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<$150 led or 250w MH
- Thread starter The Dopest
- Start date
Finally got my nutes and fed for the first time tonight. 
This is the shitty mother/veg cabinet I am using temporarily, went ahead and threw in the COB. It puts out 3x the wattage and WAY less heat than the Cree PAR38 18w I was using plus I can move it up/down easier. Grow thread really coming soon now!
This is the shitty mother/veg cabinet I am using temporarily, went ahead and threw in the COB. It puts out 3x the wattage and WAY less heat than the Cree PAR38 18w I was using plus I can move it up/down easier. Grow thread really coming soon now!
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Just finished the flower cab, I added a circulation fan and got the pump in place. Everything is mounted and connected to power strips, only thing left to do is run an outlet from the panel over to it and connect a breaker. I'll be doing that tonight, then it gets it's maiden voyage. I'll run it a few times to be sure everything is kosher before attempting to add plants.
The flower cab is officially finished for now. I have plants in it but I'm only running 2 lights 24hrs vegging until I can get clones this week. I had to go stealth here with this build so the sides are blocked out but the door blends in with the surroundings if you get the idea.
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Flip the light. Find out what you have. Some of them will get really big. I have three different phenos in flower. One is 5ft tall and 5ft around. I snapped it in two. It was into the light by week two of flower. I do have one that obviously has the kush x chem(daybreaker) that is reasonable. But the beans that had the malawi or Tom Hill Haze daddy's are huge plants. The malawi daddy had crazy vigor and it got passed along. At one time daddy grew so fast he topped himself. One main stalk was not enough for this beast.
I may be able to help you identify them before they flower. Otherwise, cool setup and the plants are looking good. I'll see if I can get some pics tonight of what you may be growing.
I may be able to help you identify them before they flower. Otherwise, cool setup and the plants are looking good. I'll see if I can get some pics tonight of what you may be growing.
Oh one other thing. The female the beans came from was done in 56 days. Hopefully it will help keep the flower time reasonable. I have HIGH hopes for these beans.
Might as well ask you in this thread. What about the connector to mount the COB to the heat sink? Is it expensive? Wasn't worth the hassle over directly soldering to the COB? Didn't make good connection? Also what about reflectors that fit those connectors? Not worth it? Narrows the light pattern? Not needed?
Might as well ask you in this thread. What about the connector to mount the COB to the heat sink? Is it expensive? Wasn't worth the hassle over directly soldering to the COB? Didn't make good connection? Also what about reflectors that fit those connectors? Not worth it? Narrows the light pattern? Not needed?
A few of these plants are the schwag seed plants that I started before you sent me the GSC crosses. I had flipped one schwag seed plant already and it it showed female before I stuck it back in veg. It was grown entirely under the 17w Cree PAR38 and had NO side branching at all. I pan to take cuts this week and flip this weekend. A couple of the other plants are showing early as well, I know I have at least one female GSC cross. I can tell different plant structures within them too, one is way more indica and one is way more sativa some in between. I would love to be in the 60-70 day max, that would set me off to a perfect perpetual grow.
As for the lights, you can solder the wire with certain holders or if you use Kapton tape to hold the COB on the heatsink but I don't want to leave my trust to a piece of tape when I have the tools to drill/tap on hand. I went with the two piece holders at the time because there were no 90* reflectors for these COBs. They are solderless but they are not compatible with any reflectors that I know of, I wish I would have went with the round style but they literally just became available recently so that will be my next upgrade. Link to the new style below. The round style holders are compatible with the new 90* lenses, that would be my only choice of reflectors since the COBs are 120* already, that's a pretty tight pattern. My thinking on this is, my cabinet is almost exactly 2'x2' and with the COBs hanging at 12" above the canopy with 90* reflectors, every bit of light will be hitting the canopy that is available. If I were stretching these same lights to cover more than 1 per square foot, like if my cabinet were 3'x3', I would prefer no reflector so there is more extended coverage and overlap. If I had 9 in a 3'x3' then I would want 90* refelctors on the outsides, 120* center.
Round Style Holder <--- Click Here
90* Reflectors <--- Click Here
As for the lights, you can solder the wire with certain holders or if you use Kapton tape to hold the COB on the heatsink but I don't want to leave my trust to a piece of tape when I have the tools to drill/tap on hand. I went with the two piece holders at the time because there were no 90* reflectors for these COBs. They are solderless but they are not compatible with any reflectors that I know of, I wish I would have went with the round style but they literally just became available recently so that will be my next upgrade. Link to the new style below. The round style holders are compatible with the new 90* lenses, that would be my only choice of reflectors since the COBs are 120* already, that's a pretty tight pattern. My thinking on this is, my cabinet is almost exactly 2'x2' and with the COBs hanging at 12" above the canopy with 90* reflectors, every bit of light will be hitting the canopy that is available. If I were stretching these same lights to cover more than 1 per square foot, like if my cabinet were 3'x3', I would prefer no reflector so there is more extended coverage and overlap. If I had 9 in a 3'x3' then I would want 90* refelctors on the outsides, 120* center.
Round Style Holder <--- Click Here
90* Reflectors <--- Click Here
I messed up and left the pH at almost 7 for five feed cycles over about 2.5 days before noticing and adjusting it. They are showing pH shock and light sensitivity, I had to move the lights up they are seriously that bright.
In other news, all the plants on the right are showing female so far, only one GSC cross so far and the other three are bagseed plants. All the ones on the left "looka lika man", I will keep any GSC males for making more beans but they will be separated so the whole garden does not get pollinated. I will be flipping them 12/12 by the weekend and taking cuts along the way to fill in for perpetual. I will probably make a grow thread once I flip them, if I do I will post a link here.
In other news, all the plants on the right are showing female so far, only one GSC cross so far and the other three are bagseed plants. All the ones on the left "looka lika man", I will keep any GSC males for making more beans but they will be separated so the whole garden does not get pollinated. I will be flipping them 12/12 by the weekend and taking cuts along the way to fill in for perpetual. I will probably make a grow thread once I flip them, if I do I will post a link here.
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Note to self, took clones from 4 females and first dark period 5/22.
Another note to self, I soaked 5 more GSC cross beans in 75/25% water/h2o2 and have 5 more seedlings now. Still only one confirmed female GSC, two confirmed male GSC and one undetermined from the first batch. I up potted the known females into 6" round pots until I can find the 5" square extra deep ones that will fit in here correctly. Still only using 2/4 lights in early flower, I don't feel like they are hurting for light, actually I have raised the COBs more already. These things(lights) kick ass and amaze me more and more each day. The clones are in two separate containers, one tall and one standard and get fresh air twice daily. I took 4 from almost each one, I think I only got 2 from one plant but I plan to take more as I'm thinning out the lower growth during stretch.
veg cabinet, 5 new seedlings up top and clones rooting below. I had to point the light towards the back so it's not directly shining on the clone trays below, the clones were yellowing out but perked back up now. I will be taking clones again this weekend from the flowering plants.
Flower cab is on day 7 so weekly update time. the plants are doing great, only one with an issue is one that still has 50% soil in the coco pot but it's doing better. I had to tie the plants to the pots to start training them, I dont want them too tall and this will promote more side branching up top too. Still rocking only two lights but I added a couple hooks to the back of the cabinet to hang the chains on, makes raising/lowering a lot simpler. Also hung the fan that was screwed to the back wall up in the center of the ceiling with bungie cords, it's much, much quieter now. They are drinking a little over two liters a day and a couple days ago I boosted them to 1100ppms after transplanting them to 6" pots. They are loving it, darkened up a bit.
Flower cab is on day 7 so weekly update time. the plants are doing great, only one with an issue is one that still has 50% soil in the coco pot but it's doing better. I had to tie the plants to the pots to start training them, I dont want them too tall and this will promote more side branching up top too. Still rocking only two lights but I added a couple hooks to the back of the cabinet to hang the chains on, makes raising/lowering a lot simpler. Also hung the fan that was screwed to the back wall up in the center of the ceiling with bungie cords, it's much, much quieter now. They are drinking a little over two liters a day and a couple days ago I boosted them to 1100ppms after transplanting them to 6" pots. They are loving it, darkened up a bit.
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Three clones rooted and got put in party cups today. I will be going straight coco while in cups and then add the layer of hydroton at the bottom of the pots when I transplant. Seedlings are doing well also, some have curly leaves and I'm just beginning to think it's the non-pH balanced water I soaked the peat pellets in. One seedling is in straight coco and does not have the curls. I will either go straight coco with them from now on or ph balance the soaking solution.
Flower cab is now on 4 feedings per day, first is minutes before lights on, second 4hrs later, 3rd 4hrs later and last one is at lights out. They remain damp over night so no feeding with lights out.
Flower cab is now on 4 feedings per day, first is minutes before lights on, second 4hrs later, 3rd 4hrs later and last one is at lights out. They remain damp over night so no feeding with lights out.
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Flower closet breaking news update! Just Confirmed the remaining unsexed plants are 3 GSC males 
That was 3/4 from that batch. Good thing is, I will get to make more beans but only have one GSC female and a few bagseed plants to do it with.
First two pics are the three most healthy females with the GSC cross on the far right. Third pic is the 3 GSC males, 3 different phenos...I will probably kill the tallest in the back and pollenate the females with the other two. The middle has a dark purplish/blackish tone coming to the leaves and the front one has super tight nodes, great side branching and is one of my favorite plants. Fourth pic is roots from the one female not pictured, shes the one 50/50% coco soil and two layers of hydroton at the bottom. She was transplanted days ago and is loving it now, starting to catch up.
Skinny, the pics do not do justice for these plants, give the new COBs a try and let me know what you think! Also, thanks again for the beans, I can return some F1s to you if you'd like once they are ready. I think that tall skinny girl with the short stout male will be a winner! You should see the knuckles on the side branching at the base, I really wish that was a female but I'll settle for studding him out!!
That was 3/4 from that batch. Good thing is, I will get to make more beans but only have one GSC female and a few bagseed plants to do it with. First two pics are the three most healthy females with the GSC cross on the far right. Third pic is the 3 GSC males, 3 different phenos...I will probably kill the tallest in the back and pollenate the females with the other two. The middle has a dark purplish/blackish tone coming to the leaves and the front one has super tight nodes, great side branching and is one of my favorite plants. Fourth pic is roots from the one female not pictured, shes the one 50/50% coco soil and two layers of hydroton at the bottom. She was transplanted days ago and is loving it now, starting to catch up.
Skinny, the pics do not do justice for these plants, give the new COBs a try and let me know what you think! Also, thanks again for the beans, I can return some F1s to you if you'd like once they are ready. I think that tall skinny girl with the short stout male will be a winner! You should see the knuckles on the side branching at the base, I really wish that was a female but I'll settle for studding him out!!
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In the flower cabinet I chopped one of the GSC males leaving the two I will be using for seeds, then cleaned up the females underbrush and took a few more clones. I accidentally bumped the nutes to 1350ppm before lights out last night so we'll have to see how they handle it over the next few days. Over in the veg cab I potted a couple more clones and I also up potted 4/5 of the new seedlings, left the runt to root more.
Dion
Active member
seen as u r only running 2 lights do you think its enough for a 2x2?(110w)
or do u think that 220w( 32000 L )will be over kill?
i am interested in your thoughts compared to hps as ive never used hps
i still maintain u should have dimmed the drivers a bit when u ordered but i dunno really
what r ur thoughts so far on the set up we went with?
or do u think that 220w( 32000 L )will be over kill?
i am interested in your thoughts compared to hps as ive never used hps
i still maintain u should have dimmed the drivers a bit when u ordered but i dunno really
what r ur thoughts so far on the set up we went with?
I am only running 2 lights because I didn't know the sex of half the plants and the females all fit under two. Now that I know the sex, I will bump it to three lights for a couple weeks, then all four once I get a round of clones in there with them to fill out the tray. I don't think 110w is enough for that tray with two lights for a good flower cab unless there were four CXB3070's running ~28w each for coverage and even then, personally I would want to hot rod it some. I do believe the 220w or so I am pushing will be comparable, plant for plant with ones I grew under 400w and 1000w HPS lamps but we will have to see how they finish. They are growing strong now for sure, you should see the nodes on some of these things.
The main difference I see in these and HPS are:
1. Coverage. With COBs you generally have about 1 per sq ft or so, even half that is WAY better coverage than a single HID lamp in any configuration, vertical, horizontal, etc. I expect a much higher GPW than I ever had with a single lamp configuration in a scale comparison.
2. Cooling. If this were an HID hanging in here I would have to have it in an air cooled reflector or cool tube either with it's own ventilation. That means more fans, more upfront money, more complicated build to seal out smell and more noise/electricity not to mention radiant heat. I would probably need a reservoir chiller as well, the list goes on with HPS heat. With the COBs I have one 6" inline hooked to the carbon filter and it's on a speed control running LOW with a passive intake down low. Fans on the heatsinks running silent, almost no power, the cab runs slightly over ambient temps.
I still maintain that I want more power! No, I'm joking there, I actually believe that this is all the power the plants can take for the size I grow. The plants are acting just like when I would go from 80w fluorescent to 430w fluorescent vegging or from the 430w fluorescent to the 1kw flower back in the day. The new growth comes out so fast it's yellow but greens up and growth is outstanding. I am literally on the edge of my seat for the next ~50 days!!
The only thing I wish I had with this setup was dimmer drivers but for the price I paid compared to dimmer drivers, I think I can do without for now so there are NO regrets.
The main difference I see in these and HPS are:
1. Coverage. With COBs you generally have about 1 per sq ft or so, even half that is WAY better coverage than a single HID lamp in any configuration, vertical, horizontal, etc. I expect a much higher GPW than I ever had with a single lamp configuration in a scale comparison.
2. Cooling. If this were an HID hanging in here I would have to have it in an air cooled reflector or cool tube either with it's own ventilation. That means more fans, more upfront money, more complicated build to seal out smell and more noise/electricity not to mention radiant heat. I would probably need a reservoir chiller as well, the list goes on with HPS heat. With the COBs I have one 6" inline hooked to the carbon filter and it's on a speed control running LOW with a passive intake down low. Fans on the heatsinks running silent, almost no power, the cab runs slightly over ambient temps.
I still maintain that I want more power! No, I'm joking there, I actually believe that this is all the power the plants can take for the size I grow. The plants are acting just like when I would go from 80w fluorescent to 430w fluorescent vegging or from the 430w fluorescent to the 1kw flower back in the day. The new growth comes out so fast it's yellow but greens up and growth is outstanding. I am literally on the edge of my seat for the next ~50 days!!
The only thing I wish I had with this setup was dimmer drivers but for the price I paid compared to dimmer drivers, I think I can do without for now so there are NO regrets.
Dion
Active member
id love to see ur nodes lol
u could get affordableish ($60) dim drivers but would hav eto run at 1050mA max as the 1400mA version doesnt have the volts for 4 of the 3070s
https://www.trcelectronics.com/View/Mean-Well/HLG-185H-C1050A.shtml i guess u could put all 5 chips on there
however nothing decently priced for higher current that ive seen so far
happy to learn
u could get affordableish ($60) dim drivers but would hav eto run at 1050mA max as the 1400mA version doesnt have the volts for 4 of the 3070s
https://www.trcelectronics.com/View/Mean-Well/HLG-185H-C1050A.shtml i guess u could put all 5 chips on there
however nothing decently priced for higher current that ive seen so far
happy to learn
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Pictures below, I cleared off the under brush from the females but you can get an idea of node tightness and bulging from the male in the first pic. Second pic shows stem thickness on a female, third pic is a shot of the four girls(?). Fourth pic, it seems I may have a hermi in the group and that's bad news, it's one of the bagseed plants and one of the other females is from the same seed batch. I may be down to two plants here shortly and there is still one more bagseed plant from different smoke out of those two...I could be down to one plant....
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