Space Bucket Girl Scout Cookie Harvest

Cheers, everyone!

I have been growing for 3 years, learning in small Microgrows here in the Pacific Northwest, then moving on to Space Buckets (Cannabis) and Grow Tents (Vegetables). I use LEDs for them all.

Space Buckets are 5 gallon Buckets with an Intake and Outake Fan, and a UFO LED. I have 4 Space Buckets - I live in a Legal State - that I rotate from Veg to Flower. They are easy to make and these ran me around $150-$200 to build. It costs about $250.00 for a quality ounce here in Oregon, so I made my money back after the first Harvest. I average around 2 to 3 ounces per plant in a Space Bucket. With these Space Buckets and an aerocloner, I have not purchased Cannabis since legalization in July 2015.

Here is my most recent Harvest. I hope you guys enjoy the pics.

http://imgur.com/a/fwKwR

This is the Build Guide for the Space Buckets I use:

http://imgur.com/a/wp3G5
http://imgur.com/a/e0NWO
http://imgur.com/a/qqGmv




Thanks for taking a look, and good growing!

so cool!!!

They look like smd leds running around the edges @heckler73.

Looks good. But there's heaps of tiny buds. Is that normal for space buckets? Or just genetics?

heckler73 said:

Well done.
I notice you have some other ring of lights operating inside, or is that my imagination? If not the latter, what are those and how are you using them?

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Not your imagination, brother! I line a Spacer with a 5050 LED Strip. It says 60 watts but pulls 25 actual watts (aw) from the wall.

https://www.amazon.com/SUPERNIGHT-5050SMD-Waterproof-Flexible-Version/dp/B00U5Y24QO

Veg Buckets: 135w (75aw) UFO LED with 60w (25aw) Cool White LED Spacer

Flower Buckets: 180w (105aw) UFO LED with 60w (25aw) Cool White LED Spacer

I flip to Flower in the Veg Buckets until they bypass their Stretch phase - the hope is the blue light limits the Stretch. After 3 weeks they finish maturing in the Flower Buckets.

dirtWeevil said:

so cool!!!

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Thanks, dirtWeevil!

May your own grow be a fruitful harvest!

Nugachino said:

They look like smd leds running around the edges @heckler73.

Looks good. But there's heaps of tiny buds. Is that normal for space buckets? Or just genetics?

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Genetics. Girls Scout Cookies is an Indica Dominant Hybrid so she grows these tight, resin-packed clusters of THC deliciousness.

Genetics as you know is a factor in determining yield, and GSC is known to be a low yielding strain compared to other Sativa dominant strains. Even then, I am able to grow 2-3 ounces per Space Bucket regardless of Sativa or Indica strain.

Here are some Sativa dominant results:



I will post more Grow Journals and information on Space Buckets here. Thanks for your interest and great questions!

how is the density of the finished stuff? Have you considered using a COB for the top light? Or a kessil maybe, the h150 would probably be a good match for that setup

If it weren't for the ridonkulus price. You could use a COB like mine. Which is 90w from the wall and only 22cm square. Damn good light though. Says it'll cover 4sq ft.

dirtWeevil said:

how is the density of the finished stuff? Have you considered using a COB for the top light? Or a kessil maybe, the h150 would probably be a good match for that setup

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Depends on the strain. For example, Girl Scout Cookies with Indica genes: she creates tight, resin-packed nugs. You can barely touch them and your hands are gooey.
These are a PITA to grind, and tend to be kief heavy with the outer-layer of trichomes to protect it from the elements. Bro, the smoke is so smooth after a proper cure, and this lady provides me all the pain relief and anti-inflammation my body needs. (Plus I get an fantastic high from it too!) There is a lot of resin though, so I tend to clean my pipe and bubbler more often when I smoke this strain.



I have grown some Sativa strains though - the ones that triple in height like Super Lemon Haze - and those came out like uber-Sativas: long and hairy - like a 70s adult film. These lanky ladies grow tall and lean, so strains like White Widow and the Hazes get LED Spacers to boost light output. These strains grind up well and burn thoroughly, I have found.



The Sativa Dominant Hybrids provide the dense nug genetics while providing height as well. Sour Diesel is a fun Hybrid to grow, and I received outstanding yields every time with this strain. (Totally recommend it.)


I currently have 3 High CBD strains growing that are about ready to harvest. If you guys are interested, I could show you pics from those as well?

As a DIYer, I have! The Buckets have at most a 12" diameter, making this a photon ph*ck-fest when you add reflective foil inside. When it comes to Space Buckets, it is entirely possible to have a COB light with Heat Sink and driver to make this work. And as you know, actual watts versus stated watts are two different things. I personally look to DIY COBs for my Grow Tent upgrade

Space Buckets started over 3 years ago - by a gent named Ekrof - who used CFLs in a Space Bucket to grow Cannabis. Alternative light sources like LEDs were looked into as Space Buckets evolved, and the UFO LEDs were found to be a perfect fit - both in use and in producing yield. CFLs are estimated to get .5 (1/2) ounce yield while LEDs are proving to yield 2 to 4 ounces per plant.

The 3w Epileds are the most commonly used LED, inexpensive to make and replace, and widely available - so the market has the 'Spectrum' LEDs as the most commonly used and sold. Even NASA is using them to grow vegetables in Space. 'Blurple' lettuce lol. Anyway, it's the nature of the beast, and I accept it for now.

The current round of UFO LEDs now push past the 100aw mark and into increased output. The 180w UFO LEDs pulls 105aw from the wall, and a new 270w UFO LED pulls 175aw from the wall. I believe the Chinese LEDs are pushing PAR over Spectrum: quantity over quality. They still keep a proper red-to-blue ratio, and you see some of them adding in White LEDs (blue with the phosphor coating) and getting rid of UV and IR.

So yes, it can be done and I say, "Do it!" DIY COBs are awesome as growmau5 and LEDWizard have shown.

For those more Plug-and-Play minded, and I am seeing more of these individuals as legalization expands, I cannot reject the UFO LEDs as a solid option. They have 3-5 years of life, are affordable, easy to use, easy to repair, and when you purchase from Amazon: comes with a warranty. Consumers love that.

Nugachino said:

If it weren't for the ridonkulus price. You could use a COB like mine. Which is 90w from the wall and only 22cm square. Damn good light though. Says it'll cover 4sq ft.

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Wow! What is thaaaat!!

I have been curious about space buckets, but always wondered how you would control smell.

With a little makeshift exhaust and fan filter combo like this.
It's easy enough to swap out the activated charcoal. But don't count on it lasting too long. Or the fan being able to extract heat from anything over a 70w light.

Nicely done @RainManMJ. I have and extra single 36v cob Leftover from a project and was windering what I should do with it. I've been reading up on spacebuckets for the last week or so, and I think I have found a use for it. I need a little grow cab for my experiments and pollen chuckin' when the time comes. Big ups!

Now to just figure iut how hard to drive the cob. 50 watts 75 ish? decisions decisions.

CoB_nUt said:

Nicely done @RainManMJ. I have and extra single 36v cob Leftover from a project and was windering what I should do with it. I've been reading up on spacebuckets for the last week or so, and I think I have found a use for it. I need a little grow cab for my experiments and pollen chuckin' when the time comes. Big ups!

Now to just figure iut how hard to drive the cob. 50 watts 75 ish? decisions decisions.

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If you're covering 1 square foot. I'd drive it at 35w. For 2 square feet. I'd suggest pushing to 50w.

I don't really play with space buckets myself. But, my first cab was barely even 3.5ft tall by 1 foot square. And that was ran with a 90w blurple cob that I'd turned down to 45w output.

Hey can I just use the 138 watt led through the whole cycle with the led strips on the bottom instead of buying a separate 180 watt led for flowering? It says on Amazon that the 138 watt ufo led is good for veg and flowering.