LSD25, Green Crack, AK47, Strawberry Cheese. Autos in DWC

[Slappyjack]

I'll grow AK and LSD in the same tent again, and I'll do SC and GC together, but I won't do what I'm doing on this grow again. The plant structure is too different. GC and SC are short and bushy like WW is. AK is tall and bushy, LSD is just tall.

 

[Slappyjack]

LST wasn't L enough on the AK.

 

[TheGhosty]

Thank you. That pic is just one plant. White Widow filling a 4x4. It was my first grow. Haven't documented anything after. This is my first time with autos, so I'm documenting again.

The light wasn't a kit. Bought the boards off Amazon, PS' from Arrow, hardware from Ace. I like it a lot. Keep it 24-36" from the grow, and the plants stay low and bushy (so far).

Would you mind sharing a 'How to DIY' and materials list for the lights?? I'm going to do a 4x4.. and have been looking for something like this.. have you checked the par? At what distance? What BTU if any? For cooling? What the ambient temp with just the corner fans? Series? Parallel? Or series&parallel? What CFM fan are you using? Doing enything extra to keep light from leaking in?
Thanks for sharing the Diary!

 

[Slappyjack]

I don't have many pics left of the build. It was a few years back. They don't even make the boards anymore. The boards are HLG QB132's in 3500k. The PS's are Meanwell LRS350-36's. I built thee frame out of 36" angle aluminum strips that you can get from Lowes and home depot (standard length is 36"). The boards are wired in parallel. The PS's only have 3 channels, so one channel per PS has 2 boards on it (still in parallel - the PS still provides full power to all boards this way). I've never checked the PAR. I lower the light if they're stretching, and raise it if I see stress. Usually run around 36" above the plants.

These boards don't need heat sinks. I have an infrared pyrometer that says the boards are around 135°F when on (painted a dark spot on the back to get accurate readings). Ambient temps where I grow range from 50-110°F and u don't run an AC. The boards raise tent temp ~5°F at 300w, and 7-9°F at 600w. I have a 440ft^3 per minute blower that draws suction from the top of the tent to try and evacuate as much heat as I can. It's pulling through a 6" duct though, so I'm probably getting less than 200ft^3.

I'm currently growing autos so I don't care about light leaks. I run suction in an "S" through the lower tent ports when growing gems to prevent light leaks.

 

[Slappyjack]

The tent pic above is my old configuration. Blower inside took up too much headspace. This pic is how I run now.

 

[Slappyjack]

Puts out a ton of light. Hard to capture in pictures. The burple is a "1000w" Meizhi.

 

[Slappyjack]

I've never had one stretch like the AK is doing. The LSD is starting to show her colors.

 

[Slappyjack]

AK was out of control. I supercropped her this morning.

 

[Slappyjack]

Had to supercrop some of the supercropped parts of the AK. I've never seen a plant do this. The other 3 are more than happy to 36" from the light. The AK keeps climbing to the point of touching it.

She always droops in the afternoon. Same with the SC. States going to sleep about an hour before the light shuts off. Wakes back up when the light comes back on.

 

[Slappyjack]

All 4.

 

[Slappyjack]

Progressing.

 

[Slappyjack]

Getting a nice purple in the LSD.