28W R:B 3:1 1W Micro Grow

Setup:
3 plants of 3 different unknown strains
21 Red 1W LEDs
7 Blue 3W LEDs run at 1W (I have a 350mA 30W driver); all in series
Passive cooling with an aluminum heatsink

Array:
R R R R R R R
R B R B R B R
R B R B R B R
R R R B R R R



I also tried some LST

No. 1: a few weeks old; used to be a window plant, grew fine up to a point, then remained stunted for a while; topped


No. 2: around one week younger than the previous; window plant; topped


No 3: one or two weeks younger


The light proved to be pretty bright:


Had to leave town for 12 days, so I resorted to setting up a wick system in a 2.5 l bottle and left them under a 12/12 lighting schedule:

Then, sealed it off with something aluminized on one side:


Came back yesterday to find to great relief that they were okay and even better than I personally expected, in spite of the fact that they hadn't been watered for so long (I generously watered them prior to leaving, hoping it would suffice even if my wick attempt failed):
No 2:


No 1:




And no. 3:


A shot I took today:


I'm not sure of their sex yet, but I hope I'll have at least one female, naturally . This is my first grow. I think the largest one is female (the second one). I can keep them 'till the end of June (I'll have to leave by then). Can I hope for a 5g+ harvest from the more mature one? I think I'll give the less developed ones to someone, provided they are female.
I had planned to start this earlier, but taking care of the lighting took quite a while.

LED array close-up:

5 grams eh? That'll be worth your time...

Honestly, I'm just grateful I have this great opportunity to learn and to have learned a lot. Pursuing knowledge should never end The 5 grams thing is just to cover the LED expense

You left for 12 days and came back to that?! Dude, I'd have been completely stoked, they look great!

I have to leave town as well and was thinking maybe this stuff could keep my plants in check:
http://www.lemhilumber.com/Rain-Bird--Time-Release-Water-1-Quart_p_40117.html
But that wick system sounds super easy. Thanks for the reminder, it completely slipped my mind.

That's a candy cane pen, though, right?

I hope you get 10 grams, then you can build another panel. ><

Dont worry about the hater(s)

You will learn to grow without pissing away light/energy like most people on here do....

Bumping Spheda said:

You left for 12 days and came back to that?! Dude, I'd have been completely stoked, they look great!

I have to leave town as well and was thinking maybe this stuff could keep my plants in check:
http://www.lemhilumber.com/Rain-Bird--Time-Release-Water-1-Quart_p_40117.html
But that wick system sounds super easy. Thanks for the reminder, it completely slipped my mind.

That's a candy cane pen, though, right?

I hope you get 10 grams, then you can build another panel. ><

Click to expand...

It was quite a surprise to find the bottle still full and the plants alive, but in really dry soil.

I can't vouch for that time release product, but a correctly setup wick system can be pretty versatile and solid. Mine was a fail, so watering from below the pot level should be the way to go. Hope yours will work

It's insulated copper wire in that shape, yes. I'll try tying down the plant for the next part. I'm hoping to form a small bush, eventually.


Haha, yea, that would be great. Can't say it hasn't crossed my mind, regardless.

SnotBoogie said:

Dont worry about the hater(s)

You will learn to grow without pissing away light/energy like most people on here do....

Click to expand...

Thanks. No doubt I would've built a larger light with enough money, time and space, but in this case, I feel it's pretty promising.

Oh, and I brought a PC power supply I had lying around and a 120mm fan as well. Considering the way I covered the grow space, I think it can serve as neither intake, nor exhaust, but as something to provide some air flow around the plants. Would it be useful?

waste of energy to use a computer PSU (if thats what you mean) to run a single fan - i would just use an old mobile phone charger. You won't need to run it very hard to act as a oscillating fan.

SnotBoogie said:

Dont worry about the hater(s)

You will learn to grow without pissing away light/energy like most people on here do....

Click to expand...

Not "hating", just being realistic. Many people on here would smoke up a 5 gram grow in one weekend or less. Is that worthwhile after 3-5 months of grow time, even if it is only 28w?

I didn't see it as hating. 5 grams is indeed, very little (although it could last me for a week or so. I live in Europe, where as you know, we generally mix it with tobacco)

My point was that he will learn how to look after a plant and utilise the energy he expends efficiently. First grows are invariably pretty mediocre but think of how huge the leap in knowledge from "no grows" to "one grow" is. Ya dig? Wasn't trying to flame you brother.

I really hope it's a female. Some more shots:

Can I tell the gender yet? Looks male to me...


Tied it down:

That is indeed a male...

Going to cut it down, empty the pot and move the plant from the smaller container. Then, I'll lower the lights and switch back to 18/6. Not a very good outcome with the male, but it's not like I haven't been preparing myself for it.

I need some pollen....send some over....

I certainly would, were it not for the probably huge distance and lots of borders

Be careful to cut it down outside, dont want any nasty pollen contaminating your grow area, immature though it is

Switched back to 12/12 a while back and both the remaining plants appear to be female. The smaller one is getting a little sticky and smells really good.


Did some LST to compensate for the 120 degree lenses.


I'm aiming to bring the largest leaf surface under direct exposure and minimum distance from the lights.

Both developing buds now. I burnt the small one slightly when I moved it closer to the light and misted.


Moved the grow area in a box with passive intake and active exhaust.