Hello everyone, I have recently purchased 3 13" x 20" Bubbler hydroponic units that I will grow a total of 17 plants in a a 4' x 2' area. I use a 400W HPS Light with an output of 55,000 Lumen. That breaks down to be almost 7,000 Lumen per square foot. Because my plants will be generally prett close together, I will be training them to not grow outward much at all. I am looking to develop the main cola of each indica strain and keep them around 2' tall. I am growing Blueberry, Bubba Kush, and BC Champagne Hashplant. Each of these strains are very high yeilding indicas. My question is directed towards those with advanced growing experience. I am trying to determine (keep in mind the way in which my plants will grow and the way I will be training them), whether these small plants would best benefit from (1) a T5 2' 10,000K Lumen Fluorescent fixture mounted horizontally against the back of my wall just above the hydro units, to provide side light that may not break through the canopy from the HPS above to improve the lower half of the colas. Or (2), purchase a 5lb CO2 tank, regulator, etc. to bulk up the buds that way. My question is... which investment will likely increase my overall yeild and bud production the most? Again, this is a question best suited for those with experience. Please keep in mind that I have an 8 Sq foot grow room and will be growing my plants very close to one another. Thank you! jjng5
Well for a SOG type grow that it sounds like you're doing, you have more than adequate lighting for that kind of space. So for sure go for the CO2. May i suggest a ScrOG grow instead though? I'm not sure what kind of yields you're expecting but i'd be surprised at more than 1/2 ounce per plant.
As far as CO2, I am not doing a SOG grow. SOG and SCROG take advantage of horizontal space and aim to increase the number of bud sites. I am doing the opposite. I am looking to develop only one bud and grow it out as tall and dense as possible. I am looking to produce as many of these plants scramped into as small a space as possible and maximize my vertical space. So don't completely rule out my need for side lighting. My concern is whether my HPS will be able to penetrate down to the lower half of the colas because of the number of plants and the obvious canopy that comes with it. I have tried to research this topic as much as possible and it was my understanding taht while scrog is good, you are limited by the amount of horizontal space you have. If I were to do a scrog or sog grow, I would have to drop down the number of plants. I have tested my method on one of my blueberry plants in my current soil setup, and was able to get a two foot bud to grow very dense and solid, with very limited side shoots. SeeMoreBuds.com has put out several videos on this growing method and showed how he was able to get as much as 2.5 Oz from this method grown in 2" net pots with 4 plants per square foot. I am going to start out with about half of that and work my way up. Please debate this with me though. I am always interested in finding new methods and improving. If any other growers want to weigh in on either topic, please do. Feedback is greatly appreciated! Jjng5
What you're describing is exactly what a SOG is. You use a ton of plants per sq. ft. that only grow one big top cola. Go for the SOG if you really want to and you'll definitely get some good yield for your square footage. But keep an open mind for ScrOG after you get tired of maintaining all those plants or want to try and push your yields. Check out Rumpleforskins White Widow or Master Kush grows. p.s. CO2 for sure!
well looking at it this way... light activates photosynthesis by opening the stomata on the leaves, the more light the more they open. and they open to take in CO2, so i'd say buy the tank. they break it down into carbon, pure energy for them
Don't bother buying a 5 pound tank. If you can't do the CO2 with 20+ pound tanks or a CO2 generator, then just don't do it. To get the benefits of CO2 you have to enrich the room's atmosphere to 1600PPM and maintain it. Not maintaining it at the proper level will just be a waste. If you plan on doing CO2, then you first have to come up with a plan to cool the room without exhausting (of exhausting very little). The monitor/controller will run you more then $500. Best of luck.