Blackstar 180w LRr2: The First Mission

[Claude Hopper]

I've grown under the sun and I've started plants under flourescent lights. This is my first real indoor grow.

The cabinet is an old steel medicine chest that looks nearly new. Measurements are 12" X 18" X30".

I've cut a whole in the top and lowered in a Blackstar 180watt six band flowering light with ultraviolet.

I've mounted the light so that its vents are just below the top of the cab. This arrangement brings in nearly room temperature fresh air into the cab. I have an adjustable shelf to place in the cab so that I can keep the plants about 12" from the light to start.

I'll post some finishing tweaks tonight and then it is time to get a few LR2's going.


Now it's off to the office, where I'll be daydreaming of my project all day long.

PS: This light is screamingly bright!

 

[mitch_connor]

looks promising, nice work.

Is there no adjustment in the height of the light then?, so the plants need to be raised and lowered?

External exhaust fan?

 

[Claude Hopper]

Mitch,

Yes, the plants will need to be raised. Its very simple with the shelf that came with the cab. For this run I will LST if needed. If I do a scrog I will have to mount the screens on the individual pots or the adjustments would be a pain.

I've ran this light all morning and there is no discernible difference in the temps inside the cab and the room it is in. I'm hoping that I can get by with just a couple of passive vents in the box. If not, I can always mount some PC fans.

 

[joejusttyped]

Nice light, I just bought the 240w flowering model. =)

Can't wait to see more.

 

[Claude Hopper]

Nice light, I just bought the 240w flowering model. =)

Can't wait to see more.

I thought about the 240w too. I'm not sure it would have fit in my cab. Any idea how much the actual draw in watts for the 240? I don't have a meter and I'm curious as to how many watts I'm pulling.

This is going to be a K.I.S.S. grow. I want everything simple and basic:
Peat based soiless mix, Maxibloom. I'm liking how easy it is to adjust the shelf from the lights. It's adjustable in about 40cm increments.

Seeds are started: 6 LR2's and a 3 pretty poppies

 

[20/4]

Looking promising so far, how much did the LED run you price wise?

Cant wait to see the yield, ...

 

[Claude Hopper]

20/4,

Thanks!

It was $209 + $15 for shipping. It was shipped the day I ordered (Friday) and delivered Tuesday.

I ran it all day to see what the temps would be like. The lights own fans suck in air into the cab and the temperature didn't rise at all. I'm not sure if the steel cab is helping out as a sort of heat exchanger or if its just good ventilation.

I can't wait to see the yield, myself -)

I'm still looking for the proper pots/containers to fit my cab. I've been shopping with a small tape measure in my pocket. I must have looked a bit goofy measuring plastic storage tubs this morning.

 

[Shumway]

I've been shopping with a small tape measure in my pocket. I must have looked a bit goofy measuring plastic storage tubs this morning.

LoL

The last time i did that i was at my home depot and one of the employee's seen me and said "so trying to figure how many to fit in your grow room eh" everyone with in an ears shot turned and looked at me

 

[killerweed31]

very interesting thread bro, this led grow fo su promise good, i'll be watching closely tha progress , great style!!

 

[20/4]

Wow thats actually a pretty decent price, ive still had the very intriguing idea of adding an LED light next to my 150watt hps, would make for a very intresting spectrum.. This is a good brand name too if im not mistaken right? If you get 1gpw+ or closeish i would be SOLD

I just finished growing a LR2, smells like ass/Cat Piss, one of the more smelly autos ive grown... just a warning

 

[norichips]

nice little setup there dude cant wait to see more updates!

 

[Claude Hopper]

Shumway,

Indeed! Well, I gave up on the tape measure and let my fingers do the walking. I finally found just the pots I was looking for by googling "square nursery pots". I can get exactly 6 6" square one gallon square pots into my cabinet. I ordered several extra.

Killerweed,

Thanks!

I am really please with the light mounted externally from my cabinet. I have it suspended with dowels mounted upon a spongy foam that deadens all vibrations. The light itself does not touch the metal cabinet. There is a seal of soft foam covered with a single width of electrical tape around the light (see below)

I could see where mounting an HID light externally would allow using higher wattage lights in smaller cabs.

And theres my indoor outdoor thermometer that logs minimum and maximum temperatures.

 

[Claude Hopper]

ive still had the very intriguing idea of adding an LED light next to my 150watt hps, would make for a very intresting spectrum.. This is a good brand name too if im not mistaken right? If you get 1gpw+ or closeish i would be SOLD

From what I've read online it seems to be good. I know it feels and looks well made. The light is incredibly bright.

I laughed when you were talking about the 150. That's my next addition (in a slightly larger cab) to try some of the lankier haze and thai varieties.

I just finished growing a LR2, smells like ass/Cat Piss, one of the more smelly autos ive grown... just a warning

Thanks for the heads up. I'd smelled the cured product, but not the grow before.

I'm very fortunate in having this in a room well closed off from the main part of the building that I can ventilate independently - but I am prepared to use filters if needed.

 

[skullznroses]

Mission rider!

Mission rider!

Mission looking like its at the critical stage. This is the part I love the best, the miracle of new plants! You could be in trouble if those babies take off under that light! That is a nice fat extra amount of watts per square foot,, should be choice.

Here's my two cents brother- If its not too late, I would think a little addition to that soil could be of huge benefit. Basic soil like that has no food in it at all. Supplying everything via liquid nutes is a bit more of a risky move. I like to take the approach of using some amendments to the soil like guano and manure to make sure the plants will be feeding fine, especially when they are young and a fert overdose is most damaging. I like to start with just water, move through at least a week or two of dilute fert, and then use 3/4 strength as my normal routine. Not trying to overload you, but I really think some fertilizer in the soil is a good move. It widens the happy healthy safe zone by a lot so that you can be confident you aren't under or overdoing it.

You saw those babies of mine, and they are doing that well and they just had their first 3/4 strength liquid meal of their lives. I have the extra perlite and vermiculite which helps my soil drain well and dry well. I just dose them with water every 2-3 days, making sure that at least the top few inches of soil dries out before watering again. I see people make mistakes by drowning plants on here all the time. Heavy soil not really meant for indoor growing is a huge disadvantage.

Sorry I ramble, but I used to sell fertilizer for a living, and half the job was convincing people not to kill their plants with too much product!

anyhow, consider me signed on for a flight to weedville!

 

[Claude Hopper]

Mission looking like its at the critical stage. This is the part I love the best, the miracle of new plants! You could be in trouble if those babies take off under that light! That is a nice fat extra amount of watts per square foot,, should be choice.

Here's my two cents brother- If its not too late, I would think a little addition to that soil could be of huge benefit. Basic soil like that has no food in it at all. Supplying everything via liquid nutes is a bit more of a risky move. I like to take the approach of using some amendments to the soil like guano and manure to make sure the plants will be feeding fine, especially when they are young and a fert overdose is most damaging. I like to start with just water, move through at least a week or two of dilute fert, and then use 3/4 strength as my normal routine. Not trying to overload you, but I really think some fertilizer in the soil is a good move. It widens the happy healthy safe zone by a lot so that you can be confident you aren't under or overdoing it.

You saw those babies of mine, and they are doing that well and they just had their first 3/4 strength liquid meal of their lives. I have the extra perlite and vermiculite which helps my soil drain well and dry well. Heavy soil not really meant for indoor growing is a huge disadvantage.

Sorry I ramble, but I used to sell fertilizer for a living, and half the job was convincing people not to kill their plants with too much product!

anyhow, consider me signed on for a flight to weedville!

Excellent points -- and your seedlings were so nice it would be foolish not to consider your points.It's not too late. In fact I am going to Home Depot tomorrow and I'll snag some perlite and see what they have in the way of gentle organic ammendments.

I've not had trouble with Jiffy pots being too "hot" but I did have trouble with some peppers I started in Miracle Grow getting scorched by too much nitrogen.

Once they sprout I'll give them just a few days in the jiffy pots. I've had good luck with them and I think its because the pots help air-prune the roots and encourage lateral branching. They won't be long before they're popped into their bigger pots though, 3-4 days. Then I'll pop them into a light peat based soil like Sunshine. I've got them close to hand, so some extra perlite and a few extra waterings isn't a concern and I'll be sure to add a decent measure.


>I just dose them with water every 2-3 days, making sure that at least the top few inches of soil dries out before watering again. I see people make mistakes by drowning plants on here all the time.

Indeed! I had a market garden for years and raised all my own transplants. I remember having some helpers who drowned my seedlings when I was away and caused a many of them to die from damping off.

Good advice! Thank you.

 

[Claude Hopper]

I've got six seedlings (can't see them with the LEDs) in pots loaded into my cab -- and three extra plants I'll carry along till sexing under a large cfl.

I wasn't kidding when I said I could get exactly 6 6x6x7.5" pots in my cab. Not even a milimeter to spare:

 

[auto guerilla]

nice work what strain are you growing? soz if you've already mentioned it i must have missed it

 

[Claude Hopper]

Auto Guerilla,

This run is LR2's. Next run is going to be Vertigo and Pandora. I've got Pinkbud, MI5 and Onyx high on my wishlist.

 

[MariJuanita]

ONYX on your wishlist, eh?

I'm doing a small ONYX grow right now under a 180 Pro Grow LED. Plants are about 5 weeks above soil today and developing buds. I hope to take some update photos today or tomorrow, but...

Here's a photo of them at close to 2 weeks above soil.

Another shot of the three ONYX girls...

 

[Claude Hopper]

MariJuanita,

Your light sounds very similar to mine. Of course I don't have this feature:

You control the output of the chips with the push of a button. One lamp can be tailored to each stage of your plants growth eliminating the need for costly additional equipment. Simply push a button to switch between the vegetative and flowering stages of your plants growth.

How are you liking it? Your girls look good.