Breaking Brix: Buck's DIYs

I just did a rough calculation of $ for my build. I have just under $2000 for the 24 chip array. That includes plywood,box,displays and framing. Turned out to be a chunk of change, probably why I never added it up before. Then spent another $600 on the mq-500 meter, to test the light( haven't really even played with it yet).
 
Buckshot317 said:
I just did a rough calculation of $ for my build. I have just under $2000 for the 24 chip array. That includes plywood,box,displays and framing. Turned out to be a chunk of change, probably why I never added it up before. Then spent another $600 on the mq-500 meter, to test the light( haven't really even played with it yet).
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What's your PPFD at max and what cob spacing?
 
I've been playing with meter. It's hard to get a good measurement, angles, trying not to shake. Light mover is only way to get good measurements, just have to do it before plants go in. I did 2 tests, one with reflectors and one without. I was aiming for 8in, 12in, and 16in. Also did a test at top of pots(dirt level). Used mq-500 meter to do test.

With reflectors
At 8in= Between 1600 and 2000 ppfd
At 12in= Between 1200 and 1250 ppfd
At 16in= averaged around 1000 pods
At base= 300 to 340 pods

Without reflectors
At 8in= 2600 to 3000
At 12 in= 900 to 1000
At 16in= averaged 600

I only took off 4 reflectors to do test. I found it difficult for me to hold wand steady.

Also the drivers were maxed out at 225 watts a piece, and one never got over 217.7(but it was only on for few mins, but think it's still little lower than other 5.

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I trimmed some of the undergrowth, to give better air flow. Starting to get little crowded.
 
Looking awesome in there. I love the evenness of light. I have been thinking about reflectors for boards as the ones for the sunboards won't be out for awhile. But I had some input on your test.
I wonder if you need to take more reflectors off to really check. When no reflectors are in place the light spreads 120 degrees as we all know. The benefit of that is to spread the light out more evenly. This spreads the light to the other cob areas as well.
When you took the four reflectors off did you check the adjacent cobs that still had reflectors on and see if their PPFD went up? I wonder if all the reflectors in a 4x4 were off if the PPFD would be measured higher than if just the four were removed.
Also when checking the difference between reflector and no reflector I would add a poster board to reflect the light from the side with no wall. I wonder how much the PPFD would improve for the reflectorless cobs since they rely so much on reflection off walls if there is no physical reflector on the cob.
It may result in a decision to hang poster boards in that area or possibly to remove reflectors off of the cobs nearest the walls and leave them on the cobs closest to the open area.
Just some thoughts, your cool data got me thinking!
 
Yea, shiggs , I was having same thoughts when doing the test. I got lazy, I should have pulled the plants out and took off all the reflectors . I was just trying to get quick numbers . It's hard to be real accurate with wand. I did notice the numbers were lower in front, when I had doors of tent open, I believe your right on trying to contain the light in front with some type of reflective material. If your using a tent, one would be better off without lenses for more even spread, only if you have enough chips. I might pull them all off, and see how the plants like it, right now I'm about 14 inches from canopy.
 
Buckshot317 said:
Yea, shiggs , I was having same thoughts when doing the test. I got lazy, I should have pulled the plants out and took off all the reflectors . I was just trying to get quick numbers . It's hard to be real accurate with wand. I did notice the numbers were lower in front, when I had doors of tent open, I believe your right on trying to contain the light in front with some type of reflective material. If your using a tent, one would be better off without lenses for more even spread, only if you have enough chips. I might pull them all off, and see how the plants like it, right now I'm about 14 inches from canopy.
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I put some mat white Bristol board in my tent to take a picture. I noticed par readings went way up.
Tents should be white inside. First person to make a white lined tent will be rich.
 
I am just happy I've started to get mites under control. I don't know if you guys can tell from pics, but the leaves have a much healthier green color than they did few weeks ago. Also I haven't checked the ph of soil or nutes this entire grow. I've been using mammoth p and recharge once a week. I use distilled water, need to get RO system installed.
 
JimmyJames905 said:
I put some mat white Bristol board in my tent to take a picture. I noticed par readings went way up.
Tents should be white inside. First person to make a white lined tent will be rich.
Click to expand...

The home box tents are white, don't know where you can get them in North America. Here they are growlab with aluminum finish
 
I am building some grow chambers in the new grow room. Two 4x8s will be framed in with wood. For the walls I am going to use super lightweight plywood and wrap the wall panels with panda film. I will get some neodymium magnets to hold the panels on to the wood frame. That way I can remove the panels to get to the plants easier. I will do the same for the doors. So my big 43" lights will fill almost to the wall with about 4" from the last diodes to the wall on each side. I plan on using no lenses with these sunboards so we will see how well it does. I need to get an apogee meter. I will be raising or lowering the light array to keep me in the 1000+ PPFD range.
 
That's kinda what I'm wanting to do. I have a 10x15 room now, like to turn it into a flower room. Then have a 10x10 veg room. Only thing holding me back is what am I going to do with all the smoke lol. I have too much now, have to be careful. I really just want the rooms, no tents. Be easier to get around to each plant, don't have to bend over all the time, I'm getting old
 
In my 8x12 flower room I am having issues with hating having to shuffle the plants around lol. I won't ever do that again. And I hear ya on the getting older thing. My lower back ain't what it used to be. That's kind of why I am moving to three 4x8 grow boxes with removable walls. I can run two with scrogs and opposite schedules and a just for fun third 4x8 free grow area. I can do my foliars and watering through the removable panels (on 3 sides).
It's gonna finally let me do some experiments as each 4x4 area will be identical. I plan to put four plants in 10 gallon softies in each 4x4.
 
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