Sanity check on Ultra-Stealth Cupboard Auto setup

[Desolate_Place]

G'day everyone,


I'm getting ready to do my first grow and was hoping for some feedback from experienced growers. I'm on a tight budget and noise/smell stealth is my absolute top priority. I've done a heap of reading and have this plan, but I want to make sure I'm on the right track.


The Setup:

• Genetics: 1x Granddaddy Purple (GDP) Autoflower.
• Space: 90x50x160cm tent inside a cupboard.
• Light: Mars Hydro TS 600.
• Ventilation (Quiet Plan): Spider Farmer 4-inch inline fan -> 4"-to-6" reducer adapter -> 6-inch acoustic ducting.
• Noise Dampening: The plan is to wrap the fan motor housing in a thick towel (secured by paracord) to kill high-frequency motor whine. I'll also hang the fan/filter using paracord loops buffered by rubber pads on the roof pole to isolate low-frequency vibrations.
• Odor: Adding a carbon filter to the intake once she starts smelling.

Medium & Nutrients:

• Soil: Scotts Osmocote Indoor Plant Premium Mix.
• Strategy: I don't want to mess with mixing liquid nutrients or overcomplicate things. I'm hoping to use just the slow-release fertilizer already in the soil for the entire grow if that works?
• Watering: Adelaide Tap Water (it's hard). Filling a 5L bucket and letting it sit for 24 hours to gas off chlorine. Not measuring pH—I'm relying on the soil buffering agents to manage the pH. No extra nutrients.

My Big Questions:

1. Light Dimming Strategy: The TS 600 is dimmable, I’m wondering what a easy plan would look like as in how high do I have the light from the canopy and what settings do I set the dimmer to through each stage of the grow
2. Nutrients: Is relying only on the slow-release nutes in the Osmocote Indoor Mix realistic for an auto, or will I hit major deficiencies?
3. General Advice: Does this plan sound reasonable for a beginner aiming for maximum stealth on a budget?

Any advice you could give would be unreal!


Cheers

 

[Goonie Goat]

G'day everyone,


I'm getting ready to do my first grow and was hoping for some feedback from experienced growers. I'm on a tight budget and noise/smell stealth is my absolute top priority. I've done a heap of reading and have this plan, but I want to make sure I'm on the right track.


The Setup:

• Genetics: 1x Granddaddy Purple (GDP) Autoflower.
• Space: 90x50x160cm tent inside a cupboard.
• Light: Mars Hydro TS 600.
• Ventilation (Quiet Plan): Spider Farmer 4-inch inline fan -> 4"-to-6" reducer adapter -> 6-inch acoustic ducting.
• Noise Dampening: The plan is to wrap the fan motor housing in a thick towel (secured by paracord) to kill high-frequency motor whine. I'll also hang the fan/filter using paracord loops buffered by rubber pads on the roof pole to isolate low-frequency vibrations. I'll have a DIY exit muffler (cardboard box with padding) on the end of the ducting in the adjacent cupboard.
• Odor: Adding a carbon filter to the intake once she starts smelling.

Medium & Nutrients:

• Soil: Scotts Osmocote Indoor Plant Premium Mix.
• Strategy: I don't want to mess with mixing liquid nutrients or overcomplicate things. I'm hoping to use just the slow-release fertilizer already in the soil for the entire grow if that works?
• Watering: Adelaide Tap Water (it's hard). Filling a 5L bucket and letting it sit for 24 hours to gas off chlorine. Not measuring pH—I'm relying on the soil buffering agents to manage the pH. No extra nutrients.

My Big Questions:

1. Light Dimming Strategy: The TS 600 isn't dimmable, but I've read about people adjusting light distance as an "easy dimming" plan. Is there a simple rule of thumb for distance settings for different stages (Seedling / Veg / Bloom)?
2. Nutrients: Is relying only on the slow-release nutes in the Osmocote Indoor Mix realistic for an auto, or will I hit major deficiencies?
3. General Advice: Does this plan sound reasonable for a beginner aiming for maximum stealth on a budget?

Any advice you could give would be unreal!


Cheers

Welcome to TSE !
Your setup looks okay but the light seems underpowered for that space, but should work okay for one plant.

As for the fan you can buy variacs which will lower the fan speed and reduce the whine if you didn't buy a fan + controller setup.

I think with 1 auto you could get away with the osmocote if its in a bigger pot but a simple 2 part nutrient like green planet dual fuel will be all that's needed if you think the soil has diminished in nutes later down the track

 

[Desolate_Place]

Welcome to TSE !
Your setup looks okay but the light seems underpowered for that space, but should work okay for one plant.

As for the fan you can buy variacs which will lower the fan speed and reduce the whine if you didn't buy a fan + controller setup.

I think with 1 auto you could get away with the osmocote if its in a bigger pot but a simple 2 part nutrient like green planet dual fuel will be all that's needed if you think the soil has diminished in nutes later down the track

Hey thanks for the warm welcome, I stupidly used ai to write my post quicker and it made several mistakes. So I have got an adjustable fan controller thing so can ajust, also the light is dimmable and have no clue what distance I’m supposed to have it and what power percentage. And yeah just 1 plant for first grow. The pot is 10L that I’m using. Also I’ll take a note of the fertiliser u mentioned thanks

 

[Goonie Goat]

Hey thanks for the warm welcome, I stupidly used ai to write my post quicker and it made several mistakes. So I have got an adjustable fan controller thing so can ajust, also the light is dimmable and have no clue what distance I’m supposed to have it and what power percentage. And yeah just 1 plant for first grow. The pot is 10L that I’m using. Also I’ll take a note of the fertiliser u mentioned thanks

Yeah the soil will probably be spent around the middle of flower if you have a strong hungry plant.

You've got some balls starting with autoflowers by the way. Try not to overwater or else you'll end up with a stunted mess.. But you've come to the right place, plenty of knowledge and helpful advice here. Fingers crossed it all goes well

 

[Sedge]

Welcome to TSE

Just wondering if a 10 litre pot is enough to buffer the PH.
A simple cheap liquid ph kit might be the go for you.
If you can get hold of a 15 litre water bottle, the water cooler type, you won’t have to mix nutrients every day,

 

[Desolate_Place]

Welcome to TSE

Just wondering if a 10 litre pot is enough to buffer the PH.
A simple cheap liquid ph kit might be the go for you.
If you can get hold of a 15 litre water bottle, the water cooler type, you won’t have to mix nutrients every day,

Yeah I decided I’ll get a ph kit after some consideration, I’ll get one maybe in a week or so.

 

[Desolate_Place]

Yeah the soil will probably be spent around the middle of flower if you have a strong hungry plant.

You've got some balls starting with autoflowers by the way. Try not to overwater or else you'll end up with a stunted mess.. But you've come to the right place, plenty of knowledge and helpful advice here. Fingers crossed it all goes well

Mann I thought autos were easy that’s why I started with one

 

[Goonie Goat]

Mann I thought autos were easy that’s why I started with one

Haha they can be, they really don't enjoy dense sogged up medium, if you think you'll be heavy on the waterings then maybe get some perlite to add to the soil.

In those first 2 weeks from germinating you'll only need to have watered once or twice, it gets easier after those first 3 weeks

 

[Desolate_Place]

Haha they can be, they really don't enjoy dense sogged up medium, if you think you'll be heavy on the waterings then maybe get some perlite to add to the soil.

In those first 2 weeks from germinating you'll only need to have watered once or twice, it gets easier after those first 3 weeks

How much perlite should I add to the 10l pot, and how do I know when it needs watering or doesn’t

 

[Goonie Goat]

How much perlite should I add to the 10l pot

30% at least. Are you starting in the 10L pot or plan on starting in a smaller pot and transplanting later?

 

[Desolate_Place]

30% at least. Are you starting in the 10L pot or plan on starting in a smaller pot and transplanting later?

Was gonna do entire grow in 10l, is it to small

 

[Goonie Goat]

Was gonna do entire grow in 10l, is it to small

Nah that's pretty decent, you'd probably need bigger if you planned on doing living soil but fine for synthetic fertilizer

 

[Desolate_Place]

Okay sweet cheers

 

[Roo]

That Spiderfarmer fan will make some noise if it is over 30% or so. I reckon you should be able to run it that low but any higher those plastic blades create a whirring, not matter what you try and dampen with. Don't forget a fan for in the tent, preferably oscillating. You need that air moving during flower.

 

[VinDeezle]

mate I run two 90x50s in me closet. Good size for two plants. If it's your first run I'd pop two just to be safe as one might end up a bit stale if shit doesn't quite go to plan. I usually run 10-20L pots of potting mix and usually get away without any real feed but the smaller pots (8-10L) require me to feed some fish hydrolysate twice a week in week 5-7 flower to get em to the end.

Perfect size for two plants at about 3-4 zips each under 150-175w.

Current run with two autos going into flower in 8L pots of peat, compost and castings with some perlite. Adding root roids weekly so far and might have to start feeding by week 5-6 flower id say.

 

[Desolate_Place]

mate I run two 90x50s in me closet. Good size for two plants. If it's your first run I'd pop two just to be safe as one might end up a bit stale if shit doesn't quite go to plan. I usually run 10-20L pots of potting mix and usually get away without any real feed but the smaller pots (8-10L) require me to feed some fish hydrolysate twice a week in week 5-7 flower to get em to the end.

Perfect size for two plants at about 3-4 zips each under 150-175w.
View attachment 76727View attachment 76729
Current run with two autos going into flower in 8L pots of peat, compost and castings with some perlite. Adding root roids weekly so far and might have to start feeding by week 5-6 flower id say.
View attachment 76728

Do you rekon I should do a second plant in my 90x50 as well? You got me thinking now lol.

 

[VinDeezle]

Do you rekon I should do a second plant in my 90x50 as well? You got me thinking now lol.

even if you pop two or three and keep the best one if you don't want to run more than one plant at first. Autos can be a bit picky and some will go into flower around 3-4 weeks in, others might get a bit more veg time, and some will be runts if they don't like the initial learning curve of a new grower here and there.

I've always ran two plants in mine as I'm usually only vegging for 4-5 weeks max or running autos.

 

[VinDeezle]

most 100-150w lights won't have the best footprint for a 90x50 and two plants (most are around 40x30cm), and most 2x4 llghts won't fit so you can either go two 100w lights or garb something like these. Me mates got 4 of these 240w boards and they go alright in a 90x50. They are about 60x20cm and will run well around 150-180w in the 90x50.

The TS600 will do one plant fine though.

 

[Desolate_Place]

30% at least. Are you starting in the 10L pot or plan on starting in a smaller pot and transplanting later?

Do you reckon this looks about right?

 

[Desolate_Place]

most 100-150w lights won't have the best footprint for a 90x50 and two plants (most are around 40x30cm), and most 2x4 llghts won't fit so you can either go two 100w lights or garb something like these. Me mates got 4 of these 240w boards and they go alright in a 90x50. They are about 60x20cm and will run well around 150-180w in the 90x50.
View attachment 76740
The TS600 will do one plant fine though.

Dam that’s pretty good for the money, I’ll have a look, do people ever run lights down the sides or only above the plants? I’m new to all this.
I got a 40w light coming from AliExpress for my khat plant