Homemade small cabinet for growing plants. Make a growbox with your own hands at home. How to make a carbon filter for a grow box with your own hands

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:

1. It should not have gaps through which light can leak out when the lamp is on and inside when it is off.
2. The walls must be covered with a special reflective material or white matte paint.
3. The type and power of the lamp must correspond to the size of the box, primarily its area. Guideline - 400-600W per m2.
4. 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) a carbon filter should be installed on the exhaust fan to combat the pale odor, b) it should not be heard from outside. fans are running.

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. It can be a mini growbox, including one from a system unit, a bedside table, a storage room, or even an entire room in your house - the basic design of a 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 of electrical equipment (which one, see below), determine what will be inside and what (mains filters, ballasts and starters for lamps, timers) will be 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 are installed, consider your indoor grow room 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 several photos with ready-made solutions. These will give you a better idea of ​​how to make your own grow box:

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Many people dream of having their own vegetables and fruits all year round. An excellent tool for this is a grow box. What it is and what are the main points of working with it further.

A growbox is professional equipment that helps grow seedlings and indoor flowers. It also allows you to create a pleasant microclimate for plants and do everything to ensure that environmental conditions are favorable. It is great for many purposes. You can freely grow various fruit and vegetable crops in it.

A growbox is an excellent replacement for many things, such as a winter garden, a country house or a greenhouse, because it takes up little space. It is located within the apartment and can help while away the long winter evenings.

Classification

Today there is a whole classification of these devices:

1. Standard. It is distinguished by its optimal dimensions. They are defined as 1000×1000×2000 mm. Such dimensions will help a young gardener to easily place a pair of mature photoperiodic plants that will not interfere with each other’s growth during their active flowering.
2. Stealth. It is the most difficult and interesting type of grow box, hidden and unnoticeable. It has many advantages, such as noise and light insulation.
3. Growcompact. It has small dimensions, which is why it fits in an ordinary room. This is a great option for those who need to grow small flowers.

Interesting! You can make a small grow box out of a refrigerator.

There are many offers on the market. However, today you can create a growbox yourself. The main task is to provide acceptable conditions for growing plants. When designing begins, you can apply expert advice or go your own way.

To make this equipment you will need things and tools in the form of:

1. Cabinet, box or chipboard box;
2. Films with foil or other material;
3. Thermometer and hygrometer for measuring temperature and humidity;
4. , lamp or other lighting device;
5. Pots, boxes, containers where plants will be kept.

1. Project. We prepare a drawing of the grow box, a diagram or a color project on the computer with how it will look;
2. Purchase of all materials and storing it in one place.
3. Growbox formation. Schemes for construction can be found ready-made on the Internet. For example, you can use this:

Lighting

Many people are mistaken in thinking that any lamps are suitable for lighting a grow room. To grow a certain plant, it requires certain lighting and temperature. The fact is that incandescent lamps, for example, emit additional heat and have a strong glow. This may destroy some flowers if exposed directly to the lamp.

Types of suitable lamps for growboxes:

1. DNAt are sodium lamps, which are required to provide additional lighting to plants or illuminate streets;
2. CFL are considered small fluorescent lighting devices;
3. ESL translated as energy-saving lamps;
4. 4 Led differ in special LED properties in order for enhanced plant growth to occur.

There must be ventilation; there are no restrictions on choice. The main thing is that the chosen system helps renew the air inside it and get rid of the hot air emitted by the lamp. If you use the advice of agronomists, you can come to a common decision on temperature. For all plants it should be from +22 to +27 0 C.

You can create proper operation of ventilation and all equipment if you use things in the form of an electronic timer or relay. This is an optional equipment, but it makes life much easier. The timer turns on and off for lighting along with the fan device in the box. During the development or growing season, you need to know that at this time all flowers need to be given light for up to eighteen hours during the day and six hours at night. When it becomes an adult and begins to flower, additional lighting can be set to twelve hours during the day and the same number of hours at night.

How to make a carbon filter for a grow box with your own hands

They are used to get rid of unstable basic synthesis that accumulates in space. That is, getting rid of harmful odors. They also help to clear the air of dust, which is harmful to everyone.

Today there are many schemes for creating a carbon filter with your own hands. A lot of useful material is contained in the video tutorial:

Temperature compliance

What temperature should the grow box be? Everyone loves stability, including plants. Make sure that the temperature set for their growth always remains the same. Remember that lamps heat the air very much. In addition, they can burn the leaves and then they will dry out faster. Use blowing fans and carbon filters.

If you need to lower the temperature by 1-2C, use a humidifier, but do not get carried away with it, since humidity cannot exceed 65-70% during the growing season and 55-60% during flowering. If the problem is low temperature, install heaters.

Watering and moistening

Watering should be moderate. It is necessary to select it according to the type of a certain flower. It needs to be done at least once a day. Automatic watering allows you to permanently eliminate the problem of drying out and waterlogging of substrates. It helps the young gardener get rid of the need to water all the time. The volume of the tank for automatic watering is calculated according to the type of greenhouse and the number of plants. You can roughly calculate using this simple formula: 30 liters per 1 sq. m. Remember that during the growing season less liquid is consumed than during the flowering process.

What plants are suitable for growing in a grow box?

You can grow herbs, flowers, fruits or vegetables in a grow box. Several crops can be grown there at the same time. You can also get other cultural, ornamental, and exotic plants there.

And finally, a video review of a small growbox, assembled with your own hands:

A growbox for a garage or balcony can be made from polystyrene foam and covered with foil inside. If it will be in a heated room, the walls can also be made of plywood. Why did I choose the refrigerator? Plastic walls reflect light well, without requiring foil. Yes, and the thermal insulation is already done in it and the door closes hermetically.

All that remains is to modify it a little. I cut a hole with a jigsaw and installed a pipe with a diameter of 120 mm into it, in the upper part of which I mounted a ventilation valve, and in the lower part - a fan (photo 1), filled the hole around the pipe with foam. It turns on from the digital thermostat (photo 2a or 26) when the temperature on the sensor reaches the preset one. The thermostat is mounted on the wall, and the sensor is fixed in a pre-drilled hole 5 cm below the top fan. For safety, everything is powered by 12V DC.

Inside the refrigerator there are two fans with a diameter of 200 mm, left over from the computer power supply, they mix the air in the refrigerator. The ventilation valve at the bottom of the refrigerator opens automatically as soon as the top fan turns on.

I'll tell you more about lighting. There is one lamp for each shelf. They are homemade, LED, with a power of 20 W, which is quite enough.

Each lamp is mounted on an aluminum radiator purchased at an electronics store measuring 5x20 cm with a fin height of 6 cm. I used red LEDs for seedlings with a wavelength of 620-630 pGL and blue 460-465 pt, with a power of 1 W: these slightly overheat the air in a small area volume of the growbox. I soldered them onto a star or a light bulb socket (I also bought them at an electronics store) and, in turn, attached them to the radiator with hot glue. Panels for soldering LEDs are suitable both round and rectangular, the main thing is that there is 15 square meters per 1 W of power. cm radiator area. Before soldering (I used a 35 W soldering iron), I put thermal paste under the LEDs.

Each lamp (photo 3) consists of 3 panels with 7 LEDs each. For power supply it was possible to use a 21 W driver, but they were not available, so I had to use three 10 W drivers.

I brought all the copper wires with a diameter of 0.15 mm to the roof of the refrigerator: I made connections there, because it’s not allowed inside due to high humidity. Drivers installed in plastic cases were connected to a 220 W network.

As for the ratio of red and blue LEDs, at the stage of seedling emergence and plant growth, their ratio should be 1:2. This range is ideal for salads and seedlings. But during the flowering and fruiting period, the optimal ratio of red and blue is 2:1. Thus, for one lamp, 9 red and 12 blue LEDs were needed (3 red and 4 blue on each panel).

I simply screwed the lamps with radiators (without housings) to the shelves, supplied 220 V power and set a timer, setting it to turn the lights, thermostat and fans on and off at 7 am and off at 9 pm. In the grow box the temperature for growing salads and seedlings is 24°. Calculations showed that the structure consumes 14.4 kW per month.

In winter, lettuce grows in a grow box in two weeks, so I sow it exactly at that frequency. For fun, I also grew peas in the refrigerator: they produce a harvest, but only for eating (photos 4-6).

I used similar lamps for growing tomatoes on a winter windowsill. To avoid drilling extra holes, I installed the lighting from below. The result was good: the tomatoes bloomed, produced fruits and not a single flower fell. The backlight worked for 4 hours in the morning and 5 hours in the evening, two 30 W lamps.

And lastly: if you keep the refrigerator outside or on the balcony in winter, you need to install a 25 W incandescent lamp below so that the salad does not freeze at night at minus 15°. The light bulb should only burn at night; during the day, the heat generated by the LEDs is sufficient.

To control the temperature, I have 2 electronic temperature readers in my refrigerator. They record the temperature every 10 minutes, and using a special program on the computer I can find out what is happening in the grow box. There is a simpler solution - install a simple digital thermometer with a battery-powered wire: it will show the temperature inside and outside the refrigerator.

* the data is the same for both outdoors and indoors. If there is forced airflow, the radiator area can be reduced by three times.

DIY growbox – photo

GROWBOX FOR SEEDLINGS AND GREENS WITH YOUR HANDS

I have already forgotten when I bought fresh greens in the store, since I grow them in my apartment in a grow box, which I assembled in three hours. In the same structure, before the summer season, I germinate the seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables.

For the box I used a metal bucket with a lid. On the website I ordered a 10 W red LED matrix with a current stabilizer LM 317.

I drilled holes in the cover and attached a matrix with a radiator from the PC motherboard to the inside using nuts and studs (photo 1)

First, a current stabilizer was connected in series to the LED element, then a 12 V power supply. These network elements were fixed outside the cover (photo 2).

In the modern world, the ideas of environmental friendliness and a healthy lifestyle are becoming increasingly popular. 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.

How to make a growbox?

First you need to understand what a grow box is and how it functions. In essence, it is a small mini-greenhouse that creates certain conditions for the good growth of vegetables, flowers or herbs. At first glance, it may seem that its design is complex. In fact, anyone who has at least a little understanding of the principles of gardening can build a useful device.

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.

Growbox: photo

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.

As a base, you can use old furniture, cases from system units, and various drawers. 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.

You will also need additional materials to create a grow box. Penafol can be glued in different ways - using the glue of a special hot-melt gun or double-sided tape. The best way is to use 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 stock up on 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 high pressure sodium lamps. 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 require the creation of an automatic system for turning the lighting on and off. You can do without this and do it manually.

DIY growbox

No matter how it may seem that the simplest option for 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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 DIY growbox can allow you to grow radishes, various herbs 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 the design and installation of grow boxes in residential premises are very diverse, 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 listed 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Large (from one and a half square meters to infinity, but in reality they are limited to three meters) - in boxes of this size it is permissible to keep at home almost any exotic plants and even shrubs, even 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, in accordance with the specified parameters, purchase materials (for example, chipboard sheets), from which the box will be assembled with a door on hinges, allowing operations 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 at high temperatures they can burn. 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, it is necessary to replace the work lamp with a lower wattage lighting fixture or secure it as far away 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.