Green light is not really used in photosynthesis, i have seen people use green lightbulbs to work in their gardens at lights out. But i am not sure if it can cause hermies, especially in such low amounts… Hopefully someone who knows better will chime in.
2 Likes
Shouldn’t herm out or be a problem with a green light… which is why they used it on the sensor…
2 Likes
Green light, red light, its all photons. Plants grow with photons. Its funny how even the moonlight or even dim streetlight doesnt make some plants hermie. I Like to eliminate light leaks in the grow room just to be on the safe side.
1 Like
They are all photons, but not all photons are equal. You will not grow a plant under a green light. They are blind to the green spectrum, as you are blind to the infra red spectrum.
Street and car lights might not make your plants hermie, but they may delay the plants ability to go into flower. They do to mine.
3 Likes
One day lol
I will grow big or go home like that lol
3 Likes
Yes photons are not all equal.light closer to uv has more energy, etc. I remember an episode of the dude grows show where the horticulturist, guru, said a plant will use all light that is cast on it. It doesnt choose what it wants as thats not how it has evolved.
2 Likes
@toastyjakes, false dichotomy… Go home, and grow big there… 
4 Likes
I use and have used green bulbs forever. I’ve gone out of town and left them on continuous for more than a week with zero issues.
Looks like @Dewb got you caught up on the real number cooling wise ya need.
Honestly if it were me in that size room, I’d skip the CO2 and make it easier on yourself. The rewards will be minimal. I’d also think about a 2 hr flip flop and save on power if your going with 2 1K’s of HPS.
3 Likes
I already own the tank, regulator and a controller, it would be a shame not to run it, right? And I maybe paid 80 bucks for all of it, so really no loss. Tank is full too. If I dont like it, out it goes!
But I am very very curious about this flip flop thing you are talking about - what is this? I imagine running one light, then the other one, in 2-hour intervals? Does it actually have a benefit? Photons delivered are photons delivered no matter how you deliver them, amirite, or amiwrong?
1 Like
Better yet would be to run one light on a mover but that gets tough when you have to cool it.
Yes you would run two lights but back and forth every two hours. The benefit is saving lots of coin for cooling and the light it’s self.
Quick Google will get you to some actual flip flop boxes / light controllers but a couple good digital timers can do the same thing for less.
2 Likes
Cool! I’ll try it out if the AC doesn’t keep up! Never thought of it, thanks for the idea!
Maybe I need to run one cycle at 2x600, and one with 1ks on a flip flop, see what the difference is.
I have some pretty smart programmable 8-relay panels running this stuff. This will be easy-peasy.
5 Likes
Check your digital ballasts info, some don’t work well on flip boxes and burn out. Mine states don’t use on flip boxes.
1 Like
That’s the other thing I might need to address. My ballast’s digits are in the last century, about 70lbs worth… like that saying: “This is my Grandpa’s axe. It’s had 3 different heads and 7 handles replaced over the years”.
I decided to go with this:
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/durofoam-eps-rigid-insulation-96inch-x-48inch-x-1-5inch/1000116860
Expanded polystyrene, closed cell, can be applied with PL300 directly over concrete with reflective side in or out (both surfaces coated with plastic. I will seal the edges and glue it with shiny side towards the grow space, that way my reflectivity is also taken care of.
Simple door, framed walls, and this shit all over the place.
Seal the seams with aluminium tape and off we go.
I’ll post progress pics but need to crop out first. T minus about two weeks to construction start
5 Likes
The R-Value seems kinda low on that stuff. Not sure why or if the numbers are accurate. The 1.5 inch stuff lists an R-Value of 1.5. Typo?
FWIW, I used the blue stuff from Lowes (Dow). Probably similar to the Corning stuff HD has. Then placed plywood over that. Been stable with a good amount of weight on it. 1 inch claims R-value of 5.
Edit: I looked at the manufacturer’s site and they list a different number for Durofoam. 3.75 per inch minimum. A bit better. HD typo, I think.
3 Likes
Most likely a typo, manufacturer says around 4 per inch, so should be about 6… it rarely gets below 12C in my basement in the winter, and rarely above 28C in the summer, so I figured it will suffice.
Just want it a wee more stable than a tent at night; I did not do well with a tent in the dead of winter, about 30% of the yield as I could not keep up the heating to the ventilation.
4 Likes
Yes. You are correct. I went to the manufacturer’s site and see they’ve listed 3.75 per inch as a minimum.
1 Like
Great thread to read through. To many individuals to thank for all this awesome info individually so thank to all.
2 Likes
IDK what this talk is about 2x1K over a 4x8 being too much. That’s the usual standard. If you’ve got a full tray there will certainly be spillover; you can even run 3x1K over a 4x8 if you were so inclined. Buds just get denser and frostier.
I currently use a 1K and my canopy is 3.5’x3’. I find you get the best results with lots of light. Midday sunlight is equal to about 125 watts per square foot of HID light. I find 90-110 watts per square foot works best. Some guys claim 50watts/sq. ft. is plenty, but I’ve never seen impressive results at those levels.
With 2K in bloom and and a good dehumidifier/air circulation I wouldn’t fret so much about moisture. There are guys blowing their basement out with 12K watts, yours/mine are small by comparison.
2 Likes
Thank you my friend, I may not be crazy after all… or maybe it’s just you and I who are crazy 
I want moooooooore of everything, more weight, more frost, more awesome. I’m guessing I’ll have to get more lighting in there one way or another
3 Likes
If you want a thick, crusty trichome layer, intense light is the way to go. I do run an 11-hour on period, though, so they get around 8% less overall light, slightly faster finish, too. I just find that a certain intensity is necessary to stress the plant a little to trigger the increased trichome/resin production.
I think you’ll be happy with the 2x1K, especially if you have an outer-dimension 4x8 tray. Then again, if you can spare the extra power and heat for 3x1K, you’ll be pulling 5 elbows off one tray every harvest.
I wouldn’t worry about the pots being on the bare concrete. IME, roots prefer it cooler, whether it’s res water or the media in pots. It’s not like your basement is 50 degrees or anything.
2 Likes