Growing food in basement

[evalance]

Was wondering if anyone is doing this, I'm looking at a t50 light set with some BPA free buckets with drain holes so I can grow food in my own basement year round. I already made a pretty good room inside the basement where I will cover it with space blankets to direct the heat back in. And I will be trying to start canning which I have never done before, thoughts tips ?

 

[Delkancott]

I think it won't be worth the cost. Starting seedlings maybe, but to run grow lights all the time will add up fast.

Probably cheaper to buy, build and heat a small greenhouse, then you don't need the adapted growing medium either.


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[scheming]

Unless you're gonna grow some cannabis as well, that'll help recoup some of the expenses and make it worthwhile.

 

[Waher]

Greenhouse is a better idea. Grow lights in a basement is likely to get you raided by some overzealous alphabet agency or PD these days.

 

[evalance]

Greenhouse is a better idea. Grow lights in a basement is likely to get you raided by some overzealous alphabet agency or PD these days.

In the two years I have lived here I've only seen local PD come by once. they won't be seeing any light from the outside of the house I was thinking letting it run 12 h/ and then shutting it off. I figure if the yearly electric bill will be between 50-100 dollars I can get my money worth out of it.

Perhaps something like this and then 4x

https://www.amazon.com/4lamps-DL844...&qid=1480279721&sr=8-3&keywords=t5+grow+light

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I think it won't be worth the cost. Starting seedlings maybe, but to run grow lights all the time will add up fast.

Probably cheaper to buy, build and heat a small greenhouse, then you don't need the adapted growing medium either.


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Perhaps but i'm just not sold on the greenhouses under 1000 dollars. I also have to keep in mind if I do end up getting something it has to be tough since my goats roam the yard without fencing daily and they will work their way into it. They will break the glass and just walk in lol

 

[Snora]

How did you factor your electricity cost? Sounds incredibly low unless you've got your own source of energy. Those fixtures are 230W each and you're saying 4 of them?

 

[evalance]

How did you factor your electricity cost? Sounds incredibly low unless you've got your own source of energy. Those fixtures are 230W each and you're saying 4 of them?

in the long run yes perhaps. No, as of right now not a own source of energy. My current electric bill is 55 dollars per month. How would I be able to measure the cost of a single fixture on a monthly basis where it's running 8-10 hours a day

 

[rep308]

Grow dope, sell it and buy food

 

[Delkancott]

In the two years I have lived here I've only seen local PD come by once. they won't be seeing any light from the outside of the house I was thinking letting it run 12 h/ and then shutting it off. I figure if the yearly electric bill will be between 50-100 dollars I can get my money worth out of it.

Perhaps something like this and then 4x

https://www.amazon.com/4lamps-DL844...&qid=1480279721&sr=8-3&keywords=t5+grow+light

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Perhaps but i'm just not sold on the greenhouses under 1000 dollars. I also have to keep in mind if I do end up getting something it has to be tough since my goats roam the yard without fencing daily and they will work their way into it. They will break the glass and just walk in lol

While I agree about smaller hoses sold to consumers being junky, look for a used commercial house and shorten it to whatever size you want. Many people will give away greenhouse. And new poly should be only a couple hundred dollars depending on length and layers.

 

[evalance]

Grow dope, sell it and buy food

Money is not the reason behind me doing this. I'd just like to stay away from the trash they sell in the supermarket. My brother made an estimation that it would cost an average of 10 dollars per month to run the light for 8 hours a day. You would obviously not be getting anything in the first few months but on the long run per month I think you could actually save money and get better food out of it

 

[browncoat]

in the long run yes perhaps. No, as of right now not a own source of energy. My current electric bill is 55 dollars per month. How would I be able to measure the cost of a single fixture on a monthly basis where it's running 8-10 hours a day

You multiple the wattage by the hours. For example, if you run one of these fixtures 12 hours a day year round, you are burning ~1000 kilowatt hours a year - at MA electric rates that is close to $200 per year for one fixture.

Also, the light doesn't have to escape the house for the PD to bust your door down. Various agencies track electrical usage for abnormalities, scan houses to look for hotspots on infrared.

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Money is not the reason behind me doing this. I'd just like to stay away from the trash they sell in the supermarket. My brother made an estimation that it would cost an average of 10 dollars per month to run the light for 8 hours a day. You would obviously not be getting anything in the first few months but on the long run per month I think you could actually save money and get better food out of it

If you are really trying to save money, a greenhouse sounds like a much better idea than a basement to me.

 

[Snora]

in the long run yes perhaps. No, as of right now not a own source of energy. My current electric bill is 55 dollars per month. How would I be able to measure the cost of a single fixture on a monthly basis where it's running 8-10 hours a day

230W x 19 cents per KWh is about 4.5 cents an hour per fixture. Multiply that out however you plan on configuring it.

 

[evalance]

You multiple the wattage by the hours. For example, if you run one of these fixtures 12 hours a day year round, you are burning ~1000 kilowatt hours a year - at MA electric rates that is close to $200 per year for one fixture.

Also, the light doesn't have to escape the house for the PD to bust your door down. Various agencies track electrical usage for abnormalities, scan houses to look for hotspots on infrared.

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If you are really trying to save money, a greenhouse sounds like a much better idea than a basement to me.

good point.

Perhaps it would be more beneficial to get a green house during the regular season and then perhaps only get one light to continue during the winter for certain vegetables indoors or outdoors.

I'm not trying to save money, I can see that this would actually cost more then just going to the store but that is fine. I think the satisfaction alone by getting and eating something from the yard or inside would outweigh the financial hit

 

[Fixxah]

Use a grow house not your own. That's what they do on tv.

 

[Mountain]

Just cleaned up our Skysoldier karma MH lights and bought all the supplies to wire them up, time, and mount them. We'll start some veggies this winter and get seedlings started for spring. Total of 800W Dec to late April, maybe 12 hours a day.

If in MA, why worry about the cops? We won't be growing anything other than veggies or flowers, but as of December 15 weed will not be a problem for those who chose to grow it.

 

[browncoat]

Just cleaned up our Skysoldier karma MH lights and bought all the supplies to wire them up, time, and mount them. We'll start some veggies this winter and get seedlings started for spring. Total of 800W Dec to late April, maybe 12 hours a day.

If in MA, why worry about the cops? We won't be growing anything other than veggies or flowers, but as of December 15 weed will not be a problem for those who chose to grow it.

It won't be a problem under state law. Look at California, the DEA is still busting people - sometimes at the prompting of the state.

 

[MadatMarek]

I see you really enjoyed The Martian. How many potatoes do you expect? Lol

 

[Mountain]

It won't be a problem under state law. Look at California, the DEA is still busting people - sometimes at the prompting of the state.

Oh, wonderful...

Actually, not sure about CA but MA specifically allows for home growing. Again, not my thing but I don't see this state ratting out for that. Many other things, yes.

I'll be sure to get a "Come back with a warrant" doormat for the basement door. Actually, we plan to put all this close to a window for some extra natural light. Therefore if someone is dumb enough to poke around on my property and peek through a window they will see tomatoes, carrots, starter veggies for spring garden, etc.

DEA helicopters & grid watchers are looking for grow house signatures, not a small fixture of florescent, MH, or HPS lights. Also the big bucks growers are using LED, which is much cooler and uses less juice. The couple MH lights I have use less power than a window unit AC or a small electric heater.

 

[browncoat]

Oh, wonderful...

Actually, not sure about CA but MA specifically allows for home growing. Again, not my thing but I don't see this state ratting out for that. Many other things, yes.

I'll be sure to get a "Come back with a warrant" doormat for the basement door. Actually, we plan to put all this close to a window for some extra natural light. Therefore if someone is dumb enough to poke around on my property and peek through a window they will see tomatoes, carrots, starter veggies for spring garden, etc.

DEA helicopters & grid watchers are looking for grow house signatures, not a small fixture of florescent, MH, or HPS lights. Also the big bucks growers are using LED, which is much cooler and uses less juice. The couple MH lights I have use less power than a window unit AC or a small electric heater.

If it works for you, that's great. I'd actually be more worried about mold and mildew issues from watering plants in a basement than government thugs, even if I mentioned government thugs first

 

[Mountain]

If it works for you, that's great. I'd actually be more worried about mold and mildew issues from watering plants in a basement than government thugs, even if I mentioned government thugs first

Good point regarding the moisture. Big basement, connected to central heat / AC. Should be OK but good idea to watch for moisture.

 

[pastera]

in the long run yes perhaps. No, as of right now not a own source of energy. My current electric bill is 55 dollars per month. How would I be able to measure the cost of a single fixture on a monthly basis where it's running 8-10 hours a day

230W * 4 = 920W = 0.92 kW

0.92kW * 10 hrs/day * 30 days/month = 276 kWh per month at your utility rate (usually $0.15/kWh) or about $42 month

You won't get a lot of yield for that money unless you are growing a high value crop.


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[flippinfleck]

If PoPo was really looking to bust folks based on electric usage, I would have had a knock at the door a long time ago.

If PoPo was using those choppers and planes to detect heat signatures, I would have had a knock at the door a long time ago.

And when they arrived, I would have gladly told them to EABOD. When they showed up with a warrant, they would have found my network lab humming away.

If you can afford to start some seedlings in your basement, more power to you. I've thought of the same just haven't gotten around to it.

 

[JayMcB]

230W * 4 = 920W = 0.92 kW

0.92kW * 10 hrs/day * 30 days/month = 276 kWh per month at your utility rate (usually $0.15/kWh) or about $42 month

You won't get a lot of yield for that money unless you are growing a high value crop.


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As someone who has run T-5 and MH (metal halide) lights for a salt water aquarium growing corals, none of you have taken into consideration that there are ballasts that drive those lights, and there is at least a 15-20% overhead of watts from the wall socket to the ballast to the bulb. Also, the size and quality of the reflectors is critical in how much light gets to your plants. Those fixtures have a single (crappy) reflector. You're not going to get much growth, but you're welcome to try. Good luck.

When I get that 'you use a shit-ton more kilowatts than any of your neighbors' nanny-grams from NeverSource, I tell them to EABOD. I pay the bill every month. I have an electric dryer, aquarium circulation that runs 24/7, 12 hours of 600 watts of aquarium lighting, dehumidifier, a chest freezer, a pool filter, central AC, air handlers moving my wood stove heat and a booster pump because my water pressure is about 30 PSI without it. Suck it.

 

[UNSUB]

I really feel like you should add a fish farm if you're gonna do this go all in the plants feed the fish and the fish feed the plants. Win win and you can eat Tillapia till you're blue in the gills.

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[Kevin_NH]

Why would you run grow lights when sunlight is free?

I suppose running grow lights in the winter would make sense if you're already heating your house with electricity.

If you have the land, a low-hoop greenhouse can be a less expensive way to extend your growing season without the expense of artificial light.

 

[evalance]

I really feel like you should add a fish farm if you're gonna do this go all in the plants feed the fish and the fish feed the plants. Win win and you can eat Tillapia till you're blue in the gills.

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hehe I have seen those systems they're pretty neat

 

[Glockster30]

Grow mushrooms - some species don't need light at all, and other species do fine on cheaper to run fluorescent bulbs.

 

[ToddDubya]

I had been considering something similar but in all honesty if you're going to be canning it makes sense to suck it up this winter, find an organic store, start some seeds in the late winter, plant a big ole garden in the spring and can as much as you can.

 

[Nick Fury]

sunny window. extend the grow hours with lamps.

 

[enbloc]

.