[Growdog]

Posted this in another thread but I think this is where it needs to go. with that said here is the plan. Opinions welcome Thanks in advance.

While there are many LED grow journals showing good to great results, its a major pain in the ass trying to figure out where to spend ones dough. Trying to stay within a certain budget and cover existing space effectively while attempting to maintain similar production (yield/quality) compared to my HID set up is making me insane. Im certain there are many combinations that work but I simply dont have the cash to experiment. I need to get it close (enough) the first time.

Rundown of my old set up

3x3 Tent
Dual Bulb hood running 400w CMH 400w HPS
16x .7 Airpots with FFOF/Pearlite mix
SOG with some aggressive pruning to promote single/dual cola plant
Several very well know (to me) strains
Cooling/Venting/exhausting all in check

average dried and cured yield 12-15 oz per Harvest 4 yrs running.

I love this set up! However due to temp fluxuations. Cooling and heating needs. Power usage. Not to mention an easily readable IR signature which is no longer safe I have been forced to shut it down. It is either L.E.D or NOTHING!

For all the HID diehards out there Im with you but given my situation I must try to embrace LED or do Nothing which I cant live with.

On to the New:



So, After extensive and exhaustive reading of VerdantGreen,Rives and Phaeton just to name a few of the more successful LED growers I have decided more units in smaller spaces is the only way I think I can make it work

My area can support 3 2x2 tents so here is what I want to do.
Seems like the best compromise for me and my situation.

3 GL60 2x2 Grow Tents
3 Full Cycle Solarflares by California Light Works (Open to suggestions on LED panels)
Staggered harvest
1 Strain per area in soil using Airpots
House and Garden regime
SCROG or Modular SCOG like VerdantGreen (if you have not seen his grow it is a must)

I believe my results will be less yield higher quality per tent but that will be made up by more harvests using multiple areas.

Phaeton and his use of LED and UVA and UVB is also a must read. I am not nearly smart enough to emulate his set up but man is he doing some amazing things!!

Any comments on my proposed set up is welcome and wanted before I commit to that cash outlay!

Thanks for the help and comments

[rives]

I'm looking forward to seeing how the Solar Flares work for you. I like their engineering, and as I mentioned in Strat's thread, the only thing that I can see that could improve them would be if each spectrum was dimmable. I think that the GL60s will work very well also - I have both a GL80 and a SJ DR120II, and vastly prefer the GL80. You might entertain the idea of some T5 or PL-L side-lighting to fill out the spectrum a bit. It would be a perfect opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison and see exactly what they do add. Good luck.

[Growdog]

Thanks Rives was hoping youd chime in. Yes I thought instead of trying to fill larger spaces with more panels. Why not shrink the space to the light.

Anyway I will try the supplement lighting in one and none in the other.

What do you suggest for T5's?

[rives]

I don't personally use T5s since I've got a whole armload of PL-Ls around, but the lamps that I use are 2700k, 3000k, and 4100k. I think the 2700k is probably the best choice because all of them have more than enough blue, but the 2700k has a little broader representation of the red spectrum.

[Growdog]

Thats what im going to do. I do just about have my mind made up on those Flares. Well made enough wattage (I hope for) each 2x2. I e-mailed George (the owner) and spoke with him on the phone. Liked his e-mail liked the phone call. Lets just say I talked to a few different LED people. I trust George and Ill just leave it that.

Not to mention the 90 Money Back Plenty of time to see what they can do!

Thats the plan

[Bennyweed1]

Your plan is sound ombrey!

I use LEDs but I not longer comment on brands, it starts pissing contest from what I have seen over the couple years Ive used them.

One thing I know for certain is it is not difficult to achieve 1 gpw with LED. If you setup like your saying and run at least a 200w LED in each tent, you could harvest 200grams every 3 weeks.

I would get a 9wk strain and stagger the tents every three weeks. Each tent will represent week 1-3, week 4-6, week 7-9, kind like a assembly line. Keep it perpetual and you can almost guaranty you will harvest 1 GPW. Run a nice organic blend so you dont have to mess with nutrients and pH flux.

I did similar things to this concept but using HID. I would love to see a LED version of it! You could really rock it.

[Growdog]

Hey BennyW

That's a great way to describe what Im thinking its exactly whats been going through my head and its the reason I think I can make the LED set up work. Thanks for the input

I'll be watching with interest. Best of luck.

I am "on the fence" as to what to buy.

[Growdog]

Thanks for looking in here Strat! Just the research has been a ton of work! Looking forward to getting this project off the ground. Hope I can shed some (led) light on this topic!

[oneshot]

Sounds like an incredibly well thought out plan. I don't think you will get many opinions on the light though, don't think many people here have used them yet. cjk's plants under the SolarStorm look great though. (I think you are already active in his thread though)

I am definitely interested in this though and I hope you get it up and running soon!