13.8 watt LED grow... No hate please, wish me luck and give advise...

[mike827]

look good but blue is for vegging, red for flowering. and i think you'll be fine with just blue but adding some red wont hurt. Hell, adding a 2700k 13w fluoro would probably do the same thing.

also, bury those plants so like 1" sticks out and put the lights ON TOP OF THEM

i agree with vector 2, if led's are cooler than cfl's as they say (i have no experience with led just cfl) and vector 2 and i can put our plants 3" away from our cfl's, you should be able to put it at least that close.

good luck!!! im excited to see how this turns out, but with such a low wattage light source, i think your better off concentrating on only one female plant (i understand you have multiple now to hopefully get a female.)

[lucifer4weed]

Originally Posted by Version 2

I'm not bashing your grow, these are just some suggestions, and you can take them or leave them as you desire:

Paint the inside flat white, not silver. flat white reflects light better, silver absorbs it. Or better yet, you can get a security blanket/space blanket (whatever they are called in your neck of the woods, it's one of those blankets that folds really tiny and is stored in first aid kits). Cut that to fit your box and use some spray adhesive to keep it in place.

Get your plants as close to the LEDs as possible. I keep CFLs 2-3 inches away from plants and don't get burn unless a leaf actually touches the bulb, I'm sure you can get your plants at least that close to LEDs.

I know you want low wattage grow, but think of this: 5x20watt floro tubes is the same as a 100w incadescent bulb. 2 grow boxes = 2 new reading lamps on your electric bill. I only say this because I have seen the results of quite a few LED grows on this, and other forums, and every plant I've seen has been majorly stretched and many haven't produced even as much as a cfl grow using the same wattage would have. It's an exciting technology for sure, and one day we may all be growing with it, but that day is not here yet.

With a COP (OMG! why are you growing?) right next door you will really have to control odors. Do a search for Carbon Scrubbers. They are very easy to make, it's pretty much taking a charcoal filter and making air flow thru that before it flows outside the box. If you control the air in your box, you also control the odor.

I would throw some red LEDs into your vegging box, and some blue LEDs into your flowering box if you still plan on using just LEDs. Just because a plant uses more blue when it's vegging doesn't mean that it doesn't need any red at all, and vice versa.

If you have a seedling that is falling over, take a length of clear plastic straw (size of the stem) and cut it length wise down one side. Open it up, and wrap it around the stem, then push the straw gently into the ground until the straw can prop up the plant on it's own. I've always used this trick for seedlings because it's much easier to put on and remove than tieing them to a stick.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head, I'll come back and post if I can think of anything else that you could use.

Oh! I did think of one thing! Miracle grow is horrible stuff! The soil I use is Black Gold. This comes in a variety of styles, most of which are nutrient free. They even have a coconut mix that is most excellent

And another! If you can't find a security blanket, or you want something better, go to your nearest party store and buy a couple of the big mylar balloons. Separate them at the seams and glue them to the sides of the box shiny side out. It sounds ghetto but mylar is one of the best things you can use for reflecting light, plus it would look sick with your LEDs

I wish you luck with your grow! Start a grow journal, I'll be sure to suscribe!

I would like to add other lighting, but im sticking with led because of the nature of closed container... (i will usually have a blanket drapped over the ccontainers with some old clothes stacked on top), it just sounds like I fire hazard to do so...

ill try flat white on the next container (should that seriously work better thaan gloss white???)

as far as mixing red and blue leds... has anybody seen like 6x6 led panels??? i can't fit 2 12 x 12's in the box.,..

the reason I am spliting up (or had planned to anyways) is because on every led grow I have seen record of, it seemed as when they moved it to flowering it still veges for several weeks before it triggers the flowering stage...

i saw one grow that used all red in flowing (granted I don't know what they did in vegging) anyways they seemed to start flowerring right away more of what you whould expect with HID....

my question is in the mean time, is there any tell tell signs I should look for if the plants are struggling from lack of red spectrum??? lmao, i dont have a green thumb, I have a resin coated black thumb.. hehehehe....
do you know of any like (nation wide chain stores) that would carry this black gold soil??? I can't seem to find any "grow shops" around here that would have suh a thing... I have been limited to internet, home de-pot, and ace... There are a few nerceries, they seem to have cheap ghetto soil though (the 1.50 a 40lb bag crap)

i would have thought miricle gro to be good soil however, it apears that this batch is infested with what apears to be either fleas or gnats...
which brings me to another question.. anybody know of any like insect killer that is not harmful to weed???

[Synned]

Originally Posted by lucifer4weed

my question is in the mean time, is there any tell tell signs I should look for if the plants are struggling from lack of red spectrum??? lmao, i dont have a green thumb, I have a resin coated black thumb.. hehehehe....
do you know of any like (nation wide chain stores) that would carry this black gold soil??? I can't seem to find any "grow shops" around here that would have suh a thing... I have been limited to internet, home de-pot, and ace... There are a few nerceries, they seem to have cheap ghetto soil though (the 1.50 a 40lb bag crap)

Your plants are stugglin dude, they shouldn't be stretched like that. You need the light a shit ton closer.

As for finding a hydro shop, go to google maps and type in hydroponics : yourhometown
It should come up with the closest hydroponic stores, even though there might not be any in your area.

[lucifer4weed]

Originally Posted by Synned

Your plants are stugglin dude, they shouldn't be stretched like that. You need the light a shit ton closer.

As for finding a hydro shop, go to google maps and type in hydroponics : yourhometown
It should come up with the closest hydroponic stores, even though there might not be any in your area.

they just got put under leds yesterday dude..... they are less than 2 inches from the top when closed...

i know they are stretched, the original lighting i had over them sucked ass...

[mike827]

if you search PGAMG you will find a coalition of Pot Growers Against Miracle Grow. pre-ferted soil kills plants.

also, yes flat white is scientifically proven to be more reflective than gloss.

and get your led's close! and you still need ventilaiton for the plants sake, not just temps.

so idk if a blanket is the best idea.

[lucifer4weed]

Originally Posted by mike827

if you search PGAMG you will find a coalition of Pot Growers Against Miracle Grow. pre-ferted soil kills plants.

also, yes flat white is scientifically proven to be more reflective than gloss.

and get your led's close! and you still need ventilaiton for the plants sake, not just temps.

so idk if a blanket is the best idea.

cool on the miricle grow.. i know this now... not when i started, i just bought what seemed to be the best shit they had there... im open to suggestions if anybody know anything better I could find at a lowes, hd, walmart, or any big chain store, or even a pet store, we do have those aplenty here... i seriously cant seem to find any good planting supply stores around here...

the leds are pretty damn close (less than 2 inches)... the stretching is due to old very poor lighting...

if you think I seriously need more ventalation than opening em up when im home (i do work 40 hours a week, this being usually when everything would be covered) im like a hood mcgivor (spelling??) ill build a whole mini ducting system out of pringle cans, paper towel tubes, and duct tape if need so be...

(is ventilation to build strenght in the stems by movement???) like when you are growing a tree you have to stake, you have to alow for it to move enough to build strength... i just like to know specific reasons so that Its a learning process..

in the mean time Im down to my last bowl of weed and ccan't find any anywhere........ NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oklahoma fucking sucks... In succh a large city it should be so much easier to find...

[Version 2]

I've found Black Gold soil just about everywhere from walmarts in texas, to home depots in california. it's "cheap" soil because they don't add fertilizers to most of their mixes, but it is very good to grow in. It's in a black bag with a large picture of a rose on the front of it. The coco mix is in a different bag, but where you find the general black gold soil you'll find the coco if the store carries it. If you can find some perlite add some of that to it as well, but if you can't no biggie. It does have some, but not enough in my opinion.

The reason we're telling you not to use soils with added nutrients is because often times they are the wrong ones, and there's to much of them for seedlings. I tried miracle grow on my first attempt, and my babies just burned up bad, I ended up scrapping that grow. Not everyone gets that expierence, but I'm glad I did, because now I know better.

As far as a fire hazard goes, you shouldn't worry about that with CFLs, if you were trying to use a HPS or MH light, then yeah, I would be concerned, but CFLs run cool enough that you could put them in that box without worry, even if you do keep it covered with stuff.

And about the blanket and things that you throw over it, make sure your temps inside aren't getting too hot. I understand the need to hide your equipment, but you might want to look for a better solution.

As for ventalation DON'T USE CARDBOARD TUBES! They leak air! The reason you want ventilation is because the plants like fresh a little bit of a breeze. The swaying action will help strengthen the stems. Also if you control the air in the box, you control the odors. here's a couple links that should help you out with your vents:

There is a guide in here on how to wire PC fans.

This is a very simple carbon scrubber. You can do a search and find more ways to make them. If all the air from the box is pushed out thru this (exhaust), the activated carbon will "scrub" the smell out.

Also look into building a light trap. You won't have to worry about it on the exhaust end if you use the scrubber, but the intake end you will. There's multiple ways of doing this, you could use 2 connected 90 degree PVC elbows painted black on the inside turned oposite ways so the light has to bend around corners, or you could cover the intake hole with a layer or 2 of cut carbon filter (like they use in air purifiers). just don't get the HEPA filters, get the carbon filters.

Also make sure your exhaust is stronger than your intake, you want air getting sucked INTO any cracks and leaks in the box. If air is blowing out thru a leak, then it's gonna smell because it's not going thru the carbon scrubber.

[SmknVTEC]

PGAMG in my sig.
I will be watching this grow.

[lucifer4weed]

no new pictures yet... (been doing tons of experimenting, so its a mess in there)
everything still growing....

still waiting on red lights (for some reason fedex can't find my crib)...
im trynna find a number to call and bitch them out... they just don't wanna come into my hood I think...

i have yet to find nute/fert free soil here...
so far, if I ask for it at a planting good store, they want to argue about the existence of such a product....
after about a week and a half under LEDs (all blue 24 hours of light), they all seem to have at least 6 leaf set a piece...
besides the fact the MG soil was infested with insects I have had no other problems so far with it.. all the leaves look beautiful (except for one plant, which had hell droping the seed casing and made the first 4 leaf sets look all deformed)... I am switching to sta-green potting soil for the time being (had no insects in it, and doesnt have mulch (which was hell to work with in the MG soil)

still havn't added fans (i really don't want to, so im going to keep trying with out for this first round)...

for the record, the STRAW idea for the stretched plants was a VERY BAD idea on an LED grow... from what I have observed on other grows the stems are pretty damn week for the first 3 weeks or so on photo... (i decapitated the KB plant with the straw) DAMNIT!!!
I stuck it back in the soil, and it is still growing new leaf sets, but not devolping roots (planning on getting some rooting compound tommorow to see if I can't save it (fingers ccrossed))

I keep adding new seedlings to the box.. (9 plants in there (more than I really wanted in one box))

the 13.8 wwatts seems to be growing them all just fine for the time being though...
everything is stretcching though (because I have to many different aged plants in there at defferent heights (I won't do this in future grows)

right now, Im just waiting on red lights...
i will then go ahead and put the most mature into flowering and see what I get... (let the other keep vegging till I can clone them)

once I get a good clonable female plant, I will them start a new box with clones (so I can get them all at the same height and prevent the stretching) I will more than likely do a scrOG...

not much to update, just wanted to add an update, cuz im not gonna abondon the thread...

peace...

PS, I still havn't found any weed... <--- sober for 10 days now

[Version 2]

Originally Posted by lucifer4weed

for the record, the STRAW idea for the stretched plants was a VERY BAD idea on an LED grow... from what I have observed on other grows the stems are pretty damn week for the first 3 weeks or so on photo... (i decapitated the KB plant with the straw) DAMNIT!!!

LOL! You need to be more careful then. It's just used as a brace, if you can't wrap a straw around a stem without damaging it, then stick a stick in the ground next to the plant and tie it up.

What did you do? Put the straw on the plant then try to cut it to size (bad, but funny)? I don't get how you decapitated a plant.

[TexarkanaTim]

I realize this probably wont be useful to you at this point, but if you are pressed for grow area, think about saving up and getting some Lowryder seed. These things grow fast, work great in a small area, and have a decent yield for their size. Plus they are autoflowering so you dont need to worry about vegging stage, flowering, etc. Good luck with the LEDs, I'll be watching your progress!

[lucifer4weed]

Originally Posted by TexarkanaTim

I realize this probably wont be useful to you at this point, but if you are pressed for grow area, think about saving up and getting some Lowryder seed. These things grow fast, work great in a small area, and have a decent yield for their size. Plus they are autoflowering so you dont need to worry about vegging stage, flowering, etc. Good luck with the LEDs, I'll be watching your progress!

I would love to order seeds,,,
however, im a bit paranoid about doing all that...

what happens if they catch it???


has anybody heard of anybody getting busted for buying seeds???

[lucifer4weed]

Originally Posted by Version 2

LOL! You need to be more careful then. It's just used as a brace, if you can't wrap a straw around a stem without damaging it, then stick a stick in the ground next to the plant and tie it up.

What did you do? Put the straw on the plant then try to cut it to size (bad, but funny)? I don't get how you decapitated a plant.

yea, I cut it BEFORE hand...

however the straw sprung to original state before I had it wrapped all the way around and pinched the stem right in two...

[ttpayne]

ya blue is for veg and red is for flower.. as for the space between the light and plant. it is ok for the light to touch the top.. this will avoid sretching

[nomis1369]

led's dont work except for veg with RED + BLUE and they have to be narely for that.


for extra light with your hps rig sure, helps get some areas the hps cant get.

ive used every one sold, in groups of 10, made some giant panels using alibaba to get vendors in china that grow FOOD with led but nothing. lettuce, hell yeah but no weed.

your plant is stretched cause it has no light. put that blue LED light an inch from it and do as the others state about replanting it. go get a book about growing weed. lumens, spectrums ect;

i would save my cash, move to a better place and grow enough to make it worth your while. pays its own rent


and when your growing it smells like shit, yes thru walls even with wicked filters.

again, just saying think about it