T5 Veg spectrum

[gypski]

Noticed this thread popped up and thought I would share my results. I did indeed purchase 5 x 3' T5 ho's and have been using them for about 3 months maybe longer. I probably could have used 2 and been just fine to be honest with you. I find the growth to actually be a little faster then what I would prefer but whatever. I purchased everything separately and wired the ballast myself. I suppose in hindsight had I searched a little more I probably could have found a nice fixture for about the same price, but as it is I'm still very happy.



Here is a motley of pics mainly showing the T5's I installed but I also included a few pics of the entire space and how I incorporated the T5's as well as a week 6 flower picture which you can follow in my signature. I should mention that I relocated the ballast to outside this space, which is a clear advantage to not purchasing a premade fixture. I found it got to be too hot in that little space. This is my first full grow and I'm currently starting week 8 flower likely to go 9 weeks it would seem. The veg space runs tighter then a 16th century Dutch Master. I'm now to a point where I am lowering the ppm's, playing with the media, and watering schedules to make it as low maintaince as possible. Still the trimming can be a hassle which is why I have simply started using scissors on them and whacking them down like the fucking weeds they are (speaking of the mothers I keep in the veg space):chainsaw:. I should also mention that in the flower space I had to push all that equipment up further as I ran out of vertical height...it was a close race, but I won in the end with tricks to keep them from stretching next time.

It's funny how you go from one side of the spectrum to another in terms of growing ability in about 12 months.

(pats self on back) ya biatchs...I'm independent (as of 4 days ago)! :S4: and it only took 400 posts to accomplish it...ROFL

You can solve the vertical height problem by removing the bottom drawer if it has a door that closes. :twocents:

[Prodaytrader]

That bottom 24" is my reservoir. It roll's out for easy access. It's split with the left side flooding the top area and the right side reservoir is for the veg chamber. I ran the plumbing behind the panda film so you cant see it. I originally designed the system as two massive flood tables that were filled with hydroton and recirculating every 15 minutes. These days I grow in coco and water once a day for the top/flower and every 3 days for the bottom/veg area. However coco and Ebb and Flow dont really work that well together. It's best to water from the top down instead of bottom to top. Next grow I am going with pure coco up top instead of a 50/50 blend clay/coco which will let me water every 3-4 days. I will likely install a drip system and put that on a 3 day timer.

Any way I look at it, I have vertical problems. Both veg and flower spaces are cramped to be honest but I manage. My flowering height was spot on as I will end up with about 8" to spare. I crowded the space with too many plants and too many FIM's (top pinching) which is why I ended up with nearly 30 kolas across 7 plants. I wont do that next grow which should cause more light to reach the plants and thus less stretching. Other then my mothers wishing they had another 6" nobody else seems to be unhappy. Even if I did have more height for the mom's I would still prune it as I dont have enough space or demand for that matter to grow any more then what I am now.