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This post is to formally announce the first GrowFlux Performance Test and Review: Bloom
This initial test will be a qualitative analysis of the effects of 4 GrowFlux FluxScale 600 watt LED fixtures during a late veg/ full bloom phase study. The study will incorporate 16 plants in 10 gallon pots (and 2 plants grown in GrowPito virgin rockwool).The study will involve several cultivars with which I am familiar and about which I have extensive knowledge. I will report my findings weekly and provide results at the culmination of the study. I will demonstrate the ease of use of the software and the overall quality/quantity of the finished product.
Some info about these innovative new lights:
These new lights have some industry first capabilities:
First, they are cloud connected and can be monitored and controlled from anywhere in the world. They have a tunable broad spectrum that can deliver full power veg, bloom, and finishing spectrum in one fixture - in other words, changing the spectrum settings does not reduce output power. The GrowFlux cloud platform has several pre-configured Light Formulas for various growth stages, and the browser based interface allows you to create custom spectrum settings and schedules.
Second, these fixtures work seamlessly with GrowFlux sensors. GrowFlux is rolling out CO2 sensors, a vapor pressure deficit (VPD) monitoring kit, and a low cost PAR spectrometer that all work seamlessly with these lights. We’ll have more on that soon.
Third, these fixtures work with GrowFlux’s Precision PAR service, which remotely monitors the lights and calibrates fixtures over time for consistent light output. As such, this is the only LED lighting solution on the market that deals with LED degradation proactively over time which would otherwise slowly eat away at yields.
I will begin this first study when the plants are already in late veg and initiate flowering almost immediately.
-If you want to get in touch with the team at GrowFlux, reach out to @GrowFlux
-Want to chat LED science? Chat up @GrowFlux !
-Check out the GrowFlux Vendor Corner
Materials:
-4 600 watt GrowFlux FluxScale LED lights
-Hurricane Fans
-Link4 iPonic 624 Environmental Controller
-Grow Crew Ratchet Straps
-Growers House Essentials fabric pots
-Titan Controls CO2 Regulator
-CO2 Tanks
-Panda Film
-Gro Pro Pot Elevators
-Gro Pro Saucers
-Pioneer from Batch 64
-Elite Nutrients
-Key To Life amendments
I will be adding pics and data including feeding schedules and any qualitative, observable data as we progress with the study. Reach out to me with any questions you may have.
Here we go!
Study commences when plants have completed vegetative growth and are ready to flower. They have been rooted from clone and are about 4 weeks old. The plants will be given 1 week of additional vegetative growth as they acclimate to the new lights and environment before flowering is induced.
TRANSITION WEEK
Sun: Plants placed in room. They are given a light 1/2 strength dose of Elite Nutrients
Mon: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Tue: Plants are given Elite Nutrients
Wed: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Thu: Plants are given Elite Nutrients
Fri: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Sat: Plants are given Elite Nutrients and KTL Molasses
Sun: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Transition Week Summary:
The plants were placed under the new lights this week. These FluxScale lights offer the grower the ability to precisely tune the spectrum of light to any setting the grower prefers. I set the light formula to 5500° Kelvin for this last week of vegetative growth just prior to flowering. The plants have been in vegetative growth under 315 watt ceramic metal halide light (CMH) until this point. I noticed there was a bit of stress when the plants were placed under the intense GrowFlux lights; but this was to be expected. After a brief period of acclimation, the plants look very healthy and happy in their new environment. They will begin flowering tonight as they are growing quite large
BLOOM WEEK 1
Mon: Plants are given Elite Nutrients
Tue: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Wed: Plants are given Elite Nutrients
Thu: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Fri: Light prune. Plants are given Elite Nutrients
Sat: Light prune. Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Sun: Plants are given Elite Nutrients and KTL Molasses
Bloom Week 1 Summary
The plants are growing very robustly and healthily. I am very impressed with these lights as they mimic exactly the right conditions the plants require. I reset the lighting formula to 4200° for this initial week of flowering. Having come from a decade of HID growing, I would put these fixtures up against any commercial HID fixture on the market.
BLOOM WEEK 2
Mon: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Tue: Heavy prune. Plants are given Elite Nutrients
Wed: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Thu: Plants are given Elite Nutrients
Fri: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Sat: Heavy prune. Plants are given Elite Nutrients and KTL Molasses Magic
Sun: Plants flushed
Bloom Week 2 Summary
Plants have begin to show definitive flower set. The plants have all pretty much bounced back from the intense new light and conditions. All the canopy is set right about where I want it to be. I am growing multiple cultivars in this environment spanning the genetic spectrum so it’s a bit of a challenge to create an even canopy, but with serious pruning, I have managed to mostly achieve this. The lights are hung about 2 feet above the canopy and the light penetration from the LED light is intense! I cleaned up most of the lower canopy growth, but left a little bit to attempt to get a gauge on how deep the light penetrates from the light (this is often cited as the chief reason HID holdovers wont make the switch to LED).
BLOOM WEEK 3
Mon: FLUSH
Tue: Plants fed Elite Nutrients
Wed: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Thu: Plants fed Elite Nutrients
Fri: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Sat: Plants fed Elite Nutrients and KTL Molasses Magic
Sun: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
BLOOM WEEK 3 SUMMARY
After three weeks of flowering the plants are looking very healthy and happy. These lights are pretty incredible.I have been able to quite effectively and accurately alter the light formulas to best suit the growth stage of the plant. Furthermore, with the included software suite, I am able to monitor down to the watt the precise wattage output of the fixture. each fixture is running at around a constant 600 watts, regardless of the light formula. This is a first for the industry. As we entered a period of full flowering in the plants’ life cycle, I have changed the light formula to Redmax+White, as per the manufacturers guidance.
Lemon Betty Beginning to show flower set
Notice the lush foliage on the lower canopy of this Lemon Betty plant. LED’s have long gotten a bad reputation regarding lower canopy growth. I think the FluxScale LEDs proves wrong the detractors. Note these lights are hung about 3 feet above the highest growth on the plant.
Animal Cookies beginning to show flower set
BLOOM WEEK 4
Mon: Plants fed Elite Nutrients
Tue: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Wed: Plants fed Elite Nutrients
Thu: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Fri: Plants fed Elite Nutrients
Sat: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Sun: Plants fed Elite Nutrients and KTL Molasses Magic
BLOOM WEEK 4 SUMMARY
The plants are growing as well as I would expect plants to grow under traditional HID lights. These are not your old LEDs! I am very pleased with the structural development of my plants under the FluxScale lights from GrowFlux. The light formula will stay the same as it is now with the Redmax setting. I will revisit the issue of updating to incorporating more blues for finishing in the upcoming week.
BLOOM WEEK 5
Mon: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Tue: Plants are given Elite Nutrients
Wed: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Thu: Plants are given Elite Nutrients
Fri: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Sat: Plants are given Elite Nutrients and KTL Molasses Magic
Sun: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
BLOOM WEEK 5 SUMMARY
Structural growth is excellent with these FluxScale lights! At the end of week 5 I have decided to update the lighting formula to FInishing+FR, which is a finishing spectrum with lots of blue and white and a little bit of far red. So far everything smells and looks amazing. Frost is happening.
**
BLOOM WEEK 6
Mon: Plants fed Elite Nutrients
Tue: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Wed: Plants fed Elite Nutrients and KTL Molasses Magic
Thu: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Fri: Plants fed Elite Nutrients
Sat: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Sun: Plants fed Elite Nutrients and KTL Molasses Magic
BLOOM WEEK 6 SUMMARY
I am continuing to push PK and molasses as we enter the finishing phase. All the buds on every strain are quite dense and look beautiful. The fragrant odor of this crop is overwhelming. The structural growth demonstrated by these plants would match what you would see with HPS bulbs, but at half the wattage consumed! These lights are averaging less than 3000 watts and are producing amazing results. The trichome development is off the charts. Check out the bottom pic in the series below to see Animal Cookies with frost even all over the fan leaves. This frosty phenomenon does not happen every day.
BLOOM WEEK 7
Tue: Plants are given Elite Nutrients
Wed: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Thu: Plants are given Elite Nutrients
Fri: Plants fed SECOES Microbial
Sat: Plants fed Elite Nutrients with Molasses Magic
Sun: Plants Fed SECOES Microbial
BLOOM WEEK 7 SUMMARY
The plants are all packing on weight nicely. Every bud from top to the bottom of every plant is rock hard. The light penetration on these FluxScale lights is sufficient to get to even the lowest portions of the plant. We are nearing the end of the life cycle of the plant so we will begin to flush this week.
Plants under the Far Red setting
BLOOM WEEK 8
Mon: Plants fed Elite Nutrients
Tue: All plants (except the Lemon Betty and Animal Cookies) two-step flushed with SECOES Microbial
Wed: Animal Cookies and Lemon Betty fed Elite Nutrients & Molasses Magic, plants flushed given dry day
Thur: Flushed plants given water; Lemon Betty and Animal Cookies fed SECOES Microbial
Fri: Flush/Elite Nutrients for LB and AC
Sat: Flush/SECOES MIcrobial for LB and AC
Sun: Flush/Elite Nutrients with Molasses Magic for LB and AC
BLOOM WEEK 8 SUMMARY
Harvest is right around the corner and every lady is looking beautiful! Flushing of all plants but the Lemon Betty and the Animal Cookies (these plants always take a little longer to finish) has been going on now since Tuesday. This week will mark the beginning of harvest and I will take down every plant but the Lemon Betty and the Animal Cookies.
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BLOOM WEEK 9
Mon: Flush/SECOES Microbial
Tue: Flush all the remaining plants
Wed: Flush
Thur: Harvest. Flush AC and LB.
Fri: Flush remaining strains
Sat: Flush
Sun: Flush
BLOOM WEEK 9 SUMMARY
We are closing in on the culmination of the study. The remaining plants are being flushed and should be cut by week’s end. I am looking forward to having finished weights and test analyses completed and added to this study.
Mon: Flush
Tue: Flush
Wed: Flush
Thur: Dry Day
Fri: Harvest LB’s and AC’s
HARVEST SUMMARY
These lights performed flawlessly throughout the entirety of the study. I am very impressed with the final results. I managed to yield around 3 pounds of trimmed, finished flower. Some of the cultivars I chose are low yielders, I I suspect if I had stuck with cultivars that are heavier-yielding, I might have ended up with significantly more final harvest weight. Every single bud is dense and thick and they all smell AMAZING! All the finished plants were in excellent health. When we went into flower there were a few that could stand a little pick-up; these lights sure delivered in overall plant health. Contact GrowFlux for the final test results at info@growflux.com.
