Crazy root development under QB?

Anyone else notice a marked difference in the speed and vigor of root development under quantum boards? I've got a couple seedlings in solo cups under a 135w 288 kit from HLG, and the root development is crazy... I think they are 8 or 9 days old now and they have probably double the root mass that I'm used to seeing at this stage. Just curious if anyone else has had similar experiences.

sounds like you just caught some ideal conditions of light and temp and nutes. the spectrum of light they put off is the same as the cobs in use around here for years so there shouldnt be massive differences

TLDR: LEDS rock!

If you are seeing lots of roots on the sides of the pots, you need to pot up.

What light source have you used before mate?

ANC said:

If you are seeing lots of roots on the sides of the pots, you need to pot up.

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I'll be transplanting Friday or Saturday.

Schalalala said:

What light source have you used before mate?

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For the first 20 years or so I ran strictly MH/HPS (t8 and t5 for seedlings) and since around 2015 I've also had a small tent that I've dedicated to my CLW Solar Storm 440. So this QB grow is my first foray into white light LED. Plan on using the QB as the center piece of a bigger light with integrated COB and some far red diodes down the road.

CobKits said:

sounds like you just caught some ideal conditions of light and temp and nutes. the spectrum of light they put off is the same as the cobs in use around here for years so there shouldnt be massive differences

TLDR: LEDS rock!

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Possibly, but I've been at it for a decent bit now and it's so far beyond what I've seen before that I guess I engaged in some wishful logically fallacy by assuming that the difference might be directly related to the light.

NanoGadget said:

Possibly, but I've been at it for a decent bit now and it's so far beyond what I've seen before that I guess I engaged in some wishful logically fallacy by assuming that the difference might be directly related to the light.

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You're definitely not the first person I've heard say that they're seeing noticably faster root development under COBs/QBs/strips. But I really don't know how that could be, so I hold no opinion on the matter.

I would say it is due to the large portion of red and deep red a phosphor based led emits.

Well it seems like maybe others have had similar experiences. I'm a highly curious person so of course I'd love to have an understanding of the mechanisms at play and whether or not it is indeed due to the light, but ultimately I'm just happy as hell with how this light is performing!

tomate said:

I would say it is due to the large portion of red and deep red a phosphor based led emits.

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say what? don't the color maps for qb's show a LACK of reds? Especially deep reds?

I like qb's, but they don't have a lot of red in their spectrum.

@greg nr
At least they have proportionately more than a MH or even a HPS.

greg nr said:

say what? don't the color maps for qb's show a LACK of reds? Especially deep reds?

I like qb's, but they don't have a lot of red in their spectrum.

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don't the 2700k have some goodly reds?

tomate said:

@greg nr
At least they have proportionately more than a MH or even a HPS.

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HPS lights have a huge red component. They are something like 15% IR alone. That's why they heat the canopy up - it's like a warming lamp at a restaurant.

see4 said:

don't the 2700k have some goodly reds?

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I think they are good up to about 600nm, then it falls off fast.

ok, I found the chart qb posted on their website. More red than I remembered but the hps still has much more red, but I can't locate it at the moment...

greg nr said:

I think they are good up to about 600nm, then it falls off fast.

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ahh. if that's the case, then yea, not so goodly on the reds.

before my next grow i need to consider supplementing with some UV and deep reds. not sure what way to go with that.

The board I'm currently using is the 3000k.

I've also got available supplimental uv for flower if I decide I need it.

I my opinion they have proportionately more red than a HPS. A SE HPS emits most of its light in the range of 560nm and 620nm whereas a CRI80 3000K led emits most of its light in the range of 540nm and 660nm with a much higher portion of deep red (660nm). A DE HPS looks slightly better.

NanoGadget said:

I've also got available supplimental uv for flower if I decide I need it.

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What are you using for UV?

@see4 I have an old CLW Solar Storm 440 that I recently retired. Not sure if you're familiar with that light but it is a blurple panel released a few years ago (one of the few blurples built that are worth a shit in my opinion) that had two t8 UV bulbs built in for use during flowering. I pulled the light apart to see if it was worth replacing a failing driver and ended up just parting it out to use for future diy. Anyway, I've got the UV bulbs wired to a ballast and available to use if I want.