dont mention LED's

[P Jammers]

While I am not a member of this site, perhaps you might find some interesting reading over at hXXp://ledgrowlightforum.com/

Check out the California Light works threads. You'll have to read through and decide for yourself who knows what they are doing, and how many new growers there are by looking at the plants they are growing.

There are a lot of newer growers there and because I do not use their brand I wouldn't be of much assistance to them.

At least it will give you an idea, and those guys are all using half power.

California Light Works also just added a grower feedback program on their home page for their 400 watt I believe. You give a deposit and at the end of your journal you can either return it for your money back, or keep it at half the price of a new light they sell.

Still pretty pricy, but for anyone who is legal it's worth the price of admission to see for yourself.

 

[P Jammers]

It made sense, but I have a hard time believing this is the case time after time. Simply put, I have grown and am growing gals that would be hard-pressed to fit additional bud sites on....

I just clicked on a brand new thread over there. Thought you may find this interesting.

spacecadets10]
Received 400w Solarstorm last week and had up and running that night. Delivery was prompt. This is my second 400w Solarstorm so that should tell you my feelings about the product. I purchased my first light about three months ago to replace a 400w MH i was using for the veg stage. I was looking to upgrade to a more efficient light and had heard LEDs where great for veg. After shopping for a LED decided on the Solarstorm. Being my first LED I was a little skeptical but have been more then impressed with the results. My plants have not been strecthing like they were under the metal halide light and are developing almost twice as many flowering sites as before. Besides being more efficient they lights run a lot cooler so I decided to get another Solarstorm and try flowering with it. I put both 400w solarstorm lights in my 5x7 flower room. I have ten small to medium sized plants in 3 gallon pot with organic soil. The plants where under the Storm for veg and Have been flowering for two weeks, the first under the MH, and both Soloarstorms since. Cant wait to see how they do in flower.

 

[ShOrTbUs]

imo unless you have unreasonably cold temps, i feel as though MH are obsolete. if grown properly you should NEVER see any stretch from cfl & ho t5's in veg. t5's being more popular b/c they cover a wider area and are more efficient.

after following this thread from start to finish, this is my personal take on the subject:

led's have come a long way, and are now a viable option for flowering. are they the best option? it depends if your growing for quality or quantity. its about what is more important to you and your grow personally. i think that since LED's have more usable light that they will produce a SLIGHTLY overall better quality product. this is just an assumption of mine, b/c i have never grown with LEd's or even smoked mj from an LED' grow(that i know of). BUT led's lack in the quantity department, UNLESS running SOG. hps seems to produce larger bud sites then LED. due to more penetration power.

what i'd really like to see is a hps w/CO2 vs led grow w/CO2... i wanna see how they match up under 100% optimal conditions

for me its as simple as this...if i'm a new grower i should look into LED's as a possible pathway. BUT there is no reason in their current state to replace hps with LED

i have yet to puchase my 600w hps light. after going through this thread, a lot of google searches, and getting a few questions answered. i've decided that hps is right for me.

EDIT: a question i cant find the answer for. maybe u can help pjammers.

i've heard from a fellow local grower who has a very strong opinion that LED's are now the BEST...and theirs no debating him b/c he's never wrong(u know the type)

i heard from him that they are now making 5watt diodes. from every post i've seen, all of your lights are running 3watt diodes. is there any truth to this? are they still beta testing the higher wattage, and have yet to put into production?

 

[Roddy]

I just clicked on a brand new thread over there. Thought you may find this interesting.

Guy's vegging under MH....this alone doesn't instill a huge amount of trust in his overall growing skills, most of us know T5's is the way to go for the tight veg!

I agree with Shortbus there, some people might find LED useful while many others still won't. I wouldn't state these lights are great for beginners without pointing out the problems one will undoubtedly face if one doesn't know how to grow....mainly having to keep em short. I also wouldn't tout them as the best thing out there since they do fall "short"

As I said, I have grown and am growing a very tight and short gal...but one might ask themselves why I'd be growing mainly large gals...especially if short works better?

One of these days, LED will improve penetration. Until then, HPS is king for me!

 

[Roddy]

PJ, have you ever vegged with T5's?

 

[Roddy]

what i'd really like to see is a hps w/CO2 vs led grow w/CO2... i wanna see how they match up under 100% optimal conditions

Curious as to the effectiveness of CO2 in a cooler running room, I too would like to hear from someone with better knowledge on this.

 

[Locked]

what i'd really like to see is a hps w/CO2 vs led grow w/CO2... i wanna see how they match up under 100% optimal conditions

Curious as to the effectiveness of CO2 in a cooler running room, I too would like to hear from someone with better knowledge on this.

Pretty sure you would need to raise the temps for it to be "optimal". Higher temps, sealed grow area isn't optional with CO2 from what I have read.

 

[Roddy]

Yeah, I thought the same....

 

[JustAnotherAntMarching]

BUT led's lack in the quantity department, UNLESS running SOG. hps seems to produce larger bud sites then LED. due to more penetration power.

You obviously didnt read the thread like you said... Nobody using LED has even mentioned running SOG style in this thread...? they are running plants... look at the pictures... read the posts....

 

[NorCalHal]

what i'd really like to see is a hps w/CO2 vs led grow w/CO2... i wanna see how they match up under 100% optimal conditions

Curious as to the effectiveness of CO2 in a cooler running room, I too would like to hear from someone with better knowledge on this.

IMO, it would be spinnin' wheels. In order for the stomata to open up fully to utilize the incresed CO2 levals, temps must be ran higher.

T5's do rock....but MH will smash a T5 for veg anyday. Well, a 1000 watt MH sure will. You boys be trippin' if you think that a MH will cause node spacing to be stretched out. Node spacing is very strain dependant for one, but in my experience, no issues with crazy stretch unless you are underlit.

 

[NorCalHal]

Whats happening P Jammers! Good to see you on the boards here.
Thanks for posting the info on the LED's. Very Interesting read for sure.

For my growing situation, they are simply not for me, but I do see them being a "cooler" choice for some folks for sure.

 

[Roddy]

tbh, I've only vegged under MH a few runs before switching to T5's, the closer light and lack of heat seemed to make the plants grow tighter and really was cheaper as well.

no issues with crazy stretch unless you are underlit.

 

[P Jammers]

Ugg, typed out a book and it got erased trying to post. This time we go shorter.

@Shortbus

Yes I have heard 5 watt LED's are out although I have not seen or used them.

As far as CO2 I am in a sealed lab using CO2, a Mini Split AC, Dehu, and a CHHC-4 environment controller. Room temps are set to 85 with a 3 degree variance, and I run 72 during the dark cycle. I ran that way with HPS as well and noticed about a 10% increase in over all plant finishing times, and about a 20% increase in yield.


NOTE: Most strains are flipped at about 4 to 6 inches from clone, and @ 7 nodes from seed.

@Roddy

Yes I vegged under a Tek 2x4 8 T5 HO bulb fixture for years and got very similar results. The main difference outside of power is the heat. T5's throw way more heat than LED's do, and consume way more power.

I also agree that LED's are not for a brand new grower, in fact I think I have said that about 3 to 5 times already in the thread. They are not for everyone, but going back this thread was more about how they don't work, and I came here to set the record straight and help others better understand.

As good as they can be for perfectly healthy plants, they can be detrimental for a plant with a PH issue, or deficiency as they are not very forgiving.

Hope I got the questions, Coffee just now brewing and I haven't had an ounce...

 

[NorCalHal]

tbh, I've only vegged under MH a few runs before switching to T5's, the closer light and lack of heat seemed to make the plants grow tighter and really was cheaper as well.

no issues with crazy stretch unless you are underlit.

They are cheaper for sure, and I do use T5's every click. I start out my girls under T5's until they are rootbound in a 4x4" pot, then they get transplanted and put under the MH. Explosive growth.

 

[NorCalHal]

@ PJ How do you like you CHHC-4? Gotta love it right? What mini split are you rockin'?
I talked to the Sentinal folks at the last trade show and they are coming out with a new controller that has an ethernet port. This will allow you to monitor the unit and change variables remotely from a smart phone.

 

[P Jammers]

The CHHC-4 is really nice. Set it and forget it. I see that there are several companies coming out with smart phone apps, which really ticks me off. That is what I wanted from the get, and was talking with Sero Systems until they decided they are too busy to keep people informed on their products, but they were the first company I saw to come out with that feature.

I still may go with Sero if they ever get their act together.

As far as the mini, I have a 12000 BTU KLIMAIRE Inverter Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner 16SEER.
Love it!

 

[my my]

61 Days into flower now...
Like PJ mentioned PH issues will show up more.. i always seem to fight PH when i am just flowering in a 5 gall. DWC... my DIY RDWC set up i much prefur..
Anyway here are her shots...
the leaves feel so much more oily to me, compaired to the girl under the 1K.
speaking of 1K. that girl got 2 different kinds of spider mites, dang it. so she is being chopped now, @ 8.5 weeks....
The Led Girl will be chopped after i am done with the other girl...
I won't be running the LED's again untill spring when temps are warmer.they then will be replacing my 1K in the flower room. for the summer.
As i do NOT have a Lab like PJ.. i just grow in a old shack...lol...

 

[Roddy]

I also agree that LED's are not for a brand new grower, in fact I think I have said that about 3 to 5 times already in the thread.

:aok: I might have misunderstood the "no brainer" comment earlier...

 

[Roddy]

Sorry about the mite attack, my my, sad news! Pics look good, thanks for sharing!

 

[Roddy]

PJ, do you use the same LED setup from veg through bud?