Lap Does LEDs - My DIY Quantum Board Cabinet

Humple W. · Jun 28, 2017

Awesome build, man! I always admire the truly homemade cabs; I was too lazy and just modified a ClosetMaid pre-fab for mine. You're not worried about bleaching at that power and distance from the plants? Not that I really know the first thing about it! I have one of the HLG 135w Quantum Board kits in one of my cab's chambers right now, and just to be on the safe side - because I have no clue - I've got it dimmed to 80 watts at 16 inches from my vegging plants.

Looking forward to following your grow!

Phychotron · Jul 7, 2017

err, wrong thread

Lapides · Jul 8, 2017

I forgot that about a year ago i fed my worms compost that had been mixed with all of my amendments. There were adequate amendments such that I would only need about 2 handfuls of ewc per plant.

I mixed my dirt up with about a third of this ewc...WAY too much for just 2 plants.

They are coming around pretty ok now though. I took a few clones off of them a week ago and it looks like the plants have tripled in size since.

I'm going to add some CO2 tomorrow so that the plants can take full advantage of the bright light. I have a hunch it will also clear up what looks like an Mg deficiency. We'll see.

GG4 on the left and Chem '91 on the right

antheis · Jul 22, 2017

nice thread!
i'm gathering parts now to build a couple 3x3x6' boxes with a soil bed at the bottom much like you did.

i plan building the bed out of hardware cloth and 2x4's to aerate the beds instead of using pvc.

Firebrand · Jul 22, 2017

I'm diggin your work, nice job putting it together, subbed.

AvidLerner · Jul 23, 2017

Lapides said:
Hey everyone, it's great to get another thread going. I was forced to take a little break from growing (again!) and as a result I've downsized temporarily.

I built a 4x1.5x4ft cabinet. It's still a little rough and unfinished.
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I'll be lighting it up with a DIY Quantum Board style setup. I honestly had NO IDEA these things would be so bright. I was chomping at the bit to see how bright they are, so I wired them up and plugged them in and was instantly blinded.
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Miller High Life for proof of my downsizing

I got 6x4ft strips and they will be mounted on 1in wide heatsinks once my thermal paste come from China. It's the only thing I'm waiting on, grr...
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Mounted the heatsinks onto aluminum C channel. The drill was a little slidey, but the heatsinks are parallel and evenly spaced.

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I havent used a pop rivet gun since middle school.

I'm running these at 73% of their rated max with a 320 watt, 1.75 amp driver. Even unmounted, the diodes are warm, definitely not hot, I can keep my fingers directly on them without it hurting.

At this configuration, the power draw is just under 260 watts. I'm getting over 160 lumens per watt for a total of 41595 lumens. This is taking into account the 94% electrical efficiency of my driver.

Going forward, I'll be buying these diodes on a tape and reel rather than premounted on these strips. Going the tape and reel route, I can get these for about $0.12 per diode, maybe even cheaper from alibaba.

Total cost for the light was less than $300.

I'll be growing 2 different phenos of Island Sweet Skunk with lots of worms and recycled soil.

I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Stay tuned, much more fun to come!

great light, I love those samsung strips. I got them too, I put some on a $12 cookie sheet no heat either. I also used flat stock like you.
namaste

Lapides · Jul 27, 2017

Things are looking really great. This light definitely veges the fuck out of these plants.

I switched to flowering 3 days ago and started cleaning up their bottoms. Now the fun starts...

heady blunts · Jul 28, 2017

Lapides · Aug 7, 2017

Two weeks in -

Chem '91

GG4

Phychotron · Aug 7, 2017

Looks good. Might need a little bit more iron, zinc or sulfur to get the new growth to come in green. Or upping your base nutrients.

saitama · Aug 7, 2017

Lapides said:
Two weeks in -
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Chem '91
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GG4
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Your plants look amazing! Really dense in there

Lapides · Aug 7, 2017

Phychotron said:
Looks good. Might need a little bit more iron, zinc or sulfur to get the new growth to come in green. Or upping your base nutrients.

Thanks I was trying to figure out what was wrong with them. Out of what you suggested, where would YOU start?

Phychotron · Aug 7, 2017

I have a product called "Liquinox Chelated Iron and Zinc" as a foliar spray. Cost like $10 for a 32 ounce bottle. Helps green them right up without having to add nitrogen.

Phychotron · Aug 8, 2017

Oh, and 90% of nutrient problems are pH related. Check the pH of the nutrients and its runoff. Make sure to water with a bit of runoff to flush the plants waste products away.

I've been using just the white in my lights to veg and it seems like they've been having that problem as well. Turning the red/blue on seems to help.

Lapides · Aug 8, 2017

Are you able to explain to me how you came to this diagnosis of my plants?

My eyes may be getting old or I'm just so egotistical that I am blind to obvious problems, but I see nothing wrong at all with my plants at this point.

Phychotron · Aug 8, 2017

The new growth is a bit too yellow. It shouldn't come in neon yellow and eventually turn green. Usually its iron or pH problems when new growth is yellow. Compare the color of the new growth to the color of the older shade leaves and see that the older shade leaves are so dark they almost have too much nitrogen. Imbalance is usually pH. pH above 8 will make iron completely unavailable.

The tips are starting to show some slight signs of wear, usually that's pH related 'burn' but can also show up from heat or over feeding and buildup of waste (which translates to pH) . The plant takes up nutrients and releases waste products. Those waste products contribute to the ppm of your runoff, but may not necessarily increase it compared to the feed.

Lapides · Aug 9, 2017

Yeah fuck all that, sounds way too complicated. I'll just press my luck and continuing just giving plain water and the occasional compost tea and see how far that gets me.
Thanks for the advice though.

antheis · Aug 9, 2017

man, lap, you crack me up.
Phychotron, using chemical salts would kill his worms, and i know lap would not be down for that.

dank.frank · Aug 9, 2017

Lap. You the man, F.A.M. You're ingenuity and constant adaptation never ceases to amaze me. Reading your threads always makes me nod and smile with appreciation. :respect:

----dank.Frank

Lapides · Aug 9, 2017

antheis said:
man, lap, you crack me up.
Phychotron, using chemical salts would kill his worms, and i know lap would not be down for that.

Well it looks like SOMEONE'S been paying attention :biglaugh:

dank.frank said:
Lap. You the man, F.A.M. You're ingenuity and constant adaptation never ceases to amaze me. Reading your threads always makes me nod and smile with appreciation. ----dank.Frank

Thanks brother! I like trying new things, especially if it's gonna make my life easier or my herb better. Glad to see you around again

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