DIY led grow

testiclees said:

@Humanrob the hypothesis about the wider leaves and thinner leaves and their optimal light requirements/tolerances might make sense in my case. This is the first indica leaning strain Ive grown with this light.

Please check out the pics. Leaves that are low and inside on the plant look fine while the older more exposed leaves are beat up some.

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Doesn't look like light damage to me. The tops of your plants still look healthy and green. Light damage would likely be at the part of the plant closest to the light (ie tops/buds, upper fan/sugar leaves).

My guess is the plant is hungry. Do you know what your soil ph is? Soil EC?

@cdgmoney250 thanks for your thoughts.

I dont have current measures on those values but at the start of the grow the soil measured pH 7.0 and C.E.C. meq/100g 11.3.

I have been pondering the question of whether the intense cob action creates a higher demand on the plant that I am accustomed to. In that context your observation does make sense. I observed that raising the light did slow the leaf damage. The damage is pretty much confined to the older fan leaves. You are correct that the plant tops are not affected.

I was thinking that it was cumulative damage on older leaves (from the light) and that would explain why the oldest leaves are affected.

That has been my experience growing with them (COB's) so far. Keeping the plants fed under these high ppf conditions has actually been challenging compared to what I'm normally used to growing under HID's. Way higher nutrient demand.
But the growth is amazing comparatively!
Good luck

cdgmoney250 said:

That has been my experience growing with them (COB's) so far. Keeping the plants fed under these high ppf conditions has actually been challenging compared to what I'm normally used to growing under HID's. Way higher nutrient demand.
But the growth is amazing comparatively!
Good luck

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Thanks again.

I was working with the assumption that they would have higher demands just because I was applying so much more light to them. But it seemed like every time i hit em a bit hard with npk ferts i would see a little burn. That led me to believe that the nutrition level was at least adequate. Also the plants were yielding very satisfactorily in relation to the pot sizes they grew from.

I could improve my nutrition game by using 7 gal containers and recooking all my used soil then reammending for next run.

How did you adapt your feeding to the higher demand?

testiclees said:

@cdgmoney250 thanks for your thoughts.

I dont have current measures on those values but at the start of the grow the soil measured pH 7.0 and C.E.C. meq/100g 11.3.

I have been pondering the question of whether the intense cob action creates a higher demand on the plant that I am accustomed to. In that context your observation does make sense. I observed that raising the light did slow the leaf damage. The damage is pretty much confined to the older fan leaves. You are correct that the plant tops are not affected.

I was thinking that it was cumulative damage on older leaves (from the light) and that would explain why the oldest leaves are affected.

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I'd be willing to bet, based on the description, that these older burnt leaves grew under much less intense lighting and could not harden off to the more intense lighting.

ttystikk said:

I'd be willing to bet, based on the description, that these older burnt leaves grew under much less intense lighting and could not harden off to the more intense lighting.

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Good observation.
Its lights out right now so i cant confirm but your idea does seem right. Ill post a follow up of how the newer leaves hold up. It's only week 4 so there is plenty of time to ruin more foliage.

I have read that cannabis acclimates to brighter than expected conditions. Maybe the squatty-ness and smaller more resilient leaves are adaptations?

testiclees said:

Good observation.
Its lights out right now so i cant confirm but your idea does seem right. Ill post a follow up of how the newer leaves hold up. It's only week 4 so there is plenty of time to ruin more foliage.

I have read that cannabis acclimates to brighter than expected conditions. Maybe the squatty-ness and smaller more resilient leaves are adapttions?

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Yes, the plant is constantly adapting to conditions, and the new growth is what's most closely matching current conditions. My own observations have shown that slow changes in brightness can be tolerated to a degree, but big changes apparently need new leaves. An overnight move from veg light to intense blooming conditions definitely qualify as a big, sudden change.

Two ways to handle this; either dim the first few days of bloom- or kick up your veg lighting to preharden the plants to the new conditions. I shouldn't need to tell you which of the two approaches leads to better end results, lol

ttystikk said:

Yes, the plant is constantly adapting to conditions, and the new growth is what's most closely matching current conditions. My own observations have shown that slow changes in brightness can be tolerated to a degree, but big changes apparently need new leaves. An overnight move from veg light to intense blooming conditions definitely qualify as a big, sudden change.

Two ways to handle this; either dim the first few days of bloom- or kick up your veg lighting to preharden the plants to the new conditions. I shouldn't need to tell you which of the two approaches leads to better end results, lol

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Ya that all makes sense.

I think the lamp height is crucial. Im gonna engineer those transitions you discuss by manipulating the light height. I moved a Madberry from the same veg room to the same flower room and she seemed to immediately groove. She was about 5-6 inches lower than the White Widow and grew towards it barely missing a beat. pic shows Madberry after one week in flower room. This plant is in a 7 gal with fresh, first run soil.

With everyone rooms being a little different you just need to dial it in. My friend with the veg room had a rough start where he normally never skips a beat. He's turned the veg light intensity way down and started feeding moderately every watering. He had to adjust his nutrient strength up a bit or the plants would have never got healthy. He had to turn the light down a bit further too. The plants never would of looked right without dropping the intensity. Growth is on point now..
Same thing I had to do in my area. You can only give so much light and the ferts have to be dialed

I was looking at my alerts and saw someone liked a post where i said indoor is better. I did go back and forth on that..think i let the excitement of a new light get to me on that comment. That particular comment was on coco kush. That run did yield a great indoor coco kush but it didn't cure over time as nice in the jar as the outdoor. The blue dream was quite a bit off from outdoor. The gsc came out great, almost the same as outdoor, not quite as sticky.

Strain dependent and nose dependent. I do notice some strains are less picky about their lighting regarding final outcome. Gsc is probably the one that came out the closest and was possibly better indoor. Even that needs a better non seeded outdoor run. Wish I didn't lose my tangle cut, she came out smelling like a tangerine indoor. I have a sneaky feeling she had more terps and resin to offer outdoor. Got more of crockets and dnas tangie to figure that one out...

And one other subject..

I see theres another light with those chamfered? corners? Thats pretty sad that someone feels they need to poke at someone or copy a good idea when there is all kinds of other alternatives. Kinda sad too when one copier is patting the other copier on the back. Business 101? I hope the cream rises to the surface with all these led companies coming out...they deserve it.

and thats all i have to say about that

happy holidaze

testiclees said:

How did you adapt your feeding to the higher demand?

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Under my 600w HPS, my plants were generally happy with a soil ppm between 300-500 depending on heavy or light feeders.

Under my barrage of LED's, my plants are requiring between 500-800 ppm to keep up with the demand. I have also been adding some top dressings of slow release fertilizer.

Basically you just want to maintain a certain soil ppm based on your plants needs. And also monitor soil PH to make sure all the nutes you are adding are actually available.

Time to grow a little herb. Dialed my grow back too much now my meds are running a bit low.

Think I'm going to spoil this gsc with her own light and space. 7 gallon pot of several year old mud, still seems to be working well. Test run with a outdoor male gave great growth so I know the soil shouldn't be a problem. Largest pot I've used indoors yet.

Doubt I'll go over 200w in this 3 x 2 space. So that should put the leds running at about 500ma, about half of the full 400w at 1.05a. Still cxa 3070 ab bin on the 3k. 2 cxb 5000k db bin 36v 3590. Not sure why I'm waiting to upgrade the cxa...maybe soon..

The old battlewagon still running fine. Probably veg for a week or two so she can grow into the pot



start this correct with a act in the old waterfarm



and the old mud. Been keeping the old soil I took a lot of time to put together in bins. Running it next to new mixes, bagged soil, and coco. So far I think my favorite herb comes from this original mix loosely based on coots and others mixes. Just ammended to maintain a good texture with coco, perlite, vermiculite, etc. Added castings from the worm farm and whatever organics I have around like guano and seed meals.

Alfalfa meal is a big one for me... ....keep your hands DIRTY friend

Have a happy and safe holiday posi

testiclees said:

Here is escobar's Chocolate Cheese (freebie) loving the combo v29,cxb 3590, uvb. Seed placed in soil 9/9View attachment 3540471

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choc cheese is getting close.

escobar is the man!

PurpleBuz said:

escobar is the man!

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Hope to confirm that soon. Which strains have you run? Im doing another Sugar Punch run once I cut the cheese!

Ive got white nightmare on the way (Sin City)

testiclees said:

Hope to confirm that soon. Which strains have you run? Im doing another Sugar Punch run once I cut the cheese!

Ive got white nightmare on the way (Sin City)

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for a couple of years I have been running Blue Santa. Holy Princess is on deck, and have been thinking about chocolate rain.
The blue santa (santa maria x blueberry red stretch indica) is a local favorite.

testiclees said:

Hope to confirm that soon. Which strains have you run? Im doing another Sugar Punch run once I cut the cheese!

Ive got white nightmare on the way (Sin City)

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got some sugar punch awhile ago, still haven't got to popping them. Almost got the chocolate rain to cross with chocolope since dna hasn't released regulars of it in a long time


Well heres the chop day shots..

fugly plants, does smell good though. Goji seeds look about done..close enough. I don't recommend 130w out of a reflector in a tent unless you like f@cked up plants.




gsc doing alright. let her take up the whole space, 3/4, before I flip

Positivity said:

got some sugar punch awhile ago, still haven't got to popping them. Almost got the chocolate rain to cross with chocolope since dna hasn't released regulars of it in a long time


Well heres the chop day shots..

fugly plants, does smell good tough. Goji seeds look about done..close enough. I don't recommend 130w out of a reflector in a tent unless you like f@cked up plants.

View attachment 3570065 View attachment 3570066 View attachment 3570067 View attachment 3570068 View attachment 3570069


gsc doing alright. let her take up the whole space, 3/4, before I flip

View attachment 3570074

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damn bro you chop with all those pistils still popping? is that from experience or you seen amber under the scope?

testiclees said:

damn bro you chop with all those pistils still popping? is that from experience or you seen amber under the scope?

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nope....this run just sucked so I'm not wasting anymore time or electricity on it.

Saw a few seeds browning up and thats all I want to get out of this run. I should be able to get a good enough herb test to decide if I'll keep a goji around

Not the way I like to end things at all...

On to better grows..

Positivity said:

nope....this run just sucked so I'm not wasting anymore time or electricity on it.

Saw a few seeds browning up and thats all I want to get out of this run. I should be able to get a good enough herb test to decide if I'll keep a goji around

Not the way I like to end things at all...

On to better grows..

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Best of luck in the new year.

Maybe give Sugar Punch a shot.
in my experience she is a crowd pleaser.