⇧Brother OneHitDone's HydroGrowLed MEEt's LETTUCE Grow Test⇧

OneHitDone · May 25, 2019

Quick Day24 update:
Did a res change to give them a fresh drink and keep things nice and balanced.
HydroGrowLed informed me that a spectrum tweaked 42X is in route so I can rerun this test and see what altering the ration does for leaf texture, etc.
This batch will finish pit with the lighting as is.

Rab.C · May 25, 2019

there looking excellent OneHitDone

HydroGrowLeds · May 25, 2019

Results are looking very nice OHD! Your customized 42X just shipped out today. I'm very happy to be working with you on spectral development for lettuce. As this test is demonstrating, our spectrum can GROW lettuce freaky fast. But the goal is to get the leaf thickness and texture similar to what you experience from lettuce grown in sunlight. To achieve that goal I am sending a spectrum that has been revised to 5% blue, 10% green and 85% red with a 10:1 ratio of R to FR. This test has been run with our standard 10% blue, 15% green, 75% red ratios with a 4:1 ratio of R to FR.

Blue light is known to increase leaf thickness, and the lower in nanometer you go the more this tends to occur, so I have removed the 440nm component from the light making it a 5-band spectrum. I also believe that since lettuce is not a shade plant, nor does it grow tall, that it would benefit from a lower FR ratio. Hopefully my theory is correct and this new spectrum does the trick of normalizing the leaf thickness/texture while maintaining explosive growth.

OneHitDone · May 25, 2019

HydroGrowLeds said:
Results are looking very nice OHD! Your customized 42X just shipped out today. I'm very happy to be working with you on spectral development for lettuce. As this test is demonstrating, our spectrum can GROW lettuce freaky fast. But the goal is to get the leaf thickness and texture similar to what you experience from lettuce grown in sunlight. To achieve that goal I am sending a spectrum that has been revised to 5% blue, 10% green and 85% red with a 10:1 ratio of R to FR. This test has been run with our standard 10% blue, 15% green, 75% red ratios with a 4:1 ratio of R to FR.

Blue light is known to increase leaf thickness, and the lower in nanometer you go the more this tends to occur, so I have removed the 440nm component from the light making it a 5-band spectrum. I also believe that since lettuce is not a shade plant, nor does it grow tall, that it would benefit from a lower FR ratio. Hopefully my theory is correct and this new spectrum does the trick of normalizing the leaf thickness/texture while maintaining explosive growth.

I personally can't wait to get to the bottom of this myself.
For too long the typical ignorant led head response has been - "It's a waste of power bro", The sun is shining outside bro", or I only grow weed under my Quantum Boards"
It is refreshing that HydroGrowLed actually has an interest in the science and is willing to contribute to the calculating, adjusting, and providing the equipment to make this happen without having to break my own piggy bank to personally do this research alone.
Big thanks!

HydroGrowLeds · May 26, 2019

OneHitDone said:
I personally can't wait to get to the bottom of this myself.
For too long the typical ignorant led head response has been - "It's a waste of power bro", The sun is shining outside bro", or I only grow weed under my Quantum Boards"
It is refreshing that HydroGrowLed actually has an interest in the science and is willing to contribute to the calculating, adjusting, and providing the equipment to make this happen without having to break my own piggy bank to personally do this research alone.
Big thanks!

You're most welcome.

One of the main problem with LED companies that sell on forums is that they have a very one-track business model. To them the world outside of Cannabis seems small and like a waste of time. But I've been asked where I was all these years. It wasn't in the marijuana industry. I toured some of the nations largest greenhouses, worked with their head growers, ran tests against Philips, HID and others for night interruption, day lengthening, supplementation, etc... I focused my attention on industries outside of marijuana, because despite most people's beliefs, they dwarf the marijuana industry. When you walk through a 22 acre greenhouse, then another 100 acre facility and do this over and over again, it's awe inspiring.

Lettuce is a huge industry, especially in multi-layer rack cultivation. I've worked with some great commercial lettuce producers in the past and a greenhouse facility as well, but whenever using LED as a stand-alone light there were almost always thicker leaves and sometimes a texture issue. None of them wanted to do the science with me to fine-tune the lights. After all these years I'm happy to finally have someone who does. I like our testing to be independent and I like when a tester has a curious mind. I really do hope the tweaks I made to the spectrum will result in positive changes. If I had it my way I'd be working with a dozen growers like you on a continual basis, fine-tuning one spectrum after another for the largest commercially-grown crop types.

Mars Hydro Led · May 27, 2019

It should look delicious lol

Big Perm · May 27, 2019

HydroGrowLeds said:
Your customized 42X just shipped out today.

That's really cool.

OHD, I started a 12/12 from seed run with a 84X. I think I'm going to run a lettuce tent myself. I have a few tents, I'll put another 84X in a comparison grow against another light.

HydroGrowLeds · May 27, 2019

Big Perm said:
That's really cool.

OHD, I started a 12/12 from seed run with a 84X. I think I'm going to run a lettuce tent myself. I have a few tents, I'll put another 84X in a comparison grow against another light.
View Image

But OHD has a secret weapon arriving tomorrow lol... His HGL Enhanced Lettuce Spectrum! Or stage one at least. I'm expecting some good results from it that will give us more insight to spectral adaptations with lettuce.

OneHitDone · May 28, 2019

And - This Just In!!!
Revised spectrum for continued testing.
My Dry Closet is empty at the moment so I will hang the new spectrum in there and get the next batch cracking while the first round finishes up.
Should be about perfect timing for when the new batch is ready to be spread out and moved to the NFT Channels :hump:

The new ratio is 5% Blue 10% Green 85% Red with a 10:1 Red to FR Ratio as apposed to 10% blue, 15% green, 75% red ratios with a 4:1 ratio of R to FR in the first test.

OneHitDone · May 29, 2019

First up are the Back of the tent almost shade grown HGL vs the Metal Halide seedlings.
HGL Left, MH Right
Day 28 for the rest of the tent. Seeing a bit of tip burn on a few. I personally have a hunch the intensity is still higher than it needs to be but let's see what the adjusted spectrum does first.
Seeds have been germinated for the 5% 10% 85% spectrum test. Will keep these in my drying closet until the tent frees up at harvest. Also moved the two from the back of the tent under the new spectrum just to give them more space and get a sneak peak of how the spectrum change is going to affect things.

HydroGrowLeds · May 29, 2019

I'm really enjoying this test. It would be great to send you one of my extra light meters to see what the intensity is for those plants in the back of the tent, vs what the metal halide plants are receiving. Would be very helpful data to know.

That tip burn looks more like a nute or a root related occurrence to me. Light doesn't really do that as these intensities, and when light is too intense you typically see it throughout the whole leaf (like an orchid you put in broad daylight).

I'm very excited to see how the spectral changes affect the next batch of lettuce. I love spectral development. Really nice update!

OneHitDone · Jun 1, 2019

Day 31 Update:
I pulled 4 plants to make a bit more space as things are wall to wall.
The butter crunch had a few issues and I didn't care for the quality so I tossed that one. The three Grand Rapids were proper trimmed and sorted for quality as pictured.

OneHitDone · Jun 1, 2019

Batch #2 under the 5%B 10%G 85%R spectrum Day 1

HydroGrowLeds · Jun 1, 2019

The lettuce that was chopped in your image looks pretty close to store bought to me. What is your take on it? Did you eat it? Would love to hear your feedback.

OneHitDone · Jun 3, 2019

Day 33 Update.
Butter crunch are looking less than desirable but the Grand Rapids look pretty good.

Day 3 for the 5%-10%-85% batch
They got a little stretched. Probably cause I left the dome over them a bit too long with family here visiting this weekend but I'll let them roll and see how they shape up over the next couple days

Still biologically feeling on the fence with led's in general. My little Abby girl always loves to bath under grow lights but makes this face when led's are in play :thinking:

OneHitDone · Jun 3, 2019

HydroGrowLeds said:
The lettuce that was chopped in your image looks pretty close to store bought to me. What is your take on it? Did you eat it? Would love to hear your feedback.

The way I "Manicure" my lettuce I would say they look better than anything you get in the store all broken down like that.
Flavor was excellent as usual with Grand Rapids.
I did not eat the butter crunch.

Spectrum #2 appears to be producing a bit healthier leaf on the two test subjects I have that are farther along as seen in post above.

HydroGrowLeds · Jun 3, 2019

OneHitDone said:
The way I "Manicure" my lettuce I would say they look better than anything you get in the store all broken down like that.
Flavor was excellent as usual with Grand Rapids.
I did not eat the butter crunch.

Spectrum #2 appears to be producing a bit healthier leaf on the two test subjects I have that are farther along as seen in post above.

Thank you for sharing this information with us. I'm glad the flavor was excellent, and likewise happy to hear that the spectral revision is showing positive signs thus far. :woohoo:

Your cat's face is priceless lol.

Medfinder · Jun 3, 2019

OneHitDone said:
Hey guys and gals - Let me introduce myself as I am new to posting over here but this definitely ain't my first rodeo.
Been growing indoors under lights since the early 2000's. Yes I grow cannabis but that is not the focus of this thread.
I am a HID / Fluorescent type of guy but also dig led and always looking at and trying the new tech.
Honestly led has yet to impress me to the point of converting my whole garden over, especially when it comes to growing leafy food crops such as lettuce. I have a massive thread elsewhere on the web where not 1 led grower has yet to produce what I would consider a QUALITY head of lettuce comparable to an outdoor field grown specimen.

So, what we have going here is another one of my whacky indoor lettuce growing adventures. As those who have followed my thread in the LED section know - lettuce is not the easiest crop to produce under led.
@HydroGrowLED has been kind enough to sponsor several of the members on this site with free gear to run and check out the companies tech and spectrum. I was one of the chosen ones due solely on my pursuit of the ideal led for growing food crops indoors I suppose.
So, what we have here is a 22"x22" tent with a custom fabbed NFT Hydroponic system where 9 lettuce plants will be grown to full term under the HydroGrowLed 42X fixture. Fixture pulls 71.7W from the wall putting this grow at approximately 21.5W per Sq Ft.
Lettuce seeds are germinating in rock wool cubes which will then be moved to the nft channels and fed Master Blend 4-18-38, Calcium Nitrate, and Magnesium Sulphate for the duration of the crop.
I have dialed the fixture in at the recommended height of 16.5" above the seedling tray and will maintain this distance the best I can as the crop grows.
So join along for the ride as I get this show started.

I'll start with a few photo's of the nicely constructed fixture. Nice touch with the filters over the fans!!

I got the box leds from morrison... 600 watt rated 235 watt draw..

i wasnt impressed but didnt give up.

so i went with strings of outdoor patio lighting with 14watt cover off 1500 lumen 4 to 1 socket adapters.

with deep water culture .

next type of plant for me? kratom.

OneHitDone · Jun 7, 2019

Day 38 and I am going to go ahead and chop these tomorrow. A few issues on some and some look beautiful. Gonna make The Big salad for sure!

Day 7 for batch 2 under the 5%B 10%G 85%R spectrum

Rab.C · Jun 7, 2019

hi OneHitDone i dont get this grow why join a cannabis growing forum.too grow lettuce
come on bro get the cannabis seeds popped.because thats what we want too See atb Rab.c

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