Florida Growers Thread; Reloaded

[Jason Voorhees]

My last post about LEDs just to clarify some of my reasons for trying them out as I see this shifting to a LED vs HID discussion.

It's not just about comparing lumens vs lumens, HID wins there.... but when I factor in needing to put my HPS in a cool tube (loss of lumens through glass/dirty glass), having to distance the light source further away from canopy (loss of lumens) and having to run my exhaust fan at higher RPMs (louder and more electricity) and the fact that canopy temps were in the 80-85 range with HPS vs a 70-74 range (with fan running @ about 50% power its nearly inaudible due to where its mounted) with LEDs my total environment is better suited for the plants liking.
I doubt I'll ever reach same yield as I could with HID but I know my quality has been better and I will take that trade off any day since I grow for personal use only. With LED I also feel a little safer than having a very hot bulb burning and my setup is nearly silent now (without fan cranked up).

Also I don't know if that pricing was in regards to my build as that is a bit off. I'm only using 4 total cobs/chips and two drivers, my heatsinks are pretty small both together including shipping was closer to the $60 range (going by memory but I can always check records). I'm in closer to the $350 total range (maybe slightly less) when you add in cob holders and misc hardware. I'm running the 1300ma driver model at about 75% driver power. I can only guess without having one of those kil-a-watt meters but that puts me in the 300-400watt usage range vs 600w HID ballast. Lower operating cost and no bulb replacement evens out the costs in the long run hopefully. Granted I don't know how long my LED setup will actually last but I'm hoping it chugs along for awhile.

Again these just seem to be the better answer for me personally so far, i m not trying to push them on anyone and I don't think any of my previous posts have been of that nature. If I was in a full size room I'd been hanging gavitas up but that's not the case... maybe some day if the stupid laws change.

Peace FL

 

[SaltyWarDog]

I think you are right Rockin Robo, I have a Cali light works 440 which in bloom pulls like 385w, veg is like 285w. The heat dispersion is better with the led but for 550 I just got a raptor hood, phantom 2 1000w ballast and a hortlux bulb. The Cali I got on the growers program for 650.00 3 years ago normal is 899.99 with Msrp at 1000.00. Black dog led has a new model out, a 440 is a 1200 and a led that pulls a 1000 true watts is 2 grand.

It equals out in the long run. Led's save power now so recouping cost takes longer but by the time the led saves it's life is almost over. The hid light saves now but more to run. I use both depending on needs of the plants

 

[Asslover]

HughMidity, where ya at bro???????????????????????

 

[RockinRobot]

Sorry Jason wasn't trying to bash. Your lights are great and we definitely see the buds they are putting out. I was going strictly by the parts list on first page of your thread. Listed 8 COB, running off of 2 drivers. Just assumed that was what made it to the final product. And I agree it works great for you.

Just that a lot of people want to jump on the LED bandwagon and wanted to show another side of LED from someone who went through the whole LED vs HID in the marine hobby. That being that the cost over time often doesn't get recouped.

Just think that until the price for the technology comes down that small growers are better off staying with HID to get the most bang for their buck. As it is only with DIY can you even get close to savings over HID.

1 other thing for anyone wanting to do DIY LED. Some of the drivers can put out dangerous voltages. So, if you aren't familiar with Electrical wiring you could get yourself hurt.

 

[Copperfield]

Thanks rr n Jason for the Knowledge..... I'm already running 2 dual voltage 1000ks. I do think the LEDs w b beneficial for my project on the side walls of my space..... That way I'm getting light to my lower buds.

 

[Dawn Patrol]

My last post about LEDs just to clarify some of my reasons for trying them out as I see this shifting to a LED vs HID discussion.

It's not just about comparing lumens vs lumens, HID wins there.... but when I factor in needing to put my HPS in a cool tube (loss of lumens through glass/dirty glass), having to distance the light source further away from canopy (loss of lumens) and having to run my exhaust fan at higher RPMs (louder and more electricity) and the fact that canopy temps were in the 80-85 range with HPS vs a 70-74 range (with fan running @ about 50% power its nearly inaudible due to where its mounted) with LEDs my total environment is better suited for the plants liking.
I doubt I'll ever reach same yield as I could with HID but I know my quality has been better and I will take that trade off any day since I grow for personal use only. With LED I also feel a little safer than having a very hot bulb burning and my setup is nearly silent now (without fan cranked up).

Also I don't know if that pricing was in regards to my build as that is a bit off. I'm only using 4 total cobs/chips and two drivers, my heatsinks are pretty small both together including shipping was closer to the $60 range (going by memory but I can always check records). I'm in closer to the $350 total range (maybe slightly less) when you add in cob holders and misc hardware. I'm running the 1300ma driver model at about 75% driver power. I can only guess without having one of those kil-a-watt meters but that puts me in the 300-400watt usage range vs 600w HID ballast. Lower operating cost and no bulb replacement evens out the costs in the long run hopefully. Granted I don't know how long my LED setup will actually last but I'm hoping it chugs along for awhile.

Again these just seem to be the better answer for me personally so far, i m not trying to push them on anyone and I don't think any of my previous posts have been of that nature. If I was in a full size room I'd been hanging gavitas up but that's not the case... maybe some day if the stupid laws change.

Peace FL

Great post Jason, LED's are not for everyone but they have their niche. I think the biggest part is accepting that you can't grow the same structure plants with LED that you can with HID.

As I mentioned, I will have the learning curve of figuring out the correct pot size and plant size to maximize the output of the lights. And while I've always been a proponent of large plants so I didn't exceed the felony plant count, I recognize that may be counter productive to maximizing the use of LEDs (SOG/SCROG grows).

If I had a mini split and an entire room to play in, no question I would be running HID lights. But I can also envision that same room with a bunch of smaller passively cooled cabinets, each with it's own LED and filter/scrubber so you could run a bunch of strains, keep Mums, make crosses and flower different strains to their fullest potential.

 

[bucketswithsoil]

wooooWe, a little rain there for a few...even a little bit of wind...
got skunked on me last mission...water was on the dirty side...ill find those fuckers soon enough...

hope ya room is coming along DP...

 

[bucketswithsoil]

almost forgot, hey SP, those little boggers, white2.0.. all doing well...ill blast a pic of em...that away ya can see for ya self...hope ya doing well my man..

 

[sourpuss]

Buckets cant wait to see em.... just got a new job... check it out....

Haha... doing well for shure!!! Just started here... those big fucked up plants in bloom r not my work... had pests, deficiencies, amd environment probs... my boys a pro with pests and they r gone. Only tjing left r fungus gnats which will be easy...

Super healthy veg coming along for replacing those shitty plants asap... pbp nutes....

 

[bucketswithsoil]

Buckets cant wait to see em.... just got a new job... check it out....

View Image View Image

Haha... doing well for shure!!! Just started here... those big fucked up plants in bloom r not my work... had pests, deficiencies, amd environment probs... my boys a pro with pests and they r gone. Only tjing left r fungus gnats which will be easy...

Super healthy veg coming along for replacing those shitty plants asap... pbp nutes....

fuckin A my man,right on..incoming pm thats one hell of.a set up,me like W2G.. :friends:

 

[Irotas]

I was wondering if anyone can tell me how they dry their buds in the high humidity, I get to the point of stems snapping, but the buds still wont burn right in a bowl, and not get me high. Seems like a dehumidifier might be my only option. If I dry to long it seems like the terpenes and potency degrades. The buds taste good quick oven dried, I don't get it.

 

[DoubleTripleOG]

Buckets cant wait to see em.... just got a new job... check it out....

View Image View Image

Haha... doing well for shure!!! Just started here... those big fucked up plants in bloom r not my work... had pests, deficiencies, amd environment probs... my boys a pro with pests and they r gone. Only tjing left r fungus gnats which will be easy...

Super healthy veg coming along for replacing those shitty plants asap... pbp nutes....

I know you said you just started there, but how do those OG hoods compare to regular hoods? I mean as far as coverage/intensity? I have had my eye on them for min, and want a first hand account of what someone who has them thinks.

 

[DoubleTripleOG]

I was wondering if anyone can tell me how they dry their buds in the high humidity, I get to the point of stems snapping, but the buds still wont burn right in a bowl, and not get me high. Seems like a dehumidifier might be my only option. If I dry to long it seems like the terpenes and potency degrades. The buds taste good quick oven dried, I don't get it.

Yup, dehumidifier. I use one in the drying room. Hang them until the stems barely start to snap. Then jar it up, leave the lids on for a day or night. Remove lids, and have the de-huey running, leave it like that all day, then put lids back on. Do that for 2-3 days, and it should make for some good smoke.

 

[RockinRobot]

I was wondering if anyone can tell me how they dry their buds in the high humidity, I get to the point of stems snapping, but the buds still wont burn right in a bowl, and not get me high. Seems like a dehumidifier might be my only option. If I dry to long it seems like the terpenes and potency degrades. The buds taste good quick oven dried, I don't get it.

My AC keeps the grow room 50~60% RH and that is perfect for drying buds. I have a cardboard wardrobe box I use to dry in. Just set it in the grow room. The closed box keeps the plants dark and humidity is great for slow drying. Have a small fan in bottom of box blowing out so air is sucked in from top and out the bottom. The cardboard will lower the humidity inside even lower than the room.


Picture of drying box.

 

[RockinRobot]

Nice work on the reveg rr. I'm super interested in your amnesiaxtt crosses!! Always wanted to see that amnesia haze n action!! I'm expecting good things from you!! God..... i wish I could get my hands on those genetics!!! Lol
Respect

Thanks Coop...

Wish I could take credit for the genetics. Up till now I have been growing bag seed and 1 run of White widow that I lost due to moving. The Amnesia and WFA#6 crosses are a Christmas gift from P-NUT. He did the crosses and gets all the credit. I am really hoping for good things also. The bag seed I've been running is good smoke but it is prone to hermie and it's really hard hitting on the lungs. It will be nice to have good genetics again.

I will definitely keep updating on the grow.

 

[RockinRobot]

Just an update on my current grow at 9 days 12/12. Screen starting to get full.

On a side note you may notice the plants on the left look much better than the right, even though they are in the same ebb and flow tray. This was caused by a design flaw in my flood table that I should have seen myself but isn't mentioned anywhere in all my research.

A little background...
My flood tray is DIY. I started with a clear plastic underbed storage box painted first black then white. I had 2 of these 1 for flower and 1 for veg. In veg I used to run drip and then flood when move to flower. When I didn't get any clones this last run I needed to re-veg so I re-purposed the tray from the veg room. That tray had both inlet and outlet on the same end (the left). This caused a nutrient lockout on the right half and stunting those plants. Apparently the waste was not able to drain out completely from that end. I have since remedied this and the plants are rapidly recovering but the 3 rightmost plants are way behind.

Live and Learn...

My Screen is 3' x 5' for reference in photo's

 

[sourpuss]

Sup dub! Will talk to the guys. Yhey r ravin about em... they said they r the cadillac of hoods. Bomb was the word used manytimes to describe em.... brand new and winter now so expect us to ductem. Replaced adjustwing type reflectors.

 

[Coba]

I got 30 acres that im gonna turn into a sativa lovers paradise.

that's the quote ... shit yeah, I'll be there.


AssLover please tell me more about SR71... and Hugh where are you?

Guys that's a lot of info about LEDs. I need to start some research.

I'm right there with you Copperfield man dude.

I don't think that's in Florida sourpuss... but, who cares... that place is awesome! Congratulations on your new gig, Lucky.


Irotas, hate it when my buds are too wet to smoke... kills me. I'll be sucking and sucking and nothing...

 

[Coba]

^^^Is that too much sig?

 

[ALazyGardner]

Blueberry

Blueberry

Here is my blueberry.

I have lost the clones for it, soI may try a reveg of it.

Not sure what day of flower it is at, as i forgot to write it down.

I am starting to flush this week and will harvest her next weekend.

She is grown under LED's.