Thread: How To - Rubbermaid Tub Growbox

I already have built one for myself with exellent results.
These pictures show what one looks like after it is finished being built.

Definitly A Cool setup, not very Stealth but if you don't have to worrie about that then its perfect. How far are you from Harvesting Now? Any new pictures? Im using simllar Cfls thats why I so curious. First time trying Cfls I needed Stealth so I kinda had too use em, Im interested to see If i get some decent Nugs.

kd_special

First, is to purchase the tubs. I use 22gallon rubbermaid tubs. One may choose to use bigger tubs or smaller tubs depending on preference and use. I can flower one decent plant per growbox. Any brand will work, but I chose Rubbermaid because they lay the flattest and sturdiest when topped on one another. My first growbox is made of blue colored tubs spray painted. These tubs are brown. The darker color the better to keep the growbox dark during the 12/12 flowering cycle.
Each tub cost $7.45 from Wal-Mart for a total of $14.90 before tax.


While at Wal-Mart I also bought my CFLs; each is 26 actual watts (1700lumens). I will need 6 CFLs (156watts/10,200lumens) and these are the biggest you can fit in 22gallon tubs.
A 3 pack costs $7.58. I purchased two for $15.16 before tax.


The next step will be posted very soon...stay tuned!

kdspecial Definitly A Cool setup, not very Stealth but if you don't have to worrie about that then its perfect. How far are you from Harvesting Now? Any new pictures? Im using simllar Cfls thats why I so curious. First time trying Cfls I needed Stealth so I kinda had too use em, Im interested to see If i get some decent Nugs.

kd_special

This can be fully light proof. Easily could be put in a closet. Left out like a regular dresser or cabinet, no...lol. I sleep with it in my room during veg and it's not too bright. I would have to say I am within 3-4 weeks maybe sooner of harvesting. This is my first grow, but I am checking trichomes daily. Getting cloudy with some clear but still hard to tell. Updated pictures of my grow can be found on my grow thread Questions...138w CFL rubbermaid grow...flowering, I will use this thread strictly for how to build the growbox. I needed stealth too, which is why I chose CFLs. I was really suprised how big the buds are growing from one plant. There are alot of variables when growing, but just keep reading and reading and reading threads like me and we will grow our own magnificent buds.

Next, you need the light fixtures. For the 22gal tubs the 18in, 3light fixture from Lowe's is ideal. You need two fixtures one for each side of the box.
Both fixtures cost me $19.74 before tax.

The second picture is how the fixture should look before being mounted in the tub. Take off all the white pieces (have to unscrew the 'ground screw' to get the main body off). This will keep every ince of space maximized.

Now you need to mount the light fixtures in the tub. I used the supplied bolts and grabbed a couple of nuts lying the around the garage to mount the fixture. I used a soldering iron to put holes for the screws to go through. You also need to make a slighty larger hole for the wires to come out of the tub. Feel free to plug the screw and wire holes with caulk or the like to stop any possible smell or light leak.

You will only need one spare extension cord to wire this box. I used a segment of cord to go from one fixture to the other and then wired the plug in end of the cord from both fixtures but only on one side to make movement of the box easier. I matched white and black together and then the green from extension cord to the ground cable.

I used the soldering iron again to make a hole on top of the box (where the heat is from the lights..duh) for my fan to blow through. A cd was the perfect thing to trace as it was exactly the diameter of the computer fan i will be using.
Next I used the soldering iron to make a hole for the passive intake.

The active outtake must be larger than the passive intake or you wil lnot have any 'negative pressure' (airflow) through the box.

my ratio is about 2 or 3 to 1.

4 inch fan with 2 inch passive intake

The grow box has light!

Now all i need is the fan for on top and caulk to secure the passive intakes.

When putting in the passive intake be sure to get 90 degree angled PVC elbows then can fit into each other. This is so that the passive intake can be angled in such a way as to not let light escape when it is on.

I will post more pics when i get this badboy finished and some plants growing inside. I will also post a negative pressure test with a lighter picture.

I will also give a total cost at the end..i have been saving reciepts (i know, i know...its a paper trail, but its to give people a rough estimate)

hope everyone enjoys and find something useful from this!

I forgot to show everyone what happens when a nice round edge looks appealing to run your finger around!
a plastic 'paper cut'

Slick stuff! I love DIY grow operations and this is a great way to grow some covert pot! Keep it coming!

Now, it's time line the bottom half of the grow box with foil tape.
This takes a while but it makes it lightproof and reflective.

Then I caulked in the passive intake on both sides to ensure no airleaks.

I also caulked the holes the came with the rubbermaid tub just to be sure.

Here is the finished product, with no bought active outtake fan on top but a little regular one.
One picture is of the growbox in light and another is of it in the dark, it does leak light/air but this can all be easily amended if you apply yourself. For me this is good enough, I can sleep with it in my room at night.
The third picture shows air being sucked into the passive intake. With a better fan mounted on top their is more air pressure.
The last picture is of a fly i caught and put into an air tight container i was propping the passive intake on while the caulk dried.

I forgot to mention the total cost of this project!

I will post the total cost of everything without tax, that way you can just find out your own personal total by adding in your sales tax.

Entire cost is, in three trips to three different stores: $16.34
$30.06
+ $32.28

=$78.68

...for a portable growroom capable of going from seedling to end of flower...

hey bodom

I noticed in those last pics you are using a little table fan for your exhaust fan...I want to do something like this too since I'm not nearly handy enough to go messing with connecting wires and shit. How are you keeping light from disturbing the dark period during flowering with that fan like that?
I'm about to srat my second setup and I'm trying to figure out how to do everyhting without having to mess with electrical...everything I use hopefully will have a simple plug-into-the-wall plug already on it
thanks for any advice....

i love it, cant wait to see how another plant does in it

btw Children of Bodom kicks ass

Originally Posted by 2ndtyme

hey bodom

I noticed in those last pics you are using a little table fan for your exhaust fan...I want to do something like this too since I'm not nearly handy enough to go messing with connecting wires and shit. How are you keeping light from disturbing the dark period during flowering with that fan like that?
I'm about to srat my second setup and I'm trying to figure out how to do everyhting without having to mess with electrical...everything I use hopefully will have a simple plug-into-the-wall plug already on it
thanks for any advice....

I'm not using that table fan anymore...ut uh...I'm using the inline duct fan from the bud dryer box
All you do is splice the wires....you match colors mostly
Depending on where your growing at just have your 12 hours of darkness during 12/12 be at night like from 9pm-9am or somewhere close
I do that with this grow box and it works fine

Originally Posted by Dazed4now

i love it, cant wait to see how another plant does in it

btw Children of Bodom kicks ass

Yes me too. I will have at least two females at once this time
I need to stock up my personal supply

Bodom does rule.
I saw them with Amon Amarth in Detroit. Got an Amon Amarth signature on my ticket....ill post it tomarrow

thats a fairly kick ass grow box youve made.. i think im going to make one now your a champ..

Originally Posted by Bodom Children Of

Yes me too. I will have at least two females at once this time
I need to stock up my personal supply

Bodom does rule.
I saw them with Amon Amarth in Detroit. Got an Amon Amarth signature on my ticket....ill post it tomarrow

hell yea, thats badass i missed them when they came thru dallas but theyrs always next year

Ahhh I knew you must have done something else.....what exactly do you splice the wires to? I know zip about electrical work....crap i need a tutorial on hooking up a fan and doing all that basic construction type stuff

Originally Posted by Dazed4now

hell yea, thats badass i missed them when they came thru dallas but theyrs always next year

Here it is!
I keep it in my wallet at all times...lol
Can't wait to see Dark Funeral when they come through...thats gunna be BAD ASS!


Notice how they(ticketmaster) spelled bodom wrong!

Originally Posted by 2ndtyme

Ahhh I knew you must have done something else.....what exactly do you splice the wires to? I know zip about electrical work....crap i need a tutorial on hooking up a fan and doing all that basic construction type stuff

Just take an old extension cord and cut it up!
The ground wire on the light fixture is the bare(exposed) wire!
Just think Positive, Negative, and Ground

Overgrow FAQ
They have a page on wiring computer fans and just general wiring!

Question...When you rigged the two light fixtures to a extension cord, did you rig both the fixtures to the same extension cord, or use two cords?

Originally Posted by Kwali

Question...When you rigged the two light fixtures to a extension cord, did you rig both the fixtures to the same extension cord, or use two cords?

I rigged both light fixtures to one extension cord.