Budlovski's First LED & Bubble Bucket Grow

[Sir Budlovski]

Well I'm checking dates and got some numbers.
I think I've let SC down holding up my end of the grow.
Shes not looking to great and she's almost 6 weeks flowering now and hasn't fattened up to much at all.
Ill have to get some pics.
She is 137 days old almost 20weeks old.
She is in her fifth almost 6 weeks flowering.
Now I'm not sure how long to expect SC to flower for with, she is sativa dominant so could be abit longer, which in my case would be good if she could flower 12 weeks so I have hope of fattening her up, I'm not sure about that though.
She kind of looks as though she already has some cloudy trichomes but I dunno.
I'm just taking each day as it comes with her atm.

 

[Sir Budlovski]

Here's a few pics of where my Strawberry cough lady is sitting.
I can safely say I've screwed up somewhere along the way but hey how else can you learn, atleast I have 2 more of these seeds that I can work on in the future at some stage
It looks like she has big buds on her but its mainly real leafy growth and some sections have good buds.
Next time for this strain I'm going to lower nitrogen and also give a really good flush before flowering not to mention better timing and reporting for her would help.
She still smells absolutely amazing, bettys, fruit, tropical and refreshing, she is so covered in trichomes and sticky to touch, so hopefully she still has some good smoke to her and anything I make from her turns out good

 

[Sir Budlovski]

Well hello everybody
Hope everyone's well and the gardens are treating all nicely

Tell you what seems like a looking time since I've been back onto this journal but I guess that's just sort of the trouble SC gave me at times.
I think I over reacted with her symptoms a little, when I should of just started ph-ing and lowering a part nutes I flushed and whatever other rubbish and just put her and myself through the works completely.
After a few weeks being on normal b and about half a age cleared up and got back into her normal growth again, think it definately delayed her flowering a little though.

Atm I'm saying shes about 2 weeks from harvest and that's only because I want to do a week with pk and a week of flush I could probably harvest now but having her a little over ripened is where I want her.
From her nitrogen issues she has turned very leafy and bushy but covered in trichomes
I think she has gotten some purple from the colder temps and also abit from bleaching with lights being to close but I think she's alright now.
Really counting down days till she's ready now such long wait. I will get dates next update but I can say now she's definately an old girl hahaha

Anyways I took a lot of pics earlier they aren't the best quality and don't do her justice but still a good long though

 

[HunterHunt]

Sir Budlovski, Looks really good and frosty man! Good job! The colas look a little leafy though? Those colas should be filled out with bud! What do you think the cause of that is? LED? Wattage used? What is your draw wattage on the led you are using?

 

[Sir Budlovski]

Hey hunter and thanks man, as good as I could get.
In all honesty man I have mixed opinions on it, I think she got to much nitrogen for too long which may have caused it abiy, but then like you say probably lights instead of using one like I was I ended up using 2 but the second has a much bluer spectrum.
I'm not sure if its directly led related but it could be from the brand I got and bad spectrums in the light also could be nodes are to jammed in possibly and not enough space between budsite and leaves.
I hope once I trim up there should still be abit of bud I just wish she had of put more effort into bud then leaf now, gotta learn though.
Really thinking I should sell a couple of these lights and invest in one abit better maybe mars or even a brand above, only prob I have with LED is spending so much more upfront to get them, if hps was cheaper to run is definately be using one of those atm
I'm opened if you tink you have an idea though defonately.
They are 300s that draw actual of 180watts and the 2 together is t

 

[HunterHunt]

Gotcha and yea it could be the spectrums im sure if they are off. More blue would be like in veg instead of stretching with the flowering spectrum. If you have read some of my comments im sure you know im not a LED fan lol... The decision is yours but if I was you i would buy a HPS cooltube to put in your area. So let me do a little quick math so I can show you they cost the same to run LED per wattage and grams harvested.

LED 180 draw x 2 = 360 draw wattage you are paying for.
HPS 250 draw = 250 draw wattage you are paying for
or
HPS 400 draw = around 415 draw wattage you are paying for

360 watt draw wattage LED cost = from $300 - $1000 depending on brand name

415 watt draw HPS cost = Cooltube + ballast + bulb = $119.00


Sir Budlovski, my 600 watt HPS cost me less than $30 to run a month... If you purchased a 400 watt im sure it would be less than $20 to run a month depending on your power cost. Look at the numbers above. Remember what ever draw wattage you are pulling is the grams at harvest you will get. A good measure is 1 gram per watt. This is why I dont like LED because i can grow more grams with the same amount of wattage as a LED. I dont know why the hell LED will say "300 watt LED" when its only a 180 draw wattage. If its 180 draw wattage then you have a 180 watt LED... Not 300 lol. I purchase a new $15-$20 bulb every 6 months or 3 grows... I promise the "cost" of HPS is actually less than HPS... To me it is anyway doing the math. Get you at least a 400 watt HPS and i promise you will see a big difference in your flower room.

Also, the only downside to the HPS that I see is that you do have to run a 6 inch duct and fan if you want the cooltube to work efficiently. Using a LED you dont have to have a duct hooked to it. But most have a duct in the room anyways with a carbon filter. So just hook that up to your cooltube and bam

Just my opinion! You may want to stay with the smaller setup. I know your tent is a little smaller width wise than my closet. My closet is 4 X 2.5

 

[Sir Budlovski]

Yeah I have a feeling there's definately some spectrum issues at hand.
I'm a fan of them and the idea just not the upfront price and the inconsistency there is among all the LEDs and brands, like buying 2 different brand leds and you'll probably have spectrum issues cause both are different.
HPS is good all round and the simplicity of them is great.

Yeah I see what your saying there and it makes sense, when you add it up like between cheaper leds and better high brand leds there's a clear difference, the only thing cheaper ones have going for them seems to be heat really.
Yeah the descriptions you can get revolving around led lights can be whack at the best of times.
I really understand what your saying.
See if I go hps I'm going to go a full 600 for guarantee, I'm also in winter now so extra heat in flower will be good, plus I already have a 6 inch exhaust fan so if I can get some ducting ill be set.
I may get a carbon filter at some stage too but that may be after light.

Nah mate you have given me a lot to think about mate.
Ill let you in on a little of my thoughts right now, so I have three LEDs atm, I'm thinking ill sell the 2 blue spectrum ones to cover cost of getting a hps and ducting.
Then ill use the other led and my cfl tube light for begging since I like what leds can do in vege and then ill flower under hps, but to also help cost issues ill vege with led+cfl combo with a glr schedule.
I think with that type of setup things should work beautifully. Then one day when I invest in a few airpots ill really be loving life haha.
I even have a mate who I've been getting and selling some bud from who says he has quite a few hps lights and globes so ill see if he has any cool tube reflectors or atleast a fan reflector, he should even have some ducting which would be awesome, should be able to get it at a cheaper price aswell.

So once I finish my 2 current grows that are happening things will definately straighten out, hell once my strawberry cough is finished I might just bang the hps straight in there for the autos and 12/12 girls.

Thanks for your input hunter cause I really needed some extra info at this stage where I don't wanna keep pulling and showing my Mrs pretty low looking yields haha.

Do you think a 600 hps in my tent which in feet is about 4x4 would be over kill or just asking for a good yeild?

 

[TassieDevil]

Hey mate...I like the colour in the 'Cough

I'm running a stuffin 350w heater 24/7 at the mo to maintin 70 odd F...it's rediculous...

I need to spend $150 cheap ebay HPS and get the heat and the light in one hit...that's my issue with LED now...great growth...oh and you know I was lucky with that all...so I never had that expense...but...I'm paying for 350w heater and 700w draw of led at the point ......


It's ouching me to a degree my hip pocket aint gunna cope with much longer...

What are your current temps like in the tent...sorry ifn you've said this..but...like I aint readin back tonight
Ha!

Hope your well mate, thanks for the good wishes

 

[Black Thumbs]

Yeah I have a feeling there's definately some spectrum issues at hand.
I'm a fan of them and the idea just not the upfront price and the inconsistency there is among all the LEDs and brands, like buying 2 different brand leds and you'll probably have spectrum issues cause both are different.
HPS is good all round and the simplicity of them is great.

Yeah I see what your saying there and it makes sense, when you add it up like between cheaper leds and better high brand leds there's a clear difference, the only thing cheaper ones have going for them seems to be heat really.
Yeah the descriptions you can get revolving around led lights can be whack at the best of times.
I really understand what your saying.
See if I go hps I'm going to go a full 600 for guarantee, I'm also in winter now so extra heat in flower will be good, plus I already have a 6 inch exhaust fan so if I can get some ducting ill be set.
I may get a carbon filter at some stage too but that may be after light.

Nah mate you have given me a lot to think about mate.
Ill let you in on a little of my thoughts right now, so I have three LEDs atm, I'm thinking ill sell the 2 blue spectrum ones to cover cost of getting a hps and ducting.
Then ill use the other led and my cfl tube light for begging since I like what leds can do in vege and then ill flower under hps, but to also help cost issues ill vege with led+cfl combo with a glr schedule.
I think with that type of setup things should work beautifully. Then one day when I invest in a few airpots ill really be loving life haha.
I even have a mate who I've been getting and selling some bud from who says he has quite a few hps lights and globes so ill see if he has any cool tube reflectors or atleast a fan reflector, he should even have some ducting which would be awesome, should be able to get it at a cheaper price aswell.

So once I finish my 2 current grows that are happening things will definately straighten out, hell once my strawberry cough is finished I might just bang the hps straight in there for the autos and 12/12 girls.

Thanks for your input hunter cause I really needed some extra info at this stage where I don't wanna keep pulling and showing my Mrs pretty low looking yields haha.

Do you think a 600 hps in my tent which in feet is about 4x4 would be over kill or just asking for a good yeild?

I'm thinking the same with you for my next grow.Using the led's for veg then flowering under 600hps since the heat shouldn't be a problem by then.Ive used my 400hps in my 4x4 tent and found the coverage wasn't really good enough so I recon 600 would be bang on

 

[Sir Budlovski]

Hey mate...I like the colour in the 'Cough

I'm running a stuffin 350w heater 24/7 at the mo to maintin 70 odd F...it's rediculous...

I need to spend $150 cheap ebay HPS and get the heat and the light in one hit...that's my issue with LED now...great growth...oh and you know I was lucky with that all...so I never had that expense...but...I'm paying for 350w heater and 700w draw of led at the point ......


It's ouching me to a degree my hip pocket aint gunna cope with much longer...

What are your current temps like in the tent...sorry ifn you've said this..but...like I aint readin back tonight
Ha!

Hope your well mate, thanks for the good wishes

Your welcome mate and thanks
Yeah I think most of the colour is due to alotbof the cooler temps that have been happening.
I think its a good idea, LEDs are good for our summer season but come winter just not enough heat plus in my situation not enough or the right type of light.


And I know what ya mean with cost I was about to start using heater but then realized wait I can fix that with one cost rather then 2 haha

Not sure about lights off, it probably gets real cold but with lights on it ranges from 19- 25 or so that's where the purple colours come from I reckon
Haha I dont think I would of said em but doesn't worry saying it again haha

Thanks man and I hope your days been a good one.
Hps fixes those issues.

 

[Sir Budlovski]

Hey Toddosh
Yeah mate I think its a smart move for anus aussies, if we have leds and hps on hand, since our winters can be cold and our summers well obviously hot. So leds for vege and summer use and hps for winter flowering that way saves on heaters and aircons I'm thinking.

Yeah I was thinking of grabbing a 400 I think they'd be suitable for the size but a 600 you know you can't go wrong

 

[Light Addict]

Just catching up on your girls
The bit about wishing for more bud than foliage got my attention.
This to me is one of the reasons I use defol at a certain point in my plants life. When I'm flipping them I make sure to have gone hard just a few days before. This aids where plants/strains are a little heavy on the foliage to bud ratio. Simply put its like switching the balance of the plant, what might take the plant a little longer by itself gets forced by your actions so triggers the switch to better more focused bud development. (this is just my ways through my experience though! )

 

[Sir Budlovski]

Hey LA thanks for coming by
Yeah safe to safe I really screwed up on that front aswell, guess it was abit because I was suddenly forced into switching it to flower but really I should of waited that bit loogervand given a much better defol, a lot of small branches that I should of trimmed off aswell, kind of dissapointing really, think I enjoyed the training fluxing and all that when I had to flower her I lost abit of the attention andtime i was giving her.
She was such a bushy plant I should of prepared her alot better.

I guess there is always my blueberry fem project to try it all out on now, so ill give a little longer then start some training and see what I can do with my next bigger lady

 

[420Amard]

In any case she's looking proper delicious

 

[Sir Budlovski]

In any case she's looking proper delicious

Thanks mate
And Well that's good haha leaf doesn't stress me asking as shes good and potent

 

[420Amard]

The way i see it the more sugary leaves the more butter and then edibles I'm gonna make ^_^

 

[Sir Budlovski]

That's a good point and I want to try get a bunch of oil out of this lot all the sugar leaves might just be enough for that purpose

 

[Sir Budlovski]

Well today SC got her final feed, and when she dries out abit ill start flushing her out for a week or so then harvest her.
Have abit of good news aswell, I helped a bloke do abit of trimming the other day since he had a big harvest and ill do another day of it then his going to give me a 600watt ballast aswell as a reflector so that way all ill need is a globe so I'm happy with that deal

 

[HunterHunt]

Dont worry Sir Budlovski, With that 600 watt you wont have to worry about defoliating anything! You will get great penetration unlike with LED's. Congratz on getting awarded it!

 

[Sir Budlovski]

Thanks man I'm going to be very glad and intereested in using it, still have to buy a bulb but hey ballast is the most expensive part of it.
I may have to buy the cooltube aswell but might not have to worry about that till winter has passed anyway.

Are solistek and growlush both good brands of bulbs?
Looks like I may be getting one if those brands