I started building the light frame for an office tambour grow space. (It’s all that will fit in our apartment, and I’m lucky to get that space after finding out we have another baby on the way
)
It’s around 88cm wide and 28cm deep on the light. And the tambour-that I haven’t even purchased yet due to the toddlers 3rd birthday this Sunday taking up all funds
is around 100cm tall, 48cm deep and 100cm wide.
I’m planning to use 120mm pc fans for intake/circulation and extraction. And I want to make a little hydro system out of old paint tubs-I can get them from jobs I’m on as and when they come in and my health allows it. Slipped disc/sciatica kinda vibe
I have to take pregabalin for this at the moment but I’m hoping to be able to grow something for nerve pain in the tambour, so I can get off the pharmaceuticals.
As you can see the light is almost done. But still got a ways to go yet so will likely be slow updating here.
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Thinking about automation. I’ve found some smart plug sockets on Amazon. I think they should work and they’re low profile aswell so won’t take up too much space. Considering a fish tank on the top so the sound of running water wouldn’t be suspect when we have visitors like midwives etc. need to look for some decent seedbanks too to find some seeds. I’ve got some for a run now but I’d like to be prepared to chuck some more in so I don’t have to wait for veg time on the second run.
Sorry for the erratic content in that post. I’m kinda using this journal as a notepad I can come back and check later
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One thing to consider with your smart plugs: some have limited programming options.
I have a wifi power strip, and you can do 1 min increments, but only a set number of events per plug per day, and “on” and “off” are separate events. So you can only actually do like 15 on/offs per day. For many situations this is not a problem! For my goal of running a flood & drain pump that was too powerful and needed many short cycles, it did not work.
If that isn’t a problem, the Kasa smart power strip has been reliable for me for other purposes, and I can recommend that as a way to eventually connect to Home Assistant or similar (no idea if that’s in your goals, just mentioning).
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I will be building another flood and drain. Mine is obviously gonna be super small scale. Think like 4 5litre paint pots and a control bucket in there, should hopefully fit. I’d be happy with 15 on/offs a day to be honest. That would work well enough for my setup. I have previously used sonoff stuff and came across such limitations as you mentioned.
I’ll have a look at the kasa power strip now. Thanks for that man 
hopefully they have a UK friendly version. I will probably use whatever app is recommended with the actual plugs I end up with.
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Kasa and Tapo are now integrated into one app, so if you use Tapo cams (they have cheapish 4 packs, that’s what I got), you can handle it all in one app. I’m pretty sure they have UK versions of the power strip. 
Flood and drain solidarity! It’s been very solid for me on my very first grow, more than I wanted in some respects 
but I’m into flower, so it’s getting there.
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I was speaking to a friend of mine a few days ago about tapo stuff. Honestly at this point all I’ve got is the light itself and a couple paint tubs. There’s a few bits on order not delivered like M25 sealing glands and net pots. My mates wife said she was gifted a “hydroponic system” years ago. That’s literally sat in the shed for years now and I’m welcome to it. (When they get round to digging it out the shed) So I’m hoping I can salvage a few bits off that.
Tag me in your F&D journal of you have one up please buddy. Be good to see what you’re rocking. We like to go camping etc so flood and drain frees up a fair amount of time.
If you’ve got the choice of hand watering Coco or kayaking in the green loch-aviemore which is the Scottish Highlands. You know which one you’re taking
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I hope the abandoned system has some useful bits! Your cabinet idea in general is fantastic, I meant to say that in my earlier messages.
That is quite the tent setup and yeah, I think you have your priorities straight! That would be far preferable.
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I’ve been growing for a good few years now. But had to have this last year off due to well just life in general. But we want to make extracts and then vape juice from that. (Don’t want to be smoking around the baby in general and would love to cut the tobacco right out)
Thankyou for the compliment on the idea. Let’s hope the reality lives up to it when plants go in 
The tent is an Outwell mallwood 7 (there’s only 3 of us at the moment and a German shepherd) you get a little shower/toilet room in there, a porch area to take off muddy boots and we use it to cook when it rains. Otherwise it’s on a fire 
And then 2 large bedrooms. I can also stand up which with a slipped disc is an absolute necessity.
We’re here for a good time not a long time 
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Light is tested and working. I’ve had an ammeter and some glands delivered so far. Still waiting on the rest of my components. And tambour for that matter.
But I didn’t let that stop me dropping 6 x strawberry banana autos in jiffy7s. I’ll update a bit more after work today
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the things we do to save money 
