ElDoctore's Self Watering Coco - Candy Kush AF - Pineapple Chunk PP - VIVA Sativa PP

[Why Doe]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

That's absolutely insane, I got the same light for $130 on amazon, and the test one they sent me for free

 

[Why Doe]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Fyi leaving your hygrometer on top of the soil is not an accurate reading since it's wet and it gets its reading from the back. You should try and elevate it somehow

 

[ElDoctore]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Why Doe, you are absolutely right, its insane! the problem is you pay 25 dollars per pound for the lights, and the light itself with packing is like 24 pounds, so i really cant afford that, plus its not worth it, it would be cheaper buying a ticket to amsterdam, with accommodation and shit loads of weed and come back.
This is why i am using CFL's, cheap and available. Plus i used it in my first grow and got amazing results.
I have a few hygrometers growing around the tent, i average their temp and humidity. usually its 21 degrees with lights off and 28 with lights on.

 

[Why Doe]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Maybe find a led that's super light? Lol just a thought

 

[GrnThmbs]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Your CFL's can be even lower if you want them..I did a cfl grow and had the lights 2-4 in away at all times pretty much

 

[ElDoctore]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

@GrnThmbs, thats what i did in my first grow. This time around i misjudged the wire length, so they are as low as they can be, and honestly i cant be bothered to redo the wiring these days, maybe in the coming week i would. But this is what i like about CFL's, they have a large safe margin. There are provisions to add at least 2 bulbs each over each pot, hopefully by september the weather cools down, and the general tempreture of the tent goes down, so i can add more

 

[Scientific]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Scientific, when i measure the water out of the bottle directly, it gives me a TDS of 110-120, after letting it open in a bucket for 24 hours, it goes down to 85/90. Maybe its the chlorine, maybe its black magic, but even this 30 decrease in TDS gives me more comfort when making my "tea"

That's weird. That shouldn't be happening! Chlorine seems like a possibility because it's an ion and so can help conduct electricity (which is what a TDS meter is actually measuring--electric current between its pins) and can also off-gas, but that's wild speculation. Anyway, its good to know that TDS readings can change with time.

 

[Mrblunts420]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Digging the setup

 

[Scientific]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Hey just a note on CFLs: JimmyJames905 here on 420 convinced me to stop using CFLs and to switch to household LED light bulbs because they have better, more photosynthetically useful light output. Here's a link to his post.

Canada Guy's Medical Fusion Grow

FWIW, he had more info and graphs at his grow log if you'll look around. He convinced me to quit using CFL and switch to LED.

 

[Stillalive420]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Can anyone think of a better idea like T5 or did we all just get a F in growing 101... Local store duh sorry I'm a sarcastic person lol

 

[ElDoctore]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Hey Scientific,
If the LED runs cooler and produce more usable lumens then i would switch.
I know that with CFL you use the 6500K during veg then switch, when using LED, do u have to switch during VEG and Flowering, or just use the 5000k led for both phases?

 

[GrnThmbs]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Hey Scientific,
If the LED runs cooler and produce more usable lumens then i would switch.
I know that with CFL you use the 6500K during veg then switch, when using LED, do u have to switch during VEG and Flowering, or just use the 5000k led for both phases?

I would assume if it's only a 5000K LED it would need to be switched..idk about those as I have never used them for sure but that would be my assumption

 

[Why Doe]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Your 450w led light that you have has a veg and bloom switch right? what's the confusion?

 

[Why Doe]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Oh and they do run cooler, and produce the same amount of light using only half the wattage

 

[GrnThmbs]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Pretty sure the 450 Watt led he has is a full spectrum which means it wouldn't have the veg/flower switch right? Mine is a full spectrum and only has a power switch lol

 

[Why Doe]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

Mine is also a full spectrum but that only applies to when both switches are on. What brand is yours? Because me and the OP both have vipaspectura and I think they only make 1 450w light that I'm aware of

 

[GrnThmbs]

A minute for your thoughts!

Mine is not that. It's some offbrand, Bloomspect I think. It gets the job done for $60 lol it's true power is around 140watts. I was also making that assumption based off of my light lol

 

[ElDoctore]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

I have the Vipar Spectra 450W, it does have both switches for veg "blue" and flowering "Red" currently i only have the blues on.
I did find 6500K LED lights. I am loving them, they do produce more lumens, and apparently more PAR. But i am guessing once i switch to Flowering, i am gonna have to change all the bulbs to 2700K. I wonder if there are LED in that spectrum.

Currently i am waiting for the parts to arrive for the irrigation system.
So the setup will be as follows, i can add more pictures once i set it up.

There are 3 pumps, all of them are 12V DC, self priming.

2 of them work at a rate of 6G/min, and the third is 5G/min.

One of the 6G pumps is connected to the reservoir and to the octupus irrigation system.
the other 6G is connected to the collection trays in the bottom, and the pipe goes directly into a drain.

The 5G pump is actually connected to the water tap and to a water filter situated right above the resevior, so i dont have to move it.

The nice thing about the 6G pumps is that they have built it sensors which activate when in contact with water and switch off once the water is done.
The reservoir has a tap, so i close is, make my tea, and switch on the valve and walk out.
The tea will hit the pump, switch on, as soon as the runout collects it will switch on the other water pump and take everything out.

I know it sounds like alot of work, but time is of the essence to me, a 40 minutes ordeal just became a matter of 10 minutes.

 

[AnimaSola]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

A mixed spectrum is best for the plants whole life, think about it, the sun always has full spectrum. A plant that is flowered under veg spectrum light will actually be more potent and stickier than one grown under flower spectrum, it would just be smaller.

 

[ElDoctore]

Re: A minute for your thoughts!

that is an option luweedgi, mix and match the bulbs in addition to the viparspectra LED red lights being open. But if i keep them all 2700k, would the plants have more to utilize?