Legal Hydro's Speedy Gonzales Journal - July 2015

[uhewekguilw]

The blue cfl looks cool! It might be helping a little bit, but it gives your grow box cool points for sure
Vegging with cfl, you should have a variety of spectrum from 5000k to 6500k with maybe 1 in the 2700k range. I did a few cfl grows when I started growing and the buds were amazing! Small but very potent. Are you still planning to switch to HID or are you sticking with cfl for this grow?

 

[Legal Hydro]

The blue cfl looks cool! It might be helping a little bit, but it gives your grow box cool points for sure
Vegging with cfl, you should have a variety of spectrum from 5000k to 6500k with maybe 1 in the 2700k range. I did a few cfl grows when I started growing and the buds were amazing! Small but very potent. Are you still planning to switch to HID or are you sticking with cfl for this grow?

guambomb80, thanks for stopping by!

Actually I'm forking out the $ for a 600 watt LED grow light. That's the plan, at least, anyways... As of right now I have 4-5000k's 3-2700k's and my blue guy which I switch out every now with the middle 2700k. Being I'm running 5000k bulbs (For now) I believe the blue CFL is helping with overall color temp. Today I'm placing bulbs around the plants to help my undergrowth.

 

[Legal Hydro]

Thinking about busting out the ol soldering iron and building my own LED grow light.

 

[uhewekguilw]

Awesome. You are doing a great job!

 

[CCOiler]

Subscribed Legalhydro, A great start to your grow & journal congratulations.

A few pages back you were thinking of getting a PH Pen, my thoughts on a PH Pen........without a PH Pen you run a good chance of killing a $4,500.00 cannabis plant just to save $45.00 on a PH Pen. Just me thinking out loud.

As for your lighting......again my thoughts.......CFL's for the first half of veg then put under the HID for the final half of veg this will get your girls strong under the MH and ready to grow big under the HPS.

I hope it was okay to jump in here and give my humble thoughts?

 

[Legal Hydro]

Subscribed Legalhydro, A great start to your grow & journal congratulations.

A few pages back you were thinking of getting a PH Pen, my thoughts on a PH Pen........without a PH Pen you run a good chance of killing a $4,500.00 cannabis plant just to save $45.00 on a PH Pen. Just me thinking out loud.

As for your lighting......again my thoughts.......CFL's for the first half of veg then put under the HID for the final half of veg this will get your girls strong under the MH and ready to grow big under the HPS.

I hope it was okay to jump in here and give my humble thoughts?

RSOiler, Your humble thoughts are very valuable! Thank you for sharing and supporting my journal!

I understand a PH pen is a necessity thanks to members like you. My pen should be arriving tomorrow I'm thrilled to have this! To be able to tell my exact PH is too exciting!

As far as lighting goes... I'm still torn between switching to HPS/MH and LED. So far, I like the fact that I can build a nice LED light for a decent cost. The only thing that worries me about this is reliability.. I have never built an LED grow light and the thing could fail within 2 weeks. HPS and MH are looking more suitable for the time being and I may even build the LED light while using HPS/MH lights. Guess we'll see..

 

[SweetSue]

Thinking about busting out the ol soldering iron and building my own LED grow light.

Cannafan recently did just that with some GOD components. There are tutorials on site I'm sure. Or are you a whiz kid and already know how to do so? These types of projects are still foreign to me.

 

[SweetSue]

guambomb80, thanks for stopping by!

Actually I'm forking out the $ for a 600 watt LED grow light. That's the plan, at least, anyways... As of right now I have 4-5000k's 3-2700k's and my blue guy which I switch out every now with the middle 2700k. Being I'm running 5000k bulbs (For now) I believe the blue CFL is helping with overall color temp. Today I'm placing bulbs around the plants to help my undergrowth.

Surround those plants with light. I'm still trying to figure out how to do that in conjunction to using LEDs. My first grow was all CFLs and did quite well. The simplicity of that grow was almost intoxicating. One of these days I'm going to recreate that same atmosphere in the tent.

 

[Legal Hydro]

Cannafan recently did just that with some GOD components. There are tutorials on site I'm sure. Or are you a whiz kid and already know how to do so? These types of projects are still foreign to me.

Surround those plants with light. I'm still trying to figure out how to do that in conjunction to using LEDs. My first grow was all CFLs and did quite well. The simplicity of that grow was almost intoxicating. One of these days I'm going to recreate that same atmosphere in the tent.

Good afternoon SweetSue,

I'll have to check out cannafan's LED build asap! I am no whiz kid.. by far. But I have done simple LED projects in the past. (Vehicle interiors/exteriors, indoor/outdoor mood lighting) I've always had a knack for fixing electronics and re-creating/innovating electrical components. My first LED project won me first place in a middle school science project. Their was nothing special to the thing, just a shoe box jerry-rigged with some lights and a switch. Inside the box was a replication of a forest that had various green LED's with a few white LED spot lights. My most recent LED project I made my mother, for christmas, a shadow picture box that features a floating silver rose with floating mirrors surrounding it. I say floating but everything is attached to the frame just at points where you can't see, so it appears everything is just floating. It took me an estimated 30 solid hours to design and complete but impressed myself after looking at the completed project lol.

If I can stop typing I'll eventually make my way back to complete my side supplemental CFL's

 

[ColoradoGriz]

I envy your ingenuity. I went to Lowes today to buy some PVC pipe to build a stand for my seedling trays. Had the tools, the supplies, then I roll by the damn Home Organization isle and found it to be cheaper to buy similar stands. I was kind of bummed. Building an LED though, I'm tier 1 DIY that sounds like Tier 30 Master DIY lol. I'd be excited to see it though and I'm sure you could pull it off!

 

[Legal Hydro]

Over 1,000 Views!

 

[Legal Hydro]

I envy your ingenuity. I went to Lowes today to buy some PVC pipe to build a stand for my seedling trays. Had the tools, the supplies, then I roll by the damn Home Organization isle and found it to be cheaper to buy similar stands. I was kind of bummed. Building an LED though, I'm tier 1 DIY that sounds like Tier 30 Master DIY lol. I'd be excited to see it though and I'm sure you could pull it off!

Thanks broseph!

Ingenuity and DIY is my middle name! From my racing mower to my custom built electric RC helicopter to this grow. DIY is written all over everything. Without the internet I would be far less advanced. All in all I've probably failed on more projects than succeeded but best believe the second time around (sometimes even more) I succeed. Patients, persistency, will power, and cannabis have brought me along way!

 

[ColoradoGriz]

Patients, persistency, will power, and cannabis have brought me along way!

That should be in your sig block lol

 

[Pigeons420]

Subscribed Legalhydro, A great start to your grow & journal congratulations.

A few pages back you were thinking of getting a PH Pen, my thoughts on a PH Pen........without a PH Pen you run a good chance of killing a $4,500.00 cannabis plant just to save $45.00 on a PH Pen. Just me thinking out loud.

As for your lighting......again my thoughts.......CFL's for the first half of veg then put under the HID for the final half of veg this will get your girls strong under the MH and ready to grow big under the HPS.

I hope it was okay to jump in here and give my humble thoughts?

Great advice! Should be a proverb

RSOiler, Your humble thoughts are very valuable! Thank you for sharing and supporting my journal!

I understand a PH pen is a necessity thanks to members like you. My pen should be arriving tomorrow I'm thrilled to have this! To be able to tell my exact PH is too exciting!

As far as lighting goes... I'm still torn between switching to HPS/MH and LED. So far, I like the fact that I can build a nice LED light for a decent cost. The only thing that worries me about this is reliability.. I have never built an LED grow light and the thing could fail within 2 weeks. HPS and MH are looking more suitable for the time being and I may even build the LED light while using HPS/MH lights. Guess we'll see..

Holmes, my intention is not to be some over bearing voice of ridiculous rubbish, but I really want you to do some homework before you divert all your attention to LED. I was in your shoes not 4 months ago. I was trying to determine between LED and HPS and I had plenty of support from bothe sides of the spectrum. I'm not going to argue about what is better. What I will say, from the homework I did, it's tough to get a decent LED system for a reasonable price. The Chinese are whipping out LED lights like they're going out of style. But they just don't cut it. I decided, after the multiple days of research to go with a 1000W HPS Air cooled light for 350$. You simply can't get the same results for that cheap from and LED. Period.
Now the down side. I probably added 20-30$ a month on my hydro bill. So that cost will catch up to me. And I added an additional 7 degrees to my internal temperature. But I simply didn't have the 3000$ to get an LED that will satisfy my needs to they're entirety.
Not to mention, and I'm sure other LED growers will agree, they're additional problems or steps that need to be taken to keep those plants healthy. I've read multiple journals that needed to take steps to add additional calcium and magnesium to make up for the depletion that occurs from LED. (don't ask me why). Sure, this is an easy fix (maybe), but it require us to learn something new about something we've spent so long trying to get to know. Now I digress.

I don't want to change your mind for you. If you have the money for an LED and the willingness to dive into a new adventure, do it!! LED are the new wave of indoor growing. And in a short time they will be the go to for all growers. And some of the best growers on this forum are using LED. Let it be known. But as of right now, the technology still has a ways to go to meet the needs of the average grower.

I apologize for all this but, I feel it's important.

 

[Legal Hydro]

Great advice! Should be a proverb



Holmes, my intention is not to be some over bearing voice of ridiculous rubbish, but I really want you to do some homework before you divert all your attention to LED. I was in your shoes not 4 months ago. I was trying to determine between LED and HPS and I had plenty of support from bothe sides of the spectrum. I'm not going to argue about what is better. What I will say, from the homework I did, it's tough to get a decent LED system for a reasonable price. The Chinese are whipping out LED lights like they're going out of style. But they just don't cut it. I decided, after the multiple days of research to go with a 1000W HPS Air cooled light for 350$. You simply can't get the same results for that cheap from and LED. Period.
Now the down side. I probably added 20-30$ a month on my hydro bill. So that cost will catch up to me. And I added an additional 7 degrees to my internal temperature. But I simply didn't have the 3000$ to get an LED that will satisfy my needs to they're entirety.
Not to mention, and I'm sure other LED growers will agree, they're additional problems or steps that need to be taken to keep those plants healthy. I've read multiple journals that needed to take steps to add additional calcium and magnesium to make up for the depletion that occurs from LED. (don't ask me why). Sure, this is an easy fix (maybe), but it require us to learn something new about something we've spent so long trying to get to know. Now I digress.

I don't want to change your mind for you. If you have the money for an LED and the willingness to dive into a new adventure, do it!! LED are the new wave of indoor growing. And in a short time they will be the go to for all growers. And some of the best growers on this forum are using LED. Let it be known. But as of right now, the technology still has a ways to go to meet the needs of the average grower.

I apologize for all this but, I feel it's important.

Master P! Thank you for your time you put into this response! Thoroughly enjoyed! No need to apologize.. Keep it coming!

You said from the homework you've done it's tough to find a decent LED system for a reasonable price. After reviewing today, I totally agree! Have you ever factored in an LED light built by yourself? My current material list for a 600 watt LED averages $350 and I would be more than happy to share it with you. Now that's 400 watts less than your HPS light but without the recurring electric bill you face. Now you might say that the Cal-Mag supplement and what ever an LED cannabis plant needs, would equal out to the same amount as you spend in electric so therefore could be an even deal.

But just know I never start a project without deep thoughts and lots of herb! With that being said homework is in progress!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

[Pigeons420]

Never considered a DIY LED but DIY anything in my books is a good idea. As long as it's safe. Which ever you choose my man. I am behind you a 100% and we can get through it as a team!

 

[uhewekguilw]

DIY LED would be the way to go in my eyes! The MarsHydro leds are okay, but just OK. They are not gods (or Chinas) gift to growers by any means. If I knew what I know now about M.H. LED'S, I would have put my HPS back in long ago and saved my money for a better light. Don't get me wrong, they grow plants, but not to the quality I was hoping for. If I put my 400 watt hps side by side with the 900 Mars2 I bet I could murder the led with the hps. I agree with Master P , go with a good 1000 watt hps or build your own LED. Either way you won't be suffering your first grow... plenty of people got your back!

 

[Legal Hydro]

Never considered a DIY LED but DIY anything in my books is a good idea. As long as it's safe. Which ever you choose my man. I am behind you a 100% and we can get through it as a team!

DIY LED would be the way to go in my eyes! The MarsHydro leds are okay, but just OK. They are not gods (or Chinas) gift to growers by any means. If I knew what I know now about M.H. LED'S, I would have put my HPS back in long ago and saved my money for a better light. Don't get me wrong, they grow plants, but not to the quality I was hoping for. If I put my 400 watt hps side by side with the 900 Mars2 I bet I could murder the led with the hps. I agree with Master P , go with a good 1000 watt hps or build your own LED. Either way you won't be suffering your first grow... plenty of people got your back!

Thank yall for the input! Glad to have you on the team!

Update:

Just wanted to share a few things.. Grow tank temp. has been really stable at 65f. Every now and then It'll drop or gain a degree but other than that I've seem to have my temp. straight now. Ideally I'm shooting to stay at exactly 65f, as that is when the most oxygen is absorbed through the water. Rez temp. is 62-63f

Ph is stable (As far as I can tell with these janky test strips) I will know exactly my PH! tomorrow

 

[PTSD 4 ME]

How about in flower or veg cycles specifically would you ever prefer a LED light over a HID in times of certain growth? IE veg flower seedling.

 

[Legal Hydro]

How about in flower or veg cycles specifically would you ever prefer a LED light over a HID in times of certain growth? IE veg flower seedling.

PTSD, Glad to see you!

I'm not real sure as to what you're asking here..