Suggestions needed to make the best of what i have.

Troy622

Member
Hey All!

I just picked up a platinumLED 300 and am trying to figure out what the best way to add it to my set up. Here is what i've currently got going on.

LIGHTS: (2) 4' 54w T-5 fixtures with 6500k lights in them

(2) Apollo 180w LED UFOs

(1) PlatinumLED 300

VEG: Box is 2x4 ft and 3 ft tall. I currently have the T-5s in there hanging high but with the summer heat in my area I'm having cooling issues even with a 6" in-line fan on both the intake and exhaust ducts.

FLOWER: tent is 5x5 and 7ft tall....lots of room in there as I am not doing huge grows. I currently have the two 180W LEDs hanging in there.

So I'm wondering what would be the best use of these 5 light in these two different environments. Currently my veg are struggling from heat and my buds are looking anemic and tiny on the flowers after being in there since 6/1/15

My first thought was to go with the 300LED and the T-5 hung horizontally for fill in light then move the 180 UFOs to the veg box...

I can try and post some pics later

Input welcome!

Thanks!
 

justugh

Well-Known Member
Hey All!

I just picked up a platinumLED 300 and am trying to figure out what the best way to add it to my set up. Here is what i've currently got going on.

LIGHTS: (2) 4' 54w T-5 fixtures with 6500k lights in them

(2) Apollo 180w LED UFOs

(1) PlatinumLED 300

VEG: Box is 2x4 ft and 3 ft tall. I currently have the T-5s in there hanging high but with the summer heat in my area I'm having cooling issues even with a 6" in-line fan on both the intake and exhaust ducts.

FLOWER: tent is 5x5 and 7ft tall....lots of room in there as I am not doing huge grows. I currently have the two 180W LEDs hanging in there.

So I'm wondering what would be the best use of these 5 light in these two different environments. Currently my veg are struggling from heat and my buds are looking anemic and tiny on the flowers after being in there since 6/1/15

My first thought was to go with the 300LED and the T-5 hung horizontally for fill in light then move the 180 UFOs to the veg box...

I can try and post some pics later

Input welcome!

Thanks!
give me a min

1 are u soil or hydro
2 are u photo or auto plants
3 do u have a full feed system or just parts

if u can move your t5s out of the tent ........use them in a open air place and just let plant veggie under that for a short time (when i have my first node i move mine to a LED)

the LED in the tent will have a less heat then those t5s.....use the platinumLED in veg mode in the tent

as for flowering tent i would get yourself something stronger like a Matrix S light
http://www.ledzeal.com/p44.html

that is the marker of the light ........they will sell u 1 or 1000 lights ......talk to them about prices (it is about 2/3 less then what retail asked for this light) .........but the light has 3 modes built in grow/flower/UV

the UV mode will help make more resin on your plants ..........i like these lights
 

Troy622

Member
give me a min

1 are u soil or hydro
2 are u photo or auto plants
3 do u have a full feed system or just parts

if u can move your t5s out of the tent ........use them in a open air place and just let plant veggie under that for a short time (when i have my first node i move mine to a LED)

the LED in the tent will have a less heat then those t5s.....use the platinumLED in veg mode in the tent

as for flowering tent i would get yourself something stronger like a Matrix S light
http://www.ledzeal.com/p44.html

that is the marker of the light ........they will sell u 1 or 1000 lights ......talk to them about prices (it is about 2/3 less then what retail asked for this light) .........but the light has 3 modes built in grow/flower/UV

the UV mode will help make more resin on your plants ..........i like these lights
I'm in soil and the plants are photo.

So now I have the LED UFOs 180w each over 3 flowering plants in the flower tent. I'm going to use the platinum 300 in there. I know it's not the best but its the best I have and for my small grow I'm tring to add equipment a little at a time upgrading as I can. I can't afford to go out and buy a stronger light right now.

So my question is more about using the T-5 or UFO LEDS as supplemental lighting in the flower tent. I thought maybe switching the T-5 to a warm bulb and adding them in the flower tent from the sides (horizontally) would help penetrate deeper.

Then I could put the smaller LEDS into the veg box to cut down on the heat and give them a broader spectrum of light.

As the title says I am trying to configure what I have currently for the best results until I can add on or upgrade.

Thanks for the response!
 

justugh

Well-Known Member
I'm in soil and the plants are photo.

So now I have the LED UFOs 180w each over 3 flowering plants in the flower tent. I'm going to use the platinum 300 in there. I know it's not the best but its the best I have and for my small grow I'm tring to add equipment a little at a time upgrading as I can. I can't afford to go out and buy a stronger light right now.

So my question is more about using the T-5 or UFO LEDS as supplemental lighting in the flower tent. I thought maybe switching the T-5 to a warm bulb and adding them in the flower tent from the sides (horizontally) would help penetrate deeper.

Then I could put the smaller LEDS into the veg box to cut down on the heat and give them a broader spectrum of light.

As the title says I am trying to configure what I have currently for the best results until I can add on or upgrade.

Thanks for the response!
4 foot t5s have 7 choices of bulbs........your issues is heat from the bulbs .......i only use them at the start of the plants and at the finishing (UV light/finisher bulbs)

other then that u need to keep the ufos in there add the 300 light then place the ufo on the corners to raise the prime area of light for the flowers
300 watt in the center of the tent then UFOs on the corners angle slightly in

as for the 4 ft T5s order yourself some finishing bulbs and wait until near the least 2 weeks of the plant and then add them in removing the UFOs .......that should keep the heat about the same
http://www.ebay.com/itm/T5-BULBS-T5HO-HIGH-OUTPUT-FLUORESCENT-LAMP-2-4-ft-GROW-BLOOM-UV-1-4-8-25-packs-/160895821950?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item257623687e

if u do want to add them in with the UFOs u can get the flowering bulbs ............u are just going to need to increase the CFMs out and in so the air exchanges more
 
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Troy622

Member
Ah ha! Never thought about using them for finishers. I've got a few flowing right now that have about 3 weeks left but i also have one in there that went in just a few weeks ago. I'm trying to stagger them out a bit so once I've got onenbatch cured I'll have one coming up right behind it and not have any down time waiting for good smoke.

I want to be clear though...you mentioned Keeping them "in there" and there are actually two spaces we're talking about. Small veg box (2x3x4) and large tent. (5x5x7)

So If i'm understanding your suggestion is that the UFOs would be better served in the flower tent along with the 300 set diagonal from each other on the corners of the 300 - Then in the last 2 or 3 week use one of the T5s for UV light. Ok, so what if i have over lapping flowering plants say a month apart in the same tent as mentioned above?

Also, would you say that for the 2x3x4 box, that (1) 2 bulb HO t-5 is enough? (108W) That would probably help the heat problem in th veg box but I figured they might need more light after reading an article about minimum output per square ft.
 

justugh

Well-Known Member
Ah ha! Never thought about using them for finishers. I've got a few flowing right now that have about 3 weeks left but i also have one in there that went in just a few weeks ago. I'm trying to stagger them out a bit so once I've got onenbatch cured I'll have one coming up right behind it and not have any down time waiting for good smoke.

I want to be clear though...you mentioned Keeping them "in there" and there are actually two spaces we're talking about. Small veg box (2x3x4) and large tent. (5x5x7)

So If i'm understanding your suggestion is that the UFOs would be better served in the flower tent along with the 300 set diagonal from each other on the corners of the 300 - Then in the last 2 or 3 week use one of the T5s for UV light. Ok, so what if i have over lapping flowering plants say a month apart in the same tent as mentioned above?

Also, would you say that for the 2x3x4 box, that (1) 2 bulb HO t-5 is enough? (108W) That would probably help the heat problem in th veg box but I figured they might need more light after reading an article about minimum output per square ft.
minimal amount of lumens for a plant is 15k ....4ft t5s are 5000 lumens per bulb so u need at least 3 bulb for healthy plant

as for having UVA/finishing bulbs it will not damage the plants or mess them .........it will just make them force resin out early then it planned too so i would have some resin builder feeds around to add into your mix (cha ching, sugar daddy,. biobud,awesome bloom ,bud candy,nectar)

ok the UVA bulb is basically just that UV black light .......this makes the bud pump out resin (big gooey glands)
now the Finisher bulb is light wave 10k and UVA .........this makes the buds tighten up and resin up

as for your last ? if u are only starting the plants in the veggie box then aye 1or 2 lights would be fine ......but if u are going to grow it out in there u need more (personally i do not like anything under 50k lumen on veggie and near 80/90k for flowering )
 

Troy622

Member
Yes, I've got clone all the way through bushy veg all in one veg cabinet so I guess I'll need to keep the 4 bulbs in there and just vent the living crap out of that little cabinet. I've already got a 6" in-line fan for intake and one for out take. each rated at 240 CFM thats 10 times the amount going in and out (24 CF box)

I set The UFOs up with the 300 last night. I actually set them vertically on each side at about canopy level tilted slightly downward to fill in from the sides but I'll try your method if you think that's better. it's already created a temp problem in there now too (I've been using passive venting since they are in a cool area but now with the three lights going it's like 86 degrees in there. Today I had to leave the front door open on the tent when I left and will have to get something going for better ventilation tonight.

I just looked around the web for 4' 10K UVA lamps and I'm not finding much. any good sources you could recommend?

Thanks again for helpin out....i appreciate it!
 

justugh

Well-Known Member
Yes, I've got clone all the way through bushy veg all in one veg cabinet so I guess I'll need to keep the 4 bulbs in there and just vent the living crap out of that little cabinet. I've already got a 6" in-line fan for intake and one for out take. each rated at 240 CFM thats 10 times the amount going in and out (24 CF box)

I set The UFOs up with the 300 last night. I actually set them vertically on each side at about canopy level tilted slightly downward to fill in from the sides but I'll try your method if you think that's better. it's already created a temp problem in there now too (I've been using passive venting since they are in a cool area but now with the three lights going it's like 86 degrees in there. Today I had to leave the front door open on the tent when I left and will have to get something going for better ventilation tonight.

I just looked around the web for 4' 10K UVA lamps and I'm not finding much. any good sources you could recommend?

Thanks again for helpin out....i appreciate it!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/T5-BULBS-T5HO-HIGH-OUTPUT-FLUORESCENT-LAMP-2-4-ft-GROW-BLOOM-UV-1-4-8-25-packs-/160895821950?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item257623687e

that is the link to the lights on ebay ..........they are sold by htgsupplies

as for the heat do a filter intake box
https://www.rollitup.org/Journal/Entry/filter-box-for-intake-to-tent.25313/#comment-27754
a passive intake is not working for u this will fix that (the filter if u get a lvl 10 it cleans out smoke and other things which is good so the plant leaves do not get clogged pours )

the other cooling method i know and have something set up for is a swamp cooler
https://www.rollitup.org/Journal/Entry/swamp-cooler-heat-reducting-for-cheap.31400/#comment-38149
 

justugh

Well-Known Member
This looks like an awesome and cheap way to keep things cool but what does out do to the humidity levels.
nothing that i noticed .......i only use mine if the outside temps hit above 100 (my 6000 btu ac can not handle anything above 95 f)
when i did run it i did not see the RH go above 55% (keep a eye on it dry tent is in same area)

last trick i can tell u is get milk jugs and fill them with water and freeze them (they sell 2 and half gallon jugs they use for water those work for 12 hours) .....but freeze the water then u can put it in the center of the swamp cooler lowers the temp even more

2 and half gallons should last u 12 hours ..........the 1 gallon 4 to 5 hours then will melt
 
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