graying.geek
Well-Known Member
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Like most rookies, it seemed simple, right? I ordered 2 Viparspectra 300w units from Amazon, bought Dr. Jacks Classic and Bloom and a couple other chemical nutes, mixed up some super soil, and popped a couple fem Northern Lights seeds.
For a first time grow it went relatively well. A few beginner problems with watering and nute schedule, but nothing consequential. I SCROGed the 2 plants in a 2’ x 4’ grow room and ended up with 8 oz of airy buds of low potency.
Genetics, no doubt, had a large part to play in the mediocre bud quality but after doing quite a bit of research, I decided to make a couple of other changes for my next grow. First, I switched to organic nutes. Just seems more straightforward and responsible – sustainability and all – and it’s working well. My plants filled out the SCROG nicely and have shown no sign of nute problems.
The second change was to my lighting. I posted an inquiry here as to the poor quality of my buds and the common themes amongst the limited responses were: 1) lighting, and 2) genetics. So, I decided to build some arrays using the Bridgelux EB-series strips and I’ve relegated the 300w units to cloning and seed production in other rooms. I went with 8 x BXEB-L1120Z-40E4000-C-A3 strips (1120 mm, 4000’k) each mounted on a 48” length of angle aluminum and driven by 2 Mean Well HLG-185H-C1050A drivers.
I can post a detailed parts list with cost, source, and photos if anyone’s interested. Just ask.
These suckers are sweet! Bright as hell and very efficient. Running the drivers at 100% the temps directly on the strips are 23’C, the top surface of the angle aluminum is 25’C. The drivers run pretty hot: ~45’C, but well within operating temps. I an also lower the light to within a cm of the tops – the plants won’t get burned unless a leaf or top actually touches one of the LED bulbs for an extended period. And the coverage is amazing.
So back in late April I put 3 1-month old clones from my first Northern Lights grow under these new lights and let ‘em veg for another month on the 18/6 schedule before flipping them to 12/12 on May 23.
Here they are at the flip:
IMG_20170524_163923506.jpg
And today, at the beginning of week 5:
IMG_20170620_093521030.jpg
IMG_20170620_093534037.jpg
I have to say, at the outset I was skeptical re: these lights, but as the girls progress into full bloom, I’m becoming more optimistic. The plants have finished their stretch and the copious buds are filling in and thickening nicely.
This is my second grow, so please chime in if you spot anything amiss or if you have any experiential advice. I’ll continue to post updates through harvest.
Like most rookies, it seemed simple, right? I ordered 2 Viparspectra 300w units from Amazon, bought Dr. Jacks Classic and Bloom and a couple other chemical nutes, mixed up some super soil, and popped a couple fem Northern Lights seeds.
For a first time grow it went relatively well. A few beginner problems with watering and nute schedule, but nothing consequential. I SCROGed the 2 plants in a 2’ x 4’ grow room and ended up with 8 oz of airy buds of low potency.
Genetics, no doubt, had a large part to play in the mediocre bud quality but after doing quite a bit of research, I decided to make a couple of other changes for my next grow. First, I switched to organic nutes. Just seems more straightforward and responsible – sustainability and all – and it’s working well. My plants filled out the SCROG nicely and have shown no sign of nute problems.
The second change was to my lighting. I posted an inquiry here as to the poor quality of my buds and the common themes amongst the limited responses were: 1) lighting, and 2) genetics. So, I decided to build some arrays using the Bridgelux EB-series strips and I’ve relegated the 300w units to cloning and seed production in other rooms. I went with 8 x BXEB-L1120Z-40E4000-C-A3 strips (1120 mm, 4000’k) each mounted on a 48” length of angle aluminum and driven by 2 Mean Well HLG-185H-C1050A drivers.
I can post a detailed parts list with cost, source, and photos if anyone’s interested. Just ask.
These suckers are sweet! Bright as hell and very efficient. Running the drivers at 100% the temps directly on the strips are 23’C, the top surface of the angle aluminum is 25’C. The drivers run pretty hot: ~45’C, but well within operating temps. I an also lower the light to within a cm of the tops – the plants won’t get burned unless a leaf or top actually touches one of the LED bulbs for an extended period. And the coverage is amazing.
So back in late April I put 3 1-month old clones from my first Northern Lights grow under these new lights and let ‘em veg for another month on the 18/6 schedule before flipping them to 12/12 on May 23.
Here they are at the flip:
IMG_20170524_163923506.jpg
And today, at the beginning of week 5:
IMG_20170620_093521030.jpg
IMG_20170620_093534037.jpg
I have to say, at the outset I was skeptical re: these lights, but as the girls progress into full bloom, I’m becoming more optimistic. The plants have finished their stretch and the copious buds are filling in and thickening nicely.
This is my second grow, so please chime in if you spot anything amiss or if you have any experiential advice. I’ll continue to post updates through harvest.
