The perfect grow room: from lighting to substrate Complete guide

In this section we will give information on:

1. Type of Lighting

2. The temperature

3. The humidity

4. Ventilation , ventilation and carbon dioxide (CO2)

5. Odor filters

6. Fertilizers and Nutrients

7. Pesticides

8. Substrate

In the following paragraphs we will cover each of these points in depth and analyze the solutions to the most common problems that occur when the threshold values ​​of each parameter are exceeded.

1 Choice of lighting kit

It is possible to choose between 3 main types of lighting systems including:

Discharge lamps (HPS/MH/CMH) with Agro, Bluish White or Red spectrum

CFL lamps (low consumption fluorescent lamps) with Agro, Bluish White or Red spectrum

LED cultivation lamps

1.1 DISCHARGE LAMPS:

Discharge lamps are divided into 3 types.

MH are lamps with a bluish white light spectrum used only for the growth phase.

HPS are lamps that have a reddish light spectrum and are useful for the flowering phase, there are also the well-known Phytostimulant or Agro HPS which are designed for cultivation by providing plants with the type of light needed from growth to the end of flowering. They are the favorite of all indoor growers and have a higher light power than the others.

The CMH are an evolution of the HPS, in fact they have the same characteristics with the difference that the efficiency is higher (PAR) they exist with a color temperature of K 4,000 and the Agro ones with a color temperature of k3,100.

1.2 CFL LAMPS:

Cfl lamps are fluorescent lamps with low consumption, they exist in all three color combinations (growth, flowering and Agro). Even if they have excellent efficiency (PAR) these types of lamps are not widely used because they have a much lower yield than HPS and even if they do not heat up and can be placed very close to the head of the plants they do not have a good depth of illumination. Furthermore, they are very fragile and have a short lifespan. They are often used for the continuous cycle growth phase (dedicated rooms for each cycle) or as supplementary lamps in grow rooms.

1.3 LED LAMPS:

Grow LEDs are an interesting evolution for indoor cultivation systems. They constitute the most modern method of cultivation. The best LEDs for cultivation still have very high prices today (2020/21) and it is not always convenient to use them. Most of the cultivation LEDs on the market are of a very commercial type and do not allow you to obtain results comparable to those of Agro discharge lamps unless you use equal or higher light powers, thus not obtaining the most important advantage of this technology: Reduced consumption.

2 THE TEMPERATURE:

The temperature inside the cultivation room is a parameter to always keep under control. Too hot or too cold will cause problems and stress to the plant, leading it to quickly collapse. It is necessary to install a thermometer near the plants which can constantly indicate the temperature while also preserving the peaks reached. Inside the growroom the temperature should never exceed 27/28° just as the temperature should never drop below 10°. While it is good practice to have a change in temperature (not excessive) between the day phase (light on) and the night phase (light off).

3 HUMIDITY:

The humidity of your growroom must be relative to the phase you are in. During the growth phase, an ideal parameter is between 50/60% humidity, while in the flowering phase it is important that this parameter drops to around 40% to avoid the common and unfortunately lethal onset of mould.

4 THE EXTRACTOR /ASPIRATOR:

The main function of the extractor is to guarantee a correct supply of carbon dioxide to the cultivation room. Plants in the light phase (simulated day) breathe CO2, this is present in the air we breathe in very small percentages. The right exchange of air allows the plants to breathe, there is no overdose of CO2 which is why many growers administer it with cylinders or pills. The correct volume of air to exchange varies from a minimum of 40 times per cubic meter up to more than 100 times. This type of information is necessary to be able to choose the right extractor for your grow room. The extractor also serves to extract hot air from the grow tent.

4.1 THE FAN:

The growbox fan , in addition to internal cooling, moves the air which contributes to fortifying the plants.

4.2 co2 CARBON DIOXIDE:

Carbon dioxide is essential for the development of plants inside the grow room. In a confined environment, when plants absorb all the carbon dioxide they tend to slow their growth if not stop it. Restoring the correct percentage of CO2 allows the plant to carry out photosynthesis which is necessary for its growth and development

5. ACTIVATED CARBON ODOR FILTER:

The activated carbon filter is another fundamental component for your grow room. It serves to remove any odor associated with and coming from your plants. Basically, to eliminate any odor from your crops, just install a thick filter hooked to the ceiling with chains and connect the suction of your extractor. Air will pass through the carbon filter which will eliminate all odors .

 

6 NUTRIENTS / FERTILIZERS:

The ideal nutrients are those dedicated to this type of cultivation. Depending on the method adopted to grow you will need fertilizers for soil, for coconut or for hydroponics. Some are usable on multiple substrate types. There are mineral and organic lines as well as soil improvers and solid organic fertilizers. The choice is very vast and throughout the site you will find a careful selection of products tested over the years that will not disappoint you. For beginners it is always better to use only one line of fertilizers so as not to incur overdoses or deficiencies, the more experienced often choose the products they prefer from the various brands by creating their own fertilization line.

7 PESTICIDES:

Pests can be a problem for our cultivation. The only products we recommend are totally organic and even if they are not "violent" like insecticides they manage to solve our problem while keeping the final product usable. One of the most used pesticides is neem oil. One of the best methods ever is to use antagonistic insects, it is not easy to control them but it is the natural remedy par excellence.

8 GROWING SUBSTRATE:

The growing medium depends on the type of technique you want to adopt. The simplest is certainly soil. The soil must be specific and with a PH between 5.5 and 6.5. Growing in soil is the simplest and cheapest as well as being totally natural, it allows you to make some mistakes and always gives excellent results. Clay and coconut are used for soilless cultivation, they constitute almost inert substrates that support the plant even if they naturally interact with the nutrient solution that we administer to the plants. They are also used mixed with soil usually to lighten the soil and allow better ventilation and rooting of the plants.