{"id":7071,"date":"2023-06-23T18:11:29","date_gmt":"2023-06-23T16:11:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marijuanagrowing.com\/?p=7071"},"modified":"2024-02-06T14:05:04","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T13:05:04","slug":"grow-room-setup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marijuanagrowing.com\/grow-room-setup\/","title":{"rendered":"Grow Room Setup – Chapter 5"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Your goal as an indoor gardener <\/strong>is to supply your cannabis<\/a> garden with the maximum proportions of light, air, water, nutrients and a substrate. Cannabis can grow to its fullest potential when given all of these essentials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each and every element, <\/strong>light, air, water, nutrients and growing medium must be functioning at 100% efficiency. If one element does not perform at 100%, all suffer. For example, if air is working at 80%, ALL elements suffer and cannot break the 80% barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep these basics <\/strong>\u2013 light, air, water, nutrients and growing medium \u2013 in mind when setting up your grow room so that you can use all the natural advantages available. Site the grow room where it stays naturally cool with easy outlets for air ventilation. Nearby electrical outlets for lights, fans, timers, etc. are essential. A w\u00e1ter source attached to a hose will save much manual labor. Setting up a low maintenance grow room will keep both you and your garden healthy and happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This chapter shows you how <\/strong>to set up<\/a> your grow room so that lights, fans, water, nutrients and substrate function properly. They supply light, air, water, nutrients and a substrate to anchor cannabis plants for maximum growth.<\/p>\n\n\n Remember these five (05) essential variables with the acronym \u201cLAWNS\u201d \u2013 Light, Air, Water, Nutrients, Substrate. You must control each of these essentials to harvest a heavy cannabis crop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Light 20%<\/strong> Air 20%<\/strong> Water 20%<\/strong> Nutrients 20%<\/strong> Substrate 20%<\/strong> Each and every element, <\/strong>air, light, water, nutrients and growing medium must be functioning at 100% efficiency for photosynthesis to occur in cannabis. If one element does not perform at 100%, all suffer. For example, if air is working at 80%, ALL elements suffer and cannot break the 80% barrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Small garden rooms <\/strong>can be located in an easy-toaccess sunroom or windowsill if growing seedlings or clones will move outdoors. Larger garden rooms are typically sited in an out-of-the-way space with little or no traffic. A corner of the basement or a spare bedroom that is not frequented by children, pets and other people, is perfect. Enclosed rooms are easiest to control. The room will need an entrance and exit for ventilation and electric service. A water source and floor drain will add much convenience and lower setup expenses. A door that locks will keep out unwanted people and pests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Post-harvest drying <\/strong>and processing rooms need electric service and ventilation capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n Windowsills and sunrooms are excellent spaces to start plants that will be moved outdoors. Plants must receive 5 hours of direct sunlight to grow well. A small sunny space is all you need to set small plants so that they can grow big enough to move outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grow tents offer a simple and easy grow space. There are a few details<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grow tents or closets <\/strong>are a great value for many indoor and outdoor home gardeners. Grow closets are relatively inexpensive and they can be shipped directly to your home. They are freestanding and can be set up in any room in or near the house. When you figure the cost of grow room construction in your home and the cost of a grow closet, the closet is usually more economical. You will still need electricity, openings in the room for ventilation in and out. A water source will also save you time and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n Basements are often a perfect location for a garden room. Temperatures are easy to keep constant in an underground, earth and concrete insulated grow room. Usually equipped with water supply and drainage. In hot climates, a subterranean room may be the only place you are able to grow. The basement must be clean and dry. Dank humidityladen basements require extra ventilation to expel moist air. Patch all cracks in walls and floor. Paint walls with a waterproof paint so that moisture does not bleed through walls. Premium paints are epoxy-based and manufactured with a fungus inhibitor. A quick internet search for \u201cantidamp paint\u201d will turn up many options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Main floor <\/strong>grow rooms are usually plumbed for heating with hot air vents. Some homes may have central air conditioning. A window in the room provides a ready-made opening for air ventilation. Locate the main floor grow rooms next to a bathroom, laundry room or kitchen so water source is readily accessible. Always site the garden in the coolest room in home to minimize temperature fluctuations.<\/p>\n\n\n Outbuildings, including garages, workshops and barns, not attached to homes may need to be insulated to keep the temperature constant. The room will need openings for ventilation, a water source and water draining capabilities. Electrical service is essential. A water source will lower the workload. You can grow plants on a trailer and move it out into the sunshine during the day. This is an excellent way to harden-off clones and seedlings that will move outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conex containers <\/strong>make great grow rooms and drying rooms. Steel containers are less expensive, but they get hot in direct sunlight and very cold when outdoor temperatures freeze. Burying the container will keep temperatures more consistent but add expense of burying. Aluminum conex containers were used to move perishables and are insulated. Temperatures are easier and less expensive to regulate in an aluminum conex. Both aluminum and steel containers have wooden floors. You can drill holes in the sides and floor to fasten shelves and partitions. Inspect containers before purchasing for holes. Conex containers are easy to sell too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Used mobile homes <\/strong>are insulated and inexpensive. They already have electrical service, heating and cooling ducting, and plumbing. Moving an old mobile home requires a Highway Department permit. Contract a professional moving company about moving details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They get the permit, park it where you want, are insured and possess the required truck and special tools for the job. Older models may not comply with local electricity standards. You can gut the inside and assemble grow rooms. Standard widths are 8, 12 and 14 feet (0.90, 3.5, 4 m) wide. Double-wide mobile homes can be up to 28 feet (8.5 m) wide. Make sure to get the necessary permits and inspections before setting up your legal garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Attic <\/strong>garden rooms are a last resort if no other space is available. Typically, attic rooms are difficult to access and have no piped in water supply or drainage. Attics are usually hot during the summer when sunlight hits the roof and cold during the winter, especially when snow accumulates outside. If you have something to hide, grow in the attic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remove everything <\/strong>that does not pertain to the garden. Furniture, curtains, books, etc. will accumulate moisture and could harbor diseases and pests. An enclosed room allows easy, precise control of everything and everyone that enters or exits, as well as who and what goes on inside. You can enclose the room by framing some plywood or even fabricating white plastic walls in the designated area. Turn on a light inside the room and check for cracks \u2013 light leaking outside the room. Insulate windows so that the temperature is easier to keep constant in the room. I have done several YouTube videos that show how to enclose and construct a grow room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prefabricated grow closets <\/strong>are a convenient alternative to spending time and energy constructing a grow room. A quick internet search for \u201cgrow closet\u201d will net millions of results. Make sure to read the reviews and all the details about grow closets before investing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cover walls, ceiling, floor\u2013everything\u2013with a highly reflective material like flat white paint or reflective Mylar. The more reflection, the more light energy available to plants. Good reflective light will allow effective coverage of grow light to increase from 10% or more, just by putting a few dollars worth of paint on the walls. Reflective white Visqueen\u00ae plastic is inexpensive and protects walls and floors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ideally, the floor should be concrete <\/strong>or a smooth surface that can be swept and washed down. A floor drain is very handy. In grow rooms with carpet or wood floors, a large, white painter’s drop cloth or thick, white Visqueen\u00ae plastic, will protect floors from moisture. Trays placed beneath each container add protection and convenience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Specially designed paints <\/strong>for damp conditions contain a fungicide and are attracted by moisture. When applied to a damp, cracked wall, the paint is drawn into the moist crack to seal it off, preventing moisture from entering. An internet search for \u201cmoisture resistant paint\u201d and \u201cpaint for moist basement\u201d will show you available products. Wash walls with a 5% bleach solution to ensure they are clean. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fluence LEDs illuminate this super productive indoor cannabis garden at Shango Farms in Portland, Oregon. Casey Rivero and head grower Josh are leading the tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, hobby growers spend <\/strong>$100-$500 for a single grow light fixture that covers a 3 x 3-foot (90 x 90 cm) or a 4 x 4-foot (120 x 120 cm) area. Mounting heights vary from 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) depending upon the design of the LED fixture. The fixture must supply adequate amounts of usable light for cannabis growth over the entire garden canopy. Start with the highest rated PPFD (\u03bcmols\/m2\/second) LED light fixture you can afford. Look for \u03bcmols\/m2\/second above 2.0 for best results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Measuring usable light for cannabis <\/strong>growth can become complex and confusing. To simplify a few complex measurements, I have condensed this information so that it is easy to understand. You will need to know the active growing area of your grow room, the height of the grow light fixture, the efficiency of the fixture and the hours the light is on. Area <\/strong>– Square feet (m2) of grow room – length x width, light footprint – the physical area covered by light<\/p>\n\n\n\n Height of fixture <\/strong>– 1, 2, 3 feet (30, 60, 90 cm)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Watts of electricity <\/strong>\u2013 LEDs use 40% less electricity than HID, CFL, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grow light efficiency <\/strong>\u2013 measured in PAR, PPFD of 2-2.7 \u03bcmol\/J for your grow<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hours of light <\/strong>\u2013 Photoperiod 18\/6 veg, 12\/12, 13.5\/10.5 flower, Auto-flower 20\/4 veg & flower<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many manufacturers, like www.MIGRO.com provide all the information you need \u2013 area, mounting height, usable light for plant growth and wattage of grow light fixture. The manufacturer will provide the correct mounting height for the area covered to illuminate the area with the optimum amount of light for plant growth. The information below summarizes the main points you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Area <\/strong>\u2013 Measure the square feet or m2 (length x width = sq ft (m2)) of the active garden area to be illuminated by grow lights. This is the area to be illuminated by the grow lights. Light that does not fall on plant foliage \u2013 walls and floor \u2013 is wasted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Height of fixture <\/strong>\u2013 Hobby LED grow light fixtures are usually designed to be mounted at 1, 2 or 3 feet (30, 60, 90 cm) above the garden. When mounted at 1 ft. (30 cm) light reaching the canopy of the garden is bright, but the footprint is fairly small. As the mounting height increases, light coverage (footprint) increases and light intensity decreases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best way to ensure cannabis plants receive enough usable light for growth is to measure it. A quantum sensor (AKA PAR meter) accurately measures Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR). Quantum sensors cost a minimum of $300. A quantum sensor measures individual photons in the PAR range at a single point. The measurement is recorded as Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Smartphone apps for IOS and Android are accurate to a range of about 10% at measuring PAR\/PPFD. Inexpensive lux and foot candle meters can also be used with a conversion factor. You can find the conversion factor charts at www.migrolight.com<\/em>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) <\/strong>is the amount of PAR (number of photons between 400 and 700 nm) emitted from a lamp per second. The unit is micromoles (\u03bcmol) per second (s), abbreviated \u03bcmol\u2022s-1 or \u03bcmol\/s. This value is usually measured in a lab with an integrated sphere, which measures the total photons emitted from a lamp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) <\/strong>is the PPF incident upon a square meter (m2) with units of \u03bcmol\u2022m-2\u2022s-1 or \u03bcmol\/m2-s. The PPF and PPFD are often used interchangeably and debate continues among plant scientists and engineers about which term is \u201ccorrect.\u201d To avoid ambiguity, concentrate on the unit; if m2 is included, then the value refers to the intensity of PAR at a surface, which is usually measured at the top of a plant canopy. If m2 is not included, then that refers to the total amount of light emitted from a lamp (the PPF) and not the intensity at a particular location (the PPFD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photoperiod
Intensity
Color spectrum<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Temperature
Humidity
CO2 content<\/p>\n\n\n\n
pH
EC
Oxygen content
Temperature<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Composition
Purity<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Structure
Moisture content
Air content<\/p>\n\n\n\nSite Garden Rooms and Postharvest Room<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Enclose the Garden Area<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
White-out Walls, Ceiling and Cover Floor<\/h2>\n\n\n
Lighting and Electricity<\/h2>\n\n\n
Measuring PAR<\/h3>\n\n\n