hello all.... I'm new to the forum and providing a grow journal as part of the California Lightworks Feedback Program.... my thanks to George for the opportunity.... it is greatly appreciated.... this initial post is about where I've been and where I'm at and where I'm going....
my last indoor grow was 30yrs ago.... I built two 2ft x 4ft panels with four 4ft 40w GroLux tubes on each panel.... my room was framed out in my basement and approximately 3ft x 9ft.... I lined it completely with heavy duty aluminum foil.... the plants were in 5gal buckets and I had four of those growing.... the soil was probably regular potting soil mixed with per-lite and vermiculite and the seeds came from who knows where.... the only two nutrients used was Rapid Gro, which unfortunately is no longer made, and fish emulsion (very stinky but great stuff).... my recollection is that these grew pretty big, was decent quality but I have no record of the yield.... my memory is that there was a substantial amount and being quite pleased with the result.... I may have a picture from back then and will post it if I can find it....
so around the beginning of April this year I found an old film canister with seeds in it.... there is no doubt in my mind that these are from that same time period.... just for fun I took six and put them between some damp paper towels, into a baggy and in a dark cabinet.... I actually forgot to check them for almost a week but when I did four of the six sprouted.... the four were then planted in styrofoam cups with regular Miracle Grow garden soil and transitioned slowly to outside.... three survived.... now it was time to think about a new indoor grow.... I still have all the fluorescent sockets, ballasts and chain from the past so I was looking at purchasing new tubes.... it didn't take long to figure out that things have progressed well beyond fluorescent lights.... actually well beyond many aspects of my previous experience with indoor growing, such as hydroponics, nutrients, lights, etc.... my how things have changed....
my light research brought me to LED's.... the California Solar Storm was at the top of my list.... and being made in the USA was a huge factor.... this was prior to any thought of the Feedback Program.... that just sealed the deal for me.... my Solar Storm arrived on May 17th.... in anticipation of that I needed to get ready.... so instead of building a room or lining a closet with aluminum foil I decided on a GrowLab GL80 (31" x 31" x 71").... this seems like the perfect time to add a disclaimer.... my grow is for fun and personal use only.... hopefully the Cartels are priority number one.... anyway, to go along with the tent, next was an EAP inline 4" 200cfm fan and some various other things such as Air Pots (3.4gal), a General Organics Go Box, some hangers for the light etc... oh and some seeds.... I rolled the dice and placed two separate orders with different seed companies in Amsterdam.... both orders arrived within two weeks of placing the them via registered mail and there were no black suburbans with tinted windows in the vicinity when I signed for them.... so now I have 25 new seeds, 10 White Queen, 10 free unknown and 5 Nepalese Dragon.... on May 14th I took one seed each of the 3 types, did the paper towel thing again and now have 3 little sprouts in peat pots planted Sat the 19th.... the "old seed" plants were transplanted from styrofoam cups to air pots using Miracle Grow Organic potting soil mixed 2:1 with per-lite....probably will use something else next time around....
on Sat May 19th everything was set up.... pretty happy with the GrowLab tent except for the height....my room has 10ft ceilings and it seems a shame to be limited to less then 6ft because of the tent, which will translate into shorter, perhaps bushier plants... I may have to rethink the idea of framing out a grow space.... with the 31" x 31" footprint, it should be big enough for 6 air pots.... the Solar Storm is no joke.... exceptional quality build, relatively quiet and the heat is easily dissipated from the tent with 4" duct work out the tent top to the fan.... its already in the 90's here so the "on" time is 6pm to 12 noon (18hrs) so that the room is cooler and so far no there is no need to vent the warm air out a window.... I did replace the power cord with an 8ft 14-3ga.... in the tent are 2 of the "old seed" plants along with the 3 sprouts... one "old seed" plant will remain outside as an experiment and for comparison.... with less then a week under the Solar Storm the "old seed" plants really took off and the sprouts look good.... the light is about 20" from the top and about 24" from the sprouts....
this is an open request for suggestions, ideas and thoughts.... this is a linear grow seed to flower... one thought is to setup another space and get another light, perhaps fluorescent, to start seeds and get them growing in parallel.... but then again my needs are small.... I am also considering a hydroponics system and have been looking at the RainForest 66 which would fit nicely in the tent.... but there is a few months before that would be needed.... that's it for now... I will post some pictures in a day or two.... thanks once again to George and California Lightworks....I hope to do you proud... and thanks in advance to anyone for your help, thoughts, advice etc....
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.
time for an update.... the pictures will tell the story.... the SolarStorm has some serious light.... from May 24th to June 2 the growth is fantastic.... the big fan leaves may indicate the strain of these "old seeds" is Indica ?...there is some bleaching from the intensity of the light.... at least that's what I think it is.... distance from the plants was ~18" to the "old seed" bigger plants and at least 24" to the new sprouts.... I have since raised the light and will try to keep it 22-24" from the big plants now.... I have put myself in a bit of a situation here with starting the 3 sprouts.... they are well behind the 2 "old seed" plants.... I may have to buy another light to flower them in another space as I really want to keep the $$$ sprouts under the SolarStorm.... if anyone has another suggestion I am listening.... also see the picture of the "old seed" plant I have kept outside for reference....
June 2nd all
6-2-12 grow 1.JPG (102.71 KiB) Viewed 3647 times
Last edited by TXStorm on Sun Jun 03, 2012 4:50 am, edited 2 times in total.