First time posting, I started reading a few months ago on here and all over the place. First time grow, currently In flower in a 3.5x3.5 with (1) 400w mh and (1) 600w hps in cool tubes above canopy, carbon filtration ventech 6", dehumidifier, a/c for hotter days. 50g (40 used ) res using nova bloom @ Lucas , koolbloom, floralocious+.
16-1700ppm but 2k+ ppm. Contaminants causing false readings but staying healthy looking at current ppm. PH 5.9
Techniques used: LST, super cropping, fiming, defoliation. tried scrog but that chicken wire managed to upset me while baked so I ditched it I'll try bigger mesh another day. So far with lst, super and defol I'm okay with out a net.
Clones in a 20g dwc, x2 full spec led @ 109w used 180w advertised and (1) single chip 35w 450nm blue led w/120 lens.
I use DI water, for those that don't know the cost is around the same buying distilled but I use a " zero water " brand water filter the kind that comes with TDS meter from target. Filters over 250+ ppm down to 0 then slowly over filtering 30+ gal 25ppm before it needs a new filter.
If there's any advice as a noob to give others it's start LST ( tie down ) from seedling instead of waiting till the stem is already too stiff. Get a big res if dwc it's more forgiving. Add shredded cube above water in dwc bucket mixed with extreme garden mykos and place seedling in rock cube ontop. Makes a difference in roots or really does.
When getting led lights check for >3w diodes. Check lense angle need <90 deg for actual power transfer and penetration. Check power used vs advertised power to see what your actually buying.
If your making an led light calculate what type of light your trying to replace say 400w hps calculate what watts go to what spectrum so you can have the basis leds covered before you add optional colors.