Going To Grow Again

Kushash

Well-Known Member
I plan on using organic soil.

How much would a 400 watt MH bulb cost a month to run? Probably about $30 extra right? And if you run an LED you could probably cut that cost in half.
Hi Skoal!

I'll let the others respond to the LED.
Was going to ask what size MH lol.

I grow organic with a 400w MH in my veg 3x3 veg tent.
I'll probably go to 2 x qb288's next summer.
I'm getting a qb soon for a grow comp and will try it in my veg tent afterwards.

When you plant it in the soil keep the soil moist? But does it need a light at this point?
To answer these two.
Definitely keep the soil moist. Dry soil is the fastest way to kill it when putting it in soil.
The 1st 24 hours won't matter if it doesn't have much light after peeking.
After that it only requires low lighting for 2 or 3 days while hardening off.
 

Skoal

Well-Known Member
@Kushash thanks for the reply. Helps solved the issue of when the bean goes into the soil I don’t need much light. So I guess a CFL bulb or something can work and don’t need anything much stronger until she fully comes out.

As for the lighting situation, my mind isn’t made up. I just always though LED were the way of the future and cheaper on the bills. But the impression I’m getting here is that they are not. If that is truly the case I should stick with my metal halide bulb. I just don’t want to get an increase in my energy bill of $50-$100 a month is all.
 

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
@Kushash thanks for the reply. Helps solved the issue of when the bean goes into the soil I don’t need much light. So I guess a CFL bulb or something can work and don’t need anything much stronger until she fully comes out.

As for the lighting situation, my mind isn’t made up. I just always though LED were the way of the future and cheaper on the bills. But the impression I’m getting here is that they are not. If that is truly the case I should stick with my metal halide bulb. I just don’t want to get an increase in my energy bill of $50-$100 a month is all.
Now switch to HPS for the most efficient use of electricity for HID lighting. Far ore efficient and a little cooler temp.
 

natureboygrower

Well-Known Member
No idea. But I can get them delivered here in Alaska for $149.00. With HPS and MH bulbs, dimmable ballasts .

Seriously I'm anxiously awaiting affordable LED but Trump's trade war does not help. At all.
Timber is an American made light.might be a little pricey,but for my space,it works beautifully.
 

Midnight Warrior

Well-Known Member
Hey Everyone,

Long time member here. Wasn’t active for over 5 years I think. I grew for a few years back in college around 2009. Grew indoors in my bedroom. Grew Mazar strain. Barely used any fertilize. Used a soil medium. Metal halide lights and hps bulbs. Now with pot legal in Canada, I would like to grow again. Looking for some advice.

I am planning on using soil as my medium. I plan to build two boxes out of wood and insert the reflective material on the inside. I want to use 2 LED full spectrum light fixtures. Either 600 or 1000 watt. One box will veg, other box will flower. I currently have a MH bulb so I’m gonna use that first before my LED come. I’ve never used LED. But I would like to get the operation started. Only going to flower 2-3 plants at a time.

I am not buying an auto flower strain as I will have control over my lights. If I recall correctly it’s 16 hours on for veg and 12 hours on for flower?

Looking at buying the GSC x Jack Herer seeds. I’ve never germinated before. I only grew from clones. I know how to clone. I plan to use the paper towel method to germinate. Once that tap root comes out I know you must plant in soil. When you plant it in the soil keep the soil moist? But does it need a light at this point?

Also am I picking a decent strain? This is all for personal consumption. Make some resin too.

Do I have everything still in my brain?
I am no means an expert on this, but after doing research, I am going with the Samsung strips. They aren't overly expensive like the QBs and the lumens per watt is amazing. Check into it, if you are adamant about using LEDs.
 

Kushash

Well-Known Member
@Kushash thanks for the reply. Helps solved the issue of when the bean goes into the soil I don’t need much light. So I guess a CFL bulb or something can work and don’t need anything much stronger until she fully comes out.

As for the lighting situation, my mind isn’t made up. I just always though LED were the way of the future and cheaper on the bills. But the impression I’m getting here is that they are not. If that is truly the case I should stick with my metal halide bulb. I just don’t want to get an increase in my energy bill of $50-$100 a month is all.
CFL will work also.

Many ways to grow.
I don't advocate choices, I just share what I do and let someone use that info to help make a choice on how to proceed.

In the past I would start a # of seedlings under an air cooled 600w MH.
Had great success starting with the light 36" away from the seedlings then over the next 5 to 7 days I'd slowly bring it to 24".

Now I have the 3x3 with the air cooled 400w MH.
I started up this perpetual with the tent about 4 or 5 months ago.
It took a while to fill in.
I have a crate for small plants and seedlings at 30" from the lights glass cover and also have had seedlings at the ground level 44" from the light and they have been happy.

My larger plants have gotten as close as 10" and have remained fairly happy.

Here is a pic of my veg tent a few days ago.
Some of the larger ones are topped, some are recently re vegged mother plants for clones. A solo cup is on the crate on the right blocked by other plants.
Good Luck whatever you choose to do.

100_9277.JPG
 

dubekoms

Well-Known Member
How much does it cost per kwh where you live? What size grow area are you flowering in? I personally use leds because it's $.22 here which is stupid expensive but if you're in a area where electricity is cheap hps might be the way to go.
 

Skoal

Well-Known Member
Electricity is fairly expensive here as well.

I’m looking at having two boxes.

First box is going to hold the 2 mother’s which are two different strains. And then I want to have 1-2 guys vegging not growing huge. I will let them veg hard in the flower box when he flower plants are finished.

The second box is for flower. When the flowering stage is done, I’m gonna take the 1-2 vegging out of the first tent and veg them in the flower tent before letting them flower and changing the light settings. That was the idea and plan I came up with.

Maybe a 4 by 4 box for the veg and a 2x2 box for the flowering.
 
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