Ventilation and lighting

[Z71banshee]

So, I’m in the process of building a veg and flower room in my basement. 8x8 will be for flower and 8x6.5 for moms,clones and veg. For air exchange, I figured I would run 8” ducting from the mechanical room over the veg and into the flower room and exhaust out the rim joist to the north(picture just happens to be oriented in a north-south direction!). Would I need two 8” fans to move the air or just one on the exhaust side and use the negative draw from the mechanical room? Or would an 8” into the veg and then into the flower and outside be sufficient for both?
another question, does the air have to exchange during lights out?
Lighting; my ultimate goal is to have two 630cmh on the north end of the flower room and a 315cmh on either side of the door. This will allow me about a 2x4standing area in the middle to tend to the ladies. Would this be enough lighting? I have a few decent leds I can add for a little boost. Obviously, if I need more, I can add as I go, but just want a good starting point.
Thanks in advance for any and all input!!

 

[Capt. C]

So, I’m in the process of building a veg and flower room in my basement. 8x8 will be for flower and 8x6.5 for moms,clones and veg. For air exchange, I figured I would run 8” ducting from the mechanical room over the veg and into the flower room and exhaust out the rim joist to the north(picture just happens to be oriented in a north-south direction!). Would I need two 8” fans to move the air or just one on the exhaust side and use the negative draw from the mechanical room? Or would an 8” into the veg and then into the flower and outside be sufficient for both?
another question, does the air have to exchange during lights out?
Lighting; my ultimate goal is to have two 630cmh on the north end of the flower room and a 315cmh on either side of the door. This will allow me about a 2x4standing area in the middle to tend to the ladies. Would this be enough lighting? I have a few decent leds I can add for a little boost. Obviously, if I need more, I can add as I go, but just want a good starting point.
Thanks in advance for any and all input!!

Great questions @Z71banshee . I am going to yield to the experts on this one. @JL2G He might be at work but he will get back to you.

 

[JL2G]

@Z71banshee
So, I’m in the process of building a veg and flower room in my basement. 8x8 will be for flower and 8x6.5 for moms,clones and veg.
What's the ceiling height your working with? You'll want to figure the cubic ft of area you'll be venting for figuring fan size etc.
(L × W × H =_) ÷7.5 = CFM base number for an 8x/hr air exchange.
That's the flow number I'd aim for to start with.
For air exchange, I figured I would run 8” ducting from the mechanical room over the veg and into the flower room and exhaust out the rim joist to the north(picture just happens to be oriented in a north-south direction!).
So are you meaning your venting straight from the mech room to the outdoors? Or is it going to be sucking from the flower and veg rooms as it passes over them?
?Be wary of drawing air from the mech room if the appliances do not have their own sealed intakes and exhausts.
The negative pressure created by the grow fan can and likely will pull the furnace and hot water heater fumes back into the house. ?
Would I need two 8” fans to move the air or just one on the exhaust side and use the negative draw from the mechanical room? Or would an 8” into the veg and then into the flower and outside be sufficient for both?
What's the total distance, and number of turns the ducting will be making? Hard pipe, or flex duct?
And what's the cfm rating of the fan? If doing only one fan with a passive intake, the intake should be twice the size/double what the exhaust is.
another question, does the air have to exchange during lights out?
?Yes, definately yes. ?
How I run mine is the flower and veg venting into my shop at about 600 to 700 cfm constantly for plants fresh air. Then I vent the shop to the exterior with a smaller fan that's temp and RH control.
Lighting; my ultimate goal is to have two 630cmh on the north end of the flower room and a 315cmh on either side of the door. This will allow me about a 2x4standing area in the middle to tend to the ladies. Would this be enough lighting? I have a few decent leds I can add for a little boost. Obviously, if I need more, I can add as I go, but just want a good starting point.
Thanks in advance for any and all input!!
Sounds like a good lighting setup to get going with, always add in as needed.
How many plants you plan on running?
Can you draw in the pic your layout of them?
I'd also make sure to have at least 2 if not 3 dedicated 20 amp circuits for powering everything.
That's all I got time for now mang. Off to work now.
Ask away any questions mang.
It's what I do for a living, build and remodel houses, always happy to help out.

 

[Z71banshee]

I do drywall for a living!
Ceiling height is 8 foot. Brand new house with an unfinished basement , so I have a clean slate!
That number comes out to 68.2. I had figured 8x8x8 at 512 cubic feet that’s why I thought of 8 inch duct and fan. The ducting is insulated flex. My plan was to draw the air from the mechanical room and duct it over top of the veg room into the flower room to dump fresh air into it. I then plan to have a separate duct with a filter to exhaust the room out through the rim joist. If it’s easier, I could suck from the mechanical room into the veg room, then into the bud room and then out the rim joist. Looking for cost effective and easy!
(I guess I meant to use the term “passive air instead of negative air ??‍♂️. When you explained about the furnace fumes, that’s when it hit me!)

 

[JL2G]

So what you're saying is your rooms will be badass perfect level 5 finish for that added wow factor? High reflective white paint sprayed on to not leave roller marks on the walls? ???
???????
So that cfm number is about the minimum you'd want to run with the fan at low speed. Gives you the overhead for heat and or RH management should more be needed.
Imho it'd be better if your running through the rooms to let the fresh air hit flower first, then to the veg, then to outdoors with various filters in between things.
Reason being, the freshest driest air goes the flower were RH wants to be lowish, then with added flower room heat & RH it goes to the veg where the RH & temps want to be a bit higher anyways.
Depending on fan being used could be done with a smaller fan pulling air into flower, and a second pulling from veg to the outdoors through a filter.
I'd have the stronger of the two doing the exterior pull.

 

[Z71banshee]

Yes, my rooms will be slicked in nice and smooth!....should make for great photos! Haha!
So, my veg room is 6.5ft long. I should run the 8” duct from mechanical over the veg room and dump into the flower room?.....or a smaller diameter? Would vents from flower back to veg work and then a bigger diameter exhausting outside from the veg? From the sounds of it, I could do a 6” duct and fan feeding the flower and an 8” duct and fan drawing out from the veg? I have a few things to do, but I will try and put my brain matter on paper as a visual here shortly. Thanks a ton for bearing with me and answering my questions!! ???

 

[JL2G]

Yes, my rooms will be slicked in nice and smooth!....should make for great photos! Haha!
So, my veg room is 6.5ft long. I should run the 8” duct from mechanical over the veg room and dump into the flower room?.....or a smaller diameter? Would vents from flower back to veg work and then a bigger diameter exhausting outside from the veg? From the sounds of it, I could do a 6” duct and fan feeding the flower and an 8” duct and fan drawing out from the veg? I have a few things to do, but I will try and put my brain matter on paper as a visual here shortly. Thanks a ton for bearing with me and answering my questions!! ???

Took me a minute getting back to ya. Life and all. Lol
If you've got the 8" I'd just use that for all of it then. Keep the air resistance to a minimum which helps the fans run easier, and quiet it a little bit.
And yes, route how you'd mentioned.
From mech to Flower, then a run from flower to veg, and then the run to out side.
I'd do a hepa type furnace filter at the beginning intake for sure, keeps things much cleaner and such. Something like this, just a box with a vent hole in it, and a big 16x25 hepa filter. Same size my furnace uses. Lol

 

[Z71banshee]

So, I’m running ducting today. This is an 8” that’s coming directly from the mechanical room into the flower room for fresh air. Should it just dump down from the ceiling or should I run the duct down to a lower point? There will be a light in that area, so wondering if it will be beneficial to help cool the light or would that force to much hot air onto the plants?

 

[JL2G]

So, I’m running ducting today. This is an 8” that’s coming directly from the mechanical room into the flower room for fresh air. Should it just dump down from the ceiling or should I run the duct down to a lower point? There will be a light in that area, so wondering if it will be beneficial to help cool the light or would that force to much hot air onto the plants? View attachment 4043

I'd just let it come right in at the ceiling, middle ish area of the room, or where ever is most convenient imho.
If it blows to much at one plant just put a diffuser on it.

 

[TerpyTyrone]

So what you're saying is your rooms will be badass perfect level 5 finish for that added wow factor? High reflective white paint sprayed on to not leave roller marks on the walls? ???
???????
So that cfm number is about the minimum you'd want to run with the fan at low speed. Gives you the overhead for heat and or RH management should more be needed.
Imho it'd be better if your running through the rooms to let the fresh air hit flower first, then to the veg, then to outdoors with various filters in between things.
Reason being, the freshest driest air goes the flower were RH wants to be lowish, then with added flower room heat & RH it goes to the veg where the RH & temps want to be a bit higher anyways.
Depending on fan being used could be done with a smaller fan pulling air into flower, and a second pulling from veg to the outdoors through a filter.
I'd have the stronger of the two doing the exterior pull.

Wait did he say level 5!?!? Fuckkkk that's why tape is 2 inches wide!
They make that shit everyday!
Make it work!
I didnt frame it!
Ahhh it is what it is. <~~~ my personal fav!

Here's an easy one, it wasn't a fire wall.

If I have any input on your growroom plans, itd be shorter runs of duct are key. I had pm because I was running my exhaust too far of a distance and sharing that space with a dryer, bad rookie combo. I dont even wanna tell ya all the money I spent to solve it and the drama it caused.
Go over sized it can only save you heartache in the end.

 

[Z71banshee]

Wait did he say level 5!?!? Fuckkkk that's why tape is 2 inches wide!
They make that shit everyday!
Make it work!
I didnt frame it!
Ahhh it is what it is. <~~~ my personal fav!

Here's an easy one, it wasn't a fire wall.

If I have any input on your growroom plans, itd be shorter runs of duct are key. I had pm because I was running my exhaust too far of a distance and sharing that space with a dryer, bad rookie combo. I dont even wanna tell ya all the money I spent to solve it and the drama it caused.
Go over sized it can only save you heartache in the end.

The run in that last picture, I cut at ceiling level. That run is 14ish feet long. Then it will passively go from this room to the veg room (probably cold air return style through the wall with light diffusers). I think the run from the veg to exhaust outside will be around 10 foot long. My plan is to have an 8” inline fan pushing filtered air into the flower room and an 8” inline exhausting to the outside.
If you believe this is not enough, I am all ears!!! This is my first indoor room, so I need any and all advice. I am aware that it most likely will not be perfect from the beginning and will need some modifications, but I want to get as close to possible as far as the room environment.
Again, thank you guys for your help. I am taking all the advice to heart!!!

 

[JL2G]

The run in that last picture, I cut at ceiling level. That run is 14ish feet long. Then it will passively go from this room to the veg room (probably cold air return style through the wall with light diffusers). I think the run from the veg to exhaust outside will be around 10 foot long. My plan is to have an 8” inline fan pushing filtered air into the flower room and an 8” inline exhausting to the outside.
If you believe this is not enough, I am all ears!!! This is my first indoor room, so I need any and all advice. I am aware that it most likely will not be perfect from the beginning and will need some modifications, but I want to get as close to possible as far as the room environment.
Again, thank you guys for your help. I am taking all the advice to heart!!!

Those two 8's should do you a fantastic job imho.
Plenty of cfm available, and the runs are sized accordingly, should be bad ass for you.
Air return style is how I did mine too. Just a series of ups and downs with some diffuser plates inside for light stops.
Mentioning it again, just cause it's important, but have the sucker fan running a bit higher than the pusher fan. It will keep a slight neg pressure to the rooms so no smell escapes elsewhere.
If the pusher is stronger it will push stinky air out somewhere un wanted like a balloon would. Lol.

 

[Z71banshee]

Ok, so it’s been a month of chaos and stress for me, but I’m back at the build! Today is going to be sanding the drywall and priming. Next step is to get my electrician neighbor to come over and hook up my sub panel. Getting excited because my 6x4 box is crowded and I can’t bud in it!

 

[JL2G]

Ok, so it’s been a month of chaos and stress for me, but I’m back at the build! Today is going to be sanding the drywall and priming. Next step is to get my electrician neighbor to come over and hook up my sub panel. Getting excited because my 6x4 box is crowded and I can’t bud in it!

Awesomesauce mang!!! ???
Was wondering how that project is coming along.
Good stuff there.

 

[Z71banshee]

Awesomesauce mang!!! ???
Was wondering how that project is coming along.
Good stuff there.

Life has been pretty harsh to me over the last five weeks. Can’t work because I’m non essential, my girlfriend contracted the ‘rona and doctors think I had it too and I lost my grandma a week and a half ago. We’re both mended and back to 100%, aside from my new found gastrointestinal problems from ulcers and a possible infection. As much as I don’t like drywall anymore, it was actually calming to get the pan and knife back in my hand, especially for this!

Quick question @JL2G , what did or would you use for light diffusers in the cold air returns? I was going to paint the back of the drywall black before I put it up, but got impatient and just hung it!

 

[JL2G]

Life has been pretty harsh to me over the last five weeks. Can’t work because I’m non essential, my girlfriend contracted the ‘rona and doctors think I had it too and I lost my grandma a week and a half ago. We’re both mended and back to 100%, aside from my new found gastrointestinal problems from ulcers and a possible infection. As much as I don’t like drywall anymore, it was actually calming to get the pan and knife back in my hand, especially for this!

Quick question @JL2G , what did or would you use for light diffusers in the cold air returns? I was going to paint the back of the drywall black before I put it up, but got impatient and just hung it!

Black paint is a good one to do, something light absorbing.
For the light diffuser/blocker I did a series of blocks like in pic.

Air goes back and forth like a snake. Every turn stops more light. 3 turns stopped all the light in my setup.
I have a black foam board box done like that, and it covers the venting between my veg, and flower rooms. Pretty much just like the average car muffler design with various chambers interconnected.