Feminized G-13 Gigabud and LEDs

[botanist85]

Hey everyone, I picked a 126w 30 degree LED panel from hydro-grow-led.com. I will SOG four plants under the light trying to keep the plants under 16 inches tall. My theory behind this is I want the most intensity I can achieve possible on all four of my plants oppose to trying to grow 4 huge plants your conventional way with a 60 degree light spread. I dont know, just something I wanted to try. Obviously the light will be almost twice as intense but will it change the results from other growers using the 60 degree panel? I dont know but I promise, I will find out. Cheers, happy holidays! lol.

 

[Sleepy]

tagging along...

 

[botanist85]

Me too.

 

[redspaghetti]

in for LED and G 13 results

Happy holidaze

Cheers

Red.

 

[DankSide]

Tagging in and along.

Hey do they make LED panels specifically for vegging?
I could see LED being very convenient in a veg or mother chamber for perpetuals.
For the actual bud producing, I think LED is still a few years away, BUT I wish you great success with yours.

 

[botanist85]

Hey whats going on ICmag?

Well the LED seems to be doing the job well right now. My mother plant is growing solidly (big plant) and my clones are now starting to develop new growth . I took a few more pictures including one of the light. I cant wait to see if the 30 degree viewing angle makes a difference.

To me my theory is sound. Taking an extremely focused beam of photosynthetically active light and applying it to four semi short single cola plants. The results will have to be astounding. Plus I am using 2 gallon square pots and all four pots together have the same out side diameter of the LED light housing so they receive nearly 100% of the footprint emitted from the panel depending on height placement. Just some food for thought.

 

[botanist85]

Hello again ICmag.

Well I thought I would share with you my topping/cloning adventure. In the next series of photos you will see my momma plant and all the various places I cut limbs off her, shame on me. I just want to illustrate how relentless these plants really are.


As you can see in this photo, she was snipped a total of three times, generating a main stem from a single node.

As you can see the little node has turned into the new main stem

And now I show you where I re-topped the main stem

I think it is pretty fascinating how much shit this girl puts up with.





And here is what my grow room looks like on the daily, pretty cool eh?

And one picture to show the perfect coverage of this light implementing square pots. Nothing to be seen from the top, yet they are under there....Picture taken @ 8 inches high

 

[Sleepy]

nice show so far...

 

[Bionic]

Great job with the pictorial. Very informative and a fun read. Wishing you a great grow and surpassed expectations! Cheers.

 

[JustSmokin]

I think you have a great theory...subscribed.

 

[eger]

Very interested in those LED systems, gonna tag along for this one ..
Good luck and happy growing
-eger-

 

[apollonio]

hey botanist!

hope to see some nice results from your test, 30 degrees should be intresting!

keep it green! (or pinkish lol)

 

[DankSide]

Hey whats going on ICmag?

Well the LED seems to be doing the job well right now. My mother plant is growing solidly (big plant) and my clones are now starting to develop new growth . I took a few more pictures including one of the light. I cant wait to see if the 30 degree viewing angle makes a difference.

To me my theory is sound. Taking an extremely focused beam of photosynthetically active light and applying it to four semi short single cola plants. The results will have to be astounding. Plus I am using 2 gallon square pots and all four pots together have the same out side diameter of the LED light housing so they receive nearly 100% of the footprint emitted from the panel depending on height placement. Just some food for thought.

I agree that you will have nearly 100% of the footprint if your surrounding area was smaller, but you'll actually lose some of that intensity with an area as large as you have. If there was a way to close off the area a little bit while maintaining exceptional ventilation, I think you might see even better results.

Perhaps I'm not giving these LEDs enough credit though and they are more powerful these days? When I look at that top down picture I just see so much extra space around the sides that I have to wonder how much of that LED intensity is leaking out. Do you think you would gain by minimizing the amount of vacant space around the system? All food for thought, looking forward to that G13 sweetness.

 

[Maj.Cottonmouth]

Nice show, it is great to see so many people running tests with these. I am waiting to make my next light purchase based on how everyone does with the LED. Best of luck with your grow.

Your medium looks like weed under the LED

 

[hilbie]

almost anything can veg weed, in budding theese lights have never been impressive, we shall wait n see..

with brand new 400hps pre shipped online for 117 dollars i cant see the need for one of theese lights though, i just dont see them doing anything but having the right spectrum n low heat. but weres the intensity?

 

[botanist85]

I agree that you will have nearly 100% of the footprint if your surrounding area was smaller, but you'll actually lose some of that intensity with an area as large as you have. If there was a way to close off the area a little bit while maintaining exceptional ventilation, I think you might see even better results.

Perhaps I'm not giving these LEDs enough credit though and they are more powerful these days? When I look at that top down picture I just see so much extra space around the sides that I have to wonder how much of that LED intensity is leaking out. Do you think you would gain by minimizing the amount of vacant space around the system? All food for thought, looking forward to that G13 sweetness.

I understand what your saying completely but I think your logic is build around the HID world. An HID light throws lights off at 360 degrees. Then you add a reflector and you narrowed it down to 180 degrees. Then you add some mylar and you catch all those light leaks your talking about. With this LED light, the light is focused already. I dont see any need to use materials like mylar because the direct footprint of the light can be obtained 100% just be lowering or raising the light. There is a direct foot print IMO and then there is an indirect foot print (I'm sure there is a better word for it) and how things are right now, the plants are completely in the direct footprint. Of course there is going to be some light run off but that is do to reflection off other surfaces, and isn't primary light. Simple put, when it comes to the LEDs everything is more or less just speculation. What your saying could be 100% correct but IMHO there is just not enough of a proven track record to firmly say what works and what does not work. Thats the joy I get out of it, something new to try and people either embrace it or hate it. Eitherway the cave man will have to come out of his cave sooner or later. Just me 2 cents - If i had 2 cents.

 

[botanist85]

almost anything can veg weed, in budding theese lights have never been impressive, we shall wait n see..

with brand new 400hps pre shipped online for 117 dollars i cant see the need for one of theese lights though, i just dont see them doing anything but having the right spectrum n low heat. but weres the intensity?

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, nothing wrong with that. You and I clearly value different opinions though. I'm not arguing your statement about intensity but then again intensity comes down to lumens and lumen(s) is a measure of power and light perceived by the human eye. As I said, we value different opinions and I just cant justify pulling 400w or one kilowatt every 2.3 hours when the plant is only using 20% of that total light. I think the term lumen is slowly going to fade away because its a dubious term when growing plants. I think its more or less a marketing tactic in selling lights. "The more the better, sure why not". Its like going out and ordering 10 plates of food for one person, while you will only eat one and a half. You just wouldn't do that. I think people need to start focusing on (PAR) and not so much lumen(s). A 400w HPS emits the entire spectrum of light, yes its comforting to know but plants don't require the full spectrum, just tailored wave lengths. So where is all that extra light going? You guessed it, same place those extra 8.5 plates are going.

If I wanted HPS I would run my 600w cooltube. Along with the 200+ extra wattage to cool it. Im sick of the noise, sick of the heat, sick of the keep up costs and frankly sick of looking at orange "boringness". I like my pinkish glue, it suits my girls better. Pretty'n pink

 

[Bionic]

^^^^^Great explanation!^^^^^^

 

[botanist85]

One more thing ICmag. I don't want to come off like a prick who is saying LEDs are better. I'm not saying that at all, and if this light fails to meet my expectation I'll gladly turn back to my HPS. Just do me a favor and give LEDs a chance --please! Not all change is good but if LEDs can prove them self just imagine the difference it would make.

Has anyone every driven down the free way, just watching and counting the street lights go by? Those massive 65 foot HPS street lights? Dont you wonder what type of ballast are in there? 400w, 600w, 1000w??? Just take a second and imagine how much power is being used just to light road ways. Now take that same thought and multiple it on a world wide level. I have no idea but I feel safe saying billions of dollars per year just so we can see better on the motor way. Now take that same idea and switch it out with LEDs, dont you see the potential gains? The economy is so fragile right now and some of the most basic things could help, like finding better sources to implement our own resources. I just like being energy efficient I guess and if I can try and help then I certainly will. Even if it means growing some plants with an LED to try and help. Once again, just my 2 cents. Eitherway, if you grow any sort of plant, I truly applaud you . Stay green ICmag.

 

[botanist85]

Hey again Icmag.

I took some more photos to kind of show what I'm talking about. Look at the coverage I get with four plants under this light. This is what I mean by 100% foot print, the plants are directly under the light. This is were I get to really test the MFG claims. The MFG says the light is comparable to a 400w HPS. People now think, "well I can grow twice that amount under an 400w HPS". --True, no argument there, what so ever. BUT..........The MFG present their claims like this. You can yield the same amount using less plants under their light oppose to a large number of plants under an HPS. Kind of saying to completely recreate your growing technique because you no longer need 4x5 ft of room to yield X amount rather all you need is a smaller number of plants getting everything they need. That is what sparks my interest the most because in 'theory' it makes absolute complete sense. Call me crazy for growing so keen to the idea but I do. So lets look at the pictures shall we?

The MFG says there 60 degree 126w panel will post a foot print of 18" x 30"in @ 12 inches high. So if I'm thinking correctly then I should take all those numbers and divide by two or just twice intense. So I should produce a foot print of 9x15in @ 12 inches high. Right? Tell me if I am wrong.

Moving on.....

Fourth clone almost ready to hit the ground running.

My favorite part, the temperature! My thermostat is set to 75f roughly. That means this light generates 4.2f extra degrees (79.2f) with absolutely no alternate ventilation - sealed in a tent also may I add I know my RH is low but I have no humidifier as of now

My new water filter sys.

And take a look at this. This is some light shining past the zippers from my tent onto the wall. Look at all the individual colors! I thought it was pretty cool at least.