New grower. DLI Advice on ppfd and dli.

[Olderfart]

Thanks for your advice it’s been really helpful I’ve downloaded the Photone app used the diffuser and I don’t know wether I’m either terribly bad with a tape measure or doing something wrong but both my lights at the manufacturers distances are way off the mark lol Its definatley something I’m doing wrong so will figure it out tomorow. The seeds are in wet paper towels and I’m looking forward to get this grow started. Your advice has been mega helpful thank you !! Im going to start a new post with my first grow wish me luck bro !!

The photone app, or anything using your phone camera meter, needs to be calibrated for your specific camera, and your exact led light model to be in the ballpark. The sensors on phones vary a lot, and so does the spectrum of led lights, so absent calibration data, the results could be a long way off. If you can't find calibration data, your best alternatives are to rent or buy an actual par meter, or just use the guides provided by your light manufacturer and watch your plants for signs of stress.

IMO, a meter is only moderately useful. Bottom line with led lights is that they don't cook plants with IR, so it is unusual for the lights to be too strong or too close. If you stick with the par map info from your light manufacturer, and start at roughly 400ppfd until the girls have a couple sets of real leaves, you can then ramp it up to whatever you want to run at for full strength. I usually take mine to ~600-700 ppfd once the plants are established, and it stays that way until harvest. I don't fuss about DLI because I need heat, and don't care much about efficiency.

 

[Random Tasked User]

Noted !! So dli is just basically used for efficiency. I’ll need to calibrate the manafaturers ppfd into the app anyway I didn’t realise you could do that I’ve been just using the paper diffuser. I’m going to leave it on full blast at top of the tent for coverage and heat it makes a big difference. Sorry to sound dumb I’m new to this and over thinking every detail. but what your saying makes a lot of sense. Ill use your advice, I’ll just start at 400 run em 600-700 Into flowering im not too fussed about effiency either just don’t wanna kill my plants lol one more thing I’m uncertain of would be how many autos in 3 gallon pots would be okay to grow in a 8x4 ? I have an 8x8 and plan to use half for seedlings and veg. but really don’t know what to expect in terms of size and space ? I have gorrilla cookies by fastbuds and Lsd25 by fastbuds any info on this question would be great. Thanks bro !

 

[GsC4477]

i had a similar post, apparently dli is 45 for autos.

I just bought the photone app and its been almost too good to be true and now I read Olderfarts post and im pretty upset. It makes sense though, but I dont know if I trust the manufacturer either, they all round Up!

 

[Olderfart]

i had a similar post, apparently dli is 45 for autos.

I just bought the photone app and its been almost too good to be true and now I read Olderfarts post and im pretty upset. It makes sense though, but I dont know if I trust the manufacturer either, they all round Up!

the manufacturers can be expected to present the best case they can, but I doubt that very many of them lie. Par maps depend on the size and reflectivity of the space that they are used in, and if you use them in a larger of less reflective space, figures will be optimistic.

The good news, sort of, is that actual light levels will rarely be higher than those listed, and more often will be lower. Given the tolerance of our favorite plant to high light levels, what this means is that manufacturers' par figures can usually be assumed to be safe for initial setup, and the plants will tell you how to adjust. Too leggy, lower the light or turn it up. Too squat or signs of stress (primarily heavy tacoing of upper leaves), raise the light or turn it down. Just my two cents, more experience than mine might differ.

 

[Lil Dab]

Noted !! So dli is just basically used for efficiency. I’ll need to calibrate the manafaturers ppfd into the app anyway I didn’t realise you could do that I’ve been just using the paper diffuser. I’m going to leave it on full blast at top of the tent for coverage and heat it makes a big difference. Sorry to sound dumb I’m new to this and over thinking every detail. but what your saying makes a lot of sense. Ill use your advice, I’ll just start at 400 run em 600-700 Into flowering im not too fussed about effiency either just don’t wanna kill my plants lol one more thing I’m uncertain of would be how many autos in 3 gallon pots would be okay to grow in a 8x4 ? I have an 8x8 and plan to use half for seedlings and veg. but really don’t know what to expect in terms of size and space ? I have gorrilla cookies by fastbuds and Lsd25 by fastbuds any info on this question would be great. Thanks bro !

you did pay to unlock full spec leds or what ever lights you are using correct?

 

[Random Tasked User]

you did pay to unlock full spec leds or what ever lights you are using correct?

Correct. As Soon as I’m home I’ll figure it out I didn’t really get a lot of time to figure it out properly but I will today and go from there.