What do you think of this plan?

GreenViking

New Member
Hello there! Long time listener, first time caller!

In all seriousness, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank the RIU community for part of what little education I already have.

I plan on growing some pot. I have been a hobby hydro-ist. I've never grown bud, but I've grown a lot of plants hydroponically that are similar in life cycle. Lots of peppers and berries, all indoors. I am pretty familiar with maintaining a nute solution and monitoring plants for warning signs. Heck, way back in high school I was in an environmental studies magnet program. I've been testing water, soil and plant matter for over 20 years.

I have also been smoking grass for slightly less than that long. I've gotten to the age where I want to produce it myself. So here I am, and here is my plan. Based on my background (and it being my first time with cannabis), tell me what you think of the plan.

2 - 3 x 3 grow tents
1 - Ebb and Flow table per tent
1 - 150-450W LED Grow light per tent (this is part of what I want to discuss)

So basically, I want two separate grow areas. Tent #1 being the veg tent. In this tent, the lights will cycle their 18/6 and the nutes will be veg. Tent# 2, the flowering tent will go 12/12 on flowering light, nutes to flowering.

I plan on getting some OG Kush seeds. I know many folks recommend using bag seeds first go, but I don't come across those often. I'd also like to think my experience with hydroponics gives me half a leg up on the average newbie.

I want to grow the first batch of seed with two goals in mind.
1 - Grow some pot and make some mistakes. Learn about this particular strain. Maybe experiment with different pruning/binding techniques on different plants.
2 - Produce a good mother plant, and clone the crap out of her.

So basically I want to start a little crop of OG Kush hoping to get a good mother. Around the time the round of seeds is ready to move to the flowering tent, I figure the clones will appreciate the room in the veg tent.

Things I'm unsure about is the LED lighting. I see a lot of people vehemently opposed to them, so I'll be upfront. It's what I'm going to use. I've used HPS/MH lamps before, and in my particular situation the less heat produced and electricity used the better. So my question isn't what kind of lights, but how much LED does a 3x3 space need.

I see manufacturers recommendations in the 50W/sqft. Which would mean put 150W fixtures in each tent. I wonder (and ask), is that really going to be enough light for a 3x3 space?

Also, how many plants do you think I can fit in such a space.

Thanks in advance for the advice!
 

JavaCo

Well-Known Member
Hello and welcome to RIU

If you can grow peppers then you should have no problems growing cannabis. You might have a slight learning curve but nothing near what someone with no growing experience would have. Might as well grow some good shit so go with the Kush.

As far as LED lights go , there is a ton of miss information out there on them. But i think there is enough grow journals out there now with people getting awesome results that it is hard to denie they preform just as well as HPS with a fraction of the power draw. Here is a pic of my grow after a two month veg and week into flower. I bought the light off ebay for 146 bucks shipped. It is a 300 watt with a true power draw of 192 watts has 10 bands of color. But i will let you be the judge if it is working or not. canopy is 3 feet 9 inches square.
IMG_1171_zps827fc404.jpg
 

GreenViking

New Member
Hello and welcome to RIU

If you can grow peppers then you should have no problems growing cannabis. You might have a slight learning curve but nothing near what someone with no growing experience would have. Might as well grow some good shit so go with the Kush.

As far as LED lights go , there is a ton of miss information out there on them. But i think there is enough grow journals out there now with people getting awesome results that it is hard to denie they preform just as well as HPS with a fraction of the power draw. Here is a pic of my grow after a two month veg and week into flower. I bought the light off ebay for 146 bucks shipped. It is a 300 watt with a true power draw of 192 watts has 10 bands of color. But i will let you be the judge if it is working or not. canopy is 3 feet 9 inches square.
View attachment 3022810
Oh man, she's beautiful!!!

What square footage are you using that 300W in? Are you supplementing with any other light? Are you using a "switchable" LED or one that puts out the full spectrum all the time?
 

JavaCo

Well-Known Member
Thanks , It is really 4 she's. Kinda hard to tell but there are four plants in there. The light is not switchable just full spectrum all the time. No other lighting yet. I do have a 160 watt that should be here today. It is 5th generation 12 band with 20 watt leds. Built in timer ,temp gauge. Seedling setting , veg setting and bloom, remote control . Where is that FEDEX guy! But right now they are in a temp room so to speak it is 4 feet by 4 feet right now . I am almost done with my permanent grow rooms they are going to 4 feet by 5 feet. So i plan on running both lights for flower. After the 12 hours of flower i will move the 160 watt to the veg room and run it in there for 12 hours. veg room will go off the gas lantern method 12 hours on with the led 5 1/2 hours off then 1 hour on with some cfls then 5 1/2 off. That basicly keeps them in veg so they wont go into flower. I will get another light at some point so i wont have to switch the lights from one room to another. Going to test this 160 out first see how it does before i buy another light.
 

Bucees

Well-Known Member
I don't have anything to add concerning your lighting question, but I would strongly urge you to consider using 4x4 tents if you have the space/funds. The extra space is invaluable.
 

GreenViking

New Member
Thanks , It is really 4 she's. Kinda hard to tell but there are four plants in there. The light is not switchable just full spectrum all the time. No other lighting yet. I do have a 160 watt that should be here today. It is 5th generation 12 band with 20 watt leds. Built in timer ,temp gauge. Seedling setting , veg setting and bloom, remote control . Where is that FEDEX guy! But right now they are in a temp room so to speak it is 4 feet by 4 feet right now . I am almost done with my permanent grow rooms they are going to 4 feet by 5 feet. So i plan on running both lights for flower. After the 12 hours of flower i will move the 160 watt to the veg room and run it in there for 12 hours. veg room will go off the gas lantern method 12 hours on with the led 5 1/2 hours off then 1 hour on with some cfls then 5 1/2 off. That basicly keeps them in veg so they wont go into flower. I will get another light at some point so i wont have to switch the lights from one room to another. Going to test this 160 out first see how it does before i buy another light.
If you've got a link to a grow journal, drop it on me! If not, keep me posted! Seeing your robust growth and knowing your situation, you've kinda alleviated my concerns about lighting!
 

GreenViking

New Member
I don't have anything to add concerning your lighting question, but I would strongly urge you to consider using 4x4 tents if you have the space/funds. The extra space is invaluable.
I was thinking about that. The extra 2 square feet I can probably manage to spare. A lot of the flood trays I am seeing are 3 x 3, so a 4 x 4 tent is probably called for. Plus I've gotta have room in there for an oscillating fan. Thanks for the input!
 

JavaCo

Well-Known Member
If you've got a link to a grow journal, drop it on me! If not, keep me posted! Seeing your robust growth and knowing your situation, you've kinda alleviated my concerns about lighting!

I do have one at another forum. But i have switched over here because they seem to not care that the true gets out about LED lights and will only let grow journals of Sponsored LED lights. I will be transferring the photos and info over here. I hope to have it done today sometime if time permits. I finally got the picture thing over here figured out so i am one step closer. But once that light gets here i will be like a kid in a candy store so i might not get it done today
 

GreenViking

New Member
I do have one at another forum. But i have switched over here because they seem to not care that the true gets out about LED lights and will only let grow journals of Sponsored LED lights. I will be transferring the photos and info over here. I hope to have it done today sometime if time permits. I finally got the picture thing over here figured out so i am one step closer. But once that light gets here i will be like a kid in a candy store so i might not get it done today
Haha, right on! Keep me posted!
 
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