2 minutes ago, Ill_Evan said:

My brand is "@PsyCLown DIY", probably the most trusted brand on this whole forum  

Maybe @PsyCLown can make use of a PAR meter?

1 minute ago, Ill_Evan said:

Interesting so us using those lux meters on our phones isn't going to give us too accurate information

If only there were cheap or even easily accessible ppfd meters.. us boys just gotta trial and error like real hobbyists

It is a bit of money for a PAR meter, but if you're not using a trusted brand for your grow lights, it's probably worth the peace of mind.

We created a nice animation to explain watts, lumens, PAR and PPFD. Getting the right grow light for your needs can be straight forward.

Easily compare Mars-Hydro and Spider Farmer LED grow lights here.

On 6/3/2019 at 8:02 AM, Stinger96 said:

Mornings

I am curious as to where you guys get you're bud tested and how much it sets you back.

You can use a tCheck with the expansion kit, available here and if you're hesitant you can send a sample and I will test it with mine.

Have you considered warranty on the machines?

Combine the tCheck base device with the flower and concentrate expansion kit in a single purchase and save. tCheck 2, compound breakdown subscription, and flower and concentrate kit features breakdown is available here. Get the bundle here. Grinder not included.

Not sure if the tCheck is right for you? Contact us for a free test.

On 8/17/2019 at 7:37 AM, Smelly Joe said:

If I'm not mistaken this is this dudes 1st grow. When I started it was pure simplicity at its best.

I asked a noob question and I got my answers from those legends who helped me in small steps to get where I want to be.
Nowadays a new grower gets thrown with info like above.

Not dissing or disrespecting, just amazing to see how the info and grows has come from my noob days to the nowadays noobs.

I still don't really care about technical side of growing.



This was my technical when I started



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Keep in mind that some people like the science  behind it, but it's not necessary to grow. It does make a difference to know what to look for when comparing different lighting options.

Cannabis concentrates, oils, and extracts

Cannabis concentrates, oils, and extracts offer many unique benefits that you won’t find from smoking flower. From easy, precise dosing to clean and refined flavours, concentrates focus on the ingredients in cannabis that matter most. This post is a summary of part one and two of the four part series from Leafly. We love using Leafly for strain related info and more!

Definition and types of concentrates

Cannabis oils, concentrates, and extracts—these all serve as umbrella terms under which sits a warehouse of different products: vape oil, hash, tinctures, dabs, CBD oil, and every other product dreamed up by cannabis chemists.

An oil, concentrate, or extract is any product derived from cannabis flower that is processed into a concentrated form. However, each type of cannabis oil is unique.

Smoking flower may be great, but not for everyone in all settings. There are many reasons to explore the many options—and medicines—offered in extract form:

• You don’t have to smoke extracts. Most consumers choose to vaporize or ingest concentrates for a smoke-free dose.
• Cannabis oils are efficient. It takes less product to achieve the desired experience.
• Extracts are refined. Essential oils and cannabinoids are separated from plant material to create a smooth, clean* inhale when vaporized. *Use food grade ethanol to ensure your extracts are clean and safThus, w.

Here’s a brief list of broad extract types :

• CBD oil refers to non-intoxicating products that are popularly used to treat a variety of medical conditions. It’s most commonly sold as a tincture or in capsule form.
• THC oil refers to intoxicating oils that are also popularly used medically, but also deliver euphoric effects. THC-infused oils come in many forms, but the most popular are solids that can be vaporized (called dabs), tinctures, and capsules.
• Ingestible oils refer to activated oil that you can consume with food/drinks or in capsule form.

Concentrate options

A concentrate can provide a euphoric high, gentle relaxation, or non-intoxicating symptom relief—it all depends on its ingredients.

• High THC concentrates will provide a potent and euphoric high.
• An equal mix of THC and CBD will provide a balanced and gentle high .
• Therapeutic relief without the high can be found in a high-CBD, low-THC product.

Making sure you get what you are looking for at the right dose is easy with a tCheck. The most popular cannabis concentrates are listed below.

CBD oil

CBD oil is a cannabis concentrate abundant in the non-intoxicating compound cannabidiol (that’s the full name for CBD). Offering benefits without the smoke and high, consumers commonly reach for CBD oil when seeking relief from stress, anxiety, pain, inflammation, or another condition that may potentially be treated by CBD.

Kief

Look closely at your cannabis flower and you’ll see a dusting of crystal powder over every nook and cranny of the bud. This is called kief, and it’s created by the plant’s resin glands (called trichomes). Packed inside these tiny, sticky crystals is every reason we consume cannabis: THC, CBD, terpenes, and all the other compounds that harmonize to produce a strain’s effect.

Vape oil

One of the best starter items for the cannabis-curious is a portable pre-filled vape pen—a simple setup that requires just two things: a battery and an oil cartridge. Easy to use and dose, vaporizer pens deliver an adjustable dose of vapor with just the click of a button (simpler yet, some simply activate when it senses you inhaling).

You can make your own using The MagicalButter Machine and vegetable glycerin.

Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)

RSO is also referred to as FECO, THC oil or simply cannabis oil. In 2003, a man named Rick Simpson treated his skin cancer using a homemade cannabis remedy. The therapeutic compounds are drawn out of the plant by soaking the cannabis in pure naphtha or isopropyl alcohol. A dark liquid is left behind after the solvent fully evaporates.

Isopropyl alcohol and similar solvents that are not safe for consumption need to be removed completely to avoid poisoning. Thus, we recommend using a still to remove solvents, which also allows for the reuse of solvents. A safer and easier option is to use food grade ethanol with The MagicalButtter Machine to make a tincture first.

Tinctures

Tinctures were the most common form of cannabis medicine in the United States before prohibition. A tincture is a liquid concentrate procured through alcohol extraction, which pulls out many of the plant’s beneficial cannabinoids.

Ingestible oil capsules

With precisely defined dosages, ingestible cannabis oil capsules or pills allow you to consume cannabis as you would any herbal supplement. Filled with CBD, THC, or a combination of various cannabinoids, capsules can offer a predictable experience by providing specific measurements of whichever compound appeals to you. Make sure you get the right dose by using a tCheck to measure the potency of the product first.

Hash

With a history stretching back thousands of years, the tradition of hash (or hashish) remains alive and well. Traditional methods of hash making involve packing the plant’s resin to create compressed, smokable chunks that typically sport THC contents between 40-60%. For comparison, cannabis flowers generally express 15-25% THC.

I decided to check my knowledge on the efficiency of grow lights. From https://aeradix.co.za/grow-light-efficiency/:

PPFD is a measurement of light intensity within the PAR wavelengths and is measured in µmol/m²s¹. The efficiency of a grow light on the other hand is measured in µmol/J. Sometimes written as umol/j, μmol/j, umolj^-1 or PPF/W. Grow light efficiency is also referred to as photosynthetic photon efficiency/efficacy (PPE). Thus, µmol/J is the amount of micromoles of photons produced per joule of energy used.

The power draw of a light is measured in watts and watts is the joules consumed per second (J/s). Therefore, if you know the wattage of a single light source and the Photosynthetic Photon Flux (PPF) value, then the efficiency of the light can be calculated. For example: 1 100 µmol/s and 500 W is (1 100 µmol/s) / (500 J/s) = 2.2 µmol/J.

A PPE of 1.5 umol/J is considered efficient. Anything above 2.0 umol/J is considered very efficient. For comparison, many (high pressure sodium) HPS fixtures on the market have an efficiency of 1.3 umol/J or less, with some of the best HPS grow lights approaching 1.7 umol/J. The best ceramic metal halide (CMH) grow lights have an efficiency of just under 2.0 umol/J. HPS and CMH efficiencies will increase in the near future, but LED efficiencies will increase at a more rapid rate.

https://www.cannabistech.com/webcasts/a-tech-moment/tcheck-puts-high-tech-in-small-package/

Setting up a grow tent is easy.

I do believe quantum boards will be the dominant design as this is where most of the bigger players are focusing their efforts. That said, the differences are minor for the average home grower and I still happily grow with a blurple Mars-Hydro Mars II 1600.

Just now, Green Leaf Organics said:

Love the look of these things , been using my heated vacuum chamber to bind cbd to coconut oil at low temps.  This looks like it may do the job easier 

I love using mine. Just makes life so much easier. Pour in your ingredients, two buttons and a few hours later you're done. Even has a self cleaning function.

MagicalButter Machines are back in stock and going fast! https://aeradix.co.za/product/magicalbutter-machine/

12 hours ago, SkunkPharm said:

Wil you be bringing in a couple of TS's to compete with the HLG lights?

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Yes, should be arriving late August. Might be Epistar, but with a 3 year warranty and at a competitive price...

The latest LED technology has enabled LEDs that emit white light to be even more efficient than blue and red (blurple) LEDs. Enabling better yields at lower cost. Mars-Hydro has recently released two new quantum board type grow lights. The TS series is a more budget friendly range, while the SP series is a premium waterproof grow light.

The MagicalButter Machine enables you to keep on doing what you love and always have infusions and edibles without mess or fuss 

Let the good times roll!

Hi,

I've been eyeing 420SA for a while and when I saw the Indoor Growoff I knew I needed to be more active here. Hoping to help everyone grow their own in SA.

All plants are different but can be placed into categories based on light needs per day. This is known as Daily Light Integral (DLI). DLI is the amount of PAR received each day as a function of light intensity and duration. This is known as moles per square meter per day (µmol/m2/d). A direct correlation between how much PAR your plants are exposed to and for how long each day. Generally, the vegetative stage of plant growth requires 16 – 24 hours of light per day, while the flowering stage requires up to 12 hours of light per day. Below is a general breakdown of how much PPFD is needed for plants to thrive during the different stages of growth.

Sustainable Veg   | Production Veg   | Flowering Plant
50 – 200 µmol/m2/s  |  150 – 400 µmol/m2/s  |  400 – 1 000 µmol/m2/s

These numbers vary based on type of plant and environmental variables like the introduction of carbon dioxide into the environment. 500 – 1000 µmol/m2/s has been noted as an optimum for growth. Less than 500 µmol/m2/s and growth will be slow. Plants require additional CO₂ to utilise more than 1 000 µmol/m2/s.