Discussion: LED lighting Coco and 3.0ec

[LostTribe]

For those new to LED and coco (maybe other mediums too not sure??) I have been told by a few folks that they are running very high ec levels (2.5-3.0ec) under Led's and using coco. I have not found much info about why and how they are doing this. I've also read that it is very important to keep the temps at (77-85F) under LED to help the plants uptake keep up with metabolism.

I started increasing both veg and bloom a bit now up to 1.5ec for veg and 2.3ec bloom(4 weeks in). I will report back if I notice any burning but not seeing any deficiencies so I am not sure if this is mainly for yeild and surely it pertains to BLD varieties as I dont think there is any way a NLD would take such high concentrations of nutrients.

I had been feeding 1.2ec and did notice a bit of light green growth until I added a tiny bit of Magnesium Sulfate to the solution. Other than that no burnt tips and just healthy green growth since. Gradually bringing the ec in bloom up a bit at a time.

What ec are you starting out at for both veg and bloom? What are you maxing out at?

If anyone has any related info please add to the thread. Thanks LT

 

[Crazy Chester]

For those new to LED and coco (maybe other mediums too not sure??) I have been told by a few folks that they are running very high ec levels (2.5-3.0ec) under Led's and using coco. I have not found much info about why and how they are doing this. I've also read that it is very important to keep the temps at (77-85F) under LED to help the plants uptake keep up with metabolism.

I started increasing both veg and bloom a bit now up to 1.5ec for veg and 2.3ec bloom(4 weeks in). I will report back if I notice any burning but not seeing any deficiencies so I am not sure if this is mainly for yeild and surely it pertains to BLD varieties as I dont think there is any way a NLD would take such high concentrations of nutrients.

I had been feeding 1.2ec and did notice a bit of light green growth until I added a tiny bit of Magnesium Sulfate to the solution. Other than that no burnt tips and just healthy green growth since. Gradually bringing the ec in bloom up a bit at a time.

What ec are you starting out at for both veg and bloom? What are you maxing out at?

If anyone has any related info please add to the thread. Thanks LT

We may be having the same problem, LostTribe - some of my moms in coco/perlite mix have been very light green this winter - obviously not uptaking nutrients. I don't know the EC of my nutrient solution, but, I was using the modified Lucas formula of 5 micro 10 bloom per gallon of water with GH nutes - I'm thinking it is 1.5 EC or less. Due to not having the electrical capacity to run a heater and LED lighting - my garden has been way below 77 degrees for a couple months now. The rate of growth in my garden slowed and the plants had gotten lighter green; however, when I was using HPS, the plant's uptake of nutrients during the winter through its roots was quite good - the ambient temps of the garden was also perfect as a result of the heat of the HPS combining with the cooler weather of winter. That said, in the past week, I solved the problem. I put the same GH nutrient solution I was feeding the roots with into a spray bottle and started spraying the entire plant - both bottom and top of leaves and the stems - liberally applying it. After seeing a slight improvement the next day, I've done it on a daily basis. I've seen no signs of over-fert and the leaves have gotten much greener and I'm getting fairly fast and vigorous new growth - despite the lower winter temps in the garden caused by my replacement of the HPS with the LED - it's been only a week and the plants went from starving and not growing to looking like normal healthy plants! Now it's my routine - at least in the winter months. I hope this info helps and that your garden gets back to dialed in soon.

 

[Fixer]

I grow in coco and when I started growing under LEDs I had issues with the plants purpleing in flower. CalMag sorted this issue. I also upped the growroom temp to 80+ to improve transpiration rates. Something about the lack of UV in in LEDs and Vapor Pressure Deficit. I regularly keep the flower room between 80 and 84 and have been getting great results. The one thing that tripped me up is the intensity of the LEDs. I grow in a 7' tall space. I had to dial the 640W LEDs down to 80% and the 720W lights to 75% to keep the plants from foxtailing. Good Luck!

PS Even with silica and CalMag I never exceed 1000ppm using the Lucas Formula with GH Flora nutes.

 

[onavelzy]

Fixer, is that in a 4x4 or a 5x5?

 

[Crazy Chester]

I grow in coco and when I started growing under LEDs I had issues with the plants...Something about the lack of UV in in LEDs...

Good detail - that's another variable that may be in play, for sure. My LED setup includes UV.

 

[LostTribe]

Definitely seeing temp differences between HPS and going to LED.

Another thing, one of these tester plants ended up twice the height as the rest and has been all the way up maybe 4 inches under the Mars fce4800 for a couple weeks now. Its not burning or screwing the plant up at all. I find that unimaginable and really dont understand it. I myself feel like I am getting sunburned when I have to shuffle things in the tent. With HPS that top would have been fried and then some.

How do you guys get your temps up? I dont fancy the idea of putting a space heater anywhere that isnt under 24/7 observation and the heat just isnt keeping up. Night temps are 63F last night running about 79-80F w 58RH currently w lights on. The coco is noticeably cool even with them on upside down containers to keep them off the ground.

More specifically I'd like to know what the reason is for some people to be pushing 2.5-3.0ec on the plants?

 

[goingrey]

More specifically I'd like to know what the reason is for some people to be pushing 2.5-3.0ec on the plants?

Ha! I was going to ask you the same. But I mean I guess it's just bigger plants bigger yields? And it can be done because the lights don't radiate heat so the plants don't transpire as much?

Found this worth reading while trying to wrap my head around the issue: https://www.cannagardening.com/electrical-conductivity

Apparently people are even going beyond 3. To like 3.6 EC. Like real professional/commercial people. Sounds wild but there must be something to it.

Can I ask you what kind of irrigation you are using? If you let the media dry out with so much salts it's surely gonna be bad...

 

[LostTribe]

Ha! I was going to ask you the same. But I mean I guess it's just bigger plants bigger yields? And it can be done because the lights don't radiate heat so the plants don't transpire as much?

Found this worth reading while trying to wrap my head around the issue: https://www.cannagardening.com/electrical-conductivity

Apparently people are even going beyond 3. To like 3.6 EC. Like real professional/commercial people. Sounds wild but there must be something to it.

Can I ask you what kind of irrigation you are using? If you let the media dry out with so much salts it's surely gonna be bad...

Handwatering. Usually water when they loose half the weight. No signs of overwatering and no tip burn making sure to runoff once or twice a week. Thanks for the link I will check it out.

With increased Ec if they are doing this to blow up a yeild what if any effect that may have on final quality is of concern. But I wonder if they don't burn and get a good flush how will they compare. With HID there seems to be a fine line that must be adheared to or the suffering would be noticeable pretty quickly.

I suppose there are benefits and drawbacks from going from hid to led like where to get your heat source from. I've also had lower humidty maybe due to less evaporation from the lower temps. Apparent that LED will cause completely different shifts in environmental conditions.

 

[Creeperpark]

I have two LED lights that are the exact same. However one of them will burn the crap out of my plants when the other doesn't. I wrote on the light with a marker so I will remember to keep it higher than the other one. They are cheap LEDs and I'm not complaining just sayings sometimes it's the light and not cal-mag.

 

[exploziv]

Is powerdraw same on those lamps? Do chips look the same? Something must be diferent..

 

[Fixer]

I’m growing on two 4’x8’ flood tables. I use a smart outlet with a thermostatic control and a 1500W oil filled space heater to keep the room around 70. When the LEDs come on it raises the temp into the low 80s. If the temp exceeds 84 the AC kicks on.

 

[LostTribe]

I am trying to stay adjust the F/RH with the fan speed control but its needing daily adjusting. Still doing better. I foresee some problems trying to drop the RH a bit here towards the end though. I'll report back later after another feed at 2.3ec.

I'd like to note that for the 3rd week I was at 1.6-1.9ec. Yesterday I noticed just a few tips that were unhappy not too bad though. I expect this week or next to hopefully see some real fattening up, I hope.

 

[DARKSIDER]

Im at 2.3ec 2 weeks into flower, all praying and also at 600ppfd will drop lights at more advanced stage of flower in 4 inch rockwool cubes and pebbles no coco and no burning but have light at least 2 feet away at the moment interesting thread

 

[LostTribe]

Im at 2.3ec 2 weeks into flower, all praying and also at 600ppfd will drop lights at more advanced stage of flower in 4 inch rockwool cubes and pebbles no coco and no burning but have light at least 2 feet away at the moment interesting thread

There we go hey man thanks for contributing! I started off pretty high on light intensity maybe 75% with most about 18 in under light. I imagine I am over 900ppfd w fce4800 in a 3x3 dialed to about 90% now. Most are 18 inches from light just have 1 that I even bent tops on that got away from me it is at 4 in under light at the top.

By praying do you mean the leaves are pointing up towards the light?

I will add that I am feeding canna with hydroplex and a bit of recharge.

 

[DARKSIDER]

Yes LostTribe pointing upwards towards the light ie praying im at about 75 percent too lightwise feeding canna also a bit of calmag and also a spray from time to time on leaves of seaweed and am running 720w in a 4x4 area x2,, so all in all 1440w covering my x2 wilma systems and also just plain white lights no added uv or anything else and cant complain at all will be folowing your thread for sure stay safe ..

 

[LostTribe]

Yes LostTribe pointing upwards towards the light ie praying im at about 75 percent too lightwise feeding canna also a bit of calmag and also a spray from time to time on leaves of seaweed and am running 720w in a 4x4 area x2,, so all in all 1440w covering my x2 wilma systems and also just plain white lights no added uv or anything else and cant complain at all will be folowing your thread for sure stay safe ..

Can I ask what your range of Ec is in veg? I've been an underfeeder for a long time especially in veg. Hydro is much less forgiving in veg I have found quicker too.

Is the high Ec deal just for LED's or is is also related to just Coco?

 

[Gry]

Had to modify a bit when I switched over the LEDs. Had been able to use tap water, and switched to RO.
Run Jack's at 1.6- 2.0 with a PPK, and use the same mix for my veg room, they just get fed less frequently.
The lower temps I have dealt with by using a couple of 600 Watt bulbs to flower with in the closet which
brought the temps up for the tents in the room running LEDs.

 

[f-e]

Early on, When I switched from HID to LED I moved from 13 to 24 and still my runoff was just a few in coco. I didn't want to go higher, as it seems so wrong. My meter won't even reach the heights some are using though. My feed was quite low in Ca and as such was only about 75ppm. It was this they seemed to be eating the most.


I don't recall why I was raising the feeds. I wish I could remember, but I think it was overall light coloured plants.

Perhaps, along with how much we raised ec, we should share why. That would offer a wider spread of ideas why we did it.



These days, I'm running less and they won't eat it all. I don't feel this is right though. Something with my grow is fucked

 

[f-e]

I have two LED lights that are the exact same. However one of them will burn the crap out of my plants when the other doesn't. I wrote on the light with a marker so I will remember to keep it higher than the other one. They are cheap LEDs and I'm not complaining just sayings sometimes it's the light and not cal-mag.

Burn them how? Any pics?

 

[LostTribe]

I will also check runoff next watering as I havent since I flipped now at 4 weeks. I imagine its gone up as I only runoff once or twice a week. Again, plants look fine and I feel like the last few days they started to really fatten up but its still early. This week was with the added MPK probably feed a couple more days with that. I still feel like they are getting overwatered.

Does the top of your guys coco dry back to light brown or does it stay black? One of these suckers loves to drink I want to fix the dtw so I can feed multitimes a day. They blew up quick the week I was away.