LED Without LEDs -My First T5 Grow

Myles117 said:

whats so great bout that setup? just seems like an overpriced t5 fixture to me but surely im missing something?

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they are made for aquariums. they have much better sockets and reflector. but the largest they make is a 4 bulb. It does come with decent bulbs too. No temperamental issues like the badboy. but Im still sticking with the bad boy or maybe htg's version. much more affordable. the badboys are the only ones that run on a 240v. have great reflectors too. just got to go over it before you hang it.

http://www.wave-point.com/Lighting_folder/RetrofitKitMain.html

oh okay, thanks. i have a few dif reflector brands in my arsennal (a hydrofarm, 2 new waves and one sunblaze) and have never had probs with any of em cept one of the new waves had a ballast fail recently but the thing was bout 5 years old. I have heard many people have probs with those badboy fixtures but they bout 5 bucks cheaper then the ones i have so not surprised they are as bit more tempermental

organicbynature said:

400+ watts, that's some serious side-lighting (at least if you're in a 4x4 like me)!

Have you thought at all about 2 or 3 footers for the corners instead? I feel like they might be a little more optimal height-wise, but then they basically cost the same as the 4 footers...Or are you even running them vertically?

Find a good deal somewhere for 2 bulb fixtures?

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Im not using a 4x4 im using a little bit bigger. I have t5 and 1000w. Im replacing the 1k probably with a 12 bulb 2 8 bulbs isnt enough cover what I need. eventually i plan on running th 2 bulbs on each wall

the best deal I found for a 4ft 2 bulb is $49.95 plus shipping at HTG
http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-HTG-Supply-4-Foot-2-Lamp-High-Output-T5-Fixture.asp

htg is def the cheapest for fixtures. i have a couple lil single bulb fixtures from them

Myles117 said:

i use 3000ks as my base and super actinic and sun reds to boost. thats a base for a flowering room though.

professor, i got 6 sun reds, 2 super actinics and 6 3000k in my flowering room now....is that a good mix for flowering? I dont plan on having veggers in the room at all so thats why i am leaning more towards the orange/red spectrum.

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Sounds good to me.. i dont put much faith in any of the 3Kk bulbs.. a waste of money IMHO i would get the reef wave instead of 3000k if your gonna flower only.. and you should be golden..

The BadBoys are the only ones i knowof that make a 16 bulb version!!!

sry for the lame question but what media is that? looks like rockwool but white? never seen that around here

Myles117 said:

sry for the lame question but what media is that? looks like rockwool but white? never seen that around here

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It's STG (Sure-to-grow) Hail.
I would explain it like this, STG is to hydroton/rockwool like P.A.R. T5 lighting is to HID.

STG is non-wicking, inert, Ph neutral your roots will grow right through it. I had to get it online no local hydro store carries it, one of the guys told me they carried it a while back and people complained about salt build up, I bought "Drip Clean" by House & Garden to prevent this, the hydro store guy also said the locals where so use to using rockwool and hydroton that it's hard to get them to buy into a new product... since this is my first go at hydro I figured why not try it out!
So far I really like using it, I've cloned from cuttings in it, it is super fast to pot a net cup, they say it's reusable but I would only reuse the stuff on the top and throw away what the roots have worked themselves through.
It cost's the same or less than rockwool. Rockwool is actually hazardous to humans that's why they wrap it in plastic and should only be handled wet.
You should give it a try, STG also comes in blocks, mats and any size net pot insert you currently use. They have a 1/2 off sale on the Hail product.... I'd also like to try their tornado inset for the 6"x4.75" net pots.



Happy growing
UCDWC~

glad i asked!!! im only growing in soil right now but would love to try this stuff (i hate rockwool because of the need to presoak and prep it to neutralize its natural ph)

i would like to try it exclusively for rooting clones tho.. do they come in plug sizes?

Bulbs will be here tomorrow. Plant is now 48"+ tall with multiple calyxes beginning to form. Will take a snap shot and post so others can watch bud development

Looking for suggestion for configuring 8 bulb with the following

2 Wave Tech Coral Waves 2 Red Lifes, 2 ATI Super Actinics and either; 2 Aqua Suns or 2 Quantum Grow (6500) or 2 Quantum Bloom (2900K)

Thinking

1/8 Quantum Gs (6500K) or UVL Aqua Suns with reflectors
2/7 Coral Waves
3/6 ATI Super Actinic
4/5 UVL Red Life

Myles117 said:

glad i asked!!! , i would like to try it exclusively for rooting clones tho.. do they come in plug sizes?

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Yes, I think they are called clipper cloner inserts.

i ordered two sheets of cubes

im curious as to how its gunna go as far as watering them/keeping them the proper moisture level as they dont wick. maybe a light top watering daily or a bit less.

right now im rooting in a tray of perlite and vermiculite and i have swelling of stems already and its only been a few days.

Myles117 said:

glad i asked!!! im only growing in soil right now but would love to try this stuff (i hate rockwool because of the need to presoak and prep it to neutralize its natural ph)

i would like to try it exclusively for rooting clones tho.. do they come in plug sizes?

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Rockwool sucks its spun rock and when dry its like espestos.It changes the flavor. Rapid Rooters is the best way to go. Its made from tree bark and its ph balanced. I swear shit grows much quicker with those. I use them for my clones then drop them into soil. I don't soak them at all. after i put em in the tray i just pour some tea into the tray.

what tea do you use? i dont usually feed em at all till they have some roots on em.

well when you use rapid rooters, or plugs, or rockwool. you have to keep them moist. i use an insert with the square holes. set the clones in that and set the insert in a tray. then they have to stay moist or what ever. I just use the guano tea that I make for my veg. i dilute it a little for the clones. You can't burn them with tea. they like it. I used to use just liquid karma. ever since i ran out of it I haven't bought it again. using either I have roots in 7 days. oh the rapid rooters root fast too.

under nice video. kind of an appropriate song too

PetFlora said:

Bulbs will be here tomorrow. Plant is now 48"+ tall with multiple calyxes beginning to form. Will take a snap shot and post so others can watch bud development

Looking for suggestion for configuring 8 bulb with the following

2 Wave Tech Coral Waves 2 Red Lifes, 2 ATI Super Actinics and either; 2 Aqua Suns or 2 Quantum Grow (6500) or 2 Quantum Bloom (2900K)

Thinking

1/8 Quantum Gs (6500K) or UVL Aqua Suns with reflectors
2/7 Coral Waves
3/6 ATI Super Actinic
4/5 UVL Red Life

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Your gonna want 60/40 red/blue...the 2900k are yellow.... that really doesent help... actinics will stunt growth and prevent stretching... too much red and its all stretch...

so what did you end up doing myles? Im not a big fan of that STG, never really liked the concept for some reason, i may look into it again though as i've been lookin at alternatives to hydroton, i like it but its expensive and i got enough for a while but eventually im going to replace it because roots grow into it still. =(

Ill keep an eye on your progress with those, and update your thread you ho, lol i learned more about whats goin on in here than in your thread lol.

Hows it growin prof, hows everything doin. I got an itch to do a t5 flower... problem is my fixture is at the moment busy keepin my mothers alive lol. -_- i guess ill just settle for my panels til i can do a comparo when i can get another fixture.

hey uc, the tea you are using to root your clones with is that the heisenburg tea? i use that for root rot, can i use it as my cloning solution too? Cuz i will just lop off a 12 incher and pop it into a DIY bubble cloner with the tea and see if it works if thats what you be using good sir.

Im currently on the hunt for somthing i can use in my hydro systems as a tea where ingredients i use are all the same but brew time changes from veg-flower but i dont know enough about teas yet im still trying to do the research foot work. Ive got the compost pile built and waiting for it to compost and im about to order up an EWC tray. I'd like to go all organic hydro like that, my next setup when i get the tinker time is going to be a aquaponics aka guppy ponics setup. Sounds like fun. Nice root porn in that vid BTW looked sexy

http://blujay.com/item/Myco-Blast-Mycorrhizae-soil-bacteria-8-stick-11090706-3645546
Add one to fresh room temp water add Unsulphered molasas/ or my fave pure rock turbinado and bubble 24-48 hours
you can make 50 gals all at once! and use a Seed sock... panyhose with some of this in it and a medium for it to cling to...i use some spagnum or a natural sponge...
My teas are for biology only i then add nutes to the teas for feeding...