New photos: Both plants are still alive. One has weak stems. I don't know if the SS400 is making any difference. The feeding schedule for the new nutes I using says to use 25ml, only used 5ml per gallon the first week and 10ml the 2nd week. Nutes every other watering. 15ml per gallon this week. I trimmed the dead leaves off over the last 2 weeks.
BTW: A few days ago I noticed a new flower (bud?) growing on one of the plants. I'm thinking another 2 or 3 weeks before harvesting, with this new growth, should I wait?
The pre-trim pictures show serious nutrient issues, possibly caused (or compounded) by pH issues.
Don't wait to harvest flowers that are ready because of a few that aren't.
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.
Yah, I thought the leaves might recover after I got the water PH levels correct. They are close to harvest, so it's all good. Today I noticed a few of the tops that are not completely under the SS400 are bending towards the SS400. Two assumptions: The SS400 does not spread enough light. The SS400 is doing it's job, it's just not big enough. I'm still not convinced the SS400 is worth the higher cost compared to two 400w HIDs. Plus it looks like I'll need another SS400 or SS800 to grow 4 plants.
Some problems will recover and look healthy again, some problems will never recover but the new growth looks good.
It's normal for the plants to reach towards the more intense light, especially if the plants are too big. That even happens with a 1000w HPS if the plants are too big.
HID costs are kind of strange, there's not much difference, in cost, between 400, 600 or 1000w lights so if you're going to buy HID, get the bigger ones. For flowering, I wouldn't even consider anything less than 600w and with the price difference being so small; 1000w HID lights are the way to go. You're not using the whole 5.5x5.5 space for plants, there is other equipment in your pictures but the room is large enough for more than a 1000w HPS so you shouldn't expect one (or even two) SS400s to cover the whole thing...
We pick lights based on the area covered not the number of plants. You *could* grow up to 24 plants under a single ss400 but they'd have to be very small (or 1 plant could be too big), that's why we don't pick lights based on the number of plants.
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.
Hi SME, I hear you. I've been following this Forum for a few months now and you are always consistent about lighting, which I like. The space I currently use is big enough for 4 pots, but there are other issues to deal with that have nothing to do with growing MJ.
Your disclaimer states your a HID person, are LEDs worth the money?
I think that the "bang for the buck" measurement still goes to HID but LED is catching up as prices come down and power goes up. The more powerful LED lights do flower a little better than I originally thought but HID is still the king of flower lights. I'd have to do some comparison tests to be sure but I'm nearly convinced that LED lights might be better for the plants in veg but they'd still be more expensive....so far. I'm also nearly convinced that perpetual SOG grows are the best way to get the most out of LED lights but it is a lot of work too. That's theoretical too.
"Worth" is sort of subjective. They're not as economical or as versatile but they can grow decent plants.
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.
More photos. The LED to making it impossible to see what the plants really look like. I should have taken them outside a few days ago. Another improvement to the setup of the new grow room. Hang all three types of lighting. MH, HPS and LED, that way I'll be able to turn which ever light is needed depending on whats needed. Based on these photos, I have switched to nute free watering in prep for harvest. The tops on Pot 4 are close to the length of a dollar bill. I'm just about out of time for this grow, I'll have to harvest by the end of the week or the middle of next week anyway.
Opinions welcome.
This has been a four month process. I've read that some people don't water the plants for a few days before cutting them down to dry them out more before harvest. Can I use the soil PH test kit to determine when all the nutes have been used up? What's a 'perpetual SOG grow'?
I don't recommend flushing for more than a day or so...if that...but other people swear by it.
You can lower humidity if you want but I'd water up to the day before harvest.
A pH test will not tell you anything about nutrient levels.
A perpetual grow is one where the grower has new plants started before the flowering plants are harvested so that there are always plants in the flower room. A SOG ("Sea of Green") grow is a grow with many small plants rather than fewer larger plants.
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.