Bridgelux Vero 29 LED Test

[PICOGRAV]

I am thinking about getting the seeds this week, I wanted to try and grow White Widow and something else. Dose anyone have any suggestions on other strains that would grow well with White Widow or does in not really matter, have two different plant strains next to each other?

Also I have been warned about the Miracle Grow Potting Mix. It's the wrong pH is what most people have said, should I start with something different?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Bumping Spheda]

Miracle Grow has a bit of a stigma 'round these parts. I've seen grows using it turn out marvelous. I'm using Roots Organic soil. You can most likely buy it at your local hydroponic store.

I recently found a website called Kelp4Less and they have a really nice selection of water soluble powders (I'm guessing they aren't veganic, just organic). They even have premixed veg and bloom packs. Couldn't be any easier: 1-2tsp of veg or bloom powder per Gallon of water, shake it up, and feed. Should cover all your needs. I did find that my tomatoes were still hungry for Calcium after feedings, though, so mixing in some Azomite with the bloom packs fixed it right up. Not sure if tomatoes have heavier needs for Calcium, but a few pinches of Azomite shouldn't hurt anything and the stuff's pretty cheap.

 

[PICOGRAV]

So just the latest update, almost ready for the first grow. Worked in the heat-sink ducts and the reflector.



So I have this iPhone lux meter, at about 12" from the 5000K LED I can get it up to 15,000-16,000 lux, also the light intensity seems to increase near the walls or edges of the chamber, If have it at about 2000 lux in the middle about 2 feet high, when I move the meter to the edges I can get up to about 5000-6000 lux.

 

[PetFlora]

Oh yeah, this will be a fun thread

FYI way back in the beginning you said

"From what I have seen, the 2700 K LED will give me the shorter wave length for vegging and the 5000 K should be with-in the flowering wave lengths.",

It's confusing. I'm sure you know- cool for veg, warm for flower, although many, myself included, mix ~ 40% warm during veg too, as mmj doesn't require 100% blue spectrums

COBs are the future for growing. I am in the process of getting 2 x 2 panels @ 45w + 100 lpw. Could be a month before I have them though

 

[PICOGRAV]

Oh yeah, this will be a fun thread

FYI way back in the beginning you said

"From what I have seen, the 2700 K LED will give me the shorter wave length for vegging and the 5000 K should be with-in the flowering wave lengths.",

It's confusing. I'm sure you know- cool for veg, warm for flower, although many, myself included, mix ~ 40% warm during veg too, as mmj doesn't require 100% blue spectrums

COBs are the future for growing. I am in the process of getting 2 x 2 panels @ 45w + 100 lpw. Could be a month before I have them though

Yes, after much more research I have concluded that plants seem to always use most of the available wave lengths most of the time. There was some good information about HPS lighting and how it became so popular for growing and from what I have read, HPS and LPS bulbs where used in green houses with natural sun light coming through the tops, they took advantage of the fact that you could almost always get at least 8% blue light coming from the sun and they used HPS and LPS bulbs as they where very efficient at producing light in general. Original documentation on these growing systems specify the need for added blue light in green houses providing less then 15,000 lumen of natural day light.

I am warming up to the fact that changing the mixture of light may not be needed for the different stages of growth. I think alot of the NASA research supports this as well.

Panels with output like that is what everyone should be looking for, I cant wait to see what look like, do you have a link to the ones you are getting?

On a side note, do you remember this little guy...

 

[PetFlora]

There are several companies making them. here's one that was handy

www.led-flatpanellights.com.

 

[PICOGRAV]

"From what I have seen, the 2700 K LED will give me the shorter wave length for vegging and the 5000 K should be with-in the flowering wave lengths.",

I realized what I said should have been reversed, 5000K for veg and 2700K for flower, I seem to always get it confused in my head as well. I was quite high when I was writing it and I don't think I can edit it anymore, I guess we all make mistakes

 

[Chronikool]

Looking forward to watching the progress here. Keep on troopin' Yo'sive...

 

[PICOGRAV]

Meet the lady's, they are a bit shy right now and don't wana leave the shell.

I have been thinking about the best way to start them, has anyone tried starting directly into the seeding mix? The people said to be very careful when the little first root comes out and I don't want to hurt them when they are babes!

 

[PetFlora]

Meet the lady's, they are a bit shy right now and don't wana leave the shell.

I have been thinking about the best way to start them, has anyone tried starting directly into the seeding mix? The people said to be very careful when the little first root comes out and I don't want to hurt them when they are babes!

View attachment 2778166View attachment 2778167View attachment 2778168

Keep in mind I grow Hydro... I drop seeds into small jar of RO water + a FEW grains of sea salt (for the minerals). I change out some of the water daily. Usually all taps show within 48 hours. I then drain into a sieve; with starter cubes (cut in half) presoaked, I use tweezers to CAREFULLY place the seeds WITH TAP DOWN. These I place into a plastic egg crate. I hand water using an eye dropper, or meat baster, until roots exit the bottom (I also LIGHTLY spray the leafs). I then transfer to small net cups, add enough hydroton/small stones... to support the stalk. These get transferred into a small DIY bubbler. Once the roots develop I transfer to ~ 4" net cups then into 6" net pot lids that fit over the buckets or 4 liter Air Pots

 

[FranJan]

Hey PICO I germinate directly in soil (Happy Frog is great for this) but there are certain strains that are better served if you germinate them on a napkin/paper towel IMO. Anything with Big Bud/Critical Mass genetics I would germinate on a napkin. Actually I like coffee filters myself .

 

[PICOGRAV]

Hey PICO I germinate directly in soil (Happy Frog is great for this) but there are certain strains that are better served if you germinate them on a napkin/paper towel IMO. Anything with Big Bud/Critical Mass genetics I would germinate on a napkin. Actually I like coffee filters myself .

I also heard you can soak them in water for say 12 hours and then go straight into the soil before they crack open, to help the process start, does this sound like a bad idea? I don't know how accurate that is, I would have thought they would open in less then 12 hours...

What mix of happy frog would do you use for the seeds?

Lets say I got a 3-5 gallon pot and mixed in the main soil I want to use in the beginning and then carved out about 4 inch square and filled that with the seeding mix and planted directly into that, has anyone done this or thinks it could be a bad idea?

Lastly has anyone tried sterilizing soil mixes in the microwave or in the oven or on the stove?

 

[Bumping Spheda]

I soaked my Chiesel seed in a shot glass of dechlorinated water for 12-24 hours, then put her straight in a yogurt container filled with Roots Organic. One seed, one plant (and 5 clones so far). This was after killing two different auto flower seeds with the paper towel method.

So far, believe it or not, I've had the best success with throwing stuff in dirt. Bubble cloners, aeroponic roughneck totes with misting nozzles and Lucas formula, even wet paper towels for germing seeds; all are too complicated for me I guess.

Btw, sterilizing soil signifies crappy soil if you ask me. I realize there may be exceptions, but needing to bake your dirt so gnats don't pop out, or something, sounds lame.

 

[PICOGRAV]

I soaked my Chiesel seed in a shot glass of dechlorinated water for 12-24 hours, then put her straight in a yogurt container filled with Roots Organic. One seed, one plant (and 5 clones so far). This was after killing two different auto flower seeds with the paper towel method.

So far, believe it or not, I've had the best success with throwing stuff in dirt. Bubble cloners, aeroponic roughneck totes with misting nozzles and Lucas formula, even wet paper towels for germing seeds; all are too complicated for me I guess.

Btw, sterilizing soil signifies crappy soil if you ask me. I realize there may be exceptions, but needing to bake your dirt so gnats don't pop out, or something, sounds lame.

After the soak, did they open up?

 

[Bumping Spheda]

http://imageshack.us/a/img7/1818/p1120357r.jpg
That's the earliest photo I've got of her, and to tell the truth, I can't remember. Not that I recall, though. I wanna say she didn't even sink in the shot glass which I was sort of worrying about. But like I said, I killed those two other seeds right around the same time so the three scenarios are all sorta a blur.

I wouldn't stress too much over it, the seeds are designed to sprout without human intervention. I'd try to follow the KISS model, but that's me.

 

[PICOGRAV]

So I started the germination today. I have the six seeds soaking in clean water in a small cup. I got a hook up on some Fox Farms Ocean Forest, so I want to start them in that.



I have the seeds soaking in the grow chamber under a cup with the 6 starting cups. The soil in the cups in lightly soaked and the LED's drawing 4 amps, hopefully this will add some warmth and humidity.



I am only planing on a 6-12 hour soak and then straight into the soil.

Here are some shots with a little light meter, LED's at 6 amps.

 

[Bumping Spheda]

FFOF is considered pretty hot, I thought. You might want to cut it with another soil (one without amendments) to keep your little'uns from getting burned.

GL. Lookin' good.

 

[PICOGRAV]

FFOF is considered pretty hot, I thought. You might want to cut it with another soil (one without amendments) to keep your little'uns from getting burned.

GL. Lookin' good.

Yeah, I guess it's not ideal, I have the soil in the chamber with the air flow pretty high and I'm keeping it pretty wet. Maybe this will flush out a little of the nutes but mainly I am trying to dial in the Light, Heat and Humidity before the it the soil.

 

[PICOGRAV]

Day 2 - Last night after about an 8 hour soak, I had all the seeds sunk to the bottom of the jar, one seed did not really want to stay under and came back up once but the 5 other seemed to be soaking well. The seeds looked maybe 1.3 times larger and slightly transparent. I used tweezers to place the seeds just under the soil, with the point down and the knot up and then put the tops on the little posts to keep the humidity high and darken the top soil.

The LED's are running at a constant 1.5 amps combine at about 35.5 volts, so about 54 watts of power is going into the camber, the fans are set very low to keep the heat up, I have it stable at about 89-90 F and the air humidity is about 50%.



All the insulation seems to keep the heat from the lights in, but its not getting hot. I have a lot more air flow to play with, so I should be able to get the LED's up to 5-6 amps with out over heating the plants.

I will try and keep these settings for the next 3 days and hopefully get a sprout or two. The only question I really cant work out, is how much water to give these ladys. The soil was fully saturated once before the seeds and then again when they went in. I think I might not add much water for the next three days except for lightly misting the cups.

 

[PICOGRAV]

So last night I had a look at the temp and humidity and thought I would turn the LED's down to 0.25 amps in total and bring the fan speed down as well. Before the adjustment my temps where at about 88-90 F and humidity was about 45%. With the new adjustments I have the temp down to 77-78 F and about 55-60% humidity.



I have been adding a little water to the cups covering the seeds, they stay wet for about 12 hours, I also put a little water in the bottom tray and let it soak up through the bottom of the soil. A few little drops fall through the hole and land near the seeds.



I got up today and had a look before work and Hello! In two of the cups the seeds are slightly exposed and you can see the little white roots popping out!



It is hard to see from the pic but right in the center you can see the seed with the fat white root coming out. It looks like the white stuff in the soil but I had a closer look and it is diffidently coming from the seed. I could see two of the seeds like this, the others are a little to far under the soil to see but I hope the same thing is happening. I am going to leave these setting for the next few days and as soon as the first seed drops off or the first set of leaves come out, I think the top cups will come off and I will start with soft lighting for a day or so before I hard them off to the full power of the set up.