LST or not to LST

[MaryLane]

Alright, so I'm moving forward with my plans for a grow. I've got a lot more vertical height than I thought I would. So my question is this: if height is not an issue, should I still train my plant or not?

Are SOG, SCROG, LST etc. superior to just letting the plant grow normally, assuming unlimited space? In other words, is it always more productive to train, or SOG etc., or is that only effective when space is limited?

It looks like I'll have 1 to 1.5 meters worth of vertical room (between the soil and lights) to play with. Would this be enough for a pure sativa strain?

Thanks!

[jaGerbom]

A pure sativa strain is going to grow pretty tall unless you train it.

[MaryLane]

Ahh, of course, but would the plant produce better/more (quality > quantity, so long as quantity is enough to last myself and my spouse between harvests, which should not be a problem) buds if it were trained, or if left to grow however the plant decides is best?


A pure sativa strain is going to grow pretty tall unless you train it.

[Weedhound]

I can tell you only in a vague way that different strains respond differently to training as far as improving yield....I think that's the question right? It would pay to check into what you are going to grow and see if it does well with things like topping, lst etc...
I personally have never had a problem topping and bending the different kinds I have grown BUT....I have not grown sativas so cannot offer any real opinion on how they do with training. ;)

The other issue you have to consider with height is not how tall your plant gets but how much light you are getting to the both the upper and lower parts of the plant to ensure maximum yield. This is not easy to do with one light above a ten to 12 foot plant and that's where the issue comes of training often comes in. Rather than "space" issues its more a matter of "light" issues. Max lighting to all areas of the plant produce max yield.

[MaryLane]

Hmm, so training, topping etc. cannot be generally said to be better, or worse, than just letting the plant grow naturally?



I was planning on allowing my plants to get up to about 1m tall under a 400w HPS. I would trim the leaves and bend as necessary to allow light to get to the lower branches. I was also thinking about putting a couple of T5s in there among the plants to keep the light down low.

I do know that so long as I can get about 120-140 grams per harvest, that should last my spouse and I until the next harvest. Once I get to that yield, all I care about is potency. Is this possible to do with 2 or 3 plants, with minimal LST or topping? I really want to keep my first grow simple, so I can learn the basics. I figure this shoud also make it easier to keep the quality of the plant high.

[Weedhound]

140 gms...5oz...off of 2-3 many plants? You'd REALLY be pushing it under 400watts without any training. The T5's will help....but they certainly aren't anywhere near a 400w hps...you know what I mean? ;) Again...that's where the training comes in. WITH training and practice and the right strain.....you can get tease quite a bit from these plants. But they take work to get a good finished product. Also consider this.....you're spending X amount of time working on and growing these plants more or less. Why not get the best out of them you can? You've expended money, energy, and time either way. I understand your desire to keep it simple....which is smart.....but reduced yield will go along with that. :(

Lastly.....when you talk about pruning I tend to think more of supercropping....trimming fair amounts of the plant such as entire branches or lots of leaves to change the shape of the plant or to improve light to budsites. I consider topping to be snipping the top off of the plant to increase side branching. Just want to be sure we are talking about the same thing.....not trying to correct you or anything :stoned: but wanted to say that supercropping will add several weeks to the amount of time your plant will need for blooming. Takes that long for them to recover and pick back up where they left off. I know this for a fact......guess why. :D (now...!)

[MaryLane]

This is exactly the information I was looking for! Thanks!

Ok, basic LST techniques seem easy enough. I was going to use 5 gallon buckets and put a bunch of screws into the lip. I was then going to get a soft cotton string and train the plant down to the screws and around the lip of the bucket. Would it be effective to do any topping as well? This forces the plant to create several budsites where one would have been, correct?

I have about a 1m x .5m x 2m (maybe 2.5m) [about 3' x 1.5' x 6' - 7'] growing area. The groundspace is the limiting issue more than anything else. If I can find a better location in my home to place it I might be able to get more width. I was thinking I could probably fit 4 plants into this area with the right training. Should I use more than 1 400w HPS? Electricity costs and start up costs are a concern for me. 5oz. is also the maximum I'd need. My spouse and I really don't have a lot of time to actually stay stoned (unfortunately), so mostly we do a couple of bowls or joints in the evening before bed. That is of course midgrade, regular weed. We were hoping that I could grow much more potent buds. If that's the case, the amount we smoked would probably be drastically reduced. I think in this situation 1oz a month would be plenty (we can make 4 grams last several weeks if we have to lol).

Thank you for the candid and informative post! I hope you don't mind my noob questions! Believe it or not I have done a lot of research on this and other forums, but the information is spread out and somewhat haphazard, so having my own thread where I can ask specific questions is very helpful.

I'll be picking up Jorge Cervante's Grower's Bible (http://www.amazon.com/Marijuana-Horticulture-Outdoor-Medical-Growers/dp/187882323X) soon. It seemed like a really good reference and it had really good pictures which I think would really help me in sexing plants, figuring out any problems I might be having and whatnot.




140 gms...5oz...off of 2-3 many plants? You'd REALLY be pushing it under 400watts without any training. The T5's will help....but they certainly aren't anywhere near a 400w hps...you know what I mean? ;) Again...that's where the training comes in. WITH training and practice and the right strain.....you can get tease quite a bit from these plants. But they take work to get a good finished product. Also consider this.....you're spending X amount of time working on and growing these plants more or less. Why not get the best out of them you can? You've expended money, energy, and time either way. I understand your desire to keep it simple....which is smart.....but reduced yield will go along with that. :(

Lastly.....when you talk about pruning I tend to think more of supercropping....trimming fair amounts of the plant such as entire branches or lots of leaves to change the shape of the plant or to improve light to budsites. I consider topping to be snipping the top off of the plant to increase side branching. Just want to be sure we are talking about the same thing.....not trying to correct you or anything :stoned: but wanted to say that supercropping will add several weeks to the amount of time your plant will need for blooming. Takes that long for them to recover and pick back up where they left off. I know this for a fact......guess why. :D (now...!)

[MaryLane]

By the way, I don't think heat will be a factor, so if more lighting is required for the yield I am looking for, it should not be a problem to get set up (though money might be a limiting factor). I've designed lighting systems over reef aquariums in the thousands of watts where the tank had to stay at 78F with no more than 1 or 2 (maximum) degrees variation throughout the day (regardless of whether the lights were on or off). I'm not at all concerned with the hardware set up, but rather with the actual growing of the plants.

I've considered hydroponics but would prefer soil just for the simplicity and lower cost.

Thanks again!

[xcrispi]

Whats up ,
LST - FIM'ing - Topping - Scrog * are your friend . One , or a combonation of a cpl. of these techn. will greatly increse yields . With a 400hps after 30in. you lose huge firepower / penetration = small airy popcorn nonsense .
PLEASE read this entire thread = link below "Lovely Ladies" by Justaseed . = 400 hps - 3 plants from clone in soil topped ,lst'd and scrogged . = 12 oz. in a lil cabinet if Im not mistaken - stealth - they got lil kids n stuff . This is after a lil practice , but is the most effective use of a small space and small light I have ever seen .
Peace
Crispi :jointsmile:


http://boards.cannabis.com/closet-cabinet-growing/52326-lovely-ladies.html

[Weedhound]

Believe me you should listen to X-C....he just pulled 19oz (NOT a misprint) off one plant in his hydro system.

You are the one who used to grow coral correct? Believe me....hydro is PERFECT for you.....did you get my post about growing ganja is more like gouramis and tetras? Seriously......you won't have any trouble.

More lighting almost ALWAYS results in more yield from flowering......the issue that most people have with HID lights is indeed heat.....which it sounds like you PROBABLY WOULD BLOODY HAVE UNDER CONTROL if you can put a few thousand watts together over a fish tank without budging the temp. :thumbsup: Go crazy by all means then.....more light!!! Light all around!!!!

Obviously make sure your spectrum is the correct one for flowering.....hps being considered the best for that.

X-C.....same sized space....400w vs 1kw.....how much difference approx in yield?

Edit...sure enough it was a misprint. :D Fixed now. ;)

[Weedhound]

PS....I like garden tape to lst my plants with. It gives nicely and so doesn't cause damage to the branch while growing.....they grow quicker than it seems. :)

[xcrispi]

Hey Sis.
Even 400 to a 600 w jump will be huge increase in yield muchless 400 to a 1000 .
Justaseed threatened to do a 1000w cooltube scrog but I haven't seen him post in a while ? I pay attn. to lumen output myself . 600w = 100,000 , 1000w = 135,000 . Im not real sure about the smaller lamps - these #'s are hps btw. not mh .

Hydro shouldn't be any problem for them esp. w/ all the reef tank exp. but does require alot more attn. -n- upkeep . Keep us posted M/L .
Peace
Crispi :jointsmile:

[Weedhound]

I'm sure you agree it would be significant. And X-C mentions the light penetration...that's EXACTLY the issue that topping, lst etc addresses. It pretty much IS the end all in flowering.

[MaryLane]

Yep, I was the reefkeeper. :)

Light penetratration is indeed a big issue, especially in aquaria. Consider: a 400w MH will effectively penetrate only 24"-32" through water, and at the 30" level won't be enough for the more light demanding corals.

I understand the benefits of hydro, but at the moment I don't think I really have enough available cash to do it. A soil grow would be significantly cheaper, and I'd really prefer to put the extra money into more lumens rather than into a hydro set up.

Keeping 2000w-3000w cool is actually easy. It's all about airflow. First, air should always, always be pulled, never pushed. This includes any filter medium. If you have a carbon filter, for instance (and I will have multiple, as smell is a big concern of mine), then the fans should always pull through it. If you set up HPS lighting correctly, and the airflow is correct, the hot air should never get to the surface of whatever is being lighted. The only issue is heat from the actual radiation, and again, proper airflow can solve this. You start to run into the need for water chillers at 800w-1000w in a closed aquarium hood, but since I keep my home rather cool (68F-71F generally) and I build my own hoods, I was able to isolate the bulbs from the actual tank area with sapphire glass and with 150cfm heat was not a big issue. Anything over about 2000w really starts to require a chiller. Now, all of that unrelated garbage about lighting and reefs does have a point. My cabinet will need to be semi-stealth, so I imagine heat will be more of an issue. With that said, I still believe I can go up to 1000w and still have the ventilation to keep the cabinet between 72F and 82F. So, I'd rather put my money into a 1000w HPS with a proper flowering bulb (not sure what the spectrum is, but I'll research it and find out) than into a hydro set up.


XC, thanks for your advice! I haven't read your thread yet, but am about to as soon as I finish this post. It looks like I may try to go for a lower cabinet and focus much more heavily on training and topping (topping = FIM correct?). If I just do LST and FIM with 2 - 4 plants, is 4oz on a first grow, assuming I am conscientious about things, a realistic grow? As I said before, I am much more concerned about quality than I am quantity. I'd give up an ounce of yield before I gave up any potency. I have no interest in selling - this is entirely for myself, so as long as yield is enough to keep me and mine in smoke between harvests, I'm good to go. :)

Now, I have absolutely zero experience with HPS lighting. I remember running 2000w of mixed 12k and 20k MH lights shot my power bill up about $150 a month. What can I expect with a single 1000w HPS? Would a single 1000w HPS be enough to cover 2 or 4 LST'd/FIM'd plants about 25" from the top of the soil? Of course, the entire cabinet would be covered in aluminum tape or mylar (probably mylar - aluminum tape will make keeping the cabinet cool a lot harder). Unfortunately, money is a limiting factor for me, as I am helping my spouse with some very education expenses.

Hound, what exactly is garden tape? Bear in mind, I have never even grown a tomato plant before. :)

I'm sure I will have more questions and comments after reading XC's thread. I cannot thank you guys enough for your help so far and for any you may provide in the future. It is very much appreciated!

[MaryLane]

Ok, wow, I just checked out the log for JustASeed's grow. Just, wow!

Alright, so, I definitely need to keep on planning. Hmmmmm... let me think on this for a bit. :)

Thanks for the link XC!

[MaryLane]

Ok, I just measured a different part of my home, and these are the dimensions I can work with for a mostly-stealth cabinet.

36"W x 26"D x 36"H. I really think 400w - 600w HPS is going to be the maximum I can afford. It's looking like that is going to cost around $150-$250, without bulb, depending on where I get it. Any recommendations as to where and what to buy? Most of the aquarium ballasts and whatnot are way overpriced, but those are the only places I know to look. It doesn't have to be fancy, so long as it is a quality unit and utilizes a remote ballast.

Would two plants be too much or too little for this size? I'm going to go ahead and try a SCROG, maybe slight arena style.

Since this is kind of a custom box shape now I don't think I'll be able to just buy a cabinet at a hardware store. I figure I can build it out of particle board easy enough, though I have no idea how I'm going to make it look decent to be stealthy. I think anyone with half a brain who saw it and heard the fans would have an idea what was going on.

Also, I figure 400w, plus good airflow through the box itself to keep the plants healthy, plus having to overcome getting around leaves and stems and screen is going to take a lot more air than I am used to using on aquarium hoods. I think I'll plan on about 400cfm through the box. Does this sound about right?

[bejay]

scrog or sog really requires clones unless you have somewhere where you can buy them, it usually means a seperate veg and flower area for most growers.

[MaryLane]

I have access to clones, though I'd prefer seeds. Can I not germinate and veg in my main box, then pick two of the best females and kill the rest? I could then transfer to bigger pots and leave them in the same box, yes?


scrog or sog really requires clones unless you have somewhere where you can buy them, it usually means a seperate veg and flower area for most growers.

[xcrispi]

Hey M/L ,
As far as costs a 600 and 1000 are almost the same , bulbs too . I prefer EYE hortilux hps bulbs myself = enhanced blue / green spectrum for veg , yet still kix ass during flower . I don't believe in MH due to less lumens and running hotter .

I manage to cool 2 -1000w hps in cooltubes w/ a 6in. 630 cfm hurricane centr. blower . 2 1000w hps 2 blowers and dehum. running 20 on / 4 off = 180.00 a mo. on my bill - but im not in california like Weedhound w/ big elect. costs . A single 1000w. set up = prob 1/2 that to run per month .

36 -26 -36 sounds like my wife LOL . :hippy: I honestly would try for something a lil taller . I've seen 6ft tall x 30in wide x 24in. deep = c 13 pre fab'd wardrobe cabinets at IKEA , Homedepot , lowes that work great for like 100.00 . If your as tight as I am search Craigslist.com for free shit 2 . I can post a pic. of my old retired cab like this w/ a 250 hps in it for ideas on ventilation etc... I was able to cool it w/ 2 cheap ass 4in. inductor duct booster fans . 20.00 each. - but don't buy 1 of the lights likes in it w/ enclosed ballasts = they suck = you prob. already knew this by your remote ballast comments , you've been doing your homework - :thumbsup: Always draw w/ a blower - never push .

I helped someone build a 6' x 3' x 2' = c-22 cabinet last year w/ a 400w hps inside a cooltube only cooled by a 35.00 6in. 250 cfm inductor booster fan and he was able to do 3 - 5gal. dwc buckets in it and yield very well - like 3/4 lb. 1st try . <- this sounds right up your alley but in dirt not DWC .

The hobby is way way fun , almost addictive . The pursuit of perfect super killer buds that are as close to free as you can get . I've kept track w/ a cpl. of my gardens elect. , nutes , bulb depreciation , water bill , hydroton etc... My last N/L x Nev. Haze grow cost me $17.00 an oz. to produce . Im a reg. mmj user -n- will not / do not sell - but I bet it'd go for $350.00 oz. or better here in the ghetto . 17.00 sounds lots better . :D

Good luck -n- keep us informed
Peace
Crispi :jointsmile:

[Weedhound]

Isn't he something? :eek: I love that guy :)

X-C helped me totally rebuild my growroom and increase my yield to double and triple what I was getting so he is the design man in my book.

A couple thoughts to add.....you know this entire project does not have to be complete before you put a seed in the ground and see how it grows....adding and changing things is part of the blast of growing. If you have the true basics down you can begin if you want....there's nothing wrong with growing a few and just see what they do. It's great practice. :)

I personally do like the mh bulbs but X-C is right that they run hotter....not sure if that is an issue for you though. Mh for veg/ hps for flower is the norm but like X-C says your plants won't shed a single tear with the Hortilux bulb and they'll grow like beasts.

Garden tape......you can buy it at wallyword, lowes, any nursery etc.....Doesn't bite into your branches as they grow and easy to change around if necc.
Re-Usable Plant Ties (http://www.gardeners.com/Re-Usable-Plant-Ties/default/33-978.prd)

I've recently had some terrible issues with mylar and room heat and hot spots. I just took down all my mylar and painted the area with flat white and I think it keeps the room cooler....not to mention no more parts of my plant that look like I've had it out in the sun under a magnfying glass. Just some cud to chew on there. ;) Skip any aluminum tape or foil.....will cause same issues but even worse than mylar can.

I agree that if you have to make a choice at the moment due to $$...spend them on your lighting. You can always build some sort of hydro bucket but once you've got the watts....well that's what you've got for good.

i can already tell this is going to be a fun thread. Yes ML, we're voyeurs but we're pretty harmless too. :D

[Markass]

in my opinion, lst is a great thing...it allowed me to get 6 nice tops on one of mine..it had 6 big growths that I kept tied at the same height under a cool tube..the other two have nice colas, but the one had six good colas good for 8-15 grams apiece..the individual colas on the other two gave me about 9 and 12 I think...definitely pays off to do a bit of topping and training..:thumbsup:

[Weedhound]

in my opinion, lst is a great thing...it allowed me to get 6 nice tops on one of mine..it had 6 big growths that I kept tied at the same height under a cool tube..the other two have nice colas, but the one had six good colas good for 8-15 grams apiece..the individual colas on the other two gave me about 9 and 12 I think...definitely pays off to do a bit of topping and training..:thumbsup:


This is an example of someone who got over six oz from three plants with a 400w (in soil ;)).....but as you can see he did a fair amount of training on them to get there. :thumbsup:

[MaryLane]

Hmm, I am in CA also and electricity can really kill you here. 1000w may be a bit much based on my experience with electricity usage over aquariums.


Those Hortilux bulbs you mentioned look like just the ticket. I'm going to do more research on utility costs but even a 250w HPS is better than having to use T5s (unless I get 1000w worth of them, and then I'm back to 1000w power usage lol) or T12s or something.

Cooltubes are expensive for what you get. :wtf: I think that's definitely the way to go if I want serious lighting. I may go with a 250w HPS and try some grows with it. I could always go to more plants to increase yield, and I think if I can keep the light close enough to the buds I won't lose much potency as compared to using a 600w, or maybe even a 1000w.

Remote, digital ballasts are the way to go but they're expensive, at least, in my experience they are. A good 1000w MH set up for an aquarium is easily $1/watt after reflectors, cords etc. I may check Home Depot or Lowe's and see if they have any industrial type remote ballasts.

I could go taller. I've got two or three spots in my home I could use. It would be pretty easy to go up to 72", but I would have to give up about 8" on the width. Why is so much vertical height needed if I'm going to SCROG? Would 3 gallon buckets be sufficient? This would give me more room to play with in the cabinet.

What is DWC?



Hey M/L ,
As far as costs a 600 and 1000 are almost the same , bulbs too . I prefer EYE hortilux hps bulbs myself = enhanced blue / green spectrum for veg , yet still kix ass during flower . I don't believe in MH due to less lumens and running hotter .

I manage to cool 2 -1000w hps in cooltubes w/ a 6in. 630 cfm hurricane centr. blower . 2 1000w hps 2 blowers and dehum. running 20 on / 4 off = 180.00 a mo. on my bill - but im not in california like Weedhound w/ big elect. costs . A single 1000w. set up = prob 1/2 that to run per month .

36 -26 -36 sounds like my wife LOL . :hippy: I honestly would try for something a lil taller . I've seen 6ft tall x 30in wide x 24in. deep = c 13 pre fab'd wardrobe cabinets at IKEA , Homedepot , lowes that work great for like 100.00 . If your as tight as I am search Craigslist.com for free shit 2 . I can post a pic. of my old retired cab like this w/ a 250 hps in it for ideas on ventilation etc... I was able to cool it w/ 2 cheap ass 4in. inductor duct booster fans . 20.00 each. - but don't buy 1 of the lights likes in it w/ enclosed ballasts = they suck = you prob. already knew this by your remote ballast comments , you've been doing your homework - :thumbsup: Always draw w/ a blower - never push .

I helped someone build a 6' x 3' x 2' = c-22 cabinet last year w/ a 400w hps inside a cooltube only cooled by a 35.00 6in. 250 cfm inductor booster fan and he was able to do 3 - 5gal. dwc buckets in it and yield very well - like 3/4 lb. 1st try . <- this sounds right up your alley but in dirt not DWC .

The hobby is way way fun , almost addictive . The pursuit of perfect super killer buds that are as close to free as you can get . I've kept track w/ a cpl. of my gardens elect. , nutes , bulb depreciation , water bill , hydroton etc... My last N/L x Nev. Haze grow cost me $17.00 an oz. to produce . Im a reg. mmj user -n- will not / do not sell - but I bet it'd go for $350.00 oz. or better here in the ghetto . 17.00 sounds lots better . :D

Good luck -n- keep us informed
Peace
Crispi :jointsmile:

[MaryLane]

Wow those are gorgeous!


in my opinion, lst is a great thing...it allowed me to get 6 nice tops on one of mine..it had 6 big growths that I kept tied at the same height under a cool tube..the other two have nice colas, but the one had six good colas good for 8-15 grams apiece..the individual colas on the other two gave me about 9 and 12 I think...definitely pays off to do a bit of topping and training..:thumbsup:

[MaryLane]

Yes, I think I am falling in love as well. :rastasmoke:

Yeah, I know it doesn't have to be complete. I found a few more seeds in my stash box so I'm thinking about germinating them and sticking them in a cheapo Rubbermaid type growbox with some of the spiral CFLs. It would be good experience and practice if nothing else.

I always painted a matte white in my aquarium hoods so I imagine that'll do just fine for pot too, but I had seen so many recommend mylar that I figured it made a big difference.

I'm a voyeur myself! I lurked on these forums for almost a year before even signing up. :)

I am in Cali myself. I just moved back to the state after finishing my undergraduate coursework in the deep south. It's so good to be back. I've actually got some anxiety problems that I have prescription meds for (Fluoxetine, Klonopin) so I'm going to go to a doc and get my 215 as soon as possible. That will give me access to good buds to hold me over while I'm getting my own grow together. I'll also be able to pick up some good clones etc. as well once I get it. Not many dispensaries where I'm at, but it's better than the situation in Bakersfield right now. :mad:

I cannot thank you guys enough for all your help so far! When I start a grow I will definitely post a log so others may learn and benefit from the information that has been so generously passed on to me. Weed and knowledge should be shared after all, ya know?


Isn't he something? :eek: I love that guy :)

X-C helped me totally rebuild my growroom and increase my yield to double and triple what I was getting so he is the design man in my book.

A couple thoughts to add.....you know this entire project does not have to be complete before you put a seed in the ground and see how it grows....adding and changing things is part of the blast of growing. If you have the true basics down you can begin if you want....there's nothing wrong with growing a few and just see what they do. It's great practice. :)

I personally do like the mh bulbs but X-C is right that they run hotter....not sure if that is an issue for you though. Mh for veg/ hps for flower is the norm but like X-C says your plants won't shed a single tear with the Hortilux bulb and they'll grow like beasts.

Garden tape......you can buy it at wallyword, lowes, any nursery etc.....Doesn't bite into your branches as they grow and easy to change around if necc.
Re-Usable Plant Ties (http://www.gardeners.com/Re-Usable-Plant-Ties/default/33-978.prd)

I've recently had some terrible issues with mylar and room heat and hot spots. I just took down all my mylar and painted the area with flat white and I think it keeps the room cooler....not to mention no more parts of my plant that look like I've had it out in the sun under a magnfying glass. Just some cud to chew on there. ;) Skip any aluminum tape or foil.....will cause same issues but even worse than mylar can.

I agree that if you have to make a choice at the moment due to $$...spend them on your lighting. You can always build some sort of hydro bucket but once you've got the watts....well that's what you've got for good.

i can already tell this is going to be a fun thread. Yes ML, we're voyeurs but we're pretty harmless too. :D

[MaryLane]

Hey, since money is really tight right now, what do you guys think about a CFL fixture like this (http://www.greenfire.net/hot/L307.html)? The 125w daylight set up looks like something I can do, and 125w CFLs is equivalent to around 400w-500w worth of incandescent lighting, if I'm not mistaken. It's no MH or HPS, but it could give a good start and would not be bad supplemental lighting to put between plants or something should I be able to get a HPS like I would like to. It would make a good vertical light install for a small arena SCROG with 1 plant I think. If nothing else I can go to Lowe's and get two 3 light CFL fixtures and starting getting some experience.

I found a HPS ballast I would like to save for. Is anyone familiar with the Powerhouse Ballast (http://www.greenfire.net/hot/L551.html)? Is it a quality unit?

[Weedhound]

I think X-C is correct with the cost of lighting.....1kw HPS is costing us about a hundred a month in electrical, including fan, dehumid etc....OUTRAGEOUS in summer.....if you are in Bakersfield you already know that. And must be having a FINE summer indeed. :D

With lighting you can always add later if you don't mind everything having its own ballast. I would look around at some hydro shops and talk to some people....some are good and some are bad (hydro store owners) but I think that's where I'd start in the lighting dept.....don't know if you order stuff online; some folks do and some don't....or HomeDepot etc may have all the parts but you'd better know exactly what you are looking for if you go there.

I read JS's thread also and his whole scrog (beautiftul...beautiful) shows the ideal really of what you want......all your buds at the same height and getting the same good lighting.

I say YES...start some seeds! I bet you will surprise yourself. It gets addictive IMMEDIATELY and before you know it you're wanting more, more, MORE...... :)

[PharmaCan]

MaryLane - The link you posted for the light is kind of a rip-off. They want to charge an extra $30 for the power cord, which should be included with the reflector.

Here's the same unit (http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemdesc.asp?ic=HLIFCFRE&eq=&Tp=) for the same price but the cord is included with this one.

PC :smokin:

[Weedhound]

PC...wassup? :)

I was going to have ML check out page seven of my old thread....X-C helped me together something for vegging from HD in like....one hour....me.....believe me if I can......

that will work well for you for vegging if you decide to try it ....but not for flower.

http://boards.cannabis.com/grow-log/113169-weedhounds-sort-grow-log-7.html

[bejay]

would probably go ahead and get a decent hid light like a 400 watt for a cabinet but 3 ft isnt really tall enough you need to consider that the light will take up probably a foot of space by the time you maintain a safe distance from the cabinet and plants.
you might check out the sites below they usualy have have decent prices on lighting
Maryland Hydroponics (http://www.mdhydro.com/)
http://www.hidhut.com/catalog/hid-hut-light-kits-c-25_49.html

[KL4D4]

Enough about light bulbs and the like.

When it comes down to it, how much of a difference is there in yields with plants that are topped, and plants that are not topped?

I understand that light in the end is what determines the amount yielded, as light / more energy = more growth ect.... However how large of a difference does it really make in the end?

[Weedhound]

ALL the difference. Trust me. ;)

[KL4D4]

Well I wish you didn't say that I have my 6ft plant outdoors and I've been scared to top it because of how late it is in the season... next summer i'll have to plan ahead.

[Weedhound]

KL you've got everything you need for more good budsites.....the sun (the BEST lighting) and some garden ties.....start lsting asap. i'm not sure by your question whether you were talking about lighting or topping making that much difference. I was talking about lighting.
;)

[MaryLane]

Yeah I figured a watt was a watt whether over an aquarium or not, so based on my 2kw experience I knew I would be at at least $100-$125 a month just on the single 1kw HPS.

Not in Bakersfield. They recently had most, if not all, their dispensaries shut down temporarily (I hope for their sake). I'm way, way north of there. I haven't smoked in like two weeks because I am job hunting and don't have my 215 yet (which does not allow employers to discriminate against a failed drug test if it is failed because of marijuana) so I have to stay clean. :(

I think by the end of next week I'll have some sort of grow going, thanks to you guys! :) I'll pick up that Grower's Bible for a reference and that combined with this forum and what I have already learned should allow me to have better pot in a few months than what I would normally buy off the street. From there it should only get better and hopefully within the year I can match the quality of what you can get at dispensaries. :)




I think X-C is correct with the cost of lighting.....1kw HPS is costing us about a hundred a month in electrical, including fan, dehumid etc....OUTRAGEOUS in summer.....if you are in Bakersfield you already know that. And must be having a FINE summer indeed. :D

With lighting you can always add later if you don't mind everything having its own ballast. I would look around at some hydro shops and talk to some people....some are good and some are bad (hydro store owners) but I think that's where I'd start in the lighting dept.....don't know if you order stuff online; some folks do and some don't....or HomeDepot etc may have all the parts but you'd better know exactly what you are looking for if you go there.

I read JS's thread also and his whole scrog (beautiftul...beautiful) shows the ideal really of what you want......all your buds at the same height and getting the same good lighting.

I say YES...start some seeds! I bet you will surprise yourself. It gets addictive IMMEDIATELY and before you know it you're wanting more, more, MORE...... :)

[MaryLane]

Lemme go check that thread out. :hippy:


PC...wassup? :)

I was going to have ML check out page seven of my old thread....X-C helped me together something for vegging from HD in like....one hour....me.....believe me if I can......

that will work well for you for vegging if you decide to try it ....but not for flower.

http://boards.cannabis.com/grow-log/113169-weedhounds-sort-grow-log-7.html

[MaryLane]

Damn, that is exactly the information I was looking for! Thank you so much!


MaryLane - The link you posted for the light is kind of a rip-off. They want to charge an extra $30 for the power cord, which should be included with the reflector.

Here's the same unit (http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemdesc.asp?ic=HLIFCFRE&eq=&Tp=) for the same price but the cord is included with this one.

PC :smokin:

[MaryLane]

How well do these Hydro Hut (http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemdesc.asp?ic=GRHH1&eq=&Tp=) units work?

[Weedhound]

Expensively....very. I looked into them briefly and almost choked. Much cheaper to dyi.

[Weedhound]

The link you have there is for the SHELL only. You still get to supply....well EVERYTHING.
Don't waste your money.

[Weedhound]

The little cfl setup in my thread will work great for seedlings and is very easy to take up and put down.....probably $50...at h/d.....I use it for my babies. Plus....minimal heat from them. . Then you can save the "real" lighting for flower when it REALLY makes a difference :thumbsup: Being that you are.....shall we say.....at least a few weeks short of flowering them at this point (:D) its a cheap and easy light setup you can use for awhile.