ok folks, sorry to do this, BUT i have to do some schooling.
ok first some power calculations
AMPS=WATTS/VOLTS
WATTS=VOLTS*AMPS
VOLTS=WATTS/AMPS
kWh (kilowatt-hours)= (P*t)/1000. where P=power in watts, and t=time in hours
COST= kWh*(cost per kWh/kWh)
Lumens per watt = LUMENS/WATTS
if you use MH or HPS bulbs, that require a ballast or transformer your bulb wattage is not what yo u go by, the ballast/transformer can do one of two things, either step up voltage while decreasing amperage, or step up amperage by decreasing voltage. so look at its nameplate to find out
now some stuff you should already know, but lets review shall we?
assume at the start that your losing 20% of your lumens from your lights reflector. led's usually dont have a relfector and in some cases lose more than 20%. aluminum foil also loses some lumens. mylar, if you can see through one side of the mylar, your losing lumens.
get either mirrors and learn to cut glass (remember to glue them to a hard material with high temp glue to reduce breakage)
or mirrored plexiglass (yes they do make it in very thin flexable sheets)
foam core insulation often comes with one reflective side,
HVAC duct wrap, comes in big cheap rolls, is highly reflective on both sides and is hot/cold insulated. (looks like shiny bubble wrap, becuase it is
also any home depot, lows, construction supply,hvac supply will have it in stock. also buy some HVAC ducting tape, (NO NOT GREY DUCT TAPE), its shiny and made of metal, dont get fiber reinforced either. (FYI it will cut the shit out of you given half a chance)
if you can see a corner in your grow space, your losing lumens, angles innately absorb EM radiation.
the reflective duct wrap can be flexed easily to form very precise lighting conditions.
also your dirt does not need light, and is sucking up ALOT of your lumens
and the better you insulate the lower the alteration to your houses thermal profile, trust me thats a good thing.
you want between 1000-3000 lumens per sq foot of floor space. more than 3000 is better, less than 1000 is bad.
ok your plants are stretching out sooooooo fast becuase they arent getting enough light. when your plants light is too weak it thinks another larger plant is shading it, and then it slows down new leaf and branch site production (hereafter refered to as a node) , and switches to stretching out to reach the light, becoming too topheavy and falling over.
NO this does NOT increase your yield. it does however give you very tall thin stalked plants with fewer nodes that need to be flowered very soon becuse they have no room.
if lit from strictly above the very top of your plant recieves almost all the light preventing your lower nodes from getting enough light which gives you some big ass sun leaves and branches that elongate to try and get light (reducing length between sub-nodes) resulting in a triangular leafy appearance.
if lit strictly from the side your nodes get light but your top doesnt get much, cuasing it to shift from new node formation to leaf enlargment (and these new enlarged leaves bow down to provide more surface area for photosynthesis) which shades the lower nodes, triggering leaf production, not branch production.
if lit with say a 26W 1700 lumen bulb from above and 2 500 lumen or less bulbs from the side, the brighter light on top keeps your top happy and forming many nodes and also keeps the sun leaves oriented up and more flat. and the side light keeps the nodes happy, decreasing the distance between sub-nodes (budding sites) increasing overall mature plant density, increasing yeild and quality.
alot of people throw around the term "stunting the plants growth" stunting its vertical growth isnt always a bad thing, as long as you didnt effect new node Production. this isnt a child, its not gonna get stuck at 3 feet tall, you could veg for years if you wanted to and make a monster.
jiffy pots, peat pots, etc etc have problems, they're surface area because of the peat is gigantic, and they will evaporate water at a nightmarish rate, so either keep em in a water bath, never leave the house, or put them in plastic containers, which happen to be reusable, meaning you wont have to worry about the guy at walmart wondering why you buy alot of pots and fertalizer and never any seeds or plants.
and last but not least, when you finally harvest. DO NOT USE A FUCKING FOOD DEHYDRATER, DONT USE A GODAMNED MICROWAVE, DONT PUT IT IN THE OVER FER CHRISAKES. hang it upside down AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, (NOT IN AN AIRCONDITIONED ROOM.) with a fan on LOW, gently ocelating from a distance, if it takes you less than 5 days to cure it, you done shot your quality down at least 5% often more (see after picking your bud is still alive and if you dry it fast, it stops metabalization of various compounds that make for a harsh smoke, 6-8 days is great. DONT OVERDRY IT EITHER.
so i hope that helps somebody,
