The big switch, HPS to LED

Hashman0042 said:

Could you possibly send me a link of where to get them. My space is a 30x30 shed i am converting into a grow spot. That includes a 5x5 veg closet and small work space. The actual grow area will be 15x15. Plus i can make the space bigger if needed. I also need 6lb every 70 days. Roughly

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Well what is your budget per say? Hlg and companies alike are 1k+ per fixture that covers a 4x4 area. But you can easily make one yourself or buy a knock off which is essentially the same thing but without the brand.. There is nothing proprietary about what these companies are doing, it is just diodes run by a driver on a slate of metal that acts as a heat sink. Although rapid LED's pucks have a heatsink similar to one you'd find inside a pc to cool down a CPU etc.

DankNoTill said:

Well what is your budget per say? Hlg and companies alike are 1k+ per fixture that covers a 4x4 area. But you can easily make one yourself or buy a knock off which is essentially the same thing but without the brand.. There is nothing proprietary about what these companies are doing, it is just diodes run by a driver on a slate of metal that acts as a heat sink. Although rapid LED's pucks have a heatsink similar to one you'd find inside a pc to cool down a CPU etc.

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Oh brother i wouldn't trust me putting something together like lighting that i would have to rely on. I am not that great with electrical things. Ok so would you spend a 1k on a light that you know zero about or stay with whats producing. 1k for a 4x4 area is way more then i would be comfortable to spend.

See this is the shit i probably would have tried if i didnt ask you guys first. Thank god i did ask first

since you already have the HPS lighting start there and slowly swap to LED as your grows go on?

yeah they're expensive. You get what you pay for

Hashman0042 said:

Look great brother. Ak is mostly sativa. I do believe its a hybrid. Having all these seeds and everyone loving it thats the strain i chose to master. Yes i am most definitely going to let it go to full term. I just HATE buying from my competition to get me through the last 30 days. But if we need those extra three weeks we'll make up for my lost weight then so be it my clients will just have to deal with it. Bro you plants look great. What nutes you using

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It’s not competition if you don’t have any product, just staying supplied in the meantime. Last 2 weeks puts on the most weight and smell , youre yielding less than half what you should because you’re cutting them before they do 80% of their filling out.

kmog33 said:

It’s not competition if you don’t have any product, just staying supplied in the meantime. Last 2 weeks puts on the most weight and smell , youre yielding less than half what you should because you’re cutting them before they do 80% of their filling out.

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I am definitely going to let go more to Amber this time. I was picking 70% milky 20% amber 10% clear

Mullalulla said:

Cause of the amount of Herc harvest I was using ... when you use it at the concentration I was (befor I started using slf100 to help break it down some) I got a lot of bone gum build up ... so watering was taking 3 hours by hand for 7 pots .. so I up potted .. easy to do in smart pots .. to help with drainage .. next time I would just start with 7's.

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If you’re using smart pots you don’t even have to repot...just stack them, roots have no problems growing through the bags.

Hashman0042 said:

I am definitely going to let go more to Amber this time. I was picking 70% milky 20% amber 10% clear

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are you scoping the calyxes ?
Some people misjudge because they see trichs on a leaf changing color
You need to look at the calyxes , some at the bottom, some at the middles, and some at the tops to get an idea of how ripe it is.

Nizza said:

since you already have the HPS lighting start there and slowly swap to LED as your grows go on?

yeah they're expensive. You get what you pay for

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Man i so appreciate your comments brother. Thank you kindly

Hashman0042 said:

I am definitely going to let go more to Amber this time. I was picking 70% milky 20% amber 10% clear

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Don't even bother checking the trichomes until the plant stops putting out new pistils and they've turned orange and start receding.

anytime man. I hope you are happy with the new results.
Be sure now that you are venturing further into flower, you aren't overlooking anything

Humidity, airflow, and feeding are all need to be proper and now that you are letting them go later and get denser, be careful!

xtsho said:

Don't even bother checking the trichomes until the plant stops putting out new pistils and they've turned orange and start receding.

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Oh i am definitely going to listen to that. Esp if its going to give me more weight

Nizza said:

anytime man. I hope you are happy with the new results.
Be sure now that you are venturing further into flower, you aren't overlooking anything

Humidity, airflow, and feeding are all need to be proper and now that you are letting them go later and get denser, be careful!

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Oh yeah one more question. I stop feeding 2 weeks before harvest and just flush. Whats your thoughts on flushing

Nizza said:

anytime man. I hope you are happy with the new results.
Be sure now that you are venturing further into flower, you aren't overlooking anything

Humidity, airflow, and feeding are all need to be proper and now that you are letting them go later and get denser, be careful!

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I will share results and pics for sure brother.

Nizza said:

are you scoping the calyxes ?
Some people misjudge because they see trichs on a leaf changing color
You need to look at the calyxes , some at the bottom, some at the middles, and some at the tops to get an idea of how ripe it is.

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Oh yeah. I always look deep in the flower. Never the leaves

kmog33 said:

I still am looking for an led room that gets more useable light watt for watt than 1k de hps / 1k de cmh rooms. Initial cost aside, I fee like someone would be doing it if it actually gave a anywhere near a 20% yield increase in a 50-100k watt room. That would pay for itself quick I feel like. Not saying it’s not possible, just I have yet to see anything of scale go this route.

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edit: say they paid cost for their SS1100’s, that’s 36k total, meaning they would make up that entire cost right before the warranty expires in 5 years JUST from electricity savings over HPS. Not to mention the proven testing of THC, CBD, and Terps.

DankNoTill said:

This, but real cost effectiveness comes with building your own led fixture which is not as difficult as ppl think. If someone were to build their own led fixtures for a commercial grow they'd save a shit ton..

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Can't happen. Insurance. Permitting. Lights need to be certified.

And sorry OP, but everything I’ve read sounds pretty hairy. You talk about being 30 days short, then talk about expanding your grow by 9 times? That’s a buttload.

Hashman0042 said:

Yeah i am going to do a super soil mix this time and see what happens. Thanks brother. Also just wondering how much more heat that MH bulb is going to add

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Generally speaking most get more yield off Coco, Pro-Mix, or one of the 100 methods of Hydro.
Also, if you're chooping 30 days early based on trich production, then maybe you have the wrong idea of cloudy? Or your eyes?
Under HPS my old lady used to bug cuz an 8 wk strain would be done at 8wks. Receeded hairs, mostly cloudy, lil clear. But then, the next day, tote & chppers in hand, i would go in & see all new growth.
I called it the second growth spurt & it happened primarily under HPS. Then I'd go another week with all new white hairs bursting through the orange, receded hairs.
End result, extra pound or 2 id guess & cloudy with some amber starting.
Strain dependent but most did this n id have to here : "You n your GD second groth spurt" cuz being a woman, she wants that doe yesterday, ya know.
Chopping early is why you're not getting the 1.5 - 1.75 off each light.
MH will increase bag appeal, trichs & aroma
when installed the last 10-14 days of flower.

I top the plant once, usually right out the cloner, then do a series of pinching new tops growing to keep it even & make it bush.

I would Dial it all in before going LED unless you got some doe to go. Even better, start by buying supplemental leds to boost your hps spectrum & corners. Then, later combine the led to make one unit & try that vs. Your hps. Most to switch after seeing the difference.

Hust17 said:

And sorry OP, but everything I’ve read sounds pretty hairy. You talk about being 30 days short, then talk about expanding your grow by 9 times? That’s a buttload.

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Well if you read all the posts then you know i am starting a new grow space. I am 30 days short because i am not getting the weight i need from where i am currently at. New space i am not worried about neighbors. Also i said i i vould pic up 3 new clients if i could get more.