AK-48 - Northern Lights - 2 X 180Watt LEDs

[yum000]

*2 Feminized Nirvana AK48
*2 Feminized Nirvana Northern Lights
*2 LED 180W

*3 gallon Smart pots for both veg/bloom
70% Fox Farm Ocean Forest 30% Coarse grain vermiculite

Foxfarm nutrients throughout, using RO & Distilled water
Typically I'll bubble Fox Farm's Big Bloom 2 Tablespoons per gal with 1 teaspoon gallon blackstrap molasses for 24 hrs prior to adding Grow Big fertilizer during veg or solubles i.e. open sesame, Beastie Bloom or Cha-Ching during the bloom cycle and watering. I even bubble ph'd clear water for 24hrs or so when I'm not feeding them. Here's some pics of me preparing the pots.

 

[yum000]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Day 1 was March 19th I had 1 of each actually sprout 5 days earlier and one of each sprouted on the 19th due to bad seeds. Here's a couple of pics...

 

[yum000]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

So, I got one of the 180's today. The 2nd light will be shipped out a week from tomorrow. Here's some pics, both lights look identical of course, but the foreground light is actually a discontinued 2011 150 watt it contains primarily 2 watt LEDs this model was available for only a couple weeks at the end of January. They changed the product plans for 2011 and came out with the 180, 100pcs @ 3 watt ea (may be some 2 watt leds in mix)
150 watt foreground, 180 watt background

150 watt foreground, 180 watt background

Total of 150 & 180 watt lights and 265 CFM Squirrel Cage Fan (aprox 80-90 watts)

 

[HempRocket]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Nice setup. I'm along for the ride.

 

[yum000]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Bubbling a gallon distilled water, ph'd to 6.2, 2 tablespoons Big Bloom 1 teaspoon Blackstrap Molasses.

 

[BeachBunny]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Looks very interesting. I look forward to seeing the girls grow under those ufos. Looking good Yum.

 

[yum000]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

I have to say too I just love the 3 fan chassis the 180's comes in, it's light at about 6 lbs so it's a one cord hang and easy to move around - important for me being a cyclist and having the typical shoulder injuries of cyclist - ain't too keen about hanging large or things over 20 lbs overhead. I can fit up to 4 of these lights for 720 watts in a 40"x40" tent. Which brings up a really good question I want to try to answer. All other factors being equal where is the point of diminishing returns with LED? I'll complete this grow with two 180's then add a 3rd next grow (same strains, same media etc) and see how much my yields improve with the addition of a 3rd & 4th light if any at all.

 

[yum000]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Day 4...

Northern light (pictured) added a node. The Big Bloom & Molasses have been bubbling for nearly 24 hrs now and you can really tell the bacteria & fungi have multiplied like mad, theres now this froth on the top. Watered all 4 thoroughly with this mixture. Lights are still on a 24 cycle I'll switch to 18/6 or this coming Saturday. I also haven't added any "fertilizer" as of yet as the Ocean forest is usually sufficient for the first couple weeks.

 

[HempRocket]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

I just love to give my girls "teas". I'm actually brewing one right now as well.

 

[yum000]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Week 1...

The first Nortern lights sprouted 5 days prior to the other has just taken off.....

The second, well it's just been in suspended animation for the past 3 days

 

[yum000]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Day 10

The larger ones taking off like mad, the two seedlings 5 days newer are really just dragging it along. I'm hoping they'll come into a spurt here soon.

 

[yum000]

Week 2 Veg....

Girls got their first fertilization today, smaller ones seem to be responding now.

 

[yum000]

Super-cropping

They responded to their first fertilization and the smaller ones are beginning their spurt. I super-cropped the two larger plants just below the first full node...

 

[yum000]

Topped instead

Decided to top the plants instead, topped all 4

 

[placerville]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Hey yum000, just pulled up a chair for your grow adventure. Very interested in your LED grow. Very nice set-up that will lead to a great harvest.

 

[yum000]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Placerville, you're welcome, thanks for posting to the thread. This one's gonna be fun.

 

[yum000]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Week 3 - Day 20 update....

The girls are doing really well, finally hitting that growth spurt. Recent journal entries...
4/4/11 Ph'd 6.2 distilled clear-topped
4/7/11 Ph'd 6.2 distilled, Big Bloom 2tbsp/gal Blackstrap 1tsp/gal-bubbled overnight, Grow Big 3 tsp/gal added just before watering.

 

[yum000]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Chocha,

Thanks for the info, no he's strictly an indoors kitty. Last grow, under my direct supervision, he helped lollipop the crop. I buy him wheatgrass trays to chew on, still he likes to eat pot.
I hadn't thought about the vermiculite causing root-rot, but as you said with the smart pots I'm not too terribly concerned, they've got a lot of loft and are drying pretty quickly. The AK-48 is pulling ahead of the NL but according to Nirvana AK-48 is a medium height plant-NL are short.

 

[007dank]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

lookin good for only 20 days old!

LED noob question, can you use those lights for flowering too?

 

[yum000]

Re: AK-48, Northern Lights, 2X180Watt Spectra LEDs

Day 23 Update...

Journal entry: Ph'd 6.2 Distilled clear bubbled

The AK 48 seems to respond very well to super cropping, recovers quickly and keeps on going, no "shock" period so to say... cropping where possible and you can see in the first pic how she's spreading herself out for me...