Tell me if this sounds dumb.

[Matthewstever]

So.
We all know the girls like more red light during flower. (Ok, some girls).
I can't afford fancy lights, so whatever did I do?
I remove a couple pieces of my mylar and replace them with red blankets.
Here's my thinking.
I can't change the spectrum of my lights.
But the red absorbs the other colors and only reflects the red... so I can change the spectrum of the reflected light.
I used a cheap color analyzer app to " measure" the difference, and it indeed showed a change in readings.
None of this is really scientific...but my last grow I saw a definite raise in yield over the previous grow in the same room.
Maybe I became a better grower, maybe it was the red...
Thoughts?

 

[SadBadGrower]

There's so many things that play a role when it comes to how much we harvest. It is a very interesting find though.

 

[Buzzer777]

So.
We all know the girls like more red light during flower. (Ok, some girls).
I can't afford fancy lights, so whatever did I do?
I remove a couple pieces of my mylar and replace them with red blankets.
Here's my thinking.
I can't change the spectrum of my lights.
But the red absorbs the other colors and only reflects the red... so I can change the spectrum of the reflected light.
I used a cheap color analyzer app to " measure" the difference, and it indeed showed a change in readings.
None of this is really scientific...but my last grow I saw a definite raise in yield over the previous grow in the same room.
Maybe I became a better grower, maybe it was the red...
Thoughts?

I doubt that a red blanket would do anything..
These WORK and are cheap!
https://www.amazon.com/Far-Red-LED-...=far+red+initiator+puck&qid=1580132177&sr=8-1

 

[Matthewstever]

A couple of those would be nice...but even at that price, I'd have to go a bit hungry to buy one. My ultimate goal, since my budget is so tight, is to find ways to grow as cheaply as possible since it's illegal to grow outdoors here..
These plants are growing under 800 advertised watts (100w fixtures x 8) daylight spectrum flood lights.... they cost like, $17 bucks each, I got a box of 10 on eBay after comparing the spectrum with grow light spectrums...
Anyway, I should start a cheapskate grow thread.....

 

[Buzzer777]

Only one is needed in a 3x3 tent. With far red, it's not really about wattage, but more about the plants being able to see the spectrum.

 

[Buzzer777]

Only one is needed in a 3x3 tent. With far red, it's not really about wattage, but more about the plants being able to see the spectrum.

The far red will be better for you in flower..In veg they will stretch more. I understand the budget thing, but consider that time is money. Going hungry should never be in the equation.

 

[Matthewstever]

I hear you. Like many others, I'm sure, I'm on social security disability and it's my only income...thus the need to be a cheapskate...my next move for next grow is to switch from the current top feed buckets to micro-sprayers in the buckets. The sprayers will allow me to run my res pump 15 minutes on/ 30 off instead of it running 24/7. Hopefully will save some electricity. I managed to get solar power installed on the house before my credit rating tanked, otherwise I couldn't even afford to run the room. Without solar, we hit $600 a month with the grow going and had to make payment arrangements..with solar/ net metering, my bill is a steady $200 total. Keep in mind, I am in the Mojave desert..total climate control is a must.
Winter time, I run the lights at night to take advantage of their heat ( gets down to the high 20's F at night here ) so the heater doesn't work so hard. Summers it can get up to 115°f...oh the things we do for love..

 

[Buzzer777]

I hear you. Like many others, I'm sure, I'm on social security disability and it's my only income...thus the need to be a cheapskate...my next move for next grow is to switch from the current top feed buckets to micro-sprayers in the buckets. The sprayers will allow me to run my res pump 15 minutes on/ 30 off instead of it running 24/7. Hopefully will save some electricity. I managed to get solar power installed on the house before my credit rating tanked, otherwise I couldn't even afford to run the room. Without solar, we hit $600 a month with the grow going and had to make payment arrangements..with solar/ net metering, my bill is a steady $200 total. Keep in mind, I am in the Mojave desert..total climate control is a must.
Winter time, I run the lights at night to take advantage of their heat ( gets down to the high 20's F at night here ) so the heater doesn't work so hard. Summers it can get up to 115°f...oh the things we do for love..

Understood..I am on a fixed income as well, and live in the high Sierra desert myself, so I understand about climate control too. It can get below zero here at night in the winters, and above 100 in the summers, but I love it just the same.