LM561C strip grow (660w). 1.5mx1.5m. Bubba Kush 2.0. 1st Timer

superspudz420

superspudz420

Active Member
INF Flux said:
Try cucumeris predator mites for the thrips.
Cool what you are doing with the reds. I'm currently looking at UVB supplementation as well, seems like the reptile lights are the best bet, have you found a better option?
Click to expand...
Nice one never knew about them. They look good. I bought dr schimmel thrip terminator but I am unsure wheter to use it, spraying it on buds and also could burn the leaves. Wish I had spent my money on the predator mites in the beginning. May just purchase them now and get them in there. Not many thrip adults mainly larvae.
Edit- seems that them predatory mites thrive in a high humidity place. Like 60-70% rh. Im at about 40-50

As for the UV lights, the reptile bulbs are weaker then these http://www.solacure.com/horticulture.html lights. However my understanding is that weaker does not mean worse, just means the lights have to be on a bit longer to get the desired effects. Using the solacure ones , I think if you have it on 5-15 minutes every hour during light period that is sufficient. I think its a case by case thing where you have to build up the plants tolerance. I guess it's a bit like humans and tanning. Not all the sun at once, bits of sun over time for a nice tan haha. So yeh think I may just get that one fixture and run it throughout flowering or from the last week of veg.
 
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Randomblame

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
To avoid spider mites, thrips and other little plant juice sucking critters I recommend Neem bran. It's made from seeds of the Neem tree and is what is left after the Neem oil production. It's coarsely ground and is simply mixed into the soil or coco. Neem is 100% bio has low NPK 2-1-1 or so and it works systemically, so its also a light fertilizer. It changes the taste of the plant juices and "all" sucking insects disappear on their own because they hate the taste. Used preventively it provides 99% protection and you only need one tablespoon per gallon. 2kg costs around a 10er and I'm using it since at least 10-15years and found not a single sucking insect.
Add some additional diatomaceous earth or other silicate powders (the cheap one for humans from the drugstore; its almost the same) against fungus gnats larvae and the girls are completely protected.

Screenshot_20180925-072731.png Screenshot_20180925-072745.png

For UVB try Arcadia's D3desert(12%/30% UVB/A) or D3dragon bulbs(14%/30%), both are T5HO and you can get them in 2, 3 and 4ft length. Its the best reptile bulb currently and offers an almost natural UVB to UVA ratio and the visible part of the light is CRI90.
There are even more powerful bulbs like the Agromax PureUV T5HO or the FlowerPower T12. They are 3 times stronger but only available in the US currently. Found no EU distributor till now!
A friendly US grower(thanks @Aolelon ) sended me 6pcs 2ft Agromax bulbs but shipping has made them a third more expensive. Maybe @diyled wants to include them in his assortment? You would be the first in EU, mate!
Greenleafsnutrients pretty good all-in-one powder fertilizer is also not available for us and I know they search for locale distributors.
But back to UV...
A 2ft. bulb covers a 2x 2' area pretty good, a 4ft. bulp is perfect for a 2x 4ft area and for a 4x 4' space you need two 4footers.
Start in the last veg week with 1+1h and increase slowly to the max.(around the 3rd bloom week). Reptile bulbs can run all day long in flower at 1ft. distance(150-250μW/cm²). The more powerful US bulbs can be used for up to 6h the day but it's important that the plants have enough time to get used to it. If you start with a too strong dose you can get some yellowing on the upper leaves(looks like bleaching), burned leaf margins and/or wilting leaves. Usually this symtomes dissapear after a while when you reduce the length of treatment by half an hour. When they are used to it you can give them much more.
 
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Randomblame

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
Here is a UVB test about an Arcadia D3desert with bare bulb and three different reflector types..
I've used it from the beginning this time(2nd veg week) and from end of BW3 it runs all day long with the mainlight at 1' distance. 12,5/11,5h cycle with far-red treatment end of the day. According to the test I should have at least 120-150μW/cm² all day long with the current alu DIY reflector.
After the winter break I'll start using two Agromax bulbs and a better, more diffuse reflector.
Strips, COB's + UVB.jpg
 

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superspudz420

superspudz420

Active Member
Randomblame said:
Here is a UVB test about an Arcadia D3desert with bare bulb and three different reflector types..
I've used it from the beginning this time(2nd veg week) and from end of BW3 it runs all day long with the mainlight at 1' distance. 12,5/11,5h cycle with far-red treatment end of the day. According to the test I should have at least 120-150μW/cm² all day long with the current alu DIY reflector.
After the winter break I'll start using two Agromax bulbs and a better, more diffuse reflector.
View attachment 4204862
Click to expand...
Im UK but -

https://www.1-hydroponics.co.uk/grow-lights/reflectors/solacure-dual-power-uvb-lamp-fixture.html
http://grownuphydroponics.com/solacure-uv-grow-lights-quality.html
 
superspudz420

superspudz420

Active Member
Randomblame said:
To avoid spider mites, thrips and other little plant juice sucking critters I recommend Neem bran. It's made from seeds of the Neem tree and is what is left after the Neem oil production. It's coarsely ground and is simply mixed into the soil or coco. Neem is 100% bio has low NPK 2-1-1 or so and it works systemically, so its also a light fertilizer. It changes the taste of the plant juices and "all" sucking insects disappear on their own because they hate the taste. Used preventively it provides 99% protection and you only need one tablespoon per gallon. 2kg costs around a 10er and I'm using it since at least 10-15years and found not a single sucking insect.
Add some additional diatomaceous earth or other silicate powders (the cheap one for humans from the drugstore; its almost the same) against fungus gnats larvae and the girls are completely protected.

View attachment 4204854 View attachment 4204855

For UVB try Arcadia's D3desert(12%/30% UVB/A) or D3dragon bulbs(14%/30%), both are T5HO and you can get them in 2, 3 and 4ft length. Its the best reptile bulb currently and offers an almost natural UVB to UVA ratio and the visible part of the light is CRI90.
There are even more powerful bulbs like the Agromax PureUV T5HO or the FlowerPower T12. They are 3 times stronger but only available in the US currently. Found no EU distributor till now!
A friendly US grower(thanks @Aolelon ) sended me 6pcs 2ft Agromax bulbs but shipping has made them a third more expensive. Maybe @diyled wants to include them in his assortment? You would be the first in EU, mate!
Greenleafsnutrients pretty good all-in-one powder fertilizer is also not available for us and I know they search for locale distributors.
But back to UV...
A 2ft. bulb covers a 2x 2' area pretty good, a 4ft. bulp is perfect for a 2x 4ft area and for a 4x 4' space you need two 4footers.
Start in the last veg week with 1+1h and increase slowly to the max.(around the 3rd bloom week). Reptile bulbs can run all day long in flower at 1ft. distance(150-250μW/cm²). The more powerful US bulbs can be used for up to 6h the day but it's important that the plants have enough time to get used to it. If you start with a too strong dose you can get some yellowing on the upper leaves(looks like bleaching), burned leaf margins and/or wilting leaves. Usually this symtomes dissapear after a while when you reduce the length of treatment by half an hour. When they are used to it you can give them much more.
Click to expand...

Not sure where I can grab that neempowder In the uk. Im looking now.
 
Randomblame

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
I would use "Humeen neem cake" because of it cal mag content and the air tight container but the cheap "BioKi neem fertilizer" contains probably the same nutes.
 
Randomblame

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
I could also try to piss them off from the leaves, lol!
My morning pipi smells so strong these days because of all the fu... medical ingredients it would burn them probably their little asses off..
For sho not bio, lol! And I would not recommend to smoke it.. A test could be positive on fentanyl, lol!
 
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Randomblame

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
superspudz420 said:
Im UK but -

https://www.1-hydroponics.co.uk/grow-lights/reflectors/solacure-dual-power-uvb-lamp-fixture.html
http://grownuphydroponics.com/solacure-uv-grow-lights-quality.html
Click to expand...
Tse! Seems I did not look thoroughly enough.

I like the Solacure more because of the built in reflector and it has an almost sun-like UVA to UVB ratio like the Arcadia's. The Agromax pureUV has a 75: 25% UVB / A ratio, so the UVB content is much higher and you have to be more careful with them. 25% UVA is probably enough to kill insects but its far away from beeing natural.
Solacure bulbs can also run overdriven (with up to 80w) which is not possible with the pureUV bulbs(as far as I know).
 
INF Flux

INF Flux

Well-Known Member
Neem meals good stuff, been using it for the last 6 months. I did recently have a pm issue with plants that were outside. When I brought them in, a few had some mites. I ordered some predators and they are gone now, but what was interesting is that the mites only occured on the leaves damaged by the pm. They bypassed large areas of still healthy plant and left everything alone.
 
Randomblame

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
INF Flux said:
Neem meals good stuff, been using it for the last 6 months. I did recently have a pm issue with plants that were outside. When I brought them in, a few had some mites. I ordered some predators and they are gone now, but what was interesting is that the mites only occured on the leaves damaged by the pm. They bypassed large areas of still healthy plant and left everything alone.
Click to expand...
Yeah, its probably easier for them to suck on already damaged leaves. For the same reason they are more focussed on younger leaves.
 
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