Graytail Goes LED - 810W Intelligent-Gro II w/ High Brix

[Graytail]

I believe there's some research supporting the idea that it's stressful for plants to go from dark to very bright light in just a few minutes. Dave has looked into this to design the spectrum program and the LED bands. The only thing that gives me pause is the decreased total light per day. One would imagine that might slow growth down. But GLR doesn't seem to slow growth, so maybe a similar principle applies here. Icemud sold me on this tech - his plants look jus' fine!

As you say, we'll all get to see.

Here it is at the very end of the day. The plants have slumped a bit for bedtime.

 

[VonDankenhoek]

plants in nature would face all kinds of lighting variables because of canopies, natural structures, reflections, debris etc. Seems like during a daylight period an unimaginable combination of solar effects must come into play. i think the plant would be well adapted to utilizing its solar energy rations.

i am watching closely!

 

[Graytail]

LEDs are new to me, so I'm still playing around ...

Today I found out the the white balance setting on my camera works a lot better under this panel than it does under the hps. The greens always looked flat and dull. But it's pretty accurate for this panel. Here are two shots - one with white balance and one with flash, which is kinda cool because it shows what colors LED removes from the spectrum - slightly yellowy green.

I'm not used to seeing all the pretty colors from LED panels, which usually just look red and blue. The COBs and the surrounding 3 watters with their lenses put out a whole array of colors from different angles of view. (It shows a little too orange - it's pinker than this.)

My white pots show the color bands from leaf shadowing.

Dunno .... it's purdy.

 

[PotChimp]

Destroyer is supposed to be a decent strain. That Nepalese Jam sounds like it might have a little hair on its a$$ too. Subbed!

 

[Graytail]

I finally tended to my soil today.

I have a total of 90 gallons of soil at 6 gallons per pot = enough for 15 pots. I've harvested 23 plants and have another 7 in pots now, so that's roughly two full runs each, and I have 40 amended gallons in bins. But I've added almost 3 batches of amendment to that total, where the instructions only call for 2, so my soil is most likely a bit mineral-rich. I also have a very high Total Alkalinity in my water, so my soil is probably too rich in calcium as well as unflushed salts. It's been doing pretty darned well lately, but I get a sense it's starting to get way out of balance.

So, I picked up another 2 cuft of Pro-Mix and 10 pounds of EWC. I flushed the entire 40 gallons of soil I have on hand with about an equal amount of water and then spread it all out in a wading pool with the poop and new soil and about a cup of Roots and 7 tbls of epsom salt, mixed everything up real well, and put it back in the bins. I started with 40 gallons and ended with 60, so it got diluted by a third. That should help. The espoms was to help with the cal/mag balance which is probably out of whack. I gave the Grapefruit some espoms a couple weeks ago and it perked up nicely, so I'll keep it in the toolkit.

The next plants to go into this soil will be two Carnival cuts in just a few days. They're doing very well right now, so I should be able to see what they think of the new mix when I pot 'em.

 

[b.real]

nice. I need to get some new soil and I'm about to go fully organic. I'm probably gonna get a bag of hampton estates potting mix or kellogg's potting soil. what does the alkalinity reading tell you?

 

[Graytail]

nice. I need to get some new soil and I'm about to go fully organic. I'm probably gonna get a bag of hampton estates potting mix or kellogg's potting soil. what does the alkalinity reading tell you?

High total alkalinity is otherwise known as "hard water", high in minerals, the kind that dries to a white powdery film on the bottom? In my case it's primarily calcium, so my soil gets a steady supply of soluble calcium every time I water. I'm too cheap to get RO.

 

[PotChimp]

nice. I need to get some new soil and I'm about to go fully organic. I'm probably gonna get a bag of hampton estates potting mix or kellogg's potting soil. what does the alkalinity reading tell you?

I'm not sure how much it has to do with your exact question, but it's something I'm going to keep in mind with organic growing.
From " Adding Biology For Soil and Hydroponic Systems" (Chapter 9 - Microbes and Plants Form a Symbiotic Relationship): If biology is present to chelate nutrients, then pH is of no consequence because the biology will control the proper pH for the plant. In healthy systems, the plant is what controls microbial activity.

 

[Graytail]

I'm not sure how much it has to do with your exact question, but it's something I'm going to keep in mind with organic growing.
From " Adding Biology For Soil and Hydroponic Systems" (Chapter 9 - Microbes and Plants Form a Symbiotic Relationship): If biology is present to chelate nutrients, then pH is of no consequence because the biology will control the proper pH for the plant. In healthy systems, the plant is what controls microbial activity.

Isn't that the coolest thing? The biota regulate pH. But to have healthy biota, minerals need to be present in certain ratios.

BTW, I really hope Destroyer is manageable. That pedigree draws me like a bear to honey. Buddha Haze popped today, too - one day after planting!

 

[Graytail]

It's time for a weekly update.

The youngsters have now spent an entire week under the new LED and they're looking pretty darned good. I really haven't known how they're handling it because most of them also got heavily watered about the time I switched to the new light, so they've been kinda limp, with the exception of the Carnivals, which are looking as healthy as any I've grown.

First are the two Utopia Haze seedlings, which are now 44 days old and busy digging into their new pots of soil. I topped UH1 and will let it continue into bloom with 4 equal tops. UH2 was LSTed and will end up with 8-10 tops. They've been struggling a bit so far, but I don't think this strain likes to be trained. Now that they have big pots, they should start to straighten out. The Grapefruit cut is doing just fine. I almost flipped it today, but this pheno doesn't stretch, so I'm gonna veg it a lil longer.

GF2 - 75 days old - brix 10/11

UH1 - 44 days old

UH2 - 44 days old

The Carnival cuts look fabulous! These are barely older than the Utopias, and I held them in their smaller pots longer, but they look great, all vigorous and spiky. They'll get up-potted mid-week or so.

Carn4 - 46 days old

Carn5 - 46 days old

Destroyer continues to do well.

Destroyer - 21 days old

The Grapefruit cuts in water are fine, but no sign of rooting yet.

The group:

 

[shottafire]

Glad i actually found this journal. Its rare I browse journals in progress.

Subbed up GT. I know I keep saying I will switch to led but havent decided on panels yet and I intend on supplementing my hps lights at first. but next summer if I feel comfortable I will try to do an all led grow.

show me the led magic buddy.

 

[sir grow alot]

sub'd ill be back later to read through it and join the party!!

 

[b.real]

beautiful as usual

 

[Graytail]

nice. I need to get some new soil and I'm about to go fully organic. I'm probably gonna get a bag of hampton estates potting mix or kellogg's potting soil. what does the alkalinity reading tell you?

B, you have wonderful peat deposits in Canada. I'm not familiar with those brands, but what we're using is simply Canadian peat with added limestone to balance pH, along with pearlite and mycos. The peat itself has very little nutritional value, so it's nice and neutral - doesn't interfere with added nutes. Premier is the company that makes Pro-Mix.

 

[KingJohnC]

I would also add 20% vermiculite to that soiless mixture, vermiculite retains moisture longer as well as acts as a catalyst between the roots and nutrients.

 

[sir grow alot]

This LED-venture looks to be off the an as expected great start!!

Im really interested as well about the growth through the dimming of day and night settings

 

[Graytail]

I can verify that Herbie's is a fine standup organization, with a surprisingly competent customer service group.

I had to exchange some emails with them, and each time, they were personable and well-written with a nice cheery tone.

I stuck to the terms of their guarantee and made no mention of sprouting seeds, simply that they had been damaged in transit. They asked me if I could verify the damage with a photo, and fortunately I had the one of the Nexus dud. That was enough to get replacements for all three that failed this time. I appealed to them on that basis, too - that this time it was 3 out of 7 that were damaged.

It took less than 48 hours total, and I got a tracking number for the replacement shipment.

+reps to Herbie's for trusting but verifying.

 

[PeeJay]

Nice to know, Gray. Well deserved nomination for MOTM, by the way

 

[sir grow alot]

Ive always wondered about Herbies....Thanks for the info on them!!

congrats on the MOTM nomination!!! you got my vote! thanks for all the help,and great journals!!

 

[Duggan]

Glad i actually found this journal. Its rare I browse journals in progress.

Subbed up GT. I know I keep saying I will switch to led but havent decided on panels yet and I intend on supplementing my hps lights at first. but next summer if I feel comfortable I will try to do an all led grow.

show me the led magic buddy.

Hey shot, things are lookin real nice gray! Just thought i'de drop by and check how your likin your new leds. I made the full switch to Budmaster 2,675 xg. Never go back to H.I.D. liting.Iv'e been a journeyman "sparky" for over 30 yrs.,and these current generation of led's is fantastic! The bands are tuned in for us....perfect The budmaster is working flawlessly,although with my two large MKU's i felt the need to add two more lights that "doc" was testing there. G8 led 90w "all red" units.Sometime in the next two weeks or so i'l post a few pics on "Q &A and you guys have a look at em. The results are awesome.Power usage is down...temps are no longer a concern and as i said earlier they are tuned in for plant growthCheers guys .