Dr. Funkenstein

REFLECTIX

I need to line the floor of my flowering space to keep it controled, clean and managable. I have the entire space lined with reflectix and sealed with foil tape. I was thinking about lining the floor with this, making a basin and sealing it off, taping it to the walls. (I could've used panda plastic, but the reflectix is much easier to work with when you're short of help.)

But then I began to wonder if this would cause a problem as far as possible ELECTROCUTION. The stuff has a mylar lining on the inside between two layers of what appears to be plastic bubble wrap.

It was either this, or line the floor with panda plastic, but the reflectix is much easier to work with and much more durable.

Can anyone who has used this stuff give me your opinion?


PASSIVE INTAKE ISSUE

I need to light proof my passive intake. My plan was to drill four 8" holes in a plank for my passive intake and use 8" pvc elbows to light proof them. I can't find them at all.

So I was wondering if I could make eight 4" holes with my 4" hole saw and simply add "easy to find" 4" pvc elbows to achieve the same negative pressure and solve the light proofing issue?


Any advice? Thanks everyone

__________________
Dr. Funkenstein

>>>Fisher Price: My First Grow Lab
>>>A Noob's Guide to FIRST Grow Room Set-Up: And a Reference for Everyone Else
>>>Ask Indiegurl: Electrical Advice from an Electrician
>>>Revised: The Complete Guide To Sick Plants, Pest & pH Troubles
>>>Burndt's Guide: How to Search GC.com Effectively

hydrolized

I've seen lots of people use 2 90 degree 2, 4, or 6" PVC at opposing angles for light traps without problems. It's much easier IMO than building a baffle system, just not as good at absorbing sound.

I know the 3x rule for passive intakes, but I found if you went 2x you got much better neg. pressure without losing too much airflow..(didn't do any scientific measurement stuff, just by eye/feel/temp monitoring)

8" PVC is hard to find, even if you did, an 8" elbow would be around $20, so for your application you'd be shelling out $160 just for PVC. Something you can do that I've told people to do in the past is if your in Home DePot looking at PVC, go a few isles over to the HVAC section, and buy the 8" 26g metal duct elbows. they are only $5 each, even cheaper than a 4" PVC elbow, and you only need to buy the 4 you originally planned on now . When your picking up your elbows, turn around and pick up a blue furnace filter too, and cut out some 12" circles and zip tie them over the ends of the elbows to keeps bugs and crap out of the grow space..they are only 1 or 2 dollars each and are a good investment. The metal elbows will reflect light, just as white PVC would, so go the paint section and pick up a can of flat black spray paint and give the insides a coat or two, and you will have no light leaks at all.

4- 8" intakes seems like a hell of a lot, what are you combined fan CFM specs?

I wouldn't worry about the reflectix...people use it to insulate their reflectors all the time...don't take my word for it though I don't want to feel like shit if you get hurt

GL!

countyspud

I'd skip lining the floor in relfectix and just paint it white. Floors tend to take abuse so the reflectix will probably get all torn up pretty quickly.
IF you're worried about water leaking down into the cracks, get a tube or 2 of caulk (outdoor rated) and seal up real good.

Another option for intake is to purchase on Amazon a couple of darkroom vents. They allow airflow but not light and come in sizes from 4 to 12 inches.

__________________
Plant a seed, crack a smile.

If you knew that failure was impossible, what would you attempt?

Fall 2009 Journal - Spud Keeps Snow White In A Cabinet

Winter 2009 - Hydro CFL Grow Journal

Dr. Funkenstein

Hydrolized, my 8" fan is rated 755 cfms and this is to exchange the air in the room and cool my 1000wHPS Hood in one run. Although 3x's is the rule, I was going with four 8" intake holes to help manage the temps. I've thought bout your idea, using the HVAC supplies, but the problem is the closest hole saw I have to that size is 6 5/8th" So it is not exactly 8", but the largest I could find to make my exhaust hole. Which is why I was thinking it may be easier and best to go with 6-8 four inch holes made with my 4" hole saw. This way I could easily pick up some 4" pvc elbows and apply them to the board. I might even be able to find some in black. What do you think? Will this be a better option, to ensure I get the right amount of intake as the larger hole saw is undersized? I don't have any other way to make these holes, and out of funds.

Countyspud, I don't know if that is an option as that is more permanent. Also, another reason behind lining the floor with something was to keep the room completely sealed and free of any bugs. My veg space isn't exactly sealed as extreme as this space is, and I've had ants and small black spiders in there.

I would also like to maintain the walls and keep them free of mold, which is why I lined the entire space with the reflectix that inhibits mold growth.

I know HD sells sheets of clear plastic boards. I could maybe use these to put beneath my system to keep the reflectix in better shape. This would allow some layer of protection while keeping the room lined, taped and sealed. Hopefully I've seen videos of people lining their entire space with similar stuff so it must be ok to do. Then again, they may not have been growing hydroponically. It's just the idea came up, and when in doubt....

Does anyone know how much that stuff may cost?


Thanks for your help!

__________________
Dr. Funkenstein

>>>Fisher Price: My First Grow Lab
>>>A Noob's Guide to FIRST Grow Room Set-Up: And a Reference for Everyone Else
>>>Ask Indiegurl: Electrical Advice from an Electrician
>>>Revised: The Complete Guide To Sick Plants, Pest & pH Troubles
>>>Burndt's Guide: How to Search GC.com Effectively

Futuregrower

For a cheap, tough, waterproof (to a degree) floor covering, get linoleum. For small spaces you can get scraps for free sometimes at a flooring store, or very cheap for new stuff at menards. If you can, get a pc. for the floor, then lay more scraps under buckets or planters to help keep from scuffing if you move them a lot.

Hydrolized is right, get the metal elbows. Way cheaper.

If you meant "clear plastic boards" like Plexiglass, they come in sheets up to 4 X 8, but usually 30" X 48" tops, the answer is......way too damn much, unless you are just doing the floor of a cabenit, and then it's about $30 or more for 2 X 3 feet .

Reflectix, mylar, and foil insulation can conduct current, the linoleum or plexi won't.

You could also caulk the linoleum in the corners with bathroom caulk, made to inhibit mold. Air-tight and waterproof seal!

__________________
~~ The Once And FutureGrower
The futures here, we are it, we are on our own....Singing Ashes, ashes all fall down......

"I inhaled, frequently," Senator Obama said before being elected President "That was the point."

First Grow! Twofer, Mandalas "Satori" and KC Brain's "Northern Lights Special"
http://www.gardenscure.com/420/hydro...kc-brains.html

Caution! (Do not stop on tracks). Grow 2

LINK to a great way to search, written by Burndt

Dr. Funkenstein

Futuregrower, the space is already lined with linoleum tiles. Again, the problem is with sealing the space so the walls are never exposed at all. I have the walls lined with reflectix to the base boards. Exposed base boards. The connection between the tiles and the base boards are not perfectly sealed, creating a space for dirt and bugs to inhabit.

Also, there is carpet near the entry to this space, so this is also another reason to line everything with something, creating a "basin" that is sealed off with tape to the reflectix wall. I can do my best to keep the carpet area outside the grow clean, but I do not want to leave the end that is connected to the entry way exposed.

Adding a layer of the plastic boards you mentioned on top of the reflectix might be an option. Do you think this would be sufficient enough to do the trick, and keep things safe?

Also, I do not have an 8" hole saw, or a way to make an 8" hole to accomodate an 8" aluminum HVAC elbow. The closest I have is less than 7".

Are you telling me I cannot use two 4" holes for every single 7" hole to acheive the same as an 8" hole?

__________________
Dr. Funkenstein

>>>Fisher Price: My First Grow Lab
>>>A Noob's Guide to FIRST Grow Room Set-Up: And a Reference for Everyone Else
>>>Ask Indiegurl: Electrical Advice from an Electrician
>>>Revised: The Complete Guide To Sick Plants, Pest & pH Troubles
>>>Burndt's Guide: How to Search GC.com Effectively

Futuregrower

Dr. , those elbows come in lots of sizes, ONE PAGE OF MANY ON GOOGLE.as shown in the link.

An 8 inch circle is about 50 Sq. In.(piR2, or 3.1459 X 4 X 4. ) So if you want a 4 inch hole, it has 2 X 2 X 3.1459 inches, or 12.5 sq. inches.

So, to = an 8 inch hole with 50 square inches, you need FOUR (4)inch holes, or 12.5 Sq. In. each X 4 = 50 square inches. All you gotta do is figure the area you want and the area of the hole saws you got.

Got a jig saw? OR.....instead of using pre-made elbows......what about 6" flexi-duct, cut a 6" hole, put some duct in, seal it, (of course, sprat paint the inside black) and put it in a 90* shape? or even a " U" would work. Seal with Great Stuff expanding foam (careful that shit sticks to everything and will never come out of clothes) or caulking or foil tape + caulk.

As far as sealing everything, I dunno, hard to say w/o pics. The plexiglass is expensive as hell, though. I'd just run linoleum partway up the wall, covering the baseboards, and another pc. on the floor- then caulk the two together, and you're done. You could even linoleum the whole wall- covering your reflectix, but the only way to have a transperant wall covering is plexi, and you will bleed money before you are done.

Reflectix walls won't be that bad- I've seen it done before.

__________________
~~ The Once And FutureGrower
The futures here, we are it, we are on our own....Singing Ashes, ashes all fall down......

"I inhaled, frequently," Senator Obama said before being elected President "That was the point."

First Grow! Twofer, Mandalas "Satori" and KC Brain's "Northern Lights Special"
http://www.gardenscure.com/420/hydro...kc-brains.html

Caution! (Do not stop on tracks). Grow 2

LINK to a great way to search, written by Burndt

Dr. Funkenstein

four, 4" holes per 50sq in/ 8" hole? I have a 4" hole saw. I need to create the same amount of negative pressure and air flow as I would had I used 3-4? 8" holes. That link doesn't work for me, for some reason. I've already done searches and can't really find them locally and I wasn't going to order them. Also, they are going to be expensive when you're getting into such large sizes. Unless I could make an 8" hole with my 4" hole saw. Then I could use a 8" aluminum elbow.

Hmm, maybe I will line the space with the reflectix, since the walls are already covered, and then use linoleum, as you said, in place of the plastic sheeting for flooring.

__________________
Dr. Funkenstein

>>>Fisher Price: My First Grow Lab
>>>A Noob's Guide to FIRST Grow Room Set-Up: And a Reference for Everyone Else
>>>Ask Indiegurl: Electrical Advice from an Electrician
>>>Revised: The Complete Guide To Sick Plants, Pest & pH Troubles
>>>Burndt's Guide: How to Search GC.com Effectively

Dr. Funkenstein

four, 4" holes per 50sq in/ 8" hole? I have a 4" hole saw. I need to create the same amount of negative pressure and air flow as I would had I used 3-4? 8" holes. That link doesn't work for me, for some reason. I've already done searches and can't really find them locally and I wasn't going to order them. Also, they are going to be expensive when you're getting into such large sizes. Unless I could make an 8" hole with my 4" hole saw. Then I could use a 8" aluminum elbow.

Hmm, maybe I will line the space with the reflectix, since the walls are already covered, and then use linoleum, as you said, in place of the plastic sheeting for flooring.

__________________
Dr. Funkenstein

>>>Fisher Price: My First Grow Lab
>>>A Noob's Guide to FIRST Grow Room Set-Up: And a Reference for Everyone Else
>>>Ask Indiegurl: Electrical Advice from an Electrician
>>>Revised: The Complete Guide To Sick Plants, Pest & pH Troubles
>>>Burndt's Guide: How to Search GC.com Effectively

Futuregrower

Use your 4" hole saw, and remember you need FOUR 4-inch holes to equal the area of ONE 8" hole. Area of a hole = pi (which is 3.1459) X the radius squared.

......if you're using a 4" hole, your light trap problems are solved, my friend. For about $10 total, too.

Flexible dryer vent, at most any home store, painted black on the inside. It comes in 4" diameter, and 10 feet of it is like $10-20. Also a lot of stores have 4" HVAC elbows, but the dryer vent is cheaper.

__________________
~~ The Once And FutureGrower
The futures here, we are it, we are on our own....Singing Ashes, ashes all fall down......

"I inhaled, frequently," Senator Obama said before being elected President "That was the point."

First Grow! Twofer, Mandalas "Satori" and KC Brain's "Northern Lights Special"
http://www.gardenscure.com/420/hydro...kc-brains.html

Caution! (Do not stop on tracks). Grow 2

LINK to a great way to search, written by Burndt