Mother box design

[Bobcharlieeeee]

Im looking to start growing photoperiod plants, iv only ever grown autoflowers.

 

If im going to do this i want to be able to take cuttings and to try and keep some mother plants.

 

Does anyone have a mother box build i can take a look at? Id be building a box from timber and Kingspan insulation

 

id be looking to try and keep around 6 mums with space to root cuttings, so not sure on the size the box would need to be. The location i have in mind for the box doesnt allow for much height so i need to keep height down.

 

i have some 12v fans for extraction, the main question i have is what is the lowest wattage led light i could get away with?

[Shumroom]

You should get away with under 100W of LEDs for that job,

Check out the Cosmorrow LEDs from Secret Jardin 

http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?/topic/423593-secret-jardin-cosmorrow-‘grow’-led-20w/&do=findComment&comment=5744707

You really don’t need much space,

60 x 60 x 90 should be more than enough  

 

What size is your flowering space?

 

Atb

 

 

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Shumroom
ETA link

[Military Grade]

I remember reading on here that fellow users keep mothers/clones under 30w bulbs, so with a 100w LED you could probably turn it down to 20% and achieve the same or more light intensity.

 

Been thinking of doing something similar either when I upgrade my light or find a suitable box/Small cabinet.

[Bobcharlieeeee]

6 hours ago, Shumroom said:

You should get away with under 100W of LEDs for that job,

Check out the Cosmorrow LEDs from Secret Jardin 

http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?/topic/423593-secret-jardin-cosmorrow-‘grow’-led-20w/&do=findComment&comment=5744707

You really don’t need much space,

60 x 60 x 90 should be more than enough  

 

What size is your flowering space?

 

Atb

 

 

 

its about 1700x1300

 

i have a migro aray 2, i used this for seedlings before and even at the lowest setting i found it to be too strong. probably fine for the mothers but im not sure clones would do any good under it

[Bobcharlieeeee]

5 hours ago, Military Grade said:

I remember reading on here that fellow users keep mothers/clones under 30w bulbs, so with a 100w LED you could probably turn it down to 20% and achieve the same or more light intensity.

 

Been thinking of doing something similar either when I upgrade my light or find a suitable box/Small cabinet.

i have a migro aray 2 already, but the lowest setting is 20%, the dimming is like a switch type knob and not a potentiometer type if you know what i mean. iv tried seedlings under it at about 12" high and it was too much
 

[Michael Luchóg]

Some LED's bleach seedlings, and some sativa leaning strains, even when the unit's turned right down. 

I'd say you could pick up a basic  floodlight LED panel in a hardware, 20-40 watt and it'd be better than a purple/blue LED. T5 lights ain't bad, might even be better for seedlings and cuts but might not suffice when they do get established. 

 

 

[Military Grade]

37 minutes ago, Bobcharlieeeee said:

i have a migro aray 2 already, but the lowest setting is 20%, the dimming is like a switch type knob and not a potentiometer type if you know what i mean. iv tried seedlings under it at about 12" high and it was too much
 

ain't it only a 150w unit?

 

I've never had any problems with seedlings running my 100w light at 100% in the past for seedlings (i run it @50% since energy prices hike), and mine has a higher par rating concentrated in the center, You sure your light at 25% was the problem?

Edited March 20, 2023 by Military Grade

[badbillybob]

when i had mothers i used 3 x 6w household LEDs, in a cabinet which was approx. 600x300. i had duct from this into veg tent, so no fan required.

you dont want to use lots of light or they just grow out of control.

unless youve got a massive room to supply

[Bobcharlieeeee]

Just now, Military Grade said:

ain't it only a 150w unit?

 

I've never had any problems with seedlings running my 100w light at 100% in the past for seedlings (i run it @50% since energy prices hike), and mine has a higher par rating concentrated in the center, You sure your light at 25% was the problem?

very well could be other things tbh, i could give it a go and see anyway

[Wacky Wardrobe]

Just now, badbillybob said:

you dont want to use lots of light or they just grow out of control.

That's my experience too in my little mum veg box.

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Wacky Wardrobe

[Bobcharlieeeee]

Just now, badbillybob said:

when i had mothers i used 3 x 6w household LEDs, in a cabinet which was approx. 600x300. i had duct from this into veg tent, so no fan required.

you dont want to use lots of light or they just grow out of control.

unless youve got a massive room to supply

nice one, this kind of thing sounds ideal. what height was it? i dont need to supply loads of cuts. i just want the opportunity to be able to keep any decent plants i find if any 

[Wacky Wardrobe]

13 minutes ago, Bobcharlieeeee said:

what height

Mine is only 28".

Look up Old Timer's bonsai mums thread.

With leds you need next to fuck all wattage and the mums don't need to get that big.

Head height is an issue. I bought a 100w q board to run at a tiny fraction of it's designed wattage but so far haven't used it.

I sometimes use a 24w bathroom light that works well in that box depending how much I've got in there.

It spreads the wattage  and you can run it really low but isn't that great with an unbalanced "canopy".

Individual bulbs allow you to play with wattage, height, diffuser on or off etc.

It's a mess ain't it?

But it works ....!

Edited March 20, 2023 by Wacky Wardrobe

[Lux_Interior]

I use a 60x60cm x 120cm tent & a 125W CFL for vegging/mothers. It can get a bit to much for tiny seedlings but it has no dimmer as @Military Grade mentioned which would be a good option.

[Bobcharlieeeee]

10 hours ago, Wacky Wardrobe said:

With leds you need next to fuck all wattage and the mums don't need to get that big.

 

Do you know what a minimum wattage would be? iv thoughtabout using LED strip lights that come in a roll. but not sure they are full spectrum.

 

Iv found something on the Big River site below, would that do the job? 30w total, 8 40cm long led strips.

 

LED Plant Grow Light Strip Full Spectrum, 8 Pack Grow Lights for Indoor Plants, 384 LEDs,Plant Lamp with 10 Dimmable Level, Auto On/Off Timer with Remote Control,Grow Lamp for Seedling Veg Flower

[Wacky Wardrobe]

29 minutes ago, Bobcharlieeeee said:

Do you know what a minimum wattage would be?

I mix it up depending on what's in there.

The plant on the right there was a silly little auto being vegged prior to going outside to flower early spring. I think that was probably getting 24w from a bulb (Lyveco 4000k) with probably another one or two lower wattage ones over the little cuts and mums.

Sometimes a 24w flat panel bathroom light (4000k) covers what's in there at close quarters.

I'm tempted to upgrade that light for a similar one on Screwfix. Dimmable 24w and you can even switch colour temperature.

 

Do not buy the one you mentioned above.

I made the mistake of buying something similar that claimed to be 36w over 4 x 1 foot bars.

It runs at 16w.

The timer is useless for ganga unless you plan to try and flower under it as the max on period is 12 hours...!?!

You can't switch it on with another timer without removing their one.

I hacked the controller off, wired a basic dimmer and lashed them together an inch or two apart and it's just about alright to sit directly on a propagator to start seeds and cuts.