IMO, If you're using LED's, don't watch or read anything from HID grows.

[Tomatoesonly]

LED's are such a game changer, that I'm still struggling to adapt.

The next level you have to take things now is so eye opening. I have had to almost relearn everything I thought I knew.

I have to sift through advice, because I know anything before about 2018 is probably HID related, and it just doesn't work that way anymore. Even LED tech has changed so rapidly.

Be careful who you're listening to, it might be old info you actually can't use and will lead to more problems.

 

[goingrey]

LOL

Are you sure it wasn't just bad advice (even for HID) to begin with?

 

[Tomatoesonly]

LOL

Are you sure it wasn't just bad advice (even for HID) to begin with?

No, I had a pretty good time back in the day with HID's. I've been getting my ass whooped with these LED's. I'm just now barely getting a handle on things.

 

[goingrey]

Well, I hope you get things under control!

What are you having trouble with?

 

[Tomatoesonly]

Well, I hope you get things under control!

What are you having trouble with?

I was having lots of leaf necrosis early on. Edges, tips, inside, outside, spots. Interveinal chlorosis.

Alot was caused by just how intense an LED can be. Too low a PPM, wrong PPM meter, pH for coco grow, environment and VPD, leaf temps.

HID's back in the day you stuffed as much in an area as you could keep cool and as close to the plant as possible. You do that with LED's you'll end up with a sea of bleached bacon plants.

 

[goingrey]

Wrong PPM meter?

 

[Tomatoesonly]

Wrong PPM meter?

I was using a Hannah that I resurrected from storage, and I for some reason had never heard there was a different scale for different makes.
Alot easier to use a Milwaukee that is .5, and the ppm scale I was used to using.

 

[goingrey]

Hehe well you can't really blame that on the LEDs.

Never really experienced all that. Only have a 130W light so the intensity problem, well isn't one. But don't wanna keep the light too close, true. And I'm using pH buffered coco nutes (so cheating).

Biggest difference is now, winter time, much less heat from the light. Not all bad I suppose, less difference day and night.

 

[StickyBandit]

Our old Golfball strain we used to grow buds the size of baseball bats almost every time. I don't know if we'll reach that growth and speed again with LED's
Was in DWC

 

[Tomatoesonly]

Our old Golfball strain we used to grow buds the size of baseball bats almost every time. I don't know if we'll reach that growth and speed again with LED's
Was in DWC

There are INSANE LED grows out there. I think it's just a matter of research and finding out what changes you need to make for an LED switch over. I would bet once dialed in, you could break personal records.

Do you have a thread anywhere on your Golfball?

 

[GOT_BUD?]

As someone who had 20 years under HIDs when I took a hiatus from growing, then came back full force under LEDs and got my ass kicked repeatedly, I whole heartedly agree.

If I run my LEDS wide open it's death for the plants. I can't physically put enough space between them and the plants to not have problems. Which is wild as hell to me. I run my 600 watt COB rigs at half power now and the plants do much, much better. I'd be running two 600 Watt HPS in the same space.

 

[led05]

11’ ceilings - big plants, 7-8’ of flowers - Time & place for everything - it’s winter

Believe nothing of which you hear and half you see

PS: 65w/ cob up there

 

[Tomatoesonly]

11’ ceilings - big plants, 7-8’ of flowers - Time & place for everything - it’s winter

Believe nothing of which you hear and half you see

PS: 65w/ cob up there

Wow.. that's interesting. A combo grow. Looks like you have that thing dialed in. That's some TALL plants!!!

 

[Loc Dog]

My problem in a couple of grows with Vero 29 gen 7's was too much light. Needed uMol meter. Have also heard they need stronger feed, but I am bad at reading plants needs.

 

[Tomatoesonly]

My problem in a couple of grows with Vero 29 gen 7's was too much light. Needed uMol meter. Have also heard they need stronger feed, but I am bad at reading plants needs.

100% man.. I'm like are the nutes too much, too little... oh it's the light. But even then I need more nutes?

I thought a 400w LED was chump wattage. That thing is a plant killer at 100% and less than 3 feet.

 

[led05]

LED overdrive 400-700nm and way under 700nm+ ; it’s that simple… feed organic or synthetic & even more importantly watering & Ca needs must be considered

I do nothing in the “dialed” space but water once a week or so…

Put a few pepper plants in with your cannabis, watch how well the more difficult plants to grow, grow when you care less…

Plants - we are their worst enemy till we’re not

Happy farming

 

[led05]

I’ve been building & growing under LED Since mid 2000’s - it’s a tech like everything else but lighting in the past decade is quite incredible it’s leaps & bounds vs previous 75 years undeniable

DE HID is by far the best radiant light source one can get, look into how much energy from the sun is radiant….

Plants enjoy this greatly

Peace

 

[revegeta666]

There is clearly a learning curve when switching from HID to LED. If you grow your plants the way you used to you're going to be in big trouble. LEDs are very demanding forrcing the plants to consume a lot more Ca and Mg. Intervenal clorosis is how the problems start and if you don't fix the issue you will end up with crispy chicken leaves. In my case I found a few things that help.

- most people add Calmag products in every watering but I use slow release amendments.

- adding some dolomite lime to the soil (5g/L)

- spraying epsom salts during the veg phase and in preparation for the switch.

- giving LEDs a lot more distance to the plants.

- run your LEDs at literally half the potency you would use HID. Right now I am using only 300w for a surface of 1,2x1,2m. Which is ridiculous because it is exactly half of what I used with sodium (600w). A few of my friends have had the best results doing this as well.

- plants can take much higher temperatures with LEDs and still be happy. You can grow in the summer with them and plants thrive even at 32-34°C.

The cost of growing in winter goes way up though. I wish I had kept my HID for winter time.

 

[Loc Dog]

Revegeta666 -

The cost of growing in winter goes way up though. I wish I had kept my HID for winter time.

Is that because you need to add heat with LED's in Winter???

I was wondering why the plant in center under LED was getting lite colored between veins. I am running in coco and worry about adding too much cal/mag because I have heard of it locking out nitrogen and micro nutrients.

Also tent and basement are cold. I still have my 600 watt cool tubes.

 

[revegeta666]

Y

Revegeta666 -

The cost of growing in winter goes way up though. I wish I had kept my HID for winter time.

Is that because you need to add heat with LED's in Winter???

I was wondering why the plant in center under LED was getting lite colored between veins. I am running in coco and worry about adding too much cal/mag because I have heard of it locking out nitrogen and micro nutrients.

Also tent and basement are cold. I still have my 600 watt cool tubes.

Yes, LEDs are more efficient and don't give out much heat so I have to use a heater to mantain proper temps. Calmag products usually have Nitrogen as well, so it can get tricky in flower. Most growers I know in my country use the chelated Ca or Mg mononutrient to correct deficiencies and avoid feeding Nitrogen in flower. You can give them a moderate dose of calmag and supplement spraying epsom salts if they are still in veg.