted the window black.

Black painted windows are one of the "things to look for" listed in the anti-marijuana articles. I did something a little different, but really cool; I built a fake window view. It's a box around my window. In that box are curtains, nick-knacks and a small light that makes it look like a lit room once in awhile. I turn the light on and off randomly. No light enters my room through that window, but it looks like a nice curtained window from the outside. It's all in the curtains...people see what you want them to see. A window, some nick-knacks, nice curtains, light once in awhile...

A black painted window attracts the bad guys...IMO.

 

[MindzEye]

Black painted windows are one of the "things to look for" listed in the anti-marijuana articles. I did something a little different, but really cool; I built a fake window view. It's a box around my window. In that box are curtains, nick-knacks and a small light that makes it look like a lit room once in awhile. I turn the light on and off randomly. No light enters my room through that window, but it looks like a nice curtained window from the outside. It's all in the curtains...people see what you want them to see. A window, some nick-knacks, nice curtains, light once in awhile...

A black painted window attracts the bad guys...IMO.

Yes this is true, I forgot to mention before I taped plastic over my windows I hung thick dark curtains, I safety pinned them together so they cant separate and show the plastic behind it... i didnt go as far as to put a light behind this but it still looks normal from the outside...

 

[eastla_kushsmoka]

common sense

 

[2Dog]

uh mine just has a thick blanket hanging in behind the blinds..no light gets through that and it took me all of 1 minute to hang it..all people see from the backyard...lol is white blinds.

 

[SkunkPatronus]

Black painted windows are one of the "things to look for" listed in the anti-marijuana articles. I did something a little different, but really cool; I built a fake window view. It's a box around my window. In that box are curtains, nick-knacks and a small light that makes it look like a lit room once in awhile. I turn the light on and off randomly. No light enters my room through that window, but it looks like a nice curtained window from the outside. It's all in the curtains...people see what you want them to see. A window, some nick-knacks, nice curtains, light once in awhile...

A black painted window attracts the bad guys...IMO.

That's actually a fantastic idea! Thanks.

 

[Raisin Jackson]

Black painted windows are one of the "things to look for" listed in the anti-marijuana articles. I did something a little different, but really cool; I built a fake window view. It's a box around my window. In that box are curtains, nick-knacks and a small light that makes it look like a lit room once in awhile. I turn the light on and off randomly. No light enters my room through that window, but it looks like a nice curtained window from the outside. It's all in the curtains...people see what you want them to see. A window, some nick-knacks, nice curtains, light once in awhile...

A black painted window attracts the bad guys...IMO.

That sounds like a fun project, maybe a "who can build the coolest fake window" contest. Just funny imagining that light going on and off randomly. There's some heavy philosophy in there somewhere, just too stoned to put a finger on it.

 

[akhockey]

Aluminum foil works very well. Thats what I use on my windows during the summer when we have 22 hours of daylight.

 

[StoneyBud]

That's actually a fantastic idea! Thanks.

Thanks! It works for me!

uh mine just has a thick blanket hanging in behind the blinds..no light gets through that and it took me all of 1 minute to hang it..all people see from the backyard...lol is white blinds.

That was what I used for years! Then the idea with the window box hit me and I had to try it. I use the room side of the box to hang a lot of stuff from. Broom, dustpan, meters...

I always glance at that window from the outside when I pass it. It never fails to make me smile....hehe :hubba:

 

[cmd420]

nobody mentioned "tarpaper" ...it's the stuff that they use under your shingles on your roof...you can buy it in 4 feet wide and like 200 feet rolls...You use and light IS NOT getting in.....

 

[2Dog]

Thanks! It works for me!



That was what I used for years! Then the idea with the window box hit me and I had to try it. I use the room side of the box to hang a lot of stuff from. Broom, dustpan, meters...

I always glance at that window from the outside when I pass it. It never fails to make me smile....hehe :hubba:

my windows arent a small normal one its like a double or tripple wide...that would be a huge box otherwise it sounds fun. I have seen that done in bathrooms with no windows to make it feel more open.