January 2008 Project

AlabamaJack

AlabamaJack

eXtreme
Since the wife will NOT let me build a 16 X 32 X 12 solar green house in the back yard, I am going to build a grow room in my garage (with her blessing). It will be 16 feet wide, 8 feet high. One 8' section will be 4 feet deep and the other 8 foot section will be 2 feet deep. Here is a drawing.

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The 4 X 4 X 4 and 6 X 4 X 4 chambers will be used to over-winter my best plants. I should be able to put 4 plants in each chamber so that will let me have a total of 12 plants to over-winter or just grow them here. These chambers can also serve as isolation chambers for hybrid experiments.

The 2 X 4 X 4 and 2 X 4 X 2 chambers are for seedling growth after the seeds have germinated. I will be able to put 32 6” pots in each 2' chamber and 64 6” pots in the 4' chamber. 8 2 X 4 chambers with 32 6” pots each = 256 seedlings and 1 4 X 4 chamber will hold 64 6" pots for a total of 320 seedlings. This is of course maximum content. the seedlings will be able to grow to a height of about 14 inches before I absolutely have to translpant out of chambers.

Each 2' deep chamber will have two 4’ dual florescent shop light fixtures and each 4' deep chamber will have four 4’ dual florescent shop light fixtures (each separately controlled).

Incandescent light fixtures and lights will be used for heat in this contraption. Probably 2 light fixtures each for the 2 X 4 X 2 chambers, and 4 light fixtures for the other 3 chambers (each also controlled separately).

All wiring will be run to a central control panel with all the on/off switches on it. Temperature in wintertime will be controlled by a few (number yet to be determined) remote bulb thermostats.

This will not be used in the summer time unless I modify it to have cooling air ducted to it. (A very real possibility)

Construction material will be:
2 X 4s & 1 X 4s for structure and shelf support
1/4 inch plywood for front
1/2 inch plywood for sides, shelves and top.
Back wall is sheetrock and will be covered by 5/8" insulation board with shiny side showing for reflection of light
Each chamber will have a hinged plexiglass door, size dependant on size of chamber.

Hardware:
All deck screws to allow for easy dismantling (just in case we move).

All comments, recommendations, suggestions, and criticism will be gladly be accepted.
 
nice project ! if you have any proleme with your light system just poke me !! will you use some mylard or black & white cover ? cause this make a big big difference for low low cost (black and white)
 
QuebecFire said:
nice project ! if you have any proleme with your light system just poke me !! will you use some mylard or black & white cover ? cause this make a big big difference for low low cost (black and white)
Click to expand...

The insulation board on the back wall has a shiny aluminum foil on it but I had not thought about the sides and top of each compartment. Good thought, thanks.
 
Design has changed a little. Going to build "modular" grow chambers. First one I am going to build is going to be 4' X 4'. What I need to know is how tall should it be for mature Naga's, T. Scorpions, etc. If I build it 5 feet tall, that will accomodate about a 4' tall plant counting the container and space taken up by the lights up top.

Recommendations please.
 
My Bhut Jolokia is about 3 feet tall. I would assume the Naga has similar growth. So, how tall are your pots? With the lights, 5 feet is going to be a tight squeeze, but you can probably do it. You can always trim the plants if they get a little too big.
 
Pam said:
My Bhut Jolokia is about 3 feet tall. I would assume the Naga has similar growth. So, how tall are your pots? With the lights, 5 feet is going to be a tight squeeze, but you can probably do it. You can always trim the plants if they get a little too big.
Click to expand...

Thanks Pam, If I am going to make it 5' tall, I can go 6' without haveing to buy any more plywood. It will still take 4 sheets of 4X8 plywood to make the sides for a 5' one.

You know, just thinking...since it is going to be inside, I can just use the 1/2-3/4 insulation board for the sides...will kill two birds with one stone...I can put the shiny aluminum side in and get reflection from all the light and it will weigh a lot less too. Top and bottom still will be made of plywood and frame of 2X4's.
 
First 4' X 4' Module about half complete

I have been working on this all day since I got back from home depot with the materials. The dimensions are 4 X 4 feet square and 6 feet tall inside.

A series of pictures takes you through the build phase with me.

This is the hardware that will be used in the Grow Module.



This is the 30" X 36" plexiglass that will be the door and the plywood to make the module. I also have 4 2 X 4's and 4 1 X 4's not shown.



This is the module with sides, top and bottom.



This is a front shot showing the 4 shop light fixtures hung. Using a 5000K and a 4100K bulb in each fixture.



Tommorow I will try and finish it up by putting 4 ceramic incandescent light fixtures in it for heat, putting the front on, installing the plexiglass door, installing the thermostat (for heating only)...and hopefully get some plants in it.
 
AJ, that grow box is going to work just fine after you enclose the front you will need a fan to exchange the air. I hope you are just thinking of keeping young plants in there or elso you'll need more light also. You might think about putting a shelf in your box with lights upper and lower and double the number of young pepper plants you can keep. White paint is the best option to paint the inside by the way.
 
Trini: this is what I will use for overwintering my best plants and/or to hold transplanted seedlings before they go into 5 gallon pots in mid-late March.

PRF: This "grow box" is one of two exactly alike (next one to be built during summer). Two boxes that are 4' wide X 2' deep X 2' tall will have 3 tiers so a total of six 4 X 2 X 2's will be built. These will be built in mid-late February. The larger grow boxes will be used to overwinter my best plants and also for isolation chambers for hybrid development. The smaller boxes will be used for seedling growth until transplant. I had thought of putting a shelf in the larger boxes that will split them and add additional lighting but with the smaller chambers, I don't think that will be necessary. I will be able to grow ~130 transplanted seedlings in the 6 smaller boxes and another 98 in the larger boxes so I will be able to bring off about 228 seedlings.

My germination chamber I built will hold six germination trays with 72 each for a total of 432 seeds started at one time. I will keep the two best seedlings of each variety when I transplant to 6" pots and move them to the larger chambers. Will have in the neighborhoood of 150 - 200 pepper plants this year.

I was going to use aluminum foil to "wallpaper" the inside of the boxes but you recommend white. Is that better than aluminum foil?

By the way, all of the grow chambers will be on castors to allow easy movement.
 
Mylar or white plastic is much better than foil but white paint works well too. Foil does not reflect evenly and can concentrate too much light on one spot.
 
I use a lot of aluminum foil.
Just making sure to flatten it out before using, and it's working great.
 
Mylar reflectance is much higher than any foil you are going to buy and is relatively inexpensive; it will improve lighting about 20%.

Also remember to make the floor a light color for the same reason you make the walls and ceiling reflective; white epoxy paint works well on concrete. I use white vinyl on mine.
 
I use black and white ....really cheap and you can find it in every hydro shop at low cost (really cheapper than mylard) and you can buy it at the exact size you need !
 
willard3 said:
Mylar reflectance is much higher than any foil you are going to buy and is relatively inexpensive; it will improve lighting about 20%.

Also remember to make the floor a light color for the same reason you make the walls and ceiling reflective; white epoxy paint works well on concrete. I use white vinyl on mine.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a great way of increasing light.
 
Thanks Gents...

I will have to check Mylar out...where I can get it and how much it is...the bottom of the unit is plywood so I will probably just paint it white with a non-water base paint.
 
Mylar is not the cheapest stuff about 30 bucks a roll. You are going to need an exhaust fan near the top of the box to exchange the stale air, this is very important. Also is you are going to try to keep anything larger than seedlings you will find that floros just don't give off enough light for a mature pepper plant, at least not enough light for fruit set. At that point you will need a HPS. Most people build these boxes to hide an experimental type of plant but since you a using plexiglass nothing will be hid not even the light. I have a set-up that consists of a kiddie pool in my garage with a HPS. Only problem I have is the temperature, last night my garage dropped to 27F and I pray my plants did not die. Light was on them all night for warmth and they all look great this AM, keeping finger crossed.
 
I may not get the best fruit set PRF but I am getting fruit set in my germinator on the Little Elfs and the cut back hab is starting to flower...and this is under just one shop light with two bulbs...

The 100 watt incandescent bulbs are "full spectrum" halogen bulbs but they are going to be used for the heat source.
 
AJ, no meaning to be harsh here in any way but I don't think you will like the fruit set under floros. I'd pick those buds so the plant will keep growing. The halogen lights have the wrong light spectrum and 4 of them for heat only equals one 400 watt HM or HPS in electricity costs. I want nothing but the best for your peppers.
 
will one 400 watt HM or HPS cover a 4' X 4' area?
 
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