Taking My Chances With The Devil: Dark Devil Auto & Devil's Crack Auto

[Waitn4Trudeau]

I am in the USA. Unfortunately my budget is stuck at right about a hundred bucks. Was going to save money to buy some decent LEDs (wife and i really like the kind leds and timber lights) or even build a cheapo cob setup, but my lights died right after planting 10 seeds, 8 of which are irreplaceable... Lol.

You can build the most incredible arrays of LEDs by hacking retail off the shelf bulbs from most any hardware store

This is another person's, 20 9w store bought household bulbs in a 2x4 tent for 22.5w /sq ft. You want to take it up to 40 - 50 watts per square foot to see the method work really well.

LED Hardware Store Bulbs

Because these are LEDs very little heat and ventilation required and highly directional for good penetration.

This method is also very stealthy, you never go near a grow shop or order or ship anything

Because the bulbs have gotten so cheap I don't think there is a more effective way. $2 per bulb 9 watt x 20 = 180 watt array for $40 or 40 bulbs for 360 watt array for $80. You can even take them apart so much that you don't even require sockets, just join light array with wires.

The efficiency of this method is very good, people are getting a gram per watt.

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

I have most definitely considered this option. I have one 3000k 9w household led over 2 seedlings at the moment to observe seedling stretch or the lack thereof.
I am def going with the 2x qb288v1 4k for my main light, and off to the side I will run my old mars300 for some more coverage.

 

[Waitn4Trudeau]

Great Value LED Light Bulb, 9W (60W Equivalent) A19 General Purpose Lamp E26 Medium Base, Non-dimmable, Soft White, 4-Pack - Walmart.com

That's $1.23 per bulb at 8.5 watts... so you could do a 170 watt array on a spare piece of plywood for $25, if you have some screws and a bit of wire hanging around.

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

I read that link and I have read most of the link that was in the link about a month ago when I had a sneaking suspicion I would need lights soon.

One day I will make a Rubbermaid tote grow box and setup a 7-1 bulb adapter with this type of LED in it, just for a test run. Dollar tree where I am sells sunbeam 9w. The lumens SHOULD increase from 800 to at least 1000 with the removal of the light diffuser, giving me around 7000 lumens at 63 watts in about a 1ft² canopy... But that will be for another journal down the road.

Trying to decide whether to replace my dead SSDC with another auto or throw something else in there.... I will figure it out tonight.

Peace

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

So.. I am a slacker. I just started soaking a replacement SSDC this morning. Instead of the larger Hempy I am dropping back down to my 40oz size. I think tipping my big ones to drain the reservoir may have caused this tragedy.
I am also soaking an untested regular purple Afghani x BCBD Purps seed to be planted in a 40oz Hempy as well. But that's not really part of my journals, just my side stuff.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

I never tip to drain mine, the watering usually flushes most the old water out

Sorry for yer accident, that sucks

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

I never tip to drain mine, the watering usually flushes most the old water out

Sorry for yer accident, that sucks

Yeah, I was trying to switch my nutrient strength a couple of times and was just impatient I guess. Also my large hempys weigh over 10#. Lol aquarium gravel.
Idk why I switched to the larger size. I had one plant get to almost 4ft tall in one of my 40oz'rs, would have been taller if not for the mid flower supercrop. Damn sativas.

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

Placed my order for quantum boards. Heck yeah!

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

So I planted an SSDC replacement seed today, but here is DDA still cruising along

DDA day 22

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 6, 2018

DDA day 22

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 6, 2018

DDA day 22

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 6, 2018

Waiting on qb's

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 6, 2018

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

No news from the new SSDC replacement.

DDA looks weird, but not altogether unhealthy. I am starting to have to watch my reservoir level with the high heat in my location + her new found thirst for maxibloom. I have been alternating nute strength from ¼ to full strength every other feeding. Tomorrow is a light feed and the first day of adding h2o2 to the mix. QBs arrive Thursday.

On a side note... My autos are on a permanent light schedule of 11/13 because of my limited space. I know that is likely why my plant is such a runt. My plan has always been to run autos with my photos for an in between harvest. But... After I am done with my sativa breeding/random plants I will probably have to shutdown shop if I can't get a stealthy cabinet for winter. If we, by some small miracle, are able to keep running I would like to run an auto only grow to see what potentials I can unlock with at least 20hours of light per day.

Ugh, tired AF

Peace

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

Great Value LED Light Bulb, 9W (60W Equivalent) A19 General Purpose Lamp E26 Medium Base, Non-dimmable, Soft White, 4-Pack - Walmart.com

That's $1.23 per bulb at 8.5 watts... so you could do a 170 watt array on a spare piece of plywood for $25, if you have some screws and a bit of wire hanging around.

The household led I tested on a seedling failed the test miserably. Little plant tried to get out of its pot and hang out under the CFLs, stretched like a mofo. I won't be continuing my testing... That setup is kinda sketchy in my opinion after just a small test

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

Plugged everything in and hung my new QB's.... Damn, that is a lot of light. I had to pull out my mars300 to work in the tent and I think I am going to wait a good week before I add the mars back into the equation.
DDA is kind of growing funky. It looks like some kind of leaf mutation. PH is spot on, nutes are light, light has been good and intense on her during daytime, and I am left baffled..

SSDC #2 is above ground and gets to feel her new sunshine tomorrow.. I am thinking that I may pollinate her lower buds with some of my sativa pollen since she is a bit behind everyone else. Those sativas show sex at 3weeks or so, which should land close to her flowering time and should give me viable photoperiod seeds with a faster flowering time and a higher likelihood of getting colors.

I will grab pics at morning feeding.

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

Current run

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 10, 2018

They look happier already

There she is on the left. The SSDC seedling is barely visible at this angle, but she is the square little pot in the very front.

Sure love these lights.

(2) QB288v1 4000k 240w

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 10, 2018

Amazing light

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

Took some better pics today

DDA

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 11, 2018

DDA

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 11, 2018

Dwarfy but robust growth

SSDC

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 11, 2018

Just getting started

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

DDA is 30 days old. See if I can't borrow the wife's phone for a couple pics today.

She continues to get ¼tsp maxibloom, 3caps full of white vinegar for pH down and two caps full of h2o2 per gallon. Considering upping the maxibloom to ½tsp, but she really isn't crying for more, so... Likely I won't change anything until she does say something..

Haven't added ca/mg again, or Epsom salt, or anything for that matter. None of my plants seem to require it, but I will keep it around for the day that they do

No color yet.

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

She sure is starting to stretch. I will look closer this weekend when i have more time, but I swear I saw purple starting in the flowers.

I've Just been pouring about 16oz of nutes into her once per day. I mixed up a slightly stronger batch to try for a few days. I feel that everyone in the tent might be ready for some more food.

DDA day 31

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 15, 2018

DDA day 31

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 15, 2018

DDA day 31, stretching right out.

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 15, 2018

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

There be purple buds.

SSDC is coming along slowly. DDA is liking the nutrient increase so I will stick with it. Not much else for news... I do notice that DDA never really grew out of her leaf variegation, probably means nothing....... But I do have purple buds

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

Temporary tear down in just over 10hrs. Stupid apartment complex...

DDA is thriving, SSDC baby is growing, but much less stretching under the 4000k QB's.

Made a Rubbermaid tote grow box. Going to run another of my devils in there after this inspection crap is over

DDA

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 19, 2018

SSDC baby

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 19, 2018

DDA

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 19, 2018

PURPLE

• Ganjagrowergu
• Aug 19, 2018

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

Went through an ordeal today that wound up with DDA being supercropped. Long story... The purple is staining my leaves. Looking good and the buds are already working their way to pointing to the sky by bedtime.

SSDC is coming along.

Bummer that I have temporarily had to put them under CFLs, another long story but not tragic. Good news is they will be getting more light hours.

I am building a couple of stealth to semi stealth grow boxes so I can get my QB's fired back up. Locking Filing cabinet should be here tonight or tomorrow, and then I have my fingers crossed that the neighbor will still give up that old entertainment center.

I am going to keep things rolling right along.

 

[Ganjagrowergu]

Will grab some pics tomorrow, but....

The accidental DDA supercrop definitely slowed her stretch quite a bit. But maybe not, because she really is a decent sized plant. Sucks that she is living under CFLs right now. Leaves are staining a deep purple, gorgeous.

SSDC is growing, but not as fast as the last one. Not sure why, just is the way it is I guess... Maybe she is waiting for my male sativa to give it up, lol.

Fed same half strength nutes as usual tonight. Tomorrow I am going to feed about ¾ strength and upon receiving some advice I have stopped adding h2o2 until the day I might need it.

Neighbor just brought me a bud of golden pineapple, earlier he brought 3 random buds he got at Seattle hempfest, and before that he brought me a big doobie taped to a plastic paratrooper toy. It's been a good day. Time to taste the pineapple.....

Peace