*NEW GROWER* Looking for advice on a closet grow room

[kingl33]

Hello guys im new to the forum saw it has a lot of activity and wanted to ask opinions and suggestions you guys might have on making a grow room in my closet. Ill list a couple of questions mainly on the size of my closet and whatnot on what you think i need.

Again my first time trying to grow i did a lot of research on female and male plants and what temp and whatnot i just need a little more info on the How to and what i need to best do this well.

This closet i have is measured as follows:

50in (4.16 ft) Legnth
57in (4.75 ft) floor to lower shelf
72in (6 ft) floor to top shelf

Thinking of growing about two plants every harvest. Also live in a apartment with a one singlewindow about 12 ft away from closet and has minimal to no light able to get threw. can remove shelfs easy for space

Sorry for the messy wall in my closet lol painting soon

What light should i use? was thinking one 400watt
Best strain to plant for starters and for the space i have?
best way to conceal smell and when does it start to smell like goodness?
Size pots or what to use to grow them?

and any more information or suggestions you guys have please dont hesitate. all these questions are based on my dimensions and living situation.

I was thinking of building a concealment with plywood or something and wrap it with aluminum foil or something like that

Sorry my cat is in the photo lol

 

[hollywood52]

How deep is the closet? A lot depends on budget. Unless you got led money I would definitely think about good intake and exhaust. A 400 without proper ventilation probably get pretty hot in that closet. You might want to look into t5 lighting less heat and I've seen some solid grows. As far as grow medium I would definitely stick with soil. IMO start with a good soil fox farm/happy frog, roots organic.. Ect. Bucket size depends on how big or bushy you want them. A good black out sheet should take care of any light leak from that closet door. Best strain IMO is the one you wanna smoke, that being said I would stay away from hazes and anything with a longer flower period. I would look for short squat. Nirvana bubblious, papaya, mandala hashberry..they where some of my first cheap and good. Some stinker strains smell a lot in veg so it all depends. I use a phresh carbon filter for smell..they have ona gels..think that's it I've never used them but seen them at the shop. What I have found when you think you've studied up enough you haven't , there's a mega collection of knowledge on the net with new things popping up everyday. I know a lot of people on mp will have a lot of better info for you.
Good luck

Save the tin foil for the alien invasion.. Mylar a lot cheaper

 

[Grower13]

I grow in a closet about the same size less the lower shelf....... I use a 600 watt cool tube hps......using a cool tube allows me to put a carbon filter on one end a pull air out of the room by sucking it through the filter then through the light to cool it with an exhaust fan mounted in my attic....... I'll take a picture for you and add later........ I get 4- 6 plants in closet without much trouble....... I use 2 gallon pots they're about 10 inches across the top......... white paint is as good or better than aluminum foil....... t5 lights are good for veg but you need a HSP light to flower well with...... and t5 is no cooler than hps and hotter if you draw air through the hps light........ btw the lower shelf in your closet would be gone if I was using your closet and the upper shelf would be used to hang the 600 watt hps light.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

How much reading and studying have you done on the conditions for a proper grow and the life cycles of cannabis? I think this is a critical first step.

You are going to have to be able to provide ventilation, which can be tough in an apartment. Air exchange is for more than cooling your space--your plants need a continual supply of fresh air all the time the lights are on for proper photosynthesis. You are going to have to cut a hole in something somewhere for ventilation. You may be better off removing the existing closet doors and buying something at a Habitat type store or building something that will be light tight and that you can put some large holes in. You need total darkness when flowering--near total darkness is not enough. You may find it easier and cheaper to buy a tent and use that to grow in.

Foil is a poor reflector of light--do not use it. Flat (it must be flat) white paint is a good inexpensive choice.

I would suggest that you look at some closet setups and do way more reading. You should find answers to most of the basic questions you have asked. You are going to have to make some basic decisions and then run it by the peeps here to fine tune your grow.

As to strain, you should pick one that appeals to you. There are thousands of different strains now that have a lot of different types of attributes. Decide what kind of high you want--up and energetic or something couch-lock, something for pain or something to relax, etc, etc. You should also look at the way the strain grows as your space is limited. You should be able to grow 2-4 plants just fine in there. I veg in a closet about the same size.

 

[chazmaine420]

I've been growing 4 plants in a 24 x 30 closet for over a year now. I use a 4 bulb two foot t5 and have no ventelation. I've had 4 good harvests. Around a 1/2 oz per plant. For smell I use an ionizer which has been effective up to the last week or so of flower.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I've been growing 4 plants in a 24 x 30 closet for over a year now. I use a 4 bulb two foot t5 and have no ventelation. I've had 4 good harvests. Around a 1/2 oz per plant. For smell I use an ionizer which has been effective up to the last week or so of flower.

Don't mean to sound harsh, but 1/2 oz per plant is not a good harvest, though decent considering your lighting. Ventilation is essential for proper photosynthesis--this fact is not in dispute. If your plants do not get enough fresh air, your yield will suffer. The same is true if you are underlit, don't feed your plants the right nutrients, plant in bad soil, etc, etc.

If you want decent yields, you need to put the time, money, and effort into this hobby that it requires. This means 3000 lumens of light per sq ft in the 6500K range for vegging and 5000 per sq ft in the 3000K range for flowering. You want to exchange the air in your space at least once per minute--I like to exchange it 2-3 times. You want a good soil mixture with good drainage properties and nothing pre-nuted. To feed, get some decent nutrients formulated for mj and for the phase of growing you are in. Water and nutrient solution needs to be pH'd to the correct level. Give them all the above and lots of love and care and your plants will reward you.

If kingl33 can afford a HPS, this is the way to go. I had a 2 plant scrog in a space about 2 x 2 x 4 lit with dual 150W HPS that yielded approx 5.5 ozs. The light cost about $25 to make and I could keep the space cool with a decent bathroom type exhaust fan.

 

[kingl33]

Thanks for the information guys i am doing more research and reading now to get a better understanding on the do's and dont's and save up enough money to actually use a HPS and provide the plants with the best of the best to get better yield and actually have it worth doing it

 

[chazmaine420]

Don't mean to sound harsh, but 1/2 oz per plant is not a good harvest, though decent considering your lighting. Ventilation is essential for proper photosynthesis--this fact is not in dispute. If your plants do not get enough fresh air, your yield will suffer. The same is true if you are underlit, don't feed your plants the right nutrients, plant in bad soil, etc, etc.

If you want decent yields, you need to put the time, money, and effort into this hobby that it requires. This means 3000 lumens of light per sq ft in the 6500K range for vegging and 5000 per sq ft in the 3000K range for flowering. You want to exchange the air in your space at least once per minute--I like to exchange it 2-3 times. You want a good soil mixture with good drainage properties and nothing pre-nuted. To feed, get some decent nutrients formulated for mj and for the phase of growing you are in. Water and nutrient solution needs to be pH'd to the correct level. Give them all the above and lots of love and care and your plants will reward you.

If kingl33 can afford a HPS, this is the way to go. I had a 2 plant scrog in a space about 2 x 2 x 4 lit with dual 150W HPS that yielded approx 5.5 ozs. The light cost about $25 to make and I could keep the space cool with a decent bathroom type exhaust fan.

I totally agree with you on this. But when i started over a year ago my space and budget were limited to a closet and a T5. It was a cheap way to get started and learn to grow before commiting to a larger grow. I've got a large tent now and harvested my last closet grow today. Heres what I got off 6 plants.

 

[kingl33]

wow looks good to me and im just thinking if i should or shouldn't since where i live and the state im in...mainly just dont want to get caught but would love to grow im so interested in it ive been reading so much and i think i have a pasion for Biology (botany) lol

 

[HighBrixMMJ]

Chazmaine, quality and trich development look great, maybe it's the strain but those buds could be a lot bigger in my opinion! Not trying to be a jerk, just giving my honest opinion. It's definitely a good start, but something is not dialed in, maybe the feeding schedule, what kind of nutes you using? Again, I just wanna help get those buds all jacked up for ya! Check out wrekked bubblegum grow, I helped him a ill and his yield looking really good!