Be part of the Knowledge Project and help your fellow growers...start preparing your entry for our first in a series of contests on grow basics

First contest - Venting and Exhaust Basics...the least you need to know.

Winning entries will be judged on the following criteria:

1. Originality...this is not the time for cut and paste jobs: Diagrams are good expecially if you Make them yourself, but don't let that limit you.

2. Reliability....we want tried and true methods based on experience and knowledge...not speculation on advanced techniques

3. Ease of Use...please assume little or no previous knowledge or experience on the part of the reader...organize your info in as practical a way as possible and for goodness sake, please use helpful pictures, diagrams, tables, and graphs as needed.

An ideal entry will be such that most noob questions will be clarified with not just quick fixes but knowledge. Clarify important concepts so that the new grower can learn to make informed choices.

A panel of mods will judge the posts which are due by May 29th. We recognize that there are different, useful approaches to these matter, and so may select more than one entry to be a permanant selection if "The GP Hall of Fame"

Once again thanks to Shinningwind, Mr.Moon, and our friends at Highgrade for making this ongoing contest and valuable service possible.

For each winner Highgrade will provide a 10 pak of their quality Black Ice seeds.
Marijuana Seeds - Highest Quality Marijuana Seeds Online

Black Ice is a unique cross between Black Queen (White Widow x Zombie Black) and Cinderella 99 (Jack Herer x Shiva Skunk) producing a powerhouse (mostly) indica strain. Highly resinous and wonderfully aromatic with musky/earthy aroma reminiscent of sweet incense. Produces dense buds with heavy hitting sledgehammer style highs. Great medicinal weed numbs pain and your brain in one hit! A HIGHGRADE SEEDS exclusive.
Height: 3 to 4 ft
Flowering Time: 9 weeks
Yield: 3 oz per plant









a tentative list of future topics:

1. Botanical Basics of MJ
2. Indoor Overview (with soil and soiless)
3. Hydro Overview
4. Outdoor Overview
5. Choosing Strains and Seeds
6. Propogation Techniques
7. Lighting Overview
8. Going Guerilla
9. Nutrient Basics
10. Pruning, LSTing, Supercropping, SCOG and SOG
11. Harvest and Curring
12. Going Organic

So help others, show off, perhaps extend your own knowledge base, and win some great seeds...one more nice deal at GP

contact me if you have any questions....and let's get those fingers typing and diagraming

This is so cool. Please ...everyone contribute to this.I cant even imagine what all of you good folks have come up for growning the weed. I'm going to get started on my enteries now.
I can't wait to see the outcome of this .
P.B.

Where do we submit entries/R.T.F.M. ?

Right here would be fine ... Somedude....
If it needs to be somewhere else , we can move it anytime.

You have an entry...? That would be awesome...Good luck in the contest.

__________________
Cheers!!!!! Shinningwind
current log @ HGS
Shinningwind's Outdoor Adventure/09

Was thinking about a short LST doc...

You might have to sit tight on that one for a bit. I'll check on that ...

First contest - Venting and Exhaust Basics...the least you need to know.

__________________
Cheers!!!!! Shinningwind
current log @ HGS
Shinningwind's Outdoor Adventure/09

that's cool.. gives me some time to actually do it :-D

__________________


When the government fears the People, that is Liberty. When the People fear the Government, that is tyranny. ~Thomas Jefferson



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lol.... Don't forget it about it now...lol Put it on your todo list..

__________________
Cheers!!!!! Shinningwind
current log @ HGS
Shinningwind's Outdoor Adventure/09

what are you saying? that cannabis users sometimes experience short term memory issues ?

(LOL)

__________________


When the government fears the People, that is Liberty. When the People fear the Government, that is tyranny. ~Thomas Jefferson



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And just because there are contests happening, we might NEVER deal with that subject matter. What we want is easy, basic explanations that can work for everyone. LST'ing is an advanced technique. We might include many things that are in different forums in the Knowledge Project. So do not let this stop you from doing a tutorial. As well, even a posted tutorial can be entered for this, as long as it is original to the poster and not copied from this. We are also brainstorming on other different ways to have members nominate past tutorials to be part of this, so all of you keep up with the high standard of tutorials you are all posting and just because it was not entered for a contest does not mean it won't be included. This is the start of a new IDEA for our New GreenPassion. So all you brilliant growers out there, participate and help us SHARE THE WISDOM On our Herb!

Peace

__________________
Life,
j-angel

aka GP purrie kittie attack cat!


My Little Grow LST'ing w/Hardware

My Outdoor Odyssey 2008 BONSAI MUMS

My Little Grow Indoor To Outdoor 2009

even if it's not really 'for the contest', it would be kind of handy to have a (well organized) RTFM section.

I was thinking PDF format, because it would make it easy for (new/unexperienced/curious) members or visitors to download and print. You can make some really cool docs with scribus and openoffice has the 'export to pdf' feature sitting under the file menu (most people basically know how to use m$ werd anyway)

__________________


When the government fears the People, that is Liberty. When the People fear the Government, that is tyranny. ~Thomas Jefferson



The Cannabis Network
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What is the most important factor for a successful indoor grow?

Is it lighting?

Is it nutrients?

Is it Genetics?

Is it your growing method and medium?



What do the above items all have in common?

Many are personal choices made by the grower, and can easily be “mixed and matched”.

Another thing that they all have in common is, without proper ventilation and circulation, they are all moot.

Fresh air is essential in all gardens.
One more time, Fresh air is essential in all gardens.

The key factors in having a successful grow and harvest is to understand how a plant produces food and grows.
Cannabis needs light, air, water, food, heat and a medium to grow in. Without these items, growth stops and the plant will die.
When the above criteria are optimized, vigorous growth and bountiful yields are sure to follow.

So, I’m sure the question on everyone’s mind at this point is, “When am I going to talk about ventilation”?

First, let’s touch on the broad strokes of how cannabis or almost every other plant metabolizes food.


PHOTOSYNTHISIS (the short version)


Carbon dioxide and Oxygen are the two components that allow photosynthetic plant life to take place.
Carbon dioxide and light energy combine to create sugars (carbohydrates); these sugars are the fuel for the plant.
Oxygen is used to metabolize the carbohydrates and other nutrients and minerals, through the process of respiration to provide energy for growth.
Without carbon dioxide or oxygen, photosynthesis can not take place, ergo “dead plant”.


Transpiration

One process of the photosynthesis is transpiration.
This is equivalent to humans exhaling.
A ten foot square grow area can use between ten and fifty gallons of water a week.
During transpiration, much of this water is released into the air.
Without proper ventilation to remove this moisture, the relative humidity will quickly reach one hundred percent, which in turn will slow plant growth and allow a perfect environment for pest and disease attacks.


“Air ventilation and circulation are essential to a healthy indoor harvest.
Indoors, fresh air is one of the most overlooked factors contributing to a healthy garden and a bountiful harvest”
Jorge Cervantes: The Indoor/Outdoor MEDICAL GROWER’S BIBLE







OK!
Let’s discuss Ventilation and Circulation.


DEFINITIONS (Merriam Webster)

Ventilation:

1: the act or process of ventilating
2 a: circulation of air <a room with good ventilation>
2 b: the circulation and exchange of gases in the lungs or gills that is basic to respiration
3: a system or means of providing fresh air


Circulation:

1: orderly movement through a circuit
2: flow
3 a: passage or transmission from person to person or place to place


Exhaust

2 a: to draw off or let out completely
2 b: to empty by drawing off the contents; specifically: to create a vacuum in


For our purposes

Ventilation will refer to the removal of stale hot air, and replenishment of cool dry air.

Circulation will refer to the movement of existing air within the grow room.

Exhaust will refer to the stale, hot air, and the ductwork used to remove it.



1. Circulation

• Hot air rises.
• Cold air descends.

Without circulation to mix these two air masses together, the grow room air becomes stratified, meaning the air remains in its respective layers. Hot air up top, cool air on the bottom and stagnant air surrounding your plants leaves.

Plants will consume the carbon dioxide around their leaves in just a mater of minutes, without some form of circulation to replace the depleted air with carbon dioxide rich air, a “dead air zone” will form that can bring growth to a halt.

The movement of air in the room also causes increased cellulose growth, thereby strengthening the plant itself, making the need for additional support less likely.

Circulation also helps prevent insect infestation and potential fungus growth.

Choose an oscillating fan(s) that fits your project size to maintain circulation.

Don’t expect your circulation fan to push air out of your grow room.
A vent fan can pull air out of a room four times more efficiently than a fan can push it out.






2. Ventilation

A vent fan will pull this humid, stagnant air from the grow area. The very action of extracting this stale air from the grow area causes fresh, cool, dry air to be drawn in through the passive intake vent(s) (via negative pressure).

Exhaust fans should be mounted as high up (hot air rises), and as far away from the passive intake as possible.
The passive intake(s) should be located as close to the floor and as far away from the exhaust outlet as possible (cold air descends, and so does carbon dioxide).

Passive intake vents are just that, passive. It is just a fancy way to say “hole”.

The rule of thumb for determining the size of passive intake vent(s) is at a minimum twice the area of your exhaust outlet.

So, if you are using a six inch exhaust fan, the smallest passive intake opening has to measure twelve inches in area. This can be a three by four inch opening, or two six inch diameter holes or any reasonable combination therein.


*Under certain circumstances fresh air may have to be delivered via an intake fan.
The only difference between the fans is that an intake fan blows (positive pressure) and an exhaust fan sucks (negative pressure).


* Sealed, near airtight rooms, usually found in larger grows using carbon dioxide
enrichment will have to have fresh air introduced with an intake fan.
Other times, rooms may be too distant from the fresh air source to draw it in passively.
When using a powered intake, the CFM ratio is 1 to 4, if you use a four hundred CFM exhaust fan, your intake should be no more than one hundred CFM. This allows for a slight negative pressure within the room.



Now that we know why we need an intake/exhaust system, let’s talk about how we might install one.

With only minor variations, these statements will apply if you are growing in a computer case or a thousand square foot out building.

The first thing you need to do is determine the area of your grow room. This is done with a very simple formula.


So, a cabinet grow may be: 4’ x 2’ x 6’ = 48 cubic feet of total volume.

The figure of total volume will be used in deciding the CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) rate of the fan you need.
The minimum requirement for proper air exchange is for the fan to remove the total volume of air once every five minutes.

There are a number of factors that will affect the actual CFM rating of the fan that will be best for your room. Fan type and diameter, type of filter (if any), type and length of ductwork, these and other factors will be discussed in the next section.



3. Exhaust

This section will discuss the exhaust portion of your ventilation system, from the grow room to the exit point.

Your choice of ducting and the way you are able to route it will greatly affect the actual volume of air your fan will move.
Cheap dryer or bathroom vent flex duct offers the most resistance to airflow (bad), and needs to be stretched tight to reduce backpressure.
Smooth galvanized duct or PVC offers the least resistance (good) of any of the materials (that’s why it’s used in home HVAC systems).

There are a number of things to be considered when installing your ductwork.

Ideally you want your runs to be as short and bend free as possible.


A)A thirty degree bend reduces airflow by twenty (20%) percent.
B)A forty-five degree bend can reduce airflow by forty (40%) percent.
C)And a ninety degree bend can reduce airflow by sixty (60%) percent.
D)A fifteen (15’) foot section of flexible dryer vent can reduce airflow by as much as fifty (50%).
E)Light baffles and screens and filters used on passive intake vents will also reduce airflow albeit a negligible amount, still all factors should be considered.

The use of activated carbon filters will further reduce the efficiency of your vent fan, all these variable need to be taken into account before deciding what type and size fan to purchase

These are big numbers and can not be ignored when planning your exhaust system. As is the case with most things, foresight and proper planning will really pay off.


.

Point of exit

When you finally reach the end of your exhaust system you want to be sure that the exhausted gasses do not create a safety or security issue.

Safety

Because your exhaust air will be high in humidity, make sure there is ample room for the humidity to dissipate. If venting outdoors this is not an issue, but if venting into a confined space with inadequate ventilation, humidity could build up causing damage to wood framing or even exposed electrical wiring.

Security

The most obvious sign of a grow room being vented is the odor (during flowering cycle). If you are using a activated carbon filter in your grow room or introduce ONA (odor neutralizing agent) at some point along the path of your exhaust, odor should not be a problem. If possible place the exhaust twelve (12’) feet above ground level. This allows the odors to dissipate above peoples heads.
However, if you do use an activated carbon filter you will need to maintain a relative humidity of no more than fifty (50%) percent. When RH levels begin to rise above that, filter efficacy is reduced.

Heat and light signatures should also be avoided.
It seems that even the smallest of police agencies has thermal imaging technology these days. If you live in a state or country that does not allow the cultivation of marijuana, take steps to avoid these signatures exiting your exhaust.
Venting to an existing chimney will address both problems at once.
Modest sized grow rooms vented into an attic space can usually diffuse a heat signature well enough (a homes attic will always show a heat bloom anyways), venting exhaust into a crawlspace under the house or even tying into a basement sewer tap are both effective for masking thermal images.

The very first thing you should buy for your grow room is an accurate thermometer.
Accurate digital thermometers are very affordable these days, when you purchase one, try to get one that has the ability to record maximum/minimum temperatures as well as humidity levels.
These upper/lower temperature readings are very important to the health of your grow.

__________________
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled". Plutarch

My first indoor/hydro grow:
http://www.greenpassion.org/f24/indo...exposed-10479/

http://www.greenpassion.org/f24/pullo-grow-ii-11748/

http://www.greenpassion.org/f46/know...85/index2.html

EXCELLENT post Pullo! Way ta go buddy!

I knew you could do it. You could add to this buddy.

Peace

__________________
Life,
j-angel

aka GP purrie kittie attack cat!


My Little Grow LST'ing w/Hardware

My Outdoor Odyssey 2008 BONSAI MUMS

My Little Grow Indoor To Outdoor 2009

I could have gone on for another 4-5 pages, but I thought the idea was to just stick to the basics so a newbie could understand the principles.
There is of course more to it, but each individual grow will incorporate the more arcane pieces if information that I did not include.
I was trying not to scare the "Non-readers" away.

__________________
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled". Plutarch

My first indoor/hydro grow:
http://www.greenpassion.org/f24/indo...exposed-10479/

http://www.greenpassion.org/f24/pullo-grow-ii-11748/

http://www.greenpassion.org/f46/know...85/index2.html

LOL! I ken your drift sweetie!

Ventilation.From all the new growers I read about , Ventilation in the one aspect that seems most neglected. My approach to this is that your plant want to breath from the best,most natural enviroment available.
So when I set up a spot, this is the first hurdle. With my cabinet I placed it near a window that I can keep open as much as possible. When the Temperature is in the 90's I have to run an air conditioner. My breakfast room is set up perfect for this with 2 windows close to each other.
My cabinet itself is an old wardrobe, pretty much run o the mill cabinet.I went to Radio Shack and got 2 4" computer fans for it and placed one at the top for exaust(hot air rises) and one at the bottom for forced intake. I dont see forced intake as an advantage unless you are trying to move particular air like air conditioning for cooling purpuoses. I place the fan closest to the window unit to pull the cool air into the cabinet. I have considered running duct from the fan to the a/c to snorkle the nice cool air in but havent had to yet.
I know there is all kinds of info on How much air you need to run thru your grow, Cfm's and whatnot. I know that using facts and math will provide the atmophere that we need for the weed.
My aproach is to move the air and move alot of air. So my 30" x16" x60" cab has 4 fans and an a/c unit(pic 1).I also have 3 holes measuring 1.5" each across the bottom in the back for passive intake. Basicly what I strive for is to have twice as much intake as exaust.
My Hot house(pic 2) in the back is a little bit different.It's an old shed that was on the property when I moved here. I have it set up with 6 fans and an a/c unit. When I need fans I go to Big Lots in the spring. They have all these cheap household fans that you can tailor to what your needs are. I like the 9" fixed circular(pic 3 ) for moving air around the plants. Last spring I Got 2 rectangular twin screw fans (pic 4). They fit perfect up near the ridge of the shed for exaust.The shed itself is not airtight anywhere so additional venting aint nessecary. Just 2 exausts pulling hot air out of the attic and one forced intake(pic 5) to ensure fresh air,two 9" blowing fan leaves and a small box fan in the veg box.I'm sure there is room for improvment But I'm faily pleased with my ventalation.The hot house is 70' lights out and 80' lights on,humidity hangs at 50%.
Y'all take care ,
p.b.

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This is awesome....... Guy's, Pullo & Pineboy What a great start.

__________________
Cheers!!!!! Shinningwind
current log @ HGS
Shinningwind's Outdoor Adventure/09

and their off....nice job gentleman...feel free to edit or ammend your entries up until the May 29th dead-line and pullo if you would like, you can add a part 2 if you feel the tute may be too long to be digestable...but more fundements/basic are still necessary for the newest of growers to be successful in working with this issue

impressive start but not surprising given the level of knowledge and communication skills of our community.

anyone else?

Well folks it is the middle of the month. The contest closing date is the end of the month.
We need some more entries....Get your thinking caps on and throw something together for the contest.
The prize is a packet of Black Ice seeds from Highgrade seeds.

Black Ice$55 / 10 seeds80% Indica - 20% Sativa
Indoor/GreenhouseBlack Ice is a unique cross between Black Queen (White Widow x Zombie Black) and Cinderella 99 (Jack Herer x Shiva Skunk) producing a powerhouse (mostly) indica strain. Highly resinous and wonderfully aromatic with musky/earthy aroma reminiscent of sweet incense. Produces dense buds with heavy hitting sledgehammer style highs. Great medicinal weed numbs pain and your brain in one hit! A HIGHGRADE SEEDS exclusive. Height: 3 to 4 ft
Flowering Time: 9 weeks
Yield: 3 oz per plant

So come on people.... We know you can do it...

__________________
Cheers!!!!! Shinningwind
current log @ HGS
Shinningwind's Outdoor Adventure/09

I will have "Part 2" of my original tutorial posted before the deadline.
I do look forward to seeing other posts as well.
The more people you have looking at an issue, the less likely you are to overlook something.
That is the real power of a site like this.

Pullo

__________________
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled". Plutarch

My first indoor/hydro grow:
http://www.greenpassion.org/f24/indo...exposed-10479/

http://www.greenpassion.org/f24/pullo-grow-ii-11748/

http://www.greenpassion.org/f46/know...85/index2.html