After a long absence from growing- never had a good result with 400 hps, but I was doing soil then (it just didn't work for me, or me for it) some 4 years ago I happened upon a High Times, and was smitten with the full page ad for a UFO. Back then I was unaware of mj grower forums and got suckered . I paid $360 for a 90w R/B, whose probable actual wattage ~ 50w.
I learned to supplement it with lots of cfls, but wanted to go from 2 x 2 to 2 x4, and the leds to cover that were pretty pricey, and still basically R/B, so I bought a Quantum 8 bulb hot5 + Quantum Grow and Flower bulbs. Back then I was immersed in learning the ins and outs of High Pressure Aero (HPA), but my grow environment is hostile 9 months out of the year. I learned a lot about roots (as below, so above).
I used what I learned to develop my own hybrid F & D top feeding Air Pots with Hydro Halo Drip Rings. I compliment this with my High Performance Rez which combines magnetic vortex and flooming.
I just harvested 2 @ ~ 5ft plants with a root-mass between a softball and volleyball- all soft and fluffy, much like HPA roots= super efficient.
Quality HOT5 bulbs > $24 and in my experience last one year at an annual cost of ~$200, so I have kept my eye on led tech.
I learned enough to start LED RetroFit Technologies to retrofit offices and businesses where good lighting is important
I have experimented with A19 household globe leds and 4ft led tubes. Results were encouraging, but never had enough of them to get a killer yield.
My next thought was to use 2 x 4 led panels. we installed one in my partner's dental lab and it is outstanding for office lighting, but for growing? I may never find out now that COBs are available.
Alas, the chinese grow lights are all multi spectrum chips. Not only are they crappy, mj, being a fruiting plant needs full spectrum lighting to produce consistent quality seeds beyond 2+ generations. The elephant in the room that no one has considered: the lack of full spectrum lighting will eventually alter the mj gene pool
I have an led tent as well as the hot5 tent. In the led tent I now have 2 UFO 90s. One is 3500K the other 5000K using Helios 3w diodes. Last grow I added 4 x 4ft @ 16w WW tubes once buds set. Plants looked amazing with lots of quarter size buds.
I reread a thread where the grower uses Sea Crop minerals > 1500ppm with fantastic results validated by pictures over time. Looking for a boost, I tip-toed with 200ppm Sea Crop minerals in addition to Hydroponic Research V + B, which already has ample minerals. Within 2 days the main leafs curled up, and dried out. I immediately flushed, salvaged the plants and managed a decent result. Whew
This time I want to supplement with WW COBs, but all the chinese manufactured grow-panels all use multi-spectrum chips. I was thinking to replace their chips with quality COBs. While doing a search, I came across the incredible DIY LED project posted here, and signed up.
Searching Alibaba this weekend it became clear that led down lights are the answer for those of us who are intimidated by DIY. They come in CW/NW/WW from the same companies selling the multi-spectrum chip grow lights. WTF? They drank their own R/B Kool-Aid. Hahahahahahaha
Once I pull the trigger on some down lights I will start a thread
eShine (ok china company) has a new panel called the 5G, which uses the COB reflector tech. The lenses, reflectors and COBs are all easily replaceable. I inquired about replacing their multi-spectrum chips with CW/NW/WW cobs. Waiting on pricing now.
I learned to supplement it with lots of cfls, but wanted to go from 2 x 2 to 2 x4, and the leds to cover that were pretty pricey, and still basically R/B, so I bought a Quantum 8 bulb hot5 + Quantum Grow and Flower bulbs. Back then I was immersed in learning the ins and outs of High Pressure Aero (HPA), but my grow environment is hostile 9 months out of the year. I learned a lot about roots (as below, so above).
I used what I learned to develop my own hybrid F & D top feeding Air Pots with Hydro Halo Drip Rings. I compliment this with my High Performance Rez which combines magnetic vortex and flooming.
I just harvested 2 @ ~ 5ft plants with a root-mass between a softball and volleyball- all soft and fluffy, much like HPA roots= super efficient.
Quality HOT5 bulbs > $24 and in my experience last one year at an annual cost of ~$200, so I have kept my eye on led tech.
I learned enough to start LED RetroFit Technologies to retrofit offices and businesses where good lighting is important
I have experimented with A19 household globe leds and 4ft led tubes. Results were encouraging, but never had enough of them to get a killer yield.
My next thought was to use 2 x 4 led panels. we installed one in my partner's dental lab and it is outstanding for office lighting, but for growing? I may never find out now that COBs are available.
Alas, the chinese grow lights are all multi spectrum chips. Not only are they crappy, mj, being a fruiting plant needs full spectrum lighting to produce consistent quality seeds beyond 2+ generations. The elephant in the room that no one has considered: the lack of full spectrum lighting will eventually alter the mj gene pool
I have an led tent as well as the hot5 tent. In the led tent I now have 2 UFO 90s. One is 3500K the other 5000K using Helios 3w diodes. Last grow I added 4 x 4ft @ 16w WW tubes once buds set. Plants looked amazing with lots of quarter size buds.
I reread a thread where the grower uses Sea Crop minerals > 1500ppm with fantastic results validated by pictures over time. Looking for a boost, I tip-toed with 200ppm Sea Crop minerals in addition to Hydroponic Research V + B, which already has ample minerals. Within 2 days the main leafs curled up, and dried out. I immediately flushed, salvaged the plants and managed a decent result. Whew
This time I want to supplement with WW COBs, but all the chinese manufactured grow-panels all use multi-spectrum chips. I was thinking to replace their chips with quality COBs. While doing a search, I came across the incredible DIY LED project posted here, and signed up.
Searching Alibaba this weekend it became clear that led down lights are the answer for those of us who are intimidated by DIY. They come in CW/NW/WW from the same companies selling the multi-spectrum chip grow lights. WTF? They drank their own R/B Kool-Aid. Hahahahahahaha
Once I pull the trigger on some down lights I will start a thread
eShine (ok china company) has a new panel called the 5G, which uses the COB reflector tech. The lenses, reflectors and COBs are all easily replaceable. I inquired about replacing their multi-spectrum chips with CW/NW/WW cobs. Waiting on pricing now.
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