Marcus_in_the_Darkus
Well-known member
I thought it might be useful to share with the MNS family this veg/clone cabinet I'm building.
In order to maximize the utility of my 4'x4' 600W COB personal rec grow setup, I decided to build a small cabinet in which I could germinate and propagate seedlings, root clones and keep a few selected mothers. I also wanted the ability to separately flower a male or two during each grow to collect pollen and make F2s. I designed the cabinet around three 64W 4’ T8 fluorescent fixtures I had lying around and a 2'x2' flood table that I bought. I planned to do a flood/ebb setup for up to 14 five-inch square containers, and I found a good quality 10-gal Rubbermaid Roughneck tub in dark blue to use as the reservoir. I added space for additional plants, seedlings and clones to either side of the main space. I'm growing in coco coir, transplanting into coco hempy buckets for flowering.
A major design objective is energy efficiency because I'm going to run it mostly on an 18-24 hour light cycle, and it will operate in a cold, unheated New England basement half the year, where supplemental heat is needed and electricity is expensive. Particular attention was paid to the ventilation system, which is designed with air intakes at the top of the grow spaces, adjacent to the light ballasts. Ventilation air will exhaust via Arduino-driven 120 mm computer fan down low on the opposite wall, to maximize cross flow and draw air warmed by the lights drawn over the plants. I really want to avoid or minimize supplemental heat, so the cabinet is constructed of 1/2" foil covered rigid insulation board over 2x2 and 1x3 pine framing. I took care to seal up all seams with aluminum foil tape and to filter the exhaust from the flower chamber to avoid spreading pollen around. I know it's risky working with males in close proximity to my flower tent, but I don't plan to let them drop pollen in the cabinet, rather I'll let them develop their pollen sacks then trim the branches and remove the ripening pollen sacks to another area where the pollen can be safely collected.
So here are a few pictures.
I started framing the floor, back wall and ceiling by cutting 2x2 framing lumber to length with a chop saw, gluing and clamping.
]
Here I have framed up the back wall, floor and ceiling using wood screws and brackets.
Here, I have framed up the cabinet, and clad the floor, ceiling and back wall in 1/2" foil-faced rigid insulation board. The floor insulation is caulked to the framing with RTV for an air and watertight seal. I kept the shiny side facing in. I used 1x3 pine as cleats for the ceiling of the flowering chamber / floor of the germination area, and for the front pillars. The Kreg pocket hole jig helped make that easy. I've installed the T8 fluoros, and am using the proto cabinet just in time to propagate some clones I took from some Strawberry Cough plants. My first attempt at cloning and success was achieved!
Next, I sheathed the side walls and sealed up all exterior seams with aluminum foil HVAC tape. I framed the support structure for the flood table from 1x3 pine, and I've temporarily attached the ceiling of the flowering chamber, and trial fit the interior side wall of the flowering chamber.
I've also gotten rid of the shitty Chinese fluoro lights I bought at Wal-Mart years ago because two of them kept turning themselves off. My Angel's Breathe seedlings needed more and better light. I replaced the crappy fluoros with two 4' shoplight LED fixtures for 80 W in the main veg/clone area, with another 35 W of 2' LED shoplights in the flower chamber. So I have about 10 W/sf in the main area, with grow areas at three different distances to the light, and about 15 W/sf in the flower chamber. That's about half the energy intensity as my flower tent but it should be enough. They sure look brighter than the fluoros and at about half the wattage. I think they'll suffice.
That's all for now. I'll post more later.
Thanks for stopping by.
In order to maximize the utility of my 4'x4' 600W COB personal rec grow setup, I decided to build a small cabinet in which I could germinate and propagate seedlings, root clones and keep a few selected mothers. I also wanted the ability to separately flower a male or two during each grow to collect pollen and make F2s. I designed the cabinet around three 64W 4’ T8 fluorescent fixtures I had lying around and a 2'x2' flood table that I bought. I planned to do a flood/ebb setup for up to 14 five-inch square containers, and I found a good quality 10-gal Rubbermaid Roughneck tub in dark blue to use as the reservoir. I added space for additional plants, seedlings and clones to either side of the main space. I'm growing in coco coir, transplanting into coco hempy buckets for flowering.
A major design objective is energy efficiency because I'm going to run it mostly on an 18-24 hour light cycle, and it will operate in a cold, unheated New England basement half the year, where supplemental heat is needed and electricity is expensive. Particular attention was paid to the ventilation system, which is designed with air intakes at the top of the grow spaces, adjacent to the light ballasts. Ventilation air will exhaust via Arduino-driven 120 mm computer fan down low on the opposite wall, to maximize cross flow and draw air warmed by the lights drawn over the plants. I really want to avoid or minimize supplemental heat, so the cabinet is constructed of 1/2" foil covered rigid insulation board over 2x2 and 1x3 pine framing. I took care to seal up all seams with aluminum foil tape and to filter the exhaust from the flower chamber to avoid spreading pollen around. I know it's risky working with males in close proximity to my flower tent, but I don't plan to let them drop pollen in the cabinet, rather I'll let them develop their pollen sacks then trim the branches and remove the ripening pollen sacks to another area where the pollen can be safely collected.
So here are a few pictures.
I started framing the floor, back wall and ceiling by cutting 2x2 framing lumber to length with a chop saw, gluing and clamping.
Here I have framed up the back wall, floor and ceiling using wood screws and brackets.
Here, I have framed up the cabinet, and clad the floor, ceiling and back wall in 1/2" foil-faced rigid insulation board. The floor insulation is caulked to the framing with RTV for an air and watertight seal. I kept the shiny side facing in. I used 1x3 pine as cleats for the ceiling of the flowering chamber / floor of the germination area, and for the front pillars. The Kreg pocket hole jig helped make that easy. I've installed the T8 fluoros, and am using the proto cabinet just in time to propagate some clones I took from some Strawberry Cough plants. My first attempt at cloning and success was achieved!
Next, I sheathed the side walls and sealed up all exterior seams with aluminum foil HVAC tape. I framed the support structure for the flood table from 1x3 pine, and I've temporarily attached the ceiling of the flowering chamber, and trial fit the interior side wall of the flowering chamber.
I've also gotten rid of the shitty Chinese fluoro lights I bought at Wal-Mart years ago because two of them kept turning themselves off. My Angel's Breathe seedlings needed more and better light. I replaced the crappy fluoros with two 4' shoplight LED fixtures for 80 W in the main veg/clone area, with another 35 W of 2' LED shoplights in the flower chamber. So I have about 10 W/sf in the main area, with grow areas at three different distances to the light, and about 15 W/sf in the flower chamber. That's about half the energy intensity as my flower tent but it should be enough. They sure look brighter than the fluoros and at about half the wattage. I think they'll suffice.
That's all for now. I'll post more later.
Thanks for stopping by.
Last edited: