G8LED 600 Watt Grow Journal

[Master nuggz]

Started this grow journal several weeks back so I need to get caught up with my posts.
I am running a

against MH 400's

Hopefully pictures to follow:

25 days from germination
THE G8 600 GARDEN PLANTS HAVE 7-9 SETS OF TRU LEAVES & DEFINITELY HAVE SHORTER INTERNODE SPACES the leaf structure on the led plants are also bigger
The mh400 garden plants have 5-6 sets of tru leaves &their internodes are definitely longer. Both gardens look happy & healthy .... because the species & varieties that I grow tend to naturally stretch & are quite tall I consider shorter internode space a big advantage

None of the plants in either garden is showing pre sex yet
Additional lighting info.... I started the g8 600 lite height @48 inches (didn't want to shock the seedlings that had just been transplanted & had been under fluorescents& lowered it by 1-2 inches / day... it is now @ 34 inches . I plan on lowering it once more to 30- 32". what is your best advice on height for the g8 600 ? I would like to lower it even more ( ??? 24 inches??? ) to maximize lite @ the plant, but I have been told not to lower it below 30 inches from the canopy due to its negative effects on plant growth. Intuitively I would think that as long as it is not so low as to burn the leaf (this would not be a problem w. the g8 600 leds )that lower is better& the plants would get more lite energy. I typically keep the mh at ~ 18-24 w. Fans blowing directly on the lite to dissipate heat & prevent leaf burn.

So far even if the g8600 garden did not show better leaf growth & shorter internodes (which it does!! ) the g8 600 is superior to the mh because of the heat factor.

HIGHEST REGARDS

 

[Master nuggz]

WEEK 4-5

Both the mh & g8led gardens are growing nice healthy plants but the g8led side is still growing bushier lusher plants. Also there seems to be less stretching, the g8led garden is maturing faster w signs of pre sex @ the nodes. There are no signs of presex on the mh side
The g8 led lite is being kept @ 30- 32 inches above the canopy
The mh 18-24.. So far no ill effects from keeping the g8led closer than the recommended ht.


The fert/ h20 schedule has had to be altered .... the mh side dries out quicker than the g8led garden & has to be watered more frequently. More work, more costly fertilizers, more heat output on the mh garden ANOTHER BIG PLUS FOR THE G8LED

Fert / nute concentration has been slowly raised to max out veg growth w/o causing burn
Currently using:
Botanicare pure blend pro gro formula 30 ml
Liquid karma 20 ml
A few drops of super-thrive
Mixed in 3 gallons of h20 @ ph 5.8- 6.5
Citric acid is used to adjust the ph down
Rarely have to adjust it up
The h20 is still a mixture of RO H2O /HARD WELL H2O (> THAN 450PPM)IN A 75/25 RATIO .. both the ro unit & the well h20 are located in the garden for easy access

AS AN ASIDE IF U ARE USING RO H20 LOOK INTO ADDING A PERMEATE PUMP ONTO YOUR RO UNIT. IT IS INEXPENSIVE EASY TO INSTALL NO ELECTRICITY & RECYCLES THE RO WASTE H20 TO CONSERVE H20... AS IMPORTANT AS IT IS TO USE RO H20 IN THE GARDEN, THE RO UNIT WASTES - 6-8 GALLONS OF H20 FOR EVERY GALLON OF PURE RO H2O IT MAKES.... THE PERMEATE PUMP RECYCLES ~ 80% OF THE WASTE H20......

This way the benefits of ro h20 are seen w/o having to add a cal/ mag supplement every watering..... Having said that the botanicare cal mag supplement is used in pure ro h20 about every 4th or 5th watering to be sure that the garden is receiving adequate cal /mag/ fe & other micro nutes.
In addition mag sulfate (epsom salts ) is given once a month.

MORE ON THE COMPARISON OF THE G8LED VS THE 400 MHs
The g8led garden is already showing "pre -sex " signs & seems to be growing & maturing significantly faster
The g8led garden is about ready to take cuttings & the mh side is not. The plan is to put those cuttings into fruiting mode w/in the next week or 2
The plants will be prepped to maximize healthy cuttings & females....
More on improving successful cuttings & female/male ratios inthe next journal entry
THE MAJOR LESSON & PEARL FOR THE DAY IS THE PERMEATE PUMP FOR R/O UNIT H20 CONSERVATION
DON'T FORGET TO PROTECT YOUR EYES & WEAR SUNSHADES WORKING IN YOUR GARDEN
HIGHEST REGARDS

 

[Master nuggz]

Week 5-6
preparing the garden for cuttings & transition to 12/12 lite fruit/flowering
both gardens are doing well
the major differences btw the g8led 600 & the mh400
is the height of the plants . Taking into account the differences btw male & female growth the internodal length on the g8 side is about 1+ inch shorter... This will make for shorter bushier plants
which in my opinion is highly desirable.
To prep the garden for transition to 12/12 the nute formula has been changed to lower the nitrogen
this will accomplish 2 things
better fruiting/flowering. ...more successful & quicker rooting of the cuttings.
The plants have been foliar sprayed w. A dilute solution of liquid karma and superthrive 3x this week in addition to their watering & ferting

 

[Master nuggz]

BE4 TAKING THE CUTTINGS EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE CLEANED & DISINFECTED ....ALTHOUGH A SCALPEL OR RAZOR MAKES A CLEANER CUT I FIND IT EASIER TO USE A CLEAN SHARP SCISSORS THAT I KEEP FOR TAKING CUTTINGS .
PEAT POT PLUGS ARE PREPPED & SOAKED IN A VERY DILUTE CONCENTRATION OF LIQ. KARMA /SUPERTHRIVE/MYCORHIZZAL POWDER OVERNITE
4 CUTTINGS/ PLANT WILL BE TAKEN... MY CUTTING AREA IS READY W.
1 A LARGE CUP OF LUKEWARM RO H20 USED TO IMMEDIATELY DIP THE FRESH CUTTING
2 SCISSORS THAT HAVE BEEN SOAKED &CLEANED IN ALCOHOL
3 A CUP OF ROOTING SOLUTION ( WILLOW WATER: A 1/4 tsp ROOTING POWDER: 1/4 TSP MYCORIZZHAL POWDER
4 THE PREPPED & SOAKED ROOTING CUBES THAT HAVE BEEN POKED W. A CHOP STICK OR BAMBOO SKEWER
5 A ROOTING TRAY W. HUMIDITY DOME
6 AN OLD TIMEY ICE CUBE TRAY (THIS IS USED TO ALLOW THE ROOTING CUBES TO DRIP OFF XS SOLN. W/OUT A MESS
I LIKE TO TAKE MY CUTTINGS FROM THE LOWEST BRANCHES... THIS ALLOWS ME TO THIN THE LOWEST PART OF THE CANOPY WHICH RECEIVES THE LEAST AMOUNT OF LITE.
I ALSO LIKE TO TAKE MY CUTTINGS FROM THE TOP OF THE PLANT ESPECIALLY IF IT IS A TALL LANKY PHENOTYPE. THIS ALLOWS ME TO TOP THE PLANT & USE THE TOP AS A CUTTING..... ALSO THE TOP OF THE PLANT IN THE VEG PHASE HAS THE GREATEST AMT OF GROWTH FACTORS
AFTER A BRANCH HAS BEEN SELECTED AS A CUTTING I PRE TRIM MOST OF THE LARGER LEAVES TO MINIMIZE STRESS OF THE CUTTING ....THE BRANCH IS CUT RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF THE MAIN SHOOT & IMMEDIATELY PLACED IN THE RO H20 TO PREVENT AN AIR EMBOLISM
I FINISH OFF THE TRIMMING OF XS LEAF MATTER & LEAVE A SMALL AMT OF 'TOP' LEAF
THE FINAL CUT IS PLACED JUST BELOW AN AREA OF TRIMMED LEAF LEAVING - A 1-2 INCH CUTTING THIS IS DONE W. THE CUTTING SITTING INTHE RO H20
THE FINAL CUTTING IS THEN DIPPED IN THE PREPARED WILLOW H2O/ ROOTING SOLN & GENTLY PLACED IN THE PRE-POKED /DRAINED PEAT POT UNTIL U FEEL A LITTLE RESISTANCE. & PLACED IN THE CUTTING TRAY .
AFTER ALL THE CUTTINGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN THE ENTIRE TRAY IS SPRAYED W. A VERY VERY DILUTE SOLN OF LIQ KARMA/ SUPERTHRIVE, PLACED ON A HEATING PAD THAT HAS BEEN INSULATED TO MINIMIZE HEAT TRANSFER & KEEP THE TEMP W/IN THE HUMIDOME COVERED TRAY @ ABOUT 75- 80* F . I USUALLY KEEP THE CUTTING TRAY UNDER A 2 FT FLUR. LITE BUT FOR THIS LED COMPARISON I HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP THE G8LED CUTTINGS IN THE PERIPHERY OF THE G8 600 LITE & THE MH400 CUTTINGS IN THE FLUR. LITE.
THIS SHOULD BE A GOOD TEST FOR THE G8LED FOR CUTTINGS

 

[Master nuggz]

To review the results of this g8led 600 lite vs the metal halide 400 lite the following observations & comparisons were made

1. The g8led throws off much less heat (but still a significant amount) & has a larger more effective footprint... it also used less electricity & required less a/c to keep the room temp at 70-80* it is also much quieter
2. The g8led garden had bushier plants w. shorter internodes
3. The g8led garden grew faster & showed pre-sex flowers earlier
4. The g8led garden needed less frequent watering
5.. Both the g8led & the mh400 gardens resulted strong healthy plants & clones
6. Canopy penetration was about equal even though the mh400 was kept at 18-24 inches above the canopy as opposed to 30-35 inches above canopy for the g8led (blanching did occur below 30 inches
7. The g8led lite can be safely kept @ 30-35 inches above the canopy w garden temps between 70-80*F
8. Based on the faster growth & maturation rate(pre sex flowers) in the g8led veg garden it is expected that the g8led will provide faster growth & maturation in the fruiting/flowering phase ...this will hopefully result in a shorter fruiting period & all around shorter growth cycle thereby increasing efficiency & yeild...We will see.
9.Based on our experience so far, the dormgrow g8led is a high quality, effective lite that is cost effective & competively priced.
It does not cost more than either an equivalent mh or hps set up (digital ballast, hood/reflector, bulb etc)... is much easier to set up & less expensive to run especially if you live in a warmer climate.
I would also like to mention that the customer service at dormgrow is responsive & very helpful... they responded to my many emails & phone calls when I had ???s both when I was researching leds before & after my purchase
We look foward to the fruiting /flowering phase of this comparison. The next journal entries will describe the set up of the g8600 + 2 90w g8led bloom boosters & the procedures to transition the gardens into the bloom 12/12 phase.

 

[Master nuggz]

This completes the Veg. Side of this journal
The next journal will follow the gardens thru the fruiting/ bloom phase & the harvest. It will compare a 1000w HPS lite vs. THE G8LED600 W. 2 G8 LED 90w BLOOM BOOSTER UFOs... We decided that the 1000w hps would be a better/ fairer comparison than the 600w hps originally discussed

 

[David Bowman]

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