Club 315w lec

[Logan Burke]

For me in coco, veg or flower, under cmh. Starting with 80% ro, 20% tap.
Where others, using the same medium/nutes, did not require additional calmag......I was forced to supplement to recover them. Used calimagic @ 4ml a gallon every watering. (I had pre-buffered the coco too)

I swooped a pair of these on sale...free shipping. 3yr warranty on ballast. Philips. Remote ballast. Yet to see better bang.

So, you're saying that you've noticed this very same issue yourself?...I use 100% RO water, and am in DWC so both mine and your plants are far more prone to cal/mag deficiency than soil growers. But even at that, I've grown for 5 years under HPS with very few true calcium or magnesium defs...then within the first 2 weeks of growing under CMH, I encounter a horrible one. I still love my cmh though. If I must supplement with calmag during it's use, then so be it, it is worth the results. So, you remeidied your issue by running label strength calmag?...I also use Calimagic. Thanks for your answer Eastwood

 

[Logan Burke]

I’m about to join the club...chose over qb and cobs.. price being the main reason..
I’m upgrading from blurples.. my ? is what’s the advantage of hood vs hood less. Are some of the lesser valued 315’s just as good?

I believe that one of the main advantages to open hoods is heat dissipation, and that of closed hoods are the increased intensity and improved light diffusion (I may be wrong, plz correct me if so). I do know that if you do decide to use an open hood, try to avoid air flow directly blowing onto/over the bulb. It can affect the spectrum the bulb puts out. I use a Vivosun 315w with the aircooled attatchment though I've yet to use the AC option. It comes with a glass/plastic hood below the bulb, and that allows me to point a fan directly at it without having the air make any contact with the bulb

 

[Hempire828]

I believe that one of the main advantages to open hoods is heat dissipation, and that of closed hoods are the increased intensity and improved light diffusion (I may be wrong, plz correct me if so). I do know that if you do decide to use an open hood, try to avoid air flow directly blowing onto/over the bulb. It can affect the spectrum the bulb puts out. I use a Vivosun 315w with the aircooled attatchment though I've yet to use the AC option. It comes with a glass/plastic hood below the bulb, and that allows me to point a fan directly at it without having the air make any contact with the bulb

I may try the Vivosun , I’ve purchased the fan and filter that has done well..Also what would be the best bulbs? Brand wise

 

[Logan Burke]

Hands down, the best bulbs are Philips. I've seen a whole lot of side by side spectrum comparisons, and the best overall bulb would certainly be Philips. Many growers use the Elite Agro 3100k for bloom phase, and the 4200k for vegetative. I know some people that run the 3100k all the way through, and they do fine as well, but if you've the extra money get the 4200k bulb for vegetative stages. They are the most expensive brand, but it's in part because they've the longest life span compared to others. Vivosun is great and all with a great warranty, but it's really hard to beat Sun System if you've the extra $. If not, no biggie, the Vivosun does great.

 

[TintEastwood]

So, you're saying that you've noticed this very same issue yourself?...I use 100% RO water, and am in DWC so both mine and your plants are far more prone to cal/mag deficiency than soil growers. But even at that, I've grown for 5 years under HPS with very few true calcium or magnesium defs...then within the first 2 weeks of growing under CMH, I encounter a horrible one. I still love my cmh though. If I must supplement with calmag during it's use, then so be it, it is worth the results. So, you remeidied your issue by running label strength calmag?...I also use Calimagic. Thanks for your answer Eastwood

The dwc folks should be of more help than myself.
As I have no experience with dwc or hps. Hope you get it sorted.

My nute cocktails....(week 8. Lower N and calmag.)

 

[AlaskaRob]

Hello fellow CMH growers, I suppose I am going to add myself to the CMH club since I just got my first LEC fixture just a couple weeks ago! I was wondering if any of you all had issues with cal/mag deficiencies since moving your plants under CMH lights? I love my CMH so much, I just can't seem to get this calcium deficiency under control and it only started once I moved my autoflowers out from under their 1000w HPS and into my 315W CMH tent. Anyone else had this issue? I'm assuming it's from the more widely available spectrum and increased UV?

If using coco, definitely going to need to use either calmag+ or calimagic. Don't think it has anything to do with light from my experience. Only one problem I've found with calcium magnesium supplement is that it takes up a good amount of your allowable ppm or EC range. I use it on the low end of the scale with my CalMag+. In retrospect I may have wanted to go with calimagic, it has less nitrogen which is one thing added to calmag+ that's not needed during flower stage. Hope that helps.
Good luck with your LEC!! I absolutely love these things so far. And you won't even need to swap bulbs like MH/PHD setups. You DID go with a square wave ballast tho, right? It really does make a difference. And the Phillips 945 elite bulb is the best from the study i read comparing the 930 and 945 from phillips. Better density and less stretching during flower transition. Same yield in side by side comparisons.

 

[AlaskaRob]

I’m about to join the club...chose over qb and cobs.. price being the main reason..
I’m upgrading from blurples.. my ? is what’s the advantage of hood vs hood less. Are some of the lesser valued 315’s just as good?

I don't think the hood itself matters so much as the ballast. DEFINITELY want a square wave ballast. More light availability per wave over standard and digital ballasts even. Real shit I swear. Much less electromagnetic interference as well. Be aware that the smaller footprint hoods like mine give a hell of a hot spot 4 square feet under the bulb. I cut the seams on my hood and spread it open making essentially a wing reflector.....within an hour temps dropped so much under the bulb I was able to lower the hood 4 to 6 inches. Gave better spread also. My 630 dual bulb cmh covers 5x5 tent wall to wall evenly.
One thing you really really want to splurge on is a great bulb! Phillips elite is the best out there. You can look it up instead of taking my word for it. Go for the 4200k. It's a bit you ter-intuitive to use a blue bulb for both veg and bloom but I promise it works great.

 

[AlaskaRob]

Damn. Sorry. Forgot to include pics of my light and the mods to assist with my explanation! Lol

 

[AlaskaRob]

I may try the Vivosun , I’ve purchased the fan and filter that has done well..Also what would be the best bulbs? Brand wise

My light is the dual bulb cmh 630w from Vivosun. Can run one or both bulbs at once. Great deal and I'll never look at another hps again. Real talk.
DEFINITELY go with Phillips elite bulbs 4200k. I hear nanolux bulbs are almost as good and cheaper but I wanted the best. No point using the best ballast and type of light if going to go cheap on the bulb, am I wrong?

 

[AlaskaRob]

Damn tint! You're nute profile is way to involved for me to follow. Lol
I had to si policy things as much as possible and left it to Canna to figure it out for me. I use the Canna coco line, but added a couple things of my own along the line. CalMag+ (although i think ill use calimagic after this grow), Humbolts sweet and sticky (essentially blackstrap molasses for weed. Works well so far for added frosting), and flower fuel 1-34-32.

 

[AlaskaRob]

Nothing but respect for you tho Tint. Seriously

 

[Chip Green]

As a DIY LED builder enthusiast, I say with no hesitation, that CMH absolutely kicks maximum major league dope growing ass...
I fell ass backwards into my FIRST 315 CMH, at a liquidator store, and have added another, and there will be more, I guarantee it.
The quality, and quantity that 350 actual watts (kill-a watt measured) can produce, in my experiences with the Phillips bulbs (both 42K and 31K) can go, toe to toe, blow for blow with ANY 350W configuration I can build with top end LED components....

 

[growingforfun]

In the club now

 

[AlaskaRob]

I'd put my 630w cmh against a 1000w hps anyday with similar results, but altho I may be maybe 10%short on weight if the ups uses the overdrive feature some digital ballasts have, my bud formation and density would be better certainly.

 

[AlaskaRob]

I have a guy I talk to in Australia that hooked me up with a distributor down there that has a good that looks alot like the raptor xxl hood for for hps......but I'm pretty sure it's for cmh! I think I'm really going to get it and Frankenstein my ballast and bulbs sockets into something incredible with it. Thoughts?

 

[growingforfun]

My initial results for veg are much happier plants, honestly a little surprised. I had been vegging with hps after my wife shattered my last mh bulb, but I've always done pretty well doing 1000w hps the full cycle, but anyways, the plants are loving the 315 as I'm sure none of you are surprised.

 

[Lucky Luke]

Anyone adding some small far red LEDS for flower?
I think I saw something mentioned on a thread somewhere...

 

[hillbill]

Could the cal mag issues under CMH be the result of the plant being able to used and need more as a result of a powerful wide spectrum light source like some experience with COBs and Boards?

 

[Logan Burke]

I'm sure I will, much appreciated!

If using coco, definitely going to need to use either calmag+ or calimagic. Don't think it has anything to do with light from my experience. Only one problem I've found with calcium magnesium supplement is that it takes up a good amount of your allowable ppm or EC range. I use it on the low end of the scale with my CalMag+. In retrospect I may have wanted to go with calimagic, it has less nitrogen which is one thing added to calmag+ that's not needed during flower stage. Hope that helps.
Good luck with your LEC!! I absolutely love these things so far. And you won't even need to swap bulbs like MH/PHD setups. You DID go with a square wave ballast tho, right? It really does make a difference. And the Phillips 945 elite bulb is the best from the study i read comparing the 930 and 945 from phillips. Better density and less stretching during flower transition. Same yield in side by side comparisons.

Yes I have the exact same issues, running label strength calimagic (4mL/gallon) I come out with around 200ish ppms, and as you said, it really eats into the allowable range of ppm's. I rarely ever feed full strength calimagic, but whether it be due to the strain or some other factor, I am having to run it full strength this grow. I switched to Calimagic from Calmag+ as well, and it seems to have helped.

Could the cal mag issues under CMH be the result of the plant being able to used and need more as a result of a powerful wide spectrum light source like some experience with COBs and Boards?

This is what my suspicion was, and was hoping that some of our veteran cmh users could shed some light on the topic. I didn't change anything but the lighting before the deficiencies started. But I'm sure there are other factors that may have had an impact on this. I once read that increased UV exposure makes cannabis consume more calcium and/or magnesium. I know that CMH lighting, especially 4200k bulbs, have some UV in their spectrum.

 

[diggs99]

My cmh tent

Vivosun low profile fixture and 3100k Phillips bulb from start to finish.

Flipped them earlier than usual this time. Planing new setup and want the space asap.

2x critical purple kush and 3 x gelat.og