Scarfinger68 - Aurora Indica - Soil - 600W Dimmable HPS - Indoor Closet Grow

[Scarfinger68]

Hello Scar,

I have to begin with a huge thank you for the journals you have written. They have been an entertaining and enlightening experience to read.

I was wondering of you had maybe tried to measure and compare the light output of your CFL setup and your current one. I would think that the HPS would be higher but by how much?

I made reference to this somewhere. I think in this journal. I will try to remember...

My CFL grows had approximately 10,000 to 15,000 lux at the canopy which was 10 inches or so from the lights. I took some measurements and at approximately 6 inches from the lights I could get 30,000 lux. Also I measured at light level, temperatures got up to 140 °F. I placed a plexiglass barrier to help keep the heat topside.

So CFL lux is very dependent on the distance from the light. I was very happy with my CFL grows but in the end I wanted to expand and try to grow bigger plants. Not to say you can't grow big plants with CFL's. It would just take a different set up than my "fixed" CFL light set up. Also heat was a big factor. I already had all the fans. The only thing I added for the HPS grow was at active air intake to help cool the room.

Lux readings with the HPS were 45,000 Lux at the edges and 70,000 to 90,000 at center with a light distance of around 18 inches from the canopy. So the HPS offered much more penetration with one light. Also a bigger footprint allowing larger plants. I do believe I received deeper light penetration that gave fuller/deeper cola development with the HPS compared to my CFL's. You may be able to accomplish similar results with CFL but it would take much more light distance manipulation and or plant distance manipulation to maintain the optimal Lux which I am guessing would be 30,000 with CFL's. With HPS the minimum recommended lux is 45,000 and optimal is 70K to 90K lux.

Hope that answers your question

 

[Kriaze]

Congratulations on your harvest Scarfinger, looks like you'll be having some fine buds there shortly

 

[Scarfinger68]

5 days of hanging @ 69 to 75 degrees F and 50 to 65% Relative Humidity.

I probably could have went another day. Buds feel slightly dry on the outside but you can tell they are not dry on the inside. Stems are still green and don't snap. My temps are better and I feel like I should try to leave them up but my schedule may cause me to miss the right time to take them down.

I tend to miss the perfect time to jar. If the stems snap they are generally below 60% RH in my old set up. I should trust this new set up, but...

I am falling back on old habits... Putting them in a large container so I can get a read on the relative humidity.

I leave them on the stems as much as I can before jarring:

I am running out of time. I will be out of town for 1 week soon.

I am shooting for a time line of a 5 day hang, 3 days in the big box and then in the jars. Giving me 2 days to double check the jar humidity and get things perfect

to myself

 

[Kriaze]

5 days of hanging @ 69 to 75 degrees F and 50 to 65% Relative Humidity.

I probably could have went another day. Buds feel slightly dry on the outside but you can tell they are not dry on the inside. Stems are still green and don't snap. My temps are better and I feel like I should try to leave them up but my schedule may cause me to miss the right time to take them down.

I tend to miss the perfect time to jar. If the stems snap they are generally below 60% RH in my old set up. I should trust this new set up, but...

I am falling back on old habits... Putting them in a large container so I can get a read on the relative humidity.

I leave them on the stems as much as I can before jarring:

I am running out of time. I will be out of town for 1 week soon.

I am shooting for a time line of a 5 day hang, 3 days in the big box and then in the jars. Giving me 2 days to double check the jar humidity and get things perfect

to myself

Good luck from over here too

 

[Scarfinger68]

I am very happy with the results:

5 plants in 1 gallon pots under 600w HPS lights:

5 day hang and 2 days on the stems in the dry box:

188.52 grams dry @65% to 68% RH, approx. 6.7 oz. ((avg. of 37.7 grams per plant (x5 plants)). Its only .31 grams/watt which is where I usually run in the grams/watt measure for CFL.

The most I have grown under CFL at one time was 100 grams dry. I am very happy with 188.5 grams for my first HPS run.

I have not smoked any yet but get this... My wife is a daily smoker. Her first drag and she got a puzzled look on her face She was kind of smacking her lips together, lightly running her tongue on her teeth and top of her mouth. *I have never seen her do this with the supposedly medical marijuana she gets. She says... This taste really good. I got a big smile on my face

This run from seed of Aurora Indica seems a little different than my last run from seed. This was definitely less lemony zesty. It smells more piney and sweet with a spice note this time. I would say it is leaning more towards the "Northern Light" smells I grew from Nirvana. But when it comes to taste Aurora Indica leaves Northern Lights in the dust.

Pics:

2 half gallon jars and 1 quart jar

So what did I learn this grow

1. I like my bigger grow space and HPS lights.
2. Defoliation definitely did not hurt these plants with an average 37.7 gram yield per plant.
3. I believe Aurora Indica dose better with LST vs. topping
4. I like hanging the plants without any trimming (helped slow the drying process I believe)
5. Dry trimming was easier than wet trimming (I left more sugar leaves on with the dry trim because it was harder to get them away from the buds. So, in turn I actually trimmed less and it took less time)
6. I can definitely tell already how much a good cure improves the smell.

Dry trimming cons?... In regards to me: The buds are not as pretty because the sugar leaves tend to make the buds look "hairy". Potentially a harsher smoke with more sugar leaves. -No complaints or coughing from my wife.

I will try and post a smoke report at some time.

Thanks for coming along.

 

[Kriaze]

That looks like some tasty budness Scarfinger, I can almost taste it here the way you describe it and looking at that juicy bud.

 

[David Bowman]

Hope all is well in your world.

Thanks for sharing this grow with us.

Please head over to the 420 Strain Reviews forum and post your smoke report there too.

I’m moving this to Completed Journals now.

Sending you lots of love and positive energy.

 

[VladimirPutin]

Your grow reward brings a tear to my eye. Phenomenal Scar

Vlad

 

[HunterHunt]

Thats very funny you like to trim after the dry... I will never do it that way again lol. I always trim before budwash now.