From the CLW GFP application web page: "Growers selected to be part of the GFP will be expected to provide weekly feedback in the form of text, pictures or video."
Since we don't allow video right now, at least you don't have to worry about that.
Disclaimer: I still use HID and I'm NOT an LED expert. All of my LED knowledge is from other parties or research so I can't say from first hand experience one way or another. I also run a medical grow consulting business in SoCal.
Hey guys, flowering is coming along well. Everything smells amazing. I am definitely starting to see the downside of this light, though. My plants are about 2 feet tall now. The light is about 10 inches above the tops, and it's already having trouble penetrating all the way to the bottom fan leaves. I think I'll make my next grow a ScrOG setup in order to get around this problem. I've done a little bit of low stress training throughout the grow in order to prepare for the eventual 'plants too tall for the light' problem that I figured was going to happen, and it has helped for sure. I would just say the one thing to keep in mind is that you need to do a little extra work compared to HPS in order to make sure that the available light is being used efficiently in your grow. A 6 sq ft area is definitely the perfect footprint for this light to cover.
Also, would like to add that temps outdoors here are topping 100F and I'm still not having any problems keeping my little closet cooled, even with my modest ventilation setup. I'll try to get some decent pictures of what I have going on with ventilation, but the closet is cramped and awkward. Anyways, kudos to the Solar Storm for its nice built in fans and relatively low operating temps.
So here's the good stuff. Some bud pics. Going to keep them b&w, just easier to look at than the alien abduction purple.
You are named after one of my favorite Rush tunes!! But seriously, I have a question for you after reading your journal. I have a similar sized closet, 28x40...just a little shorter, with an 8 foot ceiling. My question is about the heat buildup. After just two hours, my SS400 raised the closet temp from an ambient 70 to 95 degrees! I have my remote sensor at three feet above the floor. I don't want to cut holes in my door or walls, so for now I just leave the door open...not optimum, so am looking for a better solution. Thanks for any thoughts! And man, you have some really beautiful, healthy looking plants!!
Haha, I just realized that I forgot to switch the Solar Storm over to the bloom spectrum. That was a pretty big error on my part, but the veg spectrum has been getting the job done pretty well for the past 5 weeks. Switched it today and we'll see if bud growth speeds up.
Hey, I'll take some pictures later of what I have going for my ventilation. I didn't want to cut any holes in the walls or doors either. So basically, I created a door out of panda plastic, which is a roll of heavy duty plastic that is black on one side (facing out) to keep the light out and white on the other side (facing in) to reflect light back onto the plants. Then I added a zipper to it so I could get in and I cut my ducting holes in the plastic door rather than having to destroy my closet door. So it's light tight, allows proper ventilation, and lets me close my normal closet door in front of it so it's pretty stealth.
But it's night time right now for my trees, so I'll have to get some pictures for you when they wake up.
Yes, you can make a plastic door or you can buy a cheap hollow replacement door at home depot and put holes in that while storing the better/original door someplace.
Disclaimer: I still use HID and I'm NOT an LED expert. All of my LED knowledge is from other parties or research so I can't say from first hand experience one way or another. I also run a medical grow consulting business in SoCal.
Nice garden mate! I´ve noticed you keep the panel much closer to the plants (10 in) than the minimun recommended by CLW guys which is 18 inches. I´m keeping my SS400 as recommended. Do you think I would improve efficiency leaving it closer to canopy?
That would increase intensity and heat at the canopy but decrease coverage...
Disclaimer: I still use HID and I'm NOT an LED expert. All of my LED knowledge is from other parties or research so I can't say from first hand experience one way or another. I also run a medical grow consulting business in SoCal.