LED growing trial

[cptcannabis]

As a relative noob to growing, I've been a little more willing to try different things than say an established grower that knows exactly how they like to do things. I've been having some significant heat problems in the basement, which blows my mind since ambient temp. down there is 68F and when I run a single 1000W HPS, it skyrockets to 80F. And that's with a 12000 BTU A/C!! So I'm giving the LED growing a shot. I figure it's worth the $1300 gamble, considering all the great things I've been hearing about them. I'm trying out the GroPanel Pro 300 from Sunshine-Systems. I took a tray of seedlings out of the veg room and put them on a table. So, I'm crossing my fingers, and we'll see what they look like in a couple days....

cptcannabis Reviewed by cptcannabis on 06-30-2009. LED growing trial As a relative noob to growing, I've been a little more willing to try different things than say an established grower that knows exactly how they like to do things. I've been having some significant heat problems in the basement, which blows my mind since ambient temp. down there is 68F and when I run a single 1000W HPS, it skyrockets to 80F. And that's with a 12000 BTU A/C!! So I'm giving the LED growing a shot. I figure it's worth the $1300 gamble, considering all the great things I've Rating: 5

[submast3r]

Looks to me like all of those are stretching. But that's just my first thought.

[Hussle420]

Im using 1000w dual arc tube and untill i get more patients i am wasting Space so ive been interested in leds if they work well money wouldnt be the issue assuming i would save over time considering my bulbs are 200$ and only last 8 months plus the electricity.

so im tuned in cant wait to see how they grow !

[oldmac]

I'm an Led experimenter and user, but at the seedling stage or rooting cuttings, you'd be better served cost wise just to use fluorescents, T5, T8 or CFLs. Or best would be an actinic white fluoresecent. Much better root growth and much less stretch.

[cptcannabis]

Oldmac, I have noticed that stretching as well. I was trying to see if I could germinate under LEDs too, since the veg room was getting too hot. But apparently, I can't, or I get these lanky plants. The big plants sure seem to like things in there, so I'm thinking once they get a little established after a few weeks under the T5, I can move them under the LED.

[oldmac]

There's alot of red in that panel, hence the stretch. Sorta what happens if you used HPS at that stage, plants "go to the light".

If you had a LED light that used mostly blue it would be a different story. But like I said earlier, cost wise I don't think it pays. One simple T5 either 6500K or like I promote super actinic white, so blue it looks like a blue neon tube compared to 6500k even.

Blue light stimulates the hormones that cause the plant to root.
Here's a couple of pics of my clonner/seedling light, the blue one is the actinic and usually run that one by itself for the first week or two.

[hollywood33]

Are you using the 2 spectrum or tri spectrum led? Im currently using a six spectrum LED light my buddy developed thats showing me some good results so far and no stretching.

My buddy told me that the 2 and 3 spectrum lights are ok and will grow decent herb but more spectrum's of light are needed to get high quality buds comparable to mh and hps lighting and he developed a light that does this and combats all the former issues with led growing. Check out my thread.

http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-gr...ndoor-led.html