DIY LED Grow Lights

There are a number of problems associated with grow lights

• Expensive to purchase
• Require expensive ballasts
• Expensive to operate
• Short limited life spans
• Hazardous materials
• Fragile
• Excessive heat
• Limited K values

 
After quite a bit of investigation I have come to believe there are two types that stand out

• Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH)
• LED

Neither is cheap to purchase and at this time LED is very expensive, but I just found components to build your own LED light bar which exhibit none of the problems Ive listed above!

A Standard LED Grow Light

The components to build and equivalent 400W 36000 lumen grow light at less than 1/2 the cost!

 To build the equivalent grow light would require one PCB and 40 LED Chips at a cost of about $100 plus some labor and a few items like Power supply, solder, wire and box.

This is just one of many LED K values that are available and a wider spectrum could be made by including other K valued LED Chips.

12V power supplies are very inexpensive thanks to the computer industry. 

Total cost about $200

While searching for your components you may find some bulbs are listed in mcd rather than lumens.  Here is a converter calculator to help you design the grow light you wish to build. 


Coming Soon!  New LED technology
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22106718

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Kratky Method DWC Compost Tea Hydroponics 2 Hydroponic Tomatoes

I have considered conducting this same experiment.  After skipping ahead to #5 it appears that using synthetic fertilizer won out over compost tea.
It only makes sense if you believe the vast amount of research that has been done around formulas.

Here are the formulas Ive been able to collect from https://hydro-gardens.com/product-category/fertilizers/chemgro/

Tomato Formula 4-18-38
  Dutch Tomato Varieties
     Seedlings
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 4-18-38
     1.14 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.14 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH = 6.5
     Conductivity 1200ppm + Source water
    (1.60 mhos + Source Water) at 2nd cluster of flowers
   To 4th Flower Cluster
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 4-18-38
     2.27 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.14 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH = 6.2
     Conductivity 1500ppm + Source water
      (2.00 mhos + Source Water) at 4th cluster of flowers
   Older Plants
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 4-18-38
     2.27 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.14 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH = 6.2
     Conductivity 1500ppm + Source water
      (2.27 mhos + Source Water)

Heirloom Tomatoes may find this formula a bit too high in nitrogen so some experimentation will be required.
 

Chem-Gro makes several fertilizers.
Below are formulas that balance NPK and nutrients specifically for different crops.
Tomato Formula 4-18-38
Strawberry Formula 8-12-32
Lettuce Formula 8-15-36
Cucumber Formula 8-16-36
Pepper and Herb Formula 11-11-40
Hobby Formula 10-8-22
Southern Vegetable Formula 7-14-36
Hydroponic Special Formula 5-11-26








Strawberry Formula 8-12-32
   After Transplanting
     1.14 gm/gal Chem-Gro 8-12-32
     1.14 gm/gal CaNO3
     0.71 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH = 6.5 - 6.8
   Flowers Begin To Open
     1.70 gm/gal Chem-Gro 8-12-32
     1.70 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.14 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH = 6.5 - 6.8

Lettuce Formula 8-15-36
   Seedlings
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 8-15-36
     1.70 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.14 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH = 6.4 - 6.7
     1350 ppm + Source Water
     1.80 mhos + Source Water
   Mature Plants
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 8-15-36
     2.27 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.41 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH  = 6.0 - 6.5
     1575 ppm + Source Water
     2.10 mhos + Source Water


Cucumber Formula 8-16-36
   Seedlings
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 8-16-36
     1.70 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.14 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH = 6.4 - 6.7
     1350 ppm + Source Water
     1.80 mhos + Source Water
   Mature Plants
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 8-16-36
     2.27 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.42 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH  = 6.4 - 6.7
     1570 ppm + Source Water
     2.20 mhos + Source Water

 Pepper and Herb Formula 11-11-40
   Seedlings
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 11-11-40
     1.70 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.14 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH = 6.2 - 6.5
     1350 ppm + Source Water
     1.60 mhos + Source Water
   Mature Plants
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 11-11-40
     2.27 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.41 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH  = 5.8 - 6.2
     1500 ppm + Source Water
     2.20 mhos + Source Water
 
 Hobby Formula 10-8-22

   Seedlings
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 10-8-22
     1.14 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH = 6.2 - 6.5
     800 ppm + Source Water
     1.07 mhos + Source Water
   Mature Plants
     4.54 gm/gal Chem-Gro 10-8-22
     1.14 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH  = 6.2 - 6.5
     1500 ppm + Source Water
     2.00 mhos + Source Water

 Southern Vegetable Formula 7-14-36
   Seedlings
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 7-14-36
     1.70 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.14 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH = 6.4 - 6.7
     1375 ppm + Source Water
     1.83 mhos + Source Water
   Mature Plants
     2.27 gm/gal Chem-Gro 7-14-36
     2.27 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.41 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH  = 6.0 - 6.5
     1575 ppm + Source Water
     2.10 mhos + Source Water

Hydroponic Special Formula 5-11-26
   Seedlings
     2.84 gm/gal Chem-Gro 11-11-26
     1.14 gm/gal CaNO3
     0.57 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH = Adjust to your crop
     1350 ppm + Source Water
     1.80 mhos + Source Water
   Mature Plants
     2.84 gm/gal Chem-Gro 11-11-40
     2.27 gm/gal CaNO3
     1.14 gm/gal MgSO4
     pH  = Adjust to your crop
     1570 ppm + Source Water
     2.20 mhos + Source Water


  

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