LED/T5 Veg, 400W HPS Flower SCOG Cabinet
- Thread starter cruzer101
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Hi people,
As I consider LED lighting I read all this information on what type of light to use, how far to place it from the plant, what color or temp of the light is best to use but one thing seems to remain constant, The time cycle. 18/6 and 12/12. I know some people go 24/7 veg but generally this is whats used.
When you consider how sensitive cannabis is to light you have to think maybe there is more to it. I am sure I am not the first to consider this, so I thought I would run this by you and see what you think.
I am sure you have noticed the difference between indoor and outdoor production. We try to re-create Mother Nature Including the light cycle but could it be fine tuned for maximum bud production? This is what I found.
Hours of daylight at 40° Latitude (approximate center of the US)
April 13:14
May 15:22
June 15:00
July 14:49
August 13:48
September 12:31
October 11:10
November 10:01
Take a plant that has an eight week flowering period and would normally be ready in early October if grown outdoors.
At the beginning of flowering period it would be getting 13:48 of daylight.
At the end of the flowering period it would be getting 11:10 hours of daylight.
Thats a 2 1/2 hour difference, yet we keep it at 12/12
How about this?
8 week flower:
Week 1 and 2 at 13/11
Week 3 and 4 12:30/11:30
Week 5 and 6 12/12
Week 7 and 8 11/13
Maybe this is the key to getting better production out of LED lighting.
Has anyone tried this or have any comments?
P.S.I also found out holding down alt, and typing 0176 will give you ° symbol
.
As I consider LED lighting I read all this information on what type of light to use, how far to place it from the plant, what color or temp of the light is best to use but one thing seems to remain constant, The time cycle. 18/6 and 12/12. I know some people go 24/7 veg but generally this is whats used.
When you consider how sensitive cannabis is to light you have to think maybe there is more to it. I am sure I am not the first to consider this, so I thought I would run this by you and see what you think.
I am sure you have noticed the difference between indoor and outdoor production. We try to re-create Mother Nature Including the light cycle but could it be fine tuned for maximum bud production? This is what I found.
Hours of daylight at 40° Latitude (approximate center of the US)
April 13:14
May 15:22
June 15:00
July 14:49
August 13:48
September 12:31
October 11:10
November 10:01
Take a plant that has an eight week flowering period and would normally be ready in early October if grown outdoors.
At the beginning of flowering period it would be getting 13:48 of daylight.
At the end of the flowering period it would be getting 11:10 hours of daylight.
Thats a 2 1/2 hour difference, yet we keep it at 12/12
How about this?
8 week flower:
Week 1 and 2 at 13/11
Week 3 and 4 12:30/11:30
Week 5 and 6 12/12
Week 7 and 8 11/13
Maybe this is the key to getting better production out of LED lighting.
Has anyone tried this or have any comments?
P.S.I also found out holding down alt, and typing 0176 will give you ° symbol
.
lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
Hey cruz,
Ive heard of people playing with the lighting schedules before to see the results in the buds. Think about giving it a try with the HIDS too? Wonder if that would be worth anything?
loh-pan
Active Member
Ive never heard of varying the light cycles throughout flower. As I understand, 12 hours of darkness signals hormones which induce flowering. I remember coming across some survey that proposed the 'best' day/light schedule for maximum yield. I don't remember the result but it was something like 24 hrs light and 13 hrs dark. I think the whole point of the survey was to find the effect of the length of light cycles (longer than a day) on yield.
The choice of latitude would probably depend on strain and where it would flourish. An Sativa dominant strain would probably do best along the tropic of cancer, 23.5°
If 12 hrs dark is absolutely required for flowering and you want the maximum amount of light for production then longer-than-a-day cycles seem to be a good option.
It would be good to experiment with varying cycles to see the outcome and hopefully benefits. Worst case you might just have to flower for a bit longer.
The choice of latitude would probably depend on strain and where it would flourish. An Sativa dominant strain would probably do best along the tropic of cancer, 23.5°
If 12 hrs dark is absolutely required for flowering and you want the maximum amount of light for production then longer-than-a-day cycles seem to be a good option.
It would be good to experiment with varying cycles to see the outcome and hopefully benefits. Worst case you might just have to flower for a bit longer.
Hi Lo pan,
Good point, I am sure it would be strain specific to select the correct latitude. Like I said I am sure I am not the first to think of this. Everywhere in the world the days get shorter and longer in time. It just seemed to me if you are trying to replicate mother nature in our grows then its something to consider. I have dropped to 11 hours dark for the last couple weeks on my second grow and come to think about it, I think those were my best buds. 12 hours dark will stimulate flower yes but, whos to say you couldnt go 12/12 for like the first two weeks then change it to its natural cycle once in flower?
I think I am going to try it next round.
The photoperiod of 21:36/12 for flowering does sound like a good option.
I have read the journal. Basically five long day and night cycles set with a seven day timer. Supposed to improve yield by 20% or more I think it was. You do it for one or two weeks towards the end, like week 6 and 7.
I actually bought a seven day timer and programmed it but then realized that right now I run my lights during the night for stealth reasons and I cant try it until I make my modifications.
Here is the cycle
Day 1 - Sunday, 6:00am til Monday, 3:36am
Day 2 - Monday, 3:36pm til Tuesday, 1:12pm
Day 3 - Wednesday, 1:12am til Wednesday, 10:48pm
Day 4 - Thursday, 10:48am til Friday 8:24am
Day 5 - Friday, 8:24pm til Saturday 6:00pm
I saw pictures of plants he did it with in his journal. I am not saying it is fact but he did sound like he knew what he was talking about. Anyway, I am ready to give this one a go as well but not both on the same batch.
Good point, I am sure it would be strain specific to select the correct latitude. Like I said I am sure I am not the first to think of this. Everywhere in the world the days get shorter and longer in time. It just seemed to me if you are trying to replicate mother nature in our grows then its something to consider. I have dropped to 11 hours dark for the last couple weeks on my second grow and come to think about it, I think those were my best buds. 12 hours dark will stimulate flower yes but, whos to say you couldnt go 12/12 for like the first two weeks then change it to its natural cycle once in flower?
I think I am going to try it next round.
The photoperiod of 21:36/12 for flowering does sound like a good option.
I have read the journal. Basically five long day and night cycles set with a seven day timer. Supposed to improve yield by 20% or more I think it was. You do it for one or two weeks towards the end, like week 6 and 7.
I actually bought a seven day timer and programmed it but then realized that right now I run my lights during the night for stealth reasons and I cant try it until I make my modifications.
Here is the cycle
Day 1 - Sunday, 6:00am til Monday, 3:36am
Day 2 - Monday, 3:36pm til Tuesday, 1:12pm
Day 3 - Wednesday, 1:12am til Wednesday, 10:48pm
Day 4 - Thursday, 10:48am til Friday 8:24am
Day 5 - Friday, 8:24pm til Saturday 6:00pm
I saw pictures of plants he did it with in his journal. I am not saying it is fact but he did sound like he knew what he was talking about. Anyway, I am ready to give this one a go as well but not both on the same batch.
Starting week nine of Flower.
Keeping ppm at 600 pH 6.0
Ok they have been flowering for eight weeks now and I got some cloudy trichs but still some clear ones.
Bud shot: a little larger then I thought, still workin on this picture thing.
lookin good huh.
.
lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
Looks good Cruzer, got mine in cups still, need them small for moving.......harvested today!!!YAY!!
Freddie Roach
Active Member
Subscribed! Looking good, how tall do you your plants end up? Im gonna be growing 3-6 plants to about 2'-3' tall and I'm hoping to get beween 1-2.5 ounces per plant. The strain is supposed to get up to 600g/m2 and i have read other peoples journals and it is holding true to being a high yielding strain. im gonna be using a 50w blue LED pannel for veging and ill veg till about 10"-12" tall then flower under a 400w hps. BTW how did you make your cooltube?
Freddie Roach
Active Member
OH and i forgot to say, the strain is LSD and it is supposed to grow to about 65cm
Hi Freddie,
Welcome to my journal. I am currently growing White Widow. Without any pruning they would average about 3 feet. Thats too tall or me so I top, twist, pinch, bend and train them. I have been averaging about 1/2 oz per plant. I am sure if I left them alone I would get more but I didnt have the room.
I haven't looked into LSD strain but it sounds good. If you haven't got the seeds yet you may want to look at Green House seeds "The Doctor" for a high yield. Here is info:
Click to enlarge Breeder : Greenhouse Seeds
Flowering Time : 8 weeks
Environment : Indoor/Outdoor
Seeds Per Pack : 5
Awards: not yet introduced to competitions.
Genetics: Great White Shark, South Indian, Super Skunk.
Effect: very strong indica with instant body effect, stoned and very long lasting.
Flowering indoor: ready to harvest in 8 weeks. An extra week will give amazing resin and a sweeter taste. Yield up to 800 gr/sqm.
Flowering outdoor: ready around the end of September in the Northern hemisphere; or around end of April in the Southern.
Yield up to 1200 gr/plant.
THC: 18.4% CBD: 1.1% CBN: 0.4%
Cost $15.10 for 5 fem seeds at seedbotique.com
After I grow my Train wreck I am going to give them a shot.
For the cool tube I use one of several DIY posts. Here is one for ya.
http://forum.grasscity.com/grow-room-design-setup/184802-diy-best-cool-tube.html
.
Welcome to my journal. I am currently growing White Widow. Without any pruning they would average about 3 feet. Thats too tall or me so I top, twist, pinch, bend and train them. I have been averaging about 1/2 oz per plant. I am sure if I left them alone I would get more but I didnt have the room.
I haven't looked into LSD strain but it sounds good. If you haven't got the seeds yet you may want to look at Green House seeds "The Doctor" for a high yield. Here is info:
Click to enlarge Breeder : Greenhouse Seeds
Flowering Time : 8 weeks
Environment : Indoor/Outdoor
Seeds Per Pack : 5
Awards: not yet introduced to competitions.
Genetics: Great White Shark, South Indian, Super Skunk.
Effect: very strong indica with instant body effect, stoned and very long lasting.
Flowering indoor: ready to harvest in 8 weeks. An extra week will give amazing resin and a sweeter taste. Yield up to 800 gr/sqm.
Flowering outdoor: ready around the end of September in the Northern hemisphere; or around end of April in the Southern.
Yield up to 1200 gr/plant.
THC: 18.4% CBD: 1.1% CBN: 0.4%
Cost $15.10 for 5 fem seeds at seedbotique.com
After I grow my Train wreck I am going to give them a shot.
For the cool tube I use one of several DIY posts. Here is one for ya.
http://forum.grasscity.com/grow-room-design-setup/184802-diy-best-cool-tube.html
.
Hi people,
Well I have come to a decision in regards to lighting change. After researching LED grows, including high power LED and reading several claims as well as several journals with pictures from experienced growers even with the two reds and adding a bit of white to the blue has not performed as well as I want. I have come to realize (once again) LEDs are still another year or so out for flowering...
However I did find something new that I am going to try, Ceramic Metal Halide bulb that runs off standard HPS ballast. (Not digital) It has the best spectrum I can find, dissipates less heat and it does it out the ends of the bulb that will be better in a cool tube design. It has UV spectrum too. I bought the bulb today online for $60
Well I have come to a decision in regards to lighting change. After researching LED grows, including high power LED and reading several claims as well as several journals with pictures from experienced growers even with the two reds and adding a bit of white to the blue has not performed as well as I want. I have come to realize (once again) LEDs are still another year or so out for flowering...
However I did find something new that I am going to try, Ceramic Metal Halide bulb that runs off standard HPS ballast. (Not digital) It has the best spectrum I can find, dissipates less heat and it does it out the ends of the bulb that will be better in a cool tube design. It has UV spectrum too. I bought the bulb today online for $60
Freddie Roach
Active Member
Thanks for the help, i will look into it.
Hi people,
I added a few more things to my arsenal of plant supplies today. I may have to get a bigger cabinet. I got Epsom salts, Hydrogen peroxide and neem oil. I gave my buddy the FF grow I had to use on the dream team so I would have space. I need the hydro version anyway.
I knew the spider mites would be back and I was out of Safers spray so I got the Neem oil. They hatched and were all over one plant today so I started with neem oil. I figure I will apply it the same as I did the Safers spray. Next grow I will just give them a shot every two weeks if I see them or not.
When I apply it I shoot up from under the screen and then I bend the plants with one hand while spraying the bottom of the leaf with the other. Well I will tell you what, Now I know why Earl called this strain "stinky" widow. You dont notice it until you touch the plant but MAN does it stink! Its an extremely strong musky diesel skunk smell.
You probably have noticed that on every attempt at about the 3rd or 4th week of flower my plants get burnt tips. I have tried lowering the nutrient solution but that just doesnt solve the problem so I figure I have a deficiency. Maybe it is because of the small res I use, maybe it is because I never really have killed the dam spider mites. I have tried everything I can think of. They always come back.
Anyway, I have been thinking. I need a new cabinet to be sure there are no mites, 36x24 this time. Then under my house there is no vegatation so there is no spider mites. co2 naturaly drops so I will still get that. I am going to cut a hole in the floor and screen it with a nylon stocking or silk screen. That will be my new intake and I should be done with the mite thing. Maybe then I will be able to get more then 1/2 oz a plant.
I am also going to try a couple things this next grow. One is to add Epsom salts to the res in the 3rd week of veg and the 3rd week of flower. From what I understand this boost of mg will help the plants use the nutrients more effectively. Second is to start using Hydrogen peroxide at about 3% per gallon in each res change. This will add oxygen to the root zone and help kill unwanted bacteria. Then the shot of neem oil every two weeks as a preventive measure against the mites.
Sooner or later I will get this right. (Dam, it still stinks in here)
I added a few more things to my arsenal of plant supplies today. I may have to get a bigger cabinet. I got Epsom salts, Hydrogen peroxide and neem oil. I gave my buddy the FF grow I had to use on the dream team so I would have space. I need the hydro version anyway.
I knew the spider mites would be back and I was out of Safers spray so I got the Neem oil. They hatched and were all over one plant today so I started with neem oil. I figure I will apply it the same as I did the Safers spray. Next grow I will just give them a shot every two weeks if I see them or not.
When I apply it I shoot up from under the screen and then I bend the plants with one hand while spraying the bottom of the leaf with the other. Well I will tell you what, Now I know why Earl called this strain "stinky" widow. You dont notice it until you touch the plant but MAN does it stink! Its an extremely strong musky diesel skunk smell.
You probably have noticed that on every attempt at about the 3rd or 4th week of flower my plants get burnt tips. I have tried lowering the nutrient solution but that just doesnt solve the problem so I figure I have a deficiency. Maybe it is because of the small res I use, maybe it is because I never really have killed the dam spider mites. I have tried everything I can think of. They always come back.
Anyway, I have been thinking. I need a new cabinet to be sure there are no mites, 36x24 this time. Then under my house there is no vegatation so there is no spider mites. co2 naturaly drops so I will still get that. I am going to cut a hole in the floor and screen it with a nylon stocking or silk screen. That will be my new intake and I should be done with the mite thing. Maybe then I will be able to get more then 1/2 oz a plant.
I am also going to try a couple things this next grow. One is to add Epsom salts to the res in the 3rd week of veg and the 3rd week of flower. From what I understand this boost of mg will help the plants use the nutrients more effectively. Second is to start using Hydrogen peroxide at about 3% per gallon in each res change. This will add oxygen to the root zone and help kill unwanted bacteria. Then the shot of neem oil every two weeks as a preventive measure against the mites.
Sooner or later I will get this right. (Dam, it still stinks in here)
lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
Cruzer,
Congrats looks like another good harvest soon!
Good luck with the dream team, on my way out the door finally today, too wet to go out before now. 70 babies, should make an interesting season!LOL!!
Congrats looks like another good harvest soon!
Good luck with the dream team, on my way out the door finally today, too wet to go out before now. 70 babies, should make an interesting season!LOL!!
phreakygoat
Well-Known Member
wow, those stems are awesome looking! you may have just inspired my next grow, as I had been hesitant about SCroG previously... nice!
Interesting? you're going to need a compass to find your way out!
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