IN modern world ideas of environmental friendliness and healthy image life. This is why many people decide to grow their own herbs and vegetables. Unfortunately, not everyone has summer cottages. The way out of this situation is a growbox. With this design you can grow a full-fledged crop right in your apartment.
First you need to understand what a grow box is and how it functions. Essentially, it is a small mini-greenhouse that creates certain conditions for good growth of vegetables, flowers or herbs. At first glance, it may seem that its design is complex. Actually build useful device Can be done by anyone who has at least a little understanding of gardening principles.
Simply put, a growbox is a cabinet in which lighting and a ventilation system are installed. Of course, many may think that instead they can simply move the plants to a window closer to the light. Unfortunately, this option will not lead to good growth. In winter and late autumn conditions, vegetables and herbs will still not have enough light. And the temperature and humidity in a heated apartment will constantly change. As a result, growth will inevitably slow down. Growbox successfully copes with these problems.
Process Features
First of all, you need to decide on the sizes. The number of lamps inside the box and the type of ventilation will depend on them. Also, area greatly influences the number of plants grown. Disputes among gardeners continue today. Some people think that the optimal size is at least 1 m in height, while others think it is 1.8 m. Be that as it may, it is better not to build boxes less than 1 m in height. You will not be able to grow a healthy plant in such grow boxes. In addition, the danger of leaf burns will increase, which will occur due to the short distance from the lamps. It is also worth focusing on the size of the room in which the future crop will be grown.
You can use it as a base old furniture, cases from system units, various boxes. In order to adjust the growbox to the desired size, you can build it from fiberboard sheets. At the same time, you should know that if you take a ready-made box, it must be perfectly flat. Even 5 mm is not allowed between the walls. gaps This may negatively affect the maintenance of the microclimate inside the grow box.
Another important point is lamps and reflective film. You can find instructions that suggest covering the inside surface of an indoor mini-greenhouse with regular foil. It is better to refuse such material. It is worth purchasing penafol at a construction or country store. It is similar to foil, but its properties and functions are much better. It is used for insulation and light reflection. In the second case, it is better to buy sheets of small thickness. Also, some gardeners prefer to paint the walls with light paint. This method for reflecting light and heat is also not suitable.
Also, to create a growbox you will need Additional materials. You can glue penafol different ways- glue with a special hot-melt gun, double-sided tape. The best way is the use of a construction stapler. It will secure the material tightly. The resulting joints require mandatory sealing. To do this, you should use a special silver aluminum tape. If you decide to make a growbox from an old system unit, then most likely you will have to line it with fiberboard sheets. There are many different holes in these boxes. The interior can be reinforced with sheets of plywood and then a reflective material can be attached to them.
Separately, it is worth considering the issue of lighting. The power of the lamps will directly depend on the area of the box. It is better to use sodium lamps high pressure. If the system unit acts as a growbox, then 250 W is enough. With an area of 1, 2 sq. m. - respectively 600 W. Sometimes there are lamps with a reflective strip inserted. They can be used too.
Also for a mini-greenhouse you will need a fan. It can be replaced with a cooler. Complex options for grow boxes involve creating automatic system turning the lighting on and off. You can do without this and do it manually.
Simple master class
No matter how it may seem that the simplest version of a grow box is a mini-greenhouse from an old system unit, not all plants can be grown in it. Therefore, it is better to make a more universal option with your own hands. It is worth mentioning right away that the amount of materials depends on the size of the grow box.
You will need:
- Ready-made cabinet with door or chipboard sheets and timber
- Foil penafol
- Pilot extension cord for several outlets (minimum 3)
- Nails and screws
- DNT lamps
- Corrugated pipe with a diameter of 15 cm.
- Wires, chain, plug for Euro socket
- 2-3 fans
- Timer (if desired)
- Drill, construction tape
Manufacturing instructions:
- If there is no ready-made cabinet with a door, then we build it from chipboard and timber. To do this, we connect sheets of the required sizes using boards and screws. We fasten it so that there are no gaps. If necessary, you can make a frame from timber, insulate it with polystyrene foam and then cover it with chipboard. Don't forget to include a door.
- We cover the inner surface with penofol and secure it with staples. If you do not have this tool, then light reflection can be done at the previous stage of assembling the box. To do this, the surface of the parts is covered with material nailed with nails. Light reflection with penofol is also done for the finished cabinet in any convenient way.
- We place emphasis for the fans at the top of the grow box. To do this, you can nail a beam or rail to the ceiling. The easiest way is to attach them to specially cut rectangles. They are usually made from hardboard by cutting a hole of the required diameter. A fan is inserted into the plate, and then the structure is attached to the ceiling. Thus, the structure will be more stable.
- Then they move on to installing the wiring. To do this, drill small holes with a drill so that the cords pass through. This must be done in accordance with the intended location of the lamps. They are usually placed on the top and sides. The wires are connected to the lamps. There are forks at the ends. The length should be such that the wire can reach the extension cord. It is best to invite a professional electrician to create the wiring, who will help make the correct wiring. Otherwise, you can not only ruin the growbox, but also harm your health. If desired, the specialist will be able to set a timer for turning the light on and off. This will help create the desired regime for plants, since they do not need constant rays.
- Finally, you can install a thermometer and a device that measures humidity in the grow box.
The required temperature in the box is created by special heating devices. As for humidity, you can raise it by simply placing a bowl of water next to the pot. It is believed that its indicator should be at least 40% for normal plant development. It is worth understanding that air humidity is created taking into account the needs of vegetables and flowers. It is necessary to take into account their individual characteristics.
A do-it-yourself growbox can allow you to grow radishes, various greens and even tomatoes at home. It will take only 1-2 days to make it. First you need to decide what will be grown in the mini-greenhouse. The size of the grow box depends on this. You can make a box from any available materials - cabinets, a refrigerator or a system unit.
A growbox (from the English grow box, which means “growing box”) is nothing more than a specially equipped small-sized room in which plants are grown. Small size and convenient operation allow the grow box to be a winning and attractive option, which is preferred by city residents who have chosen growing plants as a hobby, but do not have the conditions and opportunities for arranging and maintaining a greenhouse or winter garden. Options for design and installation of grow boxes in residential premises They are distinguished by great diversity, allowing any city dweller to cultivate any type of plant.
To do this, you just need to know how to make a growbox with your own hands. The versatility of the technology allows you to grow plants all year round. Even if you have a summer house, you can’t dream about it, and only grow boxes provide the opportunity to enjoy your favorite pastime and do not limit the time of any experiments in the field of plant growing.
The history of growboxes
To the question “When did the first grow boxes appear?” there is no clear answer. It is believed that around the end of the 50s of the twentieth century, when indoor crop production was mastered under LDS-type light sources. But only the emergence of high-pressure arcs led to the rapid development and spread of growbox technologies. The first serious results were obtained by American and Western European scientists in the mid-seventies of the last century. This was a breakthrough in the home cultivation of vegetable, fruit and ornamental crops, exotic plants and plants needed for medicine, as well as rare species included in the Red Book of World Flora.
Currently, growbox technologies are widespread throughout the world. They are used by botanical gardens, agricultural enterprises, and medical industries. A huge number of plant growing enthusiasts have also mastered these devices. Let's try to understand why this technology of plant cultivation has gained such popularity and recognition.
Self-created
You can make a grow box with your own hands; many materials are suitable for construction, including used chambers and system units. The structure can be assembled from chipboard sheets, which is the simplest.
The size of the “box” depends on the plants you choose to plant in it. In this regard, grow boxes can be of three types:
- Small (from half a square meter to 1 meter) - for small plants, any cacti, they are also excellent for germination and accelerated forcing of decorative, fruit and vegetable seedlings.
- Medium-sized (from 1 to 1.5 m2) - very spacious boxes for growing medical plants, vegetable and fruit crops, and even small shrubs at home. They are also used for germination and forcing of large volumes of vegetable, fruit and berry and ornamental seedlings.
- Large (from one and a half square meters and ad infinitum, but in reality they are limited to three meters) - in boxes of this size it is permissible to keep almost any exotic plants and even shrubs down to small trees, which in such large boxes can successfully vegetate and bear fruit all year round.
Stages of growing a growbox
To build a grow box with your own hands, it is important to follow the technology at all stages. And the first stage is the choice of material. It is necessary to carefully calculate all dimensions and purchase materials in accordance with the specified parameters (for example, chipboard sheets), from which the box will be assembled with a door on hinges, allowing operations to be carried out in the structure itself. To build a grow box with your own hands, drawings are simply necessary; you will need them at the planning stage. Next, following these drawings, begin creating your greenhouse. The inside must be covered with foil (with the matte side facing out). It's better to use whole pieces of foil.
Next, you need to make electrical wiring, ventilation and, most importantly, install lighting in the box. If you do not have special skills in these areas, then in order to build a grow box with your own hands, you will definitely need instructions.
Growing and propagating plants at home using hydroponics is not only fun and practical, but also an art and even a science. It is necessary to take into account and maintain at the proper level such parameters as humidity, temperature, ventilation, lighting, while they are individual for each individual crop. Let's get acquainted with the basics of arranging such a greenhouse, which are necessary in order to make a growbox with your own hands.
Ventilation
Grow box ventilation can be forced or natural. For some crops, with the right container, you can get by with a few holes drilled in the body, while for others, special equipment may be required. If the growbox is small, then, for example, a computer cooler is suitable for use. Also, to create a good atmosphere, a fan is installed; it is responsible for air exchange and drives away excess heat from the lamp. Since the blades, as a rule, make a lot of noise, craftsmen who create a growbox with their own hands hang the fan on special belts, which reduces the influence of this factor.
Temperature and humidity
Humidity and temperature indicators in the grow box cavity are also selected individually. It should be remembered that with high humidity, plants are prone to rotting, and with high temperature may burn out. To maintain an optimal environment inside, you need to install two devices: a thermometer to control the temperature and a hygrometer to control the humidity.
Lighting
A properly equipped grow room cannot do without proper lighting. To do this, you need one or more (their number depends on the size of the room). The lighting element is placed on the wall of the housing (at the top) or on an improvised ceiling.
The power of the lamp and the distance from it to the plant are calculated very carefully so that the plantings do not die from excessively intense lighting. If leaves curl or dry out, the work lamp must be replaced. lighting device less power or secure it as far as possible. If you notice thin shoots appearing, long internodes, and faded greenery, then this indicates insufficient illumination. Even if the lamps are selected and placed correctly, there is no need to illuminate the plants all the time.
Even if you keep the growbox on, create periodic artificial “night” for the plants. To do this, the lamps must be equipped with a connected timer, adjusted to the required time mode, which depends on the type of crop being grown.
Growbox is one of the convenient methods of growing a variety of crops at home. It is compact, practical and can be very small in size, allowing it to be placed securely. Also, the grow box is very simple, which allows you to assemble it yourself at home.
Characteristics of the growbox
A growbox, which means a growing box, is a special tank that is designed specifically for growing plants. Regardless of whether the growbox is turnkey or homemade, it contains different types and lamp power for lighting, as well as ventilation systems. The inside walls of the grow box are usually coated or painted with reflective material, which allows light to spread throughout the grow box. This is very important because any plant needs to receive light in all areas, and this surface allows the light to spread in all directions, giving the plants what they need. As a rule, for self-assembly Penofol or another will do similar material. Grow boxes can contain additional devices that will improve the quality of your harvest. What is needed to assemble a grow box? You need perseverance, good skills, as well as a drawing, depending on the type of growbox you have. Having purchased the necessary equipment and selected the case itself, which should be square in shape, you can safely begin assembly. Of course, the box can be equipped with a variety of equipment, but the most important materials are lamps, reflective coating and ventilation. Everything else is just for more quality work boxing
Types of grow boxes
Of course, there are a huge variety of types of grow boxes. They can be made either small, from, say, a system unit, or large, for example, from an old cabinet. There are four types of growboxes, so before you start assembling your own growbox, decide on the type:
- The growbox is standard. It is a medium-sized box, the size of a bedside table or small closet, which can have two compartments - a technical one and a department with plants. This division is extremely practical and convenient.
- The box is compact. These are made from small boxes, for example, the same system unit. Designed for a small number of plants grown. It is very compact and does not take up much space, and also does not require much effort during assembly. An excellent option for beginners, both in terms of assembly and growing in general.
- Growroom, literally – a room for growing. A practical, commercial option, with large space allocated for growing crops.
- Stealth growbox. These are resorted to when the owner does not want to publicly highlight his hobby for personal reasons.
Let's take a closer look at how exactly to assemble such boxes. Since grow boxes are mostly DIY, all the advice and drawings you can find are based on the perseverance of the growers, rather than factory programs.
Types of grow boxes for DIY assembly. Drawings, advice, equipment.
Standard growbox. This model is the most common, and we will start with it. As a rule, the most comfortable dimensions for subsequent calculations are 1m*1m*2m. Of course, the growbox can be larger, you just need to take into account that it fits into the interior and does not take up much space. For the starter box, you can use an old nightstand or a closet, depending on the amount of crops you want to grow. As a rule, a fairly decent number of plants can be placed in such a growbox, which will allow you to grow a fairly large crop. When creating a box, also take into account that inside, in addition to plants, there will be equipment that will also require a certain space for more efficient cultivation.
The quality of a home-built grow box is that it makes smart use of space. You shouldn’t fill it to the brim with bushes in hopes of a rich harvest. This can lead to the fact that the plants begin to fight for light and thus, you will lose too many resources, or the crop will completely die due to the inexperience of the grower. Try to arrange the plants so that the light reaches all areas, they do not interfere with each other and at the same time receive all the elements necessary for growth.
A standard growbox is still inferior to larger ones, which can be made from an old refrigerator or a larger cabinet. If you are growing small plants that don't require a lot of tall growth, or you don't have many plants to fit in, then a standard grow box will be the perfect choice for you.
So, let's consider what is needed, what equipment is most often taken and how exactly to make a growbox with your own hands according to the drawings.
First of all, you need a box for the box. This could be, as already mentioned, a variety of items from your own home - an old system unit, bedside table, wardrobe, refrigerator, TV and much more. Of course, you can purchase a ready-made grow tent that will match the size of the type of box you choose. Do not forget about the reflective material, which must be completely applied to the inner walls of the box. The quality of your harvest will directly depend on this. As such, the layout of a grow box is very simple - box, reflective material, light, ventilation. Based on this equipment, you can assemble an ordinary growbox for yourself, without any frills, but nevertheless extremely practical.
It is imperative to equip the box with a ventilation system. Depending on the type of grow box being created, ventilation can be extremely simple or extremely complex, with additional technology and equipment. Its main task is to remove heated air outside the box, simultaneously renewing it and adding fresh air. This way your plants will be in an acceptable climate and will not start to die from too hot temperatures.
Take care of the lighting. In this case, lighting is perhaps the most important equipment when creating a grow box with your own hands. Lamps will give plants required amount light, which will allow them to grow and bear fruit at any time of the year, regardless of the climate. As a rule, among growers, the most common models are HPS lamps. However, there are other, no less popular models, such as LED, DNaZ, DRIZ, DRI. For a more economical option for assembling the box, ESL lamps may be suitable. Remember! Under no circumstances should you open the box in outside light. Excess light has a detrimental effect on plants.
Important point! It would not be superfluous to install a timer (time relay) to your growbox. This will make your life much easier. Any plants need a break from sunbathing, and therefore it is necessary to introduce a “day” and “night” regime for them. The timer will allow you not to worry about missing such time, since it will automatically turn the lamps on and off. If you have free time in excess, you can do without a time relay, but then you will need to constantly turn the lamps on and off at a certain moment.
It is also recommended to familiarize yourself with the various drawings. Some of them may be about growboxes for three or more pots, some show electrical circuits, which are needed if you decide to make more advanced boxing. But now, let's look at what exactly is inside the box and how to install it.
Functions and components of a growbox
So, having chosen a standard growbox, we will look at its contents as an example of what can be found in other types of boxes. Try to make the boxing elements yourself as much as possible. In this option, there is no need to clog the box with anything third-party. A standard box must have two compartments - technical and for plants. In the technical compartment there is a fan (take the Solar&Polau TD 250 model as an example), which is connected to a timer. It will begin its work at the same moment when the lamps start working. Important! The box should also have several coolers located so as to blow air over your plants. Coolers work constantly, since even at night time, airflow to the plants is necessary. There, a little higher, all the wiring is located, as well as the electrical components. The height is 1.35 meters; thirty centimeters can be allocated for equipment. The width of the compartment is 80 cm, the depth is 60.
Of course, you can do without a technical compartment, but it still has a number of advantages:
- The equipment significantly heats the air in the box, and this is exactly what needs to be avoided. Lamps will already cause you trouble in this regard, there is no need to aggravate the situation.
- All wires and third-party equipment are neatly stored in the compartment, which allows you to carefully work with lamps and plants without touching anything else.
- Practicality, beauty, and comfort. These three qualities are worth the effort to create a compartment.
Based on this drawing, we will mention a combination of Cooltube Simax, Philips DNAT 250 W. Remember to check the wattage of the bulbs as certain plants require a certain amount of light. Excess will be extremely inappropriate. Cooler – 12 cm Zalman. The growbox can also have auxiliary equipment, namely:
- Temperature hygrometer
- Light power meter
- Moisture meter
- Residual current device.
There is a lot of additional equipment for any grow box. However, if you are assembling it for the first time, make do with minimal costs - light, ventilation, coating, timer.
Let's look at the operation and assembly of compact grow boxes. These perform the same functions, but are designed for a very small number of grown plants, as well as taking up a small space in the house. When creating one, you need to be extremely careful - you need to calculate every centimeter. This box is no less practical, and also contains two compartments, but unlike other types, it does not restrict the growth of plants. Try to ensure that this box does not take up much space and is extremely convenient in terms of your interior. You need to choose the box wisely, since the box must be well insulated (regarding noise, light and vibration). Boxing must be effective - do not skimp on quality lighting and ventilation. In particular, ventilation, since due to its small size the box will heat up very quickly, therefore it should be cooled better and more efficiently than the standard. Do not forget about safety measures against short circuits, power outages and fires. The box must be neat and of high quality, then it will not take up much space, will be convenient and at the same time provide a rich harvest. The optimal size for this is 40*45*80 cm.
For boxes, you can use electronic ballasts, as this has a number of advantages:
- Electronic ballasts simplify the installation of HPS lamps, which are the most popular for growing.
- Stable power throughout the entire period of use.
- The lamps will work even if there are network failures or power surges.
- Significantly saves energy.
- Doesn't make any noise.
As for stealth boxes, the task ahead is not an easy one. In addition to the fact that the grower needs to calculate every centimeter of the allotted space, it is necessary to make sure that the box does not attract attention to itself and looks like ordinary furniture. These types of boxes are made when the owner simply does not want to highlight his hobby for other people. In this case, you should take care of sound insulation, as well as get hold of carbon filters, since some plants may have an unpleasant odor.
Grow boxes are certainly a difficult DIY project to create, but a grow room is even more difficult, but no less practical. First of all, a growroom is a whole room, a room if convenient. It must be completely isolated from temperature changes and outside light, and also equipped to meet the needs of plants. Growrooms are usually made for large, commercial purposes in order to be able to grow plants all year round. Most best option, which we will consider in this article, is the creation of a growroom from the basement.
Before covering the walls, it is necessary to treat the room with antifungal agents. For subsequent covering you need polystyrene foam, slats and foil-type insulation. Use a voltage stabilizer for greater safety, not forgetting about the convector to maintain the required temperature in the grow room. For lighting - 250W HPS lamps. The optimal room temperature should not exceed 27 degrees and be no lower than 24. Remember that maintaining a grow room is extremely energy-intensive, which can entail significant costs.
Make sure there is adequate ventilation in the room. To create a grow room, it is best to consult the diagrams and drawings in detail in order to assemble everything wisely and correctly.
Some tips regarding the demi-season. Of course, boxes are usually located at home, where all year round excellent conditions are maintained. But situations may arise when the box is kept in a garage, country house or other room. In such cases, it is necessary to install stable and high-quality systems for maintaining temperature and humidity. You need to establish a stable temperature, as well as moisture insulation, so that your plants do not feel external climatic conditions. In some cases, you can neglect floor insulation, since the roots of certain plants love coolness.
Knowing all the conditions and necessary materials to create a growbox with my own hands, you can safely start assembling one at home. You can safely start growing different grain crops at home, at any time of the year!
Today, grow boxes, also known as mini-greenhouses, are considered the most popular inventions for home grown plants. Often, growers do not want to purchase a ready-made “growing cabinet”, but prefer to make a growbox with their own hands. This allows you to save a significant amount of money, which will be needed to purchase seeds of valuable plant species. Today, there are many options and ways to build a grow room so that it has the same functions as a factory one. Let's consider the main types of manufacturing mini-greenhouses and how to make a growbox with your own hands.
Growbox from a closet - a universal model
The popularity of a grow box made from a closet or an old chest of drawers is due to the fact that this furniture has optimal size for growing not just one crop, but several necessary plants at once.
To create a mini-greenhouse from a closet you will need a minimum number of tools:
- putty, knife, mallet, hammer, stapler, tape measure, marker, scissors;
- sandpaper, PVA and drill.
- Such a set is available in almost every home.
- To create the greenhouse itself you will need:
- ESL lamps, 2 fans (coolers),
- wires, switches, thermometer, plugs, cartridges,
- Fibreboard, white paint or foil.
Once all the tools are collected, you need to remove the extra shelves in the cabinet, leaving only room for growing and storage space for all electronics.
Sticks are attached to the bottom of the cabinet, and a layer of fiberboard with cut out circles for pots is placed on top of them. The cabinet area is covered with foil or white film (oracal). Then lamps and fans are attached to the sides, one for air outflow and the other for inflow. Making a growbox is not that difficult; it is important to connect the electronics correctly and equip the future greenhouse with a high-quality ventilation system.
Electrical connection diagram
Growbox from the system unit - as easy as shelling pears
Making a grow box from an old system unit is the simplest and most straightforward way. The main goal of this greenhouse is to be invisible to surrounding eyes. The goal of a stealth growbox is the maximum amount of light in a minimum space.
The system for constructing a mini-greenhouse from a system unit is quite simple. To make it, you will also need the tools and materials indicated above, but without fiberboard and boards. The inside of the system unit should be covered with reflective film (foil, penofol), lamps should be connected, and coolers may be moved. Timers, switches and sensors are connected. Place either a tray with soil or a pot.
Growbox from the refrigerator - convenience and practicality
For these purposes, you can take an old broken refrigerator that no longer functions as it should. Its convenience is that you can easily install shelves for growing, and separately for electronics. Also, a sealed rubberized door makes it possible to get a high-quality harvest while retaining heat. This mini growbox is quite practical and very convenient for home use.
Of course, homemade grow boxes are not strong and reliable enough; they are recommended to be used only permanently, and often not to be transported. If you approach the manufacture of a grow box wisely, then in 1-2 days you can get an inexpensive and productive mini-greenhouse for home growing.
Calculation of lighting in a grow box
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the table for calculating lamp power based on the box area:
Calculation of lighting for two box dimensions:
For obvious reasons, we often grow in a grow box rather than outdoors. Fortunately, there is nothing easier than to do DIY growbox, and the diagram of a cannabis growbox is elementary. This is a cabinet in which a lamp is suspended from the ceiling, an exhaust fan is installed on top or on the side, and there are holes at the bottom through which fresh air enters. No drawings required. Specific decisions on the design of the box and configuration are made locally and depend on a number of points, which we will consider below.
But first, a few words about the requirements that ANY cabinet for growing grass at home must meet:
- It should not have gaps through which light can leak out when the lamp is on and in when it is off.
- The walls must be covered with a special reflective material or white matte paint.
- The type and power of the lamp must correspond to the size of the box, primarily its area. The guideline is 400-600W per m2.
- The fan must refresh the entire volume of air every 3-5 minutes and effectively remove the heat. The calculation is easy to do if you know the volume of the grow box.
In addition, there are two additional requirements for a stealth growbox, that is, one that pretends to be an ordinary cabinet not related to the cultivation of marijuana: a) it should be installed on the exhaust fan carbon filter to combat the pale odor, b) the fans should not be heard outside.
Everything else is arbitrary and entirely up to you: what kind of harvest you expect to harvest, how many hemp bushes you are ready to grow at the same time, how much space you can allocate for planting. This could be a mini growbox, including one from a system unit, a bedside table, a storage room, or even an entire room in your house - circuit diagram growbox does not depend on its size.
So, let's say that we decide to use a cabinet for cultivation.
The first thing we do is make a list electrical equipment(which one - see below), we determine what will be placed inside and what (mains filters, ballasts and starters for lamps, timers) - outside, for example, in the next compartment of the cabinet. We drill a hole into which we will later pass all the wires going into the box.
Then we make holes through which fresh air will flow into the box. They are made as close to the floor as possible, and their total area should be equal to the area of the exhaust vent. It is recommended to install a filter here to prevent mold and fungus spores, eggs and larvae of pests from entering the growbox from the outside. You can also install a fan that will help pump fresh air into the cabinet, but this is not necessary.
We make an exhaust hole in the ceiling or in the upper part of the wall, into which we place a duct fan (duct fan). Use rubber gaskets and O-rings to reduce vibration and therefore noise. You can attach a corrugated pipe to the fan and use it to remove exhaust air, including to the street. To combat odor, a carbon filter is placed on the duct.
Then the walls of the box are painted with white matte paint or covered with reflective material, such as mylar or penofol. To prevent light leakage from the grow box, the material is overlapped over all cracks.
Advice: Since you will inevitably spill water when watering, take care to waterproof the floor and lower part of the walls. It is not difficult to buy and apply a waterproofing film.
The lamp is mounted to the ceiling in two ways: either you rigidly fix the lamp (with a reflector and a hood) and then use stands so that you can raise and lower the cannabis pots, or you hang the lamp so that it itself can be adjusted in height. The point of all this is clear - you should be able to change the distance from the lamp to the tops of the marijuana at different stages of its development, or, conversely, always maintain the same distance to the tops, despite the fact that the plants are constantly growing in height.
Now that the lighting and exhaust ventilation, consider your home grow box ready to go. However, there is also optional equipment:
- a fan (preferably rotating) that will blow on the tops of the plants,
- thermometer,
- air conditioning (if you are using a powerful lamp and are going to grow in the summer heat),
- heater (if the box operates in the cold season in an unheated room),
- hygrometer (humidity meter) and humidifier,
- ozone air purifier to combat odor,
- various types of devices to increase CO2 levels.
Some of the above, such as a blowing fan and a thermometer, are worth having for every cannabis grower. Other devices, including a CO2 generator, are used only by very experienced growers, usually as part of a complex automated system with sensors and timers.
In any case, for convenience, all additional equipment should be hung on the walls, and direct light from the lamp should not fall on the thermometer.
When making a growbox with your own hands, do not forget about fire safety: use non-flammable materials or special impregnation, and most importantly, install the electrical wiring correctly.
Below you will find some photos from ready-made solutions. These will give you a better idea of how to make your own grow box: