Going big for medical have Two Options and need help 1280 watt LED/SCROG/Hydro setup

[azsupratt]

I just received my mmj card finally =) so I am going to get my 12 plants on the way. I've grown in the past with a homemade 4x4x7 box with 1000 hps/mh Lumatek setup with soil. I grew 9 plants frosty as hell and tall but my electricity bills since i am in az were threw the roof. I'm getting a nice little tax return and I want to do a cleaner setup that will give me bigger yields and reduced energy consumption and make the move to hydro for ease since I have little ones to watch now too and and upgrade to leds . My budget is hopefully under $3000(includes nutes and such) This will be my 4th grow and I will have a full journal once I have everything I need decided.

So far I am for sure going with the C.A.P. Monster ebb and flow(got a nice deal for 9 pot setup for 500) and I am going to add 3 5gallon pot expansion to it.

I have been researching alot about good leds.

Now here is where my issue comes into play.

I want to maximize my yields and thc production as all growers do by utilizing all the light I can from my setup. I originally wanted to include a gavita 600 but I have no way of plugging in the 240v plug in my room... anyway back to the point.

My options are as follows both Secret jardin Grow Tents:

I can do the dr240w 4x8 tent

Secret Jardin Dark Room Pro DR240W II Grow Tent

and do 2 3x4 screen SCROGS with 6 plants under each with 1 550 led above each and the 180 ufo in the middle for extra lighting.

The only thing I am iffy on is if that is to much room for this setup on 12 plants and I feel light might be wasted.

My other option is the dr150 5x5 grow tent

Secret Jardin Dark Room Pro DR150 II Grow Tent

I called them and they said I would be able to fit 12 5 gallon buckets in there and have a little room to spare.I could setup 4.5x4x.5 scrog or 5x5 if it fits I could line up the 550 leds back to back or with the ufo in the middle of them or off to the side. I am just not sure if this will be enough room to maximize the yield or 12 plants

I originally was thinking of throwing in a 400w hps for flowering to see combined results with led and hps because I have all my vortex's leftover from my last grow 4-8" ranging but I thought that might be to much on the power bill so figured the 180 led is a better option.


Which setup do you think will work the best for SCROG and I will be using clones. Any info and suggestions are appreciated. IF you think any other led would be a better option for range of cost please input. I was looking at magnums but damn expensive along with spectras.

 

[Bassman59]

Re: Going big for medical have Two Options and need help 1280 watt LED/SCROG/Hydro se

Ok, first let me address the LED.

You stated Magnum above so I did a google and found that brand name of LED.
If this is the brand you're referring to:

using simple math, they are driving 3 x 1w chips per LED at 1/2 power, or 1.55 watts per led. Pretty low.

I seriously wouldnt go with any LED that uses three 1w chips as opposed to 1 3w chip. Then I want to make sure they are driven at nearly 2w per at minimum.
The reason they are not driven at full wattage is to extend life.

Imho choose Grow Stealth LED or Advanced Led. Both are well proven here at 420mag.

On the the setup:

Just my opinion mind you, but when you say you want max yield, imho, 12 plants in two 3x4 areas (6 plants per) is far from max yield. I truly believe you could easily put 1/2 as many plants under the same light and get more yield. It's just a matter of training, topping, fim, defoliating, etc.

I should get over 1lb out of 6 plants in my current grow and I screwed it up by not training enough to widen the girls more before flower. I also hurt myself with crowding. Had I gone for 3-4 plants in single buckets in the same area I could yield more with less overcrowding and light shading.

**shit my ride is here, I'll elaborate more later.

ok back finally.

If you use the DR150 5x5 tent (I use Secret Jardin too btw). I would say you could put 9 plants in there, but you would be overcrowding if you're really going for max yield. This also is on the premise of no main reservoir in the tent itself, but rather placed outside. If you had the main res inside, it would cost you 1-2 plants imo.

In my idea of a perfect world for such a space, I would go 4-5 5gal buckets, RDWC, and 4 x 200-300w LED. Veg time for me would be 6-8 weeks minimum with lots of training and defoliation and topping. Ideally going for 30" centers, 1 plant in the middle (5 total), really wide bushes with max height around 32"-36". I reflective base (mylar, panda, whatever) that covers the entire area at the same height of the bucket or tub tops. Reflect the light back up into the girls.

Just think about it and get an idea of what that would look like.

I believe, that you really want twice the area for 9-12 plant max yield grows. Now to me, max yield means 8oz per plant or more. Which is totally doable. I think we sell ourselves short when using a big res and larger buckets like yours and only getting 2-4z per plant. Two weeks longer veg, more topping and training, and suddenly you know have much more root mass and real good support for bigger girls and much higher yield.

Now, with all that in mind, know that I am a newby grower with only 1 finished grow under my belt. But I have spent many countless hours studying this thing too. Some of what I have to say is from experience based on what I've learned with my grow and relating to what I'm reading/learning now. While part is also based strictly on what I am starting to believe from my readings only. So take above accordingly, think about it, do some more research and be dialed in more solid from the start.

Good luck.

 

[azsupratt]

Re: Going big for medical have Two Options and need help 1280 watt LED/SCROG/Hydro se

Hey bass I appreciate the input. I think I have decided on the setup.

On a side note I found a few seeds from my old batch of Elitegenetics =) before he was shut down. All my past grows were EliteGenetics and motorebel seeds so I cant wait to see which these are. X fingers for purple snowflake..

Back to the setup:
Going with the 240 4x8 gonna use a 7x3Screen inside with 9 plants. I am going with a different set of 6 90w leds measuring 3'x4" I am going to line them across the tent in a | X X X X X X | row leaving 1/2" clearance on each side of the tent's 4 foot width.

I am going to space the lights about 2-3 feet apart from each other for good coverage. Ive seen these leds do amazing things using their cree chips and I will have a full journal.
I know how to scrog and grow and all that fun stuff but this will be my first hydro and I have never used nutes in a hydro so that what I will need to learn. Like when to add,how many times to flush and add new nutes etc.

Fimming,toppping,scrogging I got down from my last grows. Would you recommend a good nute set for hydro. Ive always used foxfarm and oceanforest in the past so this is going to be different.

 

[Bassman59]

Re: Going big for medical have Two Options and need help 1280 watt LED/SCROG/Hydro se

I dunno, tbh. I'm not convinced there are any 90w led's worth the $ for any multi plant grow that wants yield. Your choice though.

Nutes wise I have been very happy with Blue Planet Nutrients. Cory, the owner is a very active sponsor here.

Some hydro growers dont flush at all. They may taper the feed some but if they are not overfeeding they may not need to flush like soil.

The big things to watch in hydro are water temps & PH. Constant checking.

 

[azsupratt]

Re: Going big for medical have Two Options and need help 1280 watt LED/SCROG/Hydro se

pm me your email I will link you an amazing journal using the lights I am getting if your interested. He only used 4 and averaged 2.1 grams per watt.

 

[Bassman59]

Re: Going big for medical have Two Options and need help 1280 watt LED/SCROG/Hydro se

pm me your email I will link you an amazing journal using the lights I am getting if your interested. He only used 4 and averaged 2.1 grams per watt.

Thats a damn fine yield for sure. but you can pm till you have 50 posts.

edit: And since you are new it wouldnt be wise of me to give you my email. Maybe a google clue?