250W HPS Refrigerator Grow!

[Mike Connor]

Hello guys! I was thinking. I got some spare glass shelves that came with fridge. If I put one between the plant and the light, will it work almost like a cooltube? Because then I can lower the light more without having heat issues. Cheers!

The idea is good, especially with 250 watts of heat generation in a small space, but you need to be careful of a few things. The glass may not tolerate the heat and you need to ensure its still cool under the glass by providing proper circulation.

Keep in mind you will lose 3 to 6% of your light energy by inserting glass in the radiation path. Again, that might not be such a bad thing given the heat dissipated by the lamp.

So, will the glass tolerate it? It should if its tempered. Doesn't hurt to be prepared for an earth shattering event

Cheers

 

[Scrogdawg]

Good point. The glass will most certainly be treated to stand the cold but whether or not thats the same process for heat I don't know. Could stick one in the oven on real low heat for a couple of hours, that should tell the tale.

Like Sneaky mentioned, air extraction above the glass and air circulation below the glass are key if you do it.

 

[Islandish]

It says it's safety glass, and it feels like it should be able to withstand temps up and down a bit. But I will try when I get home from work.
Okay so it is a little light loss, but it should be compensated if I can get the light much more closer
Right now the lamp has a sweet spot sitting 40cm from top of the plants. And if the old "hps distance chart" is correct, that distance is exactly on the beginning of the "too far away" chart. My lamp is rated at 34500 lumens and the one in the chart is rated at 27500.
I will get two gaps on each side of the glass allowing for decent air circulation. But I could be wrong.
I'll send some pictures later and try it out and see how the ambient temp works with the glass
Cheers and thanks for input!

 

[Mike Connor]

It says it's safety glass, and it feels like it should be able to withstand temps up and down a bit. But I will try when I get home from work.
Okay so it is a little light loss, but it should be compensated if I can get the light much more closer
Right now the lamp has a sweet spot sitting 40cm from top of the plants. And if the old "hps distance chart" is correct, that distance is exactly on the beginning of the "too far away" chart. My lamp is rated at 34500 lumens and the one in the chart is rated at 27500.
I will get two gaps on each side of the glass allowing for decent air circulation. But I could be wrong.
I'll send some pictures later and try it out and see how the ambient temp works with the glass
Cheers and thanks for input!

Ok good info.

Your light is likely a bit too far away and the plant cant tolerate the heat when it gets close. Been there, seen it, done it got the T-shirt.

Try your glass Idea. However what I do to avoid heat stress is I have a fan that cools the area between the lamp and the top of the plants. That seems to help carry away some of the unwanted infra red emissions from the lamp.

I think you need to focus on cooling. 34,000 lumens is a lot of energy for such a small area.

Once you are set up, lower the lamp a few CM's per day and watch for leaf curling.

Cheers

 

[Chilldawg]

Nice Short fatty! That's a good looking start. You have gotten a bunch of really good advice from the folks that have contributed here to your grow. Big high five to them.

I don't keep my pots super wet, but for me that's relative to the constant 50-80 percent humidity in the air. In my tents it's closer to 40, but that lets me get away with 3/4 of a gallon per pot every 3 days, as well as canna nutes and some love and you will have a bush growing in that fridge! Keep up the great work and if you feel like looking at journals, I have a couple in my Sig.

Hello everyone i have been reading along and am subbed in its looking rally good. I am also new and am on my first ever grow and i have made some if the same mistakes and have learned so much from the people here. I really want to start my own journal but i have no idea how to do it i just cant figure it out can someone please explain how to go about doing it thank you for all your help

 

[Islandish]

Ok good info.

Your light is likely a bit too far away and the plant cant tolerate the heat when it gets close. Been there, seen it, done it got the T-shirt.

Try your glass Idea. However what I do to avoid heat stress is I have a fan that cools the area between the lamp and the top of the plants. That seems to help carry away some of the unwanted infra red emissions from the lamp.

I think you need to focus on cooling. 34,000 lumens is a lot of energy for such a small area.

Once you are set up, lower the lamp a few CM's per day and watch for leaf curling.

Cheers

So I got home and gave her some fresh water and nutes. Put the glass just right over her. Did some LST a few days ago so the buds are now almost flat.
Temp seems stable at 25C when I lowered light to 35cm . And what a difference without the radiant heat. With the hand over glass I can feel a little burn. Under it does not feel!
The glass gets warm but not hot. Can put my hand on it without problems
Cheers!

(Worst pics ever haha)

 

[Islandish]

Hello everyone i have been reading along and am subbed in its looking rally good. I am also new and am on my first ever grow and i have made some if the same mistakes and have learned so much from the people here. I really want to start my own journal but i have no idea how to do it i just cant figure it out can someone please explain how to go about doing it thank you for all your help

Hello and welcome my good sir!
Here is a link you can read and you will be up and ready to start in no time.
How to Make a Grow Journal

 

[Chilldawg]

Thank you so very much i have been trying to figure it out for a few days now lol

 

[Islandish]

Thank you so very much i have been trying to figure it out for a few days now lol

No problem! You will enjoy this forum. Absolutely perfect knowledge from the veterans

 

[Chilldawg]

Yes I've only been a member for a few days now and I've already learned so much thank you again

 

[Mike Connor]

Priority Item

This is not a happy plant. You need to find out why.

- Too much light?
- Too much heat?
- Too much nutes?
- Too much water?
- Too little water?

It looks like too much light / heat to me.

 

[Mike Connor]

What kind of soil are you using? Can you provide a link to it?

Cheers

 

[Islandish]

What kind of soil are you using? Can you provide a link to it?

Cheers

Hi mate, this picture was taken 10mins after light on and watering, she always looks droopy after the night cycle and then perk up after a while.
The soil I am using and the nutes are the same brand. Special Mix | Gold Label
Cheers!

 

[Islandish]

Update: Last night before bed she was looking good. Now in the morning she were droopy. Think too intense light at 35cm with glass. So pulled back up to like 45cm.
I'm also thinking if I should cut down to 18/6 instead of 20/4 as it's gets rather hot outside now. Summertime!
Cheers

 

[Islandish]

She is not looking happy right now. And I noticed some more yellow spots. Maybe it's a nute burn after all?

 

[Mike Connor]

Hmm.

Are upper leaves losing color too? Going from a nice dark green to yellow?

 

[Islandish]

Hmm.

Are upper leaves losing color too? Going from a nice dark green to yellow?

Some of the upper leaves look like more lighter limey green. And some are darker

 

[Mike Connor]

Some of the upper leaves look like more lighter limey green. And some are darker

Add more N and more K. If correct results should be see in 24 to 36 hours.

It doesn't look like nute burn to me.

 

[Mike Connor]

Make sure your soil is well watered top to bottom.

You want to see some drainage.

 

[Islandish]

Make sure your soil is well watered top to bottom.

You want to see some drainage.

Will try it! I gave her a feeding yesterday and soil is still wet top to bottom. Should I top up with some more nutes today or wait till it is more dry?
The instructions on the soil were if you drain with about 30% runoff (which I've done) the nutrients should be sufficent for about 3 weeks. And tomorrow she is 4 weeks old and I only given her nutes at the lowest recommended about 3 times. So it does sound that you are right and she is low on nutes.
Cheers and thanks!