450w LED

[Davemacdee]

Hey. So my grow box is nearing completion and all I need to do now is order the light.

After extensive research I've decided to go with a 450w LED (not a Chinese rip off).
It cost a pretty penny, and I know there are flowering performance issues, but please, I don't want to have a LED Vs HPS battle here. I have my reasons.

Is there anyone on here currently running this size of LED? Any pointers they could give me about setup? Any strains they had particular success with? It's hard to find grow journals this specific that don't just fizzle out before harvest results.

Dave.

 

[ghettorigger]

What size is the box? With leds I like to cram as much light in as possible because heat really is a nonissue. More leds more buds.

 

[puffenuff]

Hi dave, welcome! Can you please provide more details on your light, ie, brand, spectrum, 1w vs 3w, etc?

 

[Davemacdee]

This is the light is an 'LED Hydroponics' (A UK based company), its 3W chip, 7 Scpectrum.
I get paid in a couple of days so i'll be ordering it then.

Because the Light is so dam expensive it means alot of other things had to be home made, witch was a challenge. I work for an Industrail supplies company so i was able to get alot of stuff from work.

The box itselft is about 1.5mtr sq ish? but its only tempory till I get a tent.
Will be growing 2 plants to start, just to get an eye in. Probably THC Bomb as I've read they are quite forgiving and have great first time results, also they are short.

I have a Homemade Carbon filter made from a small fan, a plastic bottlle and Duct tape (all hail Duct tape) and a larger fan for circulation. Both i managed to get from work (we also deal in refrigeration and cooling systems). Justy a case of recyling the power cords from some old lamps and wiring them up and they work great.
Does anyone know if i can just chuck in some charcol or does it have to be the activated carcon stuff?

I'm probably going to order a Heating mat (used in lizard boxes), I live in Scotland and it gets a bit to cold in the house at nights. normal temp in the box at the moment is only 18c. The box is well insulated so it should hold heat well when its complete. but i dont think the Light will give off enough heat.

I'v also got one of those big ass water cooler bottles with a hose that atatches to the top on the box for a Home made C02 bottle (I've heard mixed things and it wasn't going to cost me anything to set up so i thought i would give it a bash.

I'll be useing Soil and Perlite. Not sure what nutes I'll use yet. But if anyone has any sujestions that would be good. Nothing to complicated though lol.

I've Photo documented the whole thing and will start a grow journal to share, Including a couple of hilairious falce starts, I'm talking some serious "what the hell were you thinking" moments.

I have a slight timeline issue though. I recon I will be at groing stage in about 2 weeks time, But I'm off to the sates in July for 7 days (Comic Con! yea, I'm that guy). Now i can have my BF look after things no problem, but what i'm worried about is the warning time for harvesting, I mean the whole 70% brown thing is fine, but how quickly does that happen under LED?

Cheers for the replys and wellcomes!
Dave.

 

[jubiare]

I'm probably going to order a Heating mat (used in lizard boxes), I live in Scotland and it gets a bit to cold in the house at nights.
Dave.

be weary of heatmats, I thought the same as you for low temps issues, I learned the hard way that heatmats were kind of frying my roots and/or not letting the plant develop properly.. even if I had them on a thermostat.

Regarding your light choice, you seem so sure you want to go for that company.. do u get a discount? In that case I can understand you, otherwise, as you put it "the light is expensive" and from one of your previous posts "not chinese stuff";

Well the light is expensive indeed, and they are def imported from china .. you can sure find them at a better rate or opt for some other light. Good luck anyway

 

[Davemacdee]

be weary of heatmats, I thought the same as you for low temps issues, I learned the hard way that heatmats were kind of frying my roots and/or not letting the plant develop properly.. even if I had them on a thermostat.

Regarding your light choice, you seem so sure you want to go for that company.. do u get a discount? In that case I can understand you, otherwise, as you put it "the light is expensive" and from one of your previous posts "not chinese stuff";

Well the light is expensive indeed, and they are def imported from china .. you can sure find them at a better rate or opt for some other light. Good luck anyway

mmm, I'll Look into the mat thing a bit more then. I'm sure there are ones availble spacificly for plants, but i definatly need something to raise the temp.

I'm sure they arn't made in the uk lol. I just think that there is a differance between being made in china and being ripped off in china. I had an E-mail chat with a Rep and he set me up with a better price. But I'm not set on anything at all, I act with the information i have availbile, thats why I'm posting about the process on the fourm. I havn't purchased the light yet so any information or advice would be wellcome, afterall: " If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."- Newton

 

[ghettorigger]

But I'm off to the sates in July for 7 days (Comic Con! yea, I'm that guy). Now i can have my BF look after things no problem, but what i'm worried about is the warning time for harvesting, I mean the whole 70% brown thing is fine, but how quickly does that happen under LED?

Cheers for the replys and wellcomes!
Dave.

I'll maybe bump into you, I never realized how big of a draw comic con really is.

I read your post too quick I didn't realize you had already bought the panel haha... Stupid me

 

[Davemacdee]

I'll maybe bump into you, I never realized how big of a draw comic con really is.

I read your post too quick I didn't realize you had already bought the panel haha... Stupid me

I haven't bought it yet. I've set up a deal with a rep for it. If all goes well and i dont find a better deal then it will be finalised by friday.

Yea comic con is going to be mad. Tickets were a nightmare but we got there in the end lol.

 

[ghettorigger]

Yeah i havent been in a few years and it was totally different from last time.

I use apollo led panels and i really like them. I get them from the manufacturer and i have been hooking friends up with them locally and online for a little bit. They are a 5 band but much more affordable than other led panels, they don't lie about the power draw from them, and the warranty is 3 years (parts take a week to come and repairs are simple too). If u want more info on them shoot me a pm with your email and i can send you the documentation i have about the various models.

 

[PetFlora]

you're better off with 2 @ half the wattage. One half is ample for veg/clones once they reach flower stage add the second light