Yeah it's about 840 true watts from wall. Although all different brands (whatever was on sale at the time), the average rating of each bulb is around 14 watts. Most are exactly 14 watts, but some are 13 and some are 15 watts. I have extra sockets in my fixtures in case I thought I needed more, but this seems to be pretty optimal - 33.6 watts per square foot for flowering.
My budget 5X5 setup
- Thread starter Northwood
- Start date
Yeah it's about 840 true watts from wall. Although all different brands (whatever was on sale at the time), the average rating of each bulb is around 14 watts. Most are exactly 14 watts, but some are 13 and some are 15 watts. I have extra sockets in my fixtures in case I thought I needed more, but this seems to be pretty optimal - 33.6 watts per square foot for flowering.
Well the dollar store light bulbs are making those buds very, very dense. One of the 4 plants in particular looks like it's nearly ready by looking at her trichomes. The first one below is that plant. Kinda unusual. The other 3 plants look to be at least 2 weeks away yet.
One minute before lights out:
And 1 minute after lights off:
One minute before lights out:
And 1 minute after lights off:
BCBLondesLEDGrowLights
Well-Known Member
Looks good man
No nutes at all, just plain ol' tap water. We budget growers can't afford nutes! *kidding* Actually I have bottles of them in storage from my hydro days, likely long ago expired.
This is technically my 3rd time reusing this soil, but only the first time without disturbing the root ball of the grow before. I plan on doing something very different for my next grow. I ordered a 4 foot diameter, 22" high fabric pot, and I plan on growing all 4 plants in that one bed/pot. It will easily fit 100 gallons of soil, so I'll need to add new soil along with the soil I've used 3 times, plus the usual mineral amendments (mostly greensand and rock phosphate, a few other things). I have two worm bins nearing finish, so I'll add both - worms left in there and all. Then cover crop time again. It should be interesting, especially once it's established after a couple grows.
Thanks! You're an LED grow light vendor and no comment on my sophisticated LED build? Lol
In all seriousness, I know that the newest diodes aren't in Walmart or Dollar Store LED bulbs. With the covers on (I think?), they rate only 110 to 120 lumens per watt, which isn't the most efficient. Modern diodes will break the 200 lm/watt limit really soon I bet. But the cost-benefit ratio today for my price of electricity doesn't yet make it worthwhile IMO. Plus I love the flexibility of these lights.
meangreengrowinmachine
Well-Known Member
you should check out SIP's man! Sub Irrigated planters are the ultimate lazy mans way to grow! AND they work awesome with recycled organic soil! The light set up is amazing! Just goes to show all the haters there are SO many different ways to grow this amazing plant!
Chip Green
Well-Known Member
Every single entry level DIY LED grower should take note of what is happening right here.....
Lumens per W, in most cases, is GREATLY overvalued.
I for one, tip my cap to you sir.....
Lumens per W, in most cases, is GREATLY overvalued.
I for one, tip my cap to you sir.....
The method I chose was like the "Living Organics One". I only give them tap water every 5 to 6 days as required from up top. The idea with living soil is you very gradually end up sending nutrients created in the top several inchings of the soil to the lower levels, and so on. Any excess of salt (if possible?, not seen it yet!) will be washed out the bottom. It's the way nature works too, from top to bottom (rain).
Last edited:
Couch_Lock
Well-Known Member
Great job, Northwood. Your common sense and ingenuity has paid off.
I decided to cut off the ripe part of half the colas on the plant that was maturing so much more quickly than the 3 others. I'll get the other half of the colas tomorrow, and let the shorter understory of bud and colas ripen more over the next week or two, at which time maybe the top part of the colas on my other 3 plants will be ready.
On another note, I was talking to a lighting guy who apparently did some measurements with regular household LED bulbs, and he said that you can gain as much as 30% extra lumens above the stated spec by taking the covers off. I know they're at least subjectively lot brighter, certainly more focused, but 30% seems to be a bit of an exaggeration to me. The ones I'm used are rated about 114 lumens per watt, which means with the covers off they would output nearly 150 lm/watt. Is that possible? I know the newest diodes on quantum boards are as efficient as 180 lm/watt now, but I find it hard to believe I'm that close with regular light bulbs. LOL
Oh some pics of today's partial little harvest activity. I harvested about 20 colas like this on that one plant, and there's about 20 more to chop tomorrow from the same plant. Yes, you can grow amazing weed with regular light bulbs!
On another note, I was talking to a lighting guy who apparently did some measurements with regular household LED bulbs, and he said that you can gain as much as 30% extra lumens above the stated spec by taking the covers off. I know they're at least subjectively lot brighter, certainly more focused, but 30% seems to be a bit of an exaggeration to me. The ones I'm used are rated about 114 lumens per watt, which means with the covers off they would output nearly 150 lm/watt. Is that possible? I know the newest diodes on quantum boards are as efficient as 180 lm/watt now, but I find it hard to believe I'm that close with regular light bulbs. LOL
Oh some pics of today's partial little harvest activity. I harvested about 20 colas like this on that one plant, and there's about 20 more to chop tomorrow from the same plant. Yes, you can grow amazing weed with regular light bulbs!
Couch_Lock
Well-Known Member
How many Co2 tanks in that room? LOL
Just the super power of Dollar Store light bulbs! LOL
My wife did help exhale some Co2 when she gets curious enough to check the plants though. Perhaps that helps?
Couch_Lock
Well-Known Member
Nice yield, no doubt.
No idea about the yield yet, but I think I'll get 1 kg at least (2.2 pounds) of dried bud from this grow total as predicted. I find with regular light bulbs, you can count on 1.2 grams per flowering watt of light even without much training and attention. I'm a very lazy person who doesn't train enough, and I don't check on my plants everyday, so I expect a yield in that range. I know other guys are doing better than me with SILs (regular screw in light bulbs) because they report up to 1.6 grams/watt. But I'm kinda old, and would rather spend time doing other stuff than checking EC, pH, and all that crap I used to do when I was doing hydro with HPS.
Honestly, I think using these cheap LED lights is a "best kept secret". I've had people message me on Imgur saying they're a distributor of quantum board kits and offering me an upgrade for a "special price". I then ask if they can sell me a $500 solution with the technology that can light 25 square feet (that's more than double the cost of my lights right there). They disappear, and often delete their posts. WTF?
Couch_Lock
Well-Known Member
I too am old school, but exp in outdoor grows. This inside the house stuff becomes legal in my state some time in April. So I'm gathering seeds, lights.......I won't go crazy on nutes, lol. I like good tasting bud, and as natural as possible. Just the basic N-P-K.
un sulphured molasses during flowering, if I must.
un sulphured molasses during flowering, if I must.
If you don't want to mess with nutes and all that crap, I'd strongly suggest going organic living soil. Notice that no one ever hardly posts any plant "issues" when using "organic" methods. When plant issues are mentioned among soilless or hydro growers everyone says "oh, it's a calcium/magnesium problem, add cal-mag!". I wont say more. LOL
I used to grow pretty much exclusively outdoors too, but that was back in the late1970s. Glad to hear your state is coming on board. Here in Canada we're allowed to bring up to 30 grams on a plane within Canadian airspace. I hope that the USA finally modernizes soon, so that I can take weed across the border legally for vacations on the plane. In Canadian airports to US destinations, they have a "weed box" where you can dispose of any weed on you before you travel to the US at the security check. Crazy times we live in! Lol. But hoping with a change in administration soon, your country will see the light. I find at most it takes about 10 years for the USA to follow Canada on social reforms. So in 10 years or less, I expect federal US legal legislation for weed. That of course assumes Donald Trump is not POTUS in 10 years...
Couch_Lock
Well-Known Member
Im in northern NY, a few hours south of Canada. And I also grew in the mid 70's.....
You probably live pretty close to me here in Ontario then. I'm about 40 minutes from the border. After meeting many northern New Yorkers, you guys seem to be as Canadian as we are. Or maybe you view us as American as you are? LOL, no matter... you should be assimilated into the Canadian collective soon. The BORG has spoken! Hahaha... I'm pretty HAF.