#2 grow journal, Sour Diesel and Big Dirty

[bobsakamoto]

well, i wish you luck, my friend.... oh, and google the make and model of your 12 yr old box at your own peril...

with your high usage problem in mind, and again, if you've already been here, done that, then just ignore the question...have you thought about "switching" to/predominantly LEDs? the reason i ask is bc of a mistake i feel i made going initially with a big draw, even BIGGER heat, HID set up

in fact, i'm just gonna cut and paste something i wrote for another thread on how i slowly came to realize that, for me, in my climate (zone 8) culminating in tracking heat, etc, during ballast break in...well, i'm now gonna go w/predominantly LEDs, i think....

[bobsakamoto]

here's the post, written in response to a lighting question....

here's a suggestion. when i was where you are i (uninformedly) thought that since "light=food" for plants then go with the larger light if i could afford it. what this meant was that i got *one* really big light, a switchable 1000W MH/HPS w/air-cooled reflector, $200.

since then i have learned that it is far better (for reasons you can check in NebulaHaze 's tutorials on lighting, links below) to have more than 1 light with lesser or equal to wattage than it is to have just 1 light w/max wattage.

http://www.growweedeasy.com/cannabis-grow-lights

http://www.growweedeasy.com/led-grow-lights

and i know you're not looking to upgrade but the info here is invaluable

http://www.growweedeasy.com/grow-light-upgrade-guide

anyway, since reading all of that and understanding what it meant, i saw the newbie mistake of my initial light purchase. since then i have purchased a viparspectra 300 and 2 roleadro 2nd generation COB (link below) because, the latter, at only $100, are a REALLY good value for not just wattage, 400W, but perhaps more importantly, they are full spectrum. so in short this set up is very versatile since i have 3 lights (at 900 total watts) doing a FAR BETTER job at doing what my initial purchase, the 1 1000watt light, could, for only a little more money

in addition, doing it the "multi-light" way means a MUCH larger light "footprint" for your plants (see tutorials), and also one that is more versatile/more customizable. for example you can move them around, interchange them, etc., depending on say, strain or species.

[Green75]

The 315 LEC only uses 315 watts...in my opinion is the best light on market...the double banger uses 630 even better of a light...

My $.02

[LuckyAcres]

Thanks all for chiming in on my electrical bs.
Nutin man that was some funny shit! Thanks!
Bob, I think I'm going along the lines of what your repost. I just thought of replacing that 8bulb t5 in the middle( I use it as helper in between the 2 leds(1200w each), cuz it really isn't doing much for the amount of watts used(54wx8!!!!) and it does give out heat. So I thought replacing it with the 300w hps would do the trick. But then mr green has been talking a big game and showing results with the lec...side note: I am convinced this guy could grow 3 pounders using birthday candles but nonetheless the lec is definetly a top contender. I know nothing of this. I've read Sirius tutorial on his hps. But to help me decide could you guys share the models you use or recommend, lec and hps or whatever else? Money might just have the last word...again...thanks!

[Green75]

Sun system 315 lec...ain't cheap tho....either is my bud..lol

[LuckyAcres]

Lol, shouldn't be! thanks!

[bobsakamoto]

https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-...s=viparspectra

i purchased this initially to supplement the big 1000W HID, bc it's good on the red and blue spectrum so esp good for veg stage. plus it got lots of good reviews on amazon and by other users (here and on reddit) and it's *only* $90 and AND...a 3 yr warranty!! that's unheard of on any grow equipment i've researched---and that fact tells me in advance that (1) it's almost assuredly well-made and (2) that they (viparspectra) are in it for the long haul...

then, when i decided to go entirely LED instead of the MH part of the 1000W, i.e., veg stage, it was because again of their incredibly good value plus spectral composition. i chose the roleadro 2nd gen 400W COBs.

https://www.amazon.com/Roleadro-Spec...s=roleadro+cob

first and foremost, these lights are full spectrum. second, they are COBs which means chip on board---far, far better light (google COB vs not COB), for example if one chip malfunctions doesn't affect the other chip so you have half a light instead of no light. PLUS, again spectrum+value decision for both of these purchases, the roleadros are *only* $100 and come with two year warranty, and get really good reviews on amazon and by other users.

so i am in the process of replacing my 1000W HID $200 purchase w/1 400W viparspectra $90+ 1 400W roleadro COB $100. so less efficient, less versatile, giant HEAT producer for $200 vs. more efficient, more versatile, almost NO heat producers for $190. and the footprint of the two together is larger than the 1000W alone. now if i sell the HID setup i'll "give up" the HPS bulb, and i'm not sure i want to do that. but that lamp is really too hot for where i'm at so i will have to come up something to do about heat if i decide the HPS spectrum and density is worth it.

anyway, that was my 2+month journey through BuyGrowLightLand. my seedlings really really love the COB, i have to say.

oh, i forgot something...when i saw how well the seedlings were doing under just the one COB i ordered another one Tuesday since they are only $100 right now. so i technically now have all the good stuff you get from a multi-light plus low-draw, low-heat benefits of LEDS sitting at 1200W distributed possibly 3 ways for $290. but that was not my initial replacement plan.
but i hope whatever you choose you're happy (and safe ) with your purchase!!

[LuckyAcres]

Damn bob! Thanks so much for the details! Just got to sit down, crunch the numbers and make a choice now!

[LuckyAcres]

Excuse brievety of notes but it's been busy.
2/8 cloned mix of 15 sour diesel and big dirty cuttings in coco coir in dome.
2/10 cloned 5 atf in solo cups and coco coir. Fed straight h20 to all veggers and babies.
2/11 major clean up of scrog. Pop corn buds, below the net, in the dark,immature stems,,,all gone.
2/12 fed full nutes plus azamax drench plus spinosad and actinovate spray.
Lst veggers plus topping at first or second node. Left project atf alone.
Finished installing the second vent today.
Third day with no power failure!
2/15 big day. Chicken boned all colas big small and mediums. Removed all fan leaves blocking buds. 2.5 hours of it. Feeding full nutes plus extra dose of tiger bloom for extra P kick. Saw thrips flying out of 2 sd helper pots, sprinkled diameceous(????) earth to help control, spinosad is inefficient.
Still no power failure. Balance achieved for now.
Big dirty veggers very sensitive to heat. T5 must be almost a foot away. Both veg and flo are thirsty ladies, thirstier it seems than grape apes.
The lst few days ago is already showing signs.

[Xaliuz]

Your lucky to have such a fantastic acre

[LuckyAcres]

Nice one! Thanks xalluz! I do feel lucky!

[Green75]

Wow...very impressive...great art right there!!

[LuckyAcres]

Thanks sir, couldn't done it without it but I think I'm slowly getting it.

[LuckyAcres]

2/18 I sprayed the veggers with neem oil in my never ending battle against thrips. Sprayed them again a day later with nuke 'em...I also sprinkled diamethious earth (still too lazy to look up the correct spelling, diabolomicious earth! there!) on all the pots, even sprayed the top of the dirt with nuke em ... out of frustration mostly...I'll either win now or keep them at a safe distance till harvest and then burn the crap out of them with the (plants!) skeletons...thrips bring me to a dark place...ask my wife and kids...

2/19 i sprayed the veggers with nuke em but the mood improved a bit after I got my lec 315 light. Following green75's recommendations and watching his grows with these lights, the shop owner sealed the deal when he showed me pics of his commercial grow with the same lights! Double sold! Buttload of light, barely any heat, wow! I'm already a happy customer. And the even better part was the price difference with amazon.
Otherwise, looking at numbers here's what's what at the Acres.
Veg room. Temps around 82, 40% rh average, lights on 24/7. 9 veggers Big Dirty, these will be my next crop. Pushing them nice and steady with nutes, the topping has done wonders and new shoots are becoming old shoots.
Also still present in the veg room and doing their thing are the tray and solo cups of clones. Roots are popping down nice and white, happy babies.
Flower room. Temps between 78 and 71, 40% rh, mostly sour diesel girls with 1 big dirty. No more power outages, yay!

2/20 first round of spraying in the flower room, I used spinosad this time, always with surfactant added, gotta make it stick like putty!
Just watered the veggers, straight phed h2o, rest...

2/21 busy night...I'm about to finish watering the flowers h2o with cal mag and sturdy stalk only, they need a breather. Finished cleaning bud sites on one side of the scrog only. Guess which one! The lec is quite the adversary, I wear long sleeve hood on hoodie with straw hat welding goggles and shitty ass nitrile black gloves (last time! Big mistake!). The top of my hands feel cooked and the skin on my chin feels ... crispy? But today arrived along with my copy of mr rosenthal's grow bible a pair of led 17w green light headlamp! Take that lec! Cook the thrips, that's all you get! Sorry, dark place...
Alright I think the medication has kicked way in, better stop now! Thanks for stopping by!

[Green75]

It all looks great...sorry about the thrips man...

Damn shed life...

[Sonnyhad]

I'm seriously looking into that 315 lec.. trying to find the best price.

[rwdyredhead]

Green75 I wanted to ask you about the heat output from the 315 lec. I was planning on ordering an Advanced Platinum P600 led ($660) tomorrow after researching & deciding it was the best light for my budget and heat requirements but then last night LuckyAcres happened to mention to me that the 315 lec puts off little heat-comparable to leds-and suddenly I had a new choice thrown in the mix. Don't you use one of these in your tent? I was wondering what kinda temps you deal with in there when running this light? My grow box is 4x3x6

[Green75]

Very very manageable....I have a 3x3x6 tent..depends on if exhaust is on or not...time of year...my tent is in my furnace room...right now.....as I type...it's 82° and rh is 35...tent door closed two bottom flaps open exhaust on...the room my tent is in is 82°as well....if my dehu was not running it would be cooler in both areas... 82 is not bad at all....

[Green75]

When I just had the 3k I used it for both flower and veg..now that I have the 4k I will use it for flower and veg and never pick up the 3k again...3k is the bees knees for sure...but the 4k I've had in for three weeks now and can tell I already like it BETTER...crazier tricomes...calyx's are white...looks like I poured a lb.of sugar over my garden...

[PuravidaC]

Damn Lucky Acres, looking great!!! Could have been Green Acres!!! 😆

[Tika]

A very fine labor of love!!!!!!

[LuckyAcres]

Thanks friends.
my shop had the lec combo on sale for $355, couldn't pass that on but looks like piecing it together brings it about the same.
the thrips are my own doing I'm afraid. I hate spraying at work so I procrastinate at home...very often on the follow up sprays or I wait too long...I'm trying real hard to be more consistent...i know I must...no other task in the shed puts me off like that...
Green Acres not quite but that's a very nice compliment! I'll take it!