Dville Farmer - Northern Lights

[dvillefarmer]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

So what should I do for the rest of my veg? Base soil and liquid nutrients? Or something like fox farms?

 

[danklover79]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

I use 65% FFOF, with 35% perlite as my mix, and it works great, I even start seeds using that mix, and no problems.

 

[KingJohnC]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

I use peat moss, perlite and vermiculite with Mycorrhizae for my soiless mixture. I use General Hydroponics Flora series 3 part nutrients that can be mixed for all stages of vegetative growth and flowering. General Hydroponics Flora series can be used in hydroponic, soil and soiless mixtures.

https://generalhydroponics.com nutrients flora series

 

[northmann]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

Check out TGA Base and TGA Super soil.

 

[Mono]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

Have to recommend canna nutes and canna soil.

 

[dvillefarmer]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

alright its pay day and my goal is to buy a light but I have a questions. I initially wanted to go a 600 watt digital greenhouse combo kit for $200. But the the reflector is really narrow. I have a 2x8 shelf my plants are on right now. I really cant find a good reflector that will cover that kind of an area. I would appreciate any recommendations on a non air cooled light.

But at my local hydroponics store they have two sun system kits (the ones with the ballast built into the light) that are 400 watt systems for $100. I could definitely get the coverage with these but I am dropping down to a 400 watt bulb.

So what do you guys recommend I do?

 

[Jimmy6000]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

So 600w vs 400x2?

 

[dvillefarmer]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

Exactly

 

[Jimmy6000]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

Any plan's on cooling them yet?

 

[Growingnow]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

Its about the size and surface area that you want to grow in. For me the cut off is 10k lumens for bottom of my growth with my 600 watt which means I have about 28" from the middle point of the bulb no matter which direction you go that will create your effective lighting. I use a string with knots in it to help me keep a nice height. So a few things to consider is how tall of a plant do you want to end up with and how much surface area do you want covered. The reflector will help to throw the light out in a larger surface area but effective lumens decrease dramatically.

 

[dvillefarmer]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

Well by the time I flower and they get full size I want to have around 2-3 lights. But my plants will be 18-24" when I switch to flower. I want around 5' plants when its all said and done. I hope to have around 7- 10 plants going during flower. I will find out a way to still utilize my t5's and cfls during veg. then they will be moved to my clones when I can take some.

I have considered getting a 1000 watt ballast and buying a splitter and running to 600 watt bulbs using wing reflectors. I have heard mixed reviews on splitters. They seem to be problematic. At least in the post they were but that was in 2009-2011 post.

I might move my plants off the shelf and put them on the floor. I could got to a traditional cube shape at that point and opens myself up to a lot more reflectors

 

[Mono]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

It's all about thinking what is best for your exact situation. More watts and more light doesn't always make more buds if you don't have everything else dialled in first..

 

[dvillefarmer]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

So how do I figure out which one is best for me?

 

[dvillefarmer]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

Here is an update picture of my plants. they are alittle shy of 3 weeks old now.

 

[KingJohnC]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

I think with the low costs of Digital Dimable Ballasts spliters are forgotten about, better to get 2 ballasts then overload your equipment.

 

[Mono]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

I agree with KJC.

Only time I would get a splitter was if there was nowhere to put a second ballast.

 

[dvillefarmer]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

I gotcha, i did pick up a magnetic ballast to get me started and for a future back up. It was used and only 50 bucks. Might even go and get a second for the adequate coverage

 

[Mono]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

I gotcha, i did pick up a magnetic ballast to get me started and for a future back up. It was used and only 50 bucks. Might even go and get a second for the adequate coverage

Two ballasts gives you much more control of the grow in general.

 

[dvillefarmer]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

I actually found a nice alternative to hid lights and will be picking up a few more this weekend. So that will help out a lot. But for now I have my 600 metal halide 12" above the plants and a set of 4 bulb t5's on either side of the plants. So right now I am running a rough total of 1000 watts for my plants. I have the windows open and its keeping the plants decently cool.

But with the addition of lights I need a better air system. I will eventually buy an inline fan for exhaust but I am thinking about buying a small ac unit to put in my crawl space and duct I through my floor vent. I will be pulling cold air from the crawl space while replacing the co2 and the air in the room. Being a larger room does this seem like a viable option? By the way I did the math and to cool the room I need roughly 3000 btu unit. Being winter time I can pick one up for under 50 bucks

 

[Mono]

Re: Dville Farmer: Northern Lights

I actually found a nice alternative to hid lights and will be picking up a few more this weekend. So that will help out a lot. But for now I have my 600 metal halide 12" above the plants and a set of 4 bulb t5's on either side of the plants. So right now I am running a rough total of 1000 watts for my plants. I have the windows open and its keeping the plants decently cool.

But with the addition of lights I need a better air system. I will eventually buy an inline fan for exhaust but I am thinking about buying a small ac unit to put in my crawl space and duct I through my floor vent. I will be pulling cold air from the crawl space while replacing the co2 and the air in the room. Being a larger room does this seem like a viable option? By the way I did the math and to cool the room I need roughly 3000 btu unit. Being winter time I can pick one up for under 50 bucks

Sounds like a perfect plan to me my friend. That will get them plenty of fresh air.

Will it be enough to cool the room in summer time though with that many watts of light running?

+ reps for the good work so far.