Vertical Expansion of Limited Vegetative Space with Cost Effective Shelving & Linear Florescent Fixtures

Greetings in the name of Science! Professor Membrane here documenting the sweet Botany of indoor Cannabis production for the benefit of mankind! No medicinal compound on Earth has been found to be therapeutically gentler than Cannabis when used properly, not even Tylenol! So, Professor Membrane will spread this amazing scientific miracle to the masses!



When the Membrane Foundation was given the chance to produce Medical Cannabis, a new underground location was required in order to facilitate a lack of conflict between Law Enforcement and the Anti-Santa Arsenal, and so the mighty Professor Membrane returned to humble means for a time while his new Underground Research Lair of Cannabis Botany & Zombie Prevention was constructed.

During this period, Professor Membrane was not content to keep the number of plants that floorspace allowed, so a Vertical Expansion was undertaken. Steel shelving much akin to that seen in stores (usually called "Metro Shelving") and obtained by the Membrane Foundation for chemical storage serves as the basis for this expansion, along with low cost florescent lighting, both at a local Sam's Club.

Expansion Materials List:

1. 6'Hx4'Lx20"W Stainless steel shelving unit. ($90-110 depending on region at Sams Club)
2. 9-12 Dual-tube T8/T12 64W/80W florescent fixtures. ($8.95 each, look for the skinny boxes, not the wider ones, you can hang 3 of these cheaper skinnier fixtures in the space where only 2 standard shoplights will fit)
3. 2 Cases of T12 40W 6500k florescent tubes. ($20 or less)

So, for a total investment of a maximum $275 we'll be adding 3 additional levels to our grow chamber, allowing for an additional 20 square feet of Grow Space within the same Vegetative area as before.

This is the Vegetative Space we needed to expand:


Professor Membrane recommends 4 levels when using this method of vertical expansion, with the smallest on the bottom, and the largest on the top. When constructing your shelving unit, your first expansion level should be 14-18 inches from the ground, and the next level should be placed 20-26 inches above this level, and the last should be placed taking into account the amount of space above the shelving unit, with the limited height in our space, we were forced to create a smaller top level.

Here is how our space looked after expansion:


The florescent fixtures are attached directly to each level of shelving using the mounting hooks & chains that are included with the fixtures. Depending on the width of your fixtures, you will either be able to fit 2 or 3 into each level, not counting any side lighting you may wish to supplement with. Plastic sheets which are included with the shelving are placed between levels to keep drainage water from reaching the light fixtures below.



Professor Membrane strongly recommends running this style of vertical expansion in a perpetual cycle! New seedlings / clones are placed in the bottom level initially, receive a topping in a middle level in order to spawn the next generation of clones, then expand to the proper size on the top level before moving to the bloom space. Depending on the number of shelving units you use, you can cycle a vast number of plants with a very small veg area!

Seedlings on Level 1:


Larger plants & Clones on Level 2:


Other Misc Images: Power Strip for fixtures, individual shelf, and the modified shop blower that ventilates the vegetative area:


This method allowed the Membrane Foundation to begin its new medical cannabis production cycle much faster than we would have if limited to floor space in the above Grow Tent, we have a goal this year of providing a large number of new strains & refinements to our patients, and this constant cycle is the only efficient way of doing so. Seeds are grown out of a given strain into 2 gallon or larger pots, they receive their first toppings and said tops are used for a generation of clones, when these clones show signs of rooting, the original seed plants are placed in flower, labeled by number tags to indicate which clone came from which plant. Males are sorted from females and exceptional phenotypes are picked out in this manner. If a strain immediately shows a superior phenotype, this variety is maintained in clone form & repeated in the cycle.

Another alternative being explored by the Membrane Foundation is to use this style of vertical expansion to perform multi-level Sea of Green flowerings! The same florescent fixtures are used in larger numbers, paying special attention to supplementary lighting hung from the sides of the shelving unit, the experiment is also being conducted using a combination of florescent fixture side lighting with small wattage high pressure sodium lighting as the main light source for each level. The results of these experiments will be viewable within a few months.

Professor Membrane is prepared for your suggestions & questions, begin!

__________________
Son, that had better not be the walking dead I hear up there!
"It's not Dad, and I said I was sorry about last time!"
There are no apologies with the walking dead, boy!

Look's Like You Have Done Your Homework, & Got It Going On!!EH!!!

Great Job, Best Wishes, Luck & Karma!!

Cheers`;`Hatch`;`

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I was thinking of trying one of these shelving systems on a flower grow. Stack the plants one above the other with the shelves locked in at a angle or the angled shelf.

Lozier.com - Gallery

We're giving this a shot OH. We're trying 2 shelves in 2 different SOG styles underneath our main SOG that sits beneath the main flower room's 1000W, one is being surrounded by linear florescent fixtures on all sides, the other is using small 70W HPS lights as overheads with linear floros on the sides to supplement.

__________________
Son, that had better not be the walking dead I hear up there!
"It's not Dad, and I said I was sorry about last time!"
There are no apologies with the walking dead, boy!

PM,
I enjoy your Illustrations and candor.
GSR

I love your set up. Thx for the ideas setting up my first indoor grow. Yes my first real indoor grow. LOL

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What I freely have been given let me freely share

Congratulations Mogie, What are your specifications? Will you do a journal?

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Just in case you are wondering what The Emerald Triangle is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_Triangle


Check out my latest project
http://www.greenpassion.org/f16/south-emerald-triangle-7780/