SOG returns

[farmergiles]

I`m restarting the sea of green.

I`m planning on extracting the maximum yield from the watts I`m expending.
My vegging stage is pretty sorted- I`ve got a fluro reflector capable of using 1 or 2 200W bulbs and I`m building a suitable cab for vegging (my old set up was that reflector in a cabinet split into two with a 400W Phillips sodium light (ballast and reflector combined) on the other side).

I`ll be using the original cab (with the division taken out) for flowering. It`s a suitable size for 600W- 1.8 m high x 1.8m wide x 900 deep. I`m considering my options. I`m thinking of buying a 600W set up and either ditching the 400W or using it as an auxiliary light. Almost any investment is worth it as long as the results are good- I don`t plan on expanding any time soon and my resources are good. I`ve got a Rukka fan and a 100 x 400mm scrubber.

I`m considering a digital ballast and fancy reflector Great Stuff Hydroponics > Adjust-A-Wings
Anyone have any thoughts or any experience with digital ballasts or poncey reflectors? Value/waste of cash? The point is to extract the maximum THC from a 600W sodium lamp.

My seedlings are loving life. The clock is ticking. Northern Lights here I come.

[farmergiles]

Pics within 2 days (promise).

[Smaerd]

Can't wait to see the pics!

[smallarmsfire]

just a couple years back, a nonadjustable batwing like that was the standard $10 reflector included with most kits. seems like they're hard to find so cheap anymore, most of the large distributors package that "megalux" thing that is a POS and costs ~$40.

we always loved the batwings.. just not sure it needs to be adjustable.

i think you have the right idea, SOG is the way to go to get the most return.
are you doing dirt/coco/hydro? are you going to flower the seedlings small or grow them into mothers right away?

sounds like a good space for a 600, eventually anywhere from 24 to 60 sites for a SOG, vegtime accordingly.. prospective rips upwards of an elbow.

[farmergiles]

Doing dirt!
Gonna clone them all multiple times just before flowering, veg the clones while seeing what the score is when the parent`s sex then I`m set to ditch the boys. I find it easier without regressing from flowering, more hassle at the start less later.
Yeah I think you`re right adjustment isn`t gonna do me that much favours with SOG- flowering is always the same so adjustability isn`t gonna help.
You had any experience with digital ballast?

[AnimalLover420]

Sweet, I will definitely check out those pics once you post them!

[smallarmsfire]

everyone has a different story to tell about them,

but lumateks have always treated a guy well.


i'd suppose that based on distributors you may be able to get better deals on different things than we do across the pond here..

be sure you read up on the brand you decide on.. digital ballasts can be sketch if they arent built right.

[Cerebro]

Good vibes from Down Under mate.

[farmergiles]

Cheers man those vibes will help my roots

[farmergiles]

Here are pics as promised. You`ll have to forgive me, I`ll probably be a bit clumsy doing this as I`ve never posted my own pics on Yahooka before.
This shows my cab and plants which I`ve just re potted. The cab is split into two but I`ll be knocking the division through and making another cab for vegging soon.
The plants aren`t sexed yet- I`m gonna grow them then clone them then flower them then ditch the boys.

[farmergiles]

P.S. lost a couple of seedlings like fool- let them dry out through carelessness. Still with 5 survivors .5 to the power 5 = .03125 chance of them all being males = 96.875% chance of getting a lady so I`m still feeling cocky.

[Manolo]

Hi man.
Something here doesnt make much sense.
Too short veg stageand getting maximum yield from a plant????
The plant cant give you its max if it reaches it pick at veg phase.
If u can do that yo are a magician.!.
Say we(u and me) start planting a the same time in same conditions!
U (with your plan )will quiken flowering/harvest time about 2-3 weeks soonr.
Thats true!
But in the same conditions in the time we said before,I will have twice the yield you have...
Try both ways and give us your opinion.

[Manolo]

In your case,I woulb some feminized seeds.
Throw in there 3 in every crop
(waiting for 2 healthy and beautifull ladies to come) and give them into flowering 12/12.

[farmergiles]

Originally Posted by Manolo

Too short veg stageand getting maximum yield from a plant????
The plant cant give you its max if it reaches it pick at veg phase.

Sorry please clarify??

Originally Posted by farmergiles

I`m gonna grow them then clone them then flower them

The plants you see are still vegging.
I`ll be vegging these for a while yet, at least so I can get a few clones before flowering. The headroom I have is limited though so if I veg for too long I`ll have problems unless I do some heavy training. I`m planning on purchasing a new HID as the one I`m using presently has the ballast attached hence limiting headroom.

Feminised seeds don`t actually do me that much favours as I tend to clone from one plant for ages- Doesn`t make much difference in the long run. Also the strain I`m growing isn`t available feminised.

[Manolo]

Too bad u havent more space.My problem too.
You could do magic grows.
Anyway its a choice to have lots of small plants or few bigger.
I have noticed though,that I have better crops with and biggers than with more and smaller.
But hey,everyone goes with he does better!
Good luck and keep posting.
They look beautifull and really healthy.

[farmergiles]

Here`s another pic. Although you probably can`t see (sorry folks, if I`ve got a macro setting I havn`t found it yet), the roots are now poking through the bottom of the pots. ~I like good root development, means the plants have got a good grip on the dirt.

Note the slight scorching on the lower leaves. I`ve decided this is because the fan I was using (see previous pics) was too big, I`ve swapped it for a smaller one. This seems to be helping. You can have too much of a good thing.

[farmergiles]

Here are more pics showing the whole of my old cab including flowering chamber, my new vegging cab under construction and another plant pic.

Note I`ve started to learn to resize images! (pics not to scale)

I was gonna clone the plants before flowering but I`ve changed my mind- `cos they`re so squat I`m gonna flower them a bit to stretch them out a little to make them easier to clone (the leaf sets are a bit too close together I think).

The CFL reflector had a built in extractor fan which has stopped working. Spent ages taking everything apart to try to find out why, eventually realized that the fan was just buggered- right pain in the arse, so badly put together, thought it was cheap when I bought it!
I`m gonna get a bathroom style extractor and re-rig it on the new cab.

[farmergiles]

More pics from the construction of the vegging cab. Note I`ve used a cheapo bathroom extractor and made a light trap (that`s the black paint) so there`s no tell tale glow from the back of the cab.

Had a nightmare fixing the mylar foil- It`s really hard to do on your own. Anyone else hate mylar and stapleguns? Worse than wallpapering.

Total cost so far £13. Could have done it a lot easier by spending more money instead of acquiring unwanted wardrobe, sourcing cheapest possible decent fan etc but I love a bargain. All the more £ to spend on digital ballast and fancy reflector. Can`t find a cheap batwing anywhere.

The fan is a bit noisy but it could easily be mistaken for a freezer or something (my computer is always on anyway).

My clones and vegging plants will have their new home here.

[slunt]

Those yellow plant leaves are suggestive of fertilizer burn. A couple of waterings with straight water should flush out the excess fert's and salts.

[farmergiles]

^ Think it was the big fan wind burning them. Changed it for a smaller one and it`s stopped happening.