Sanity check on Ultra-Stealth Cupboard Auto setup

[Desolate_Place]

The two ts600s will go well in there. I was unaware the new ts600s had Daisy chain dimming/control. Thats neat. I had the older model back in the day (2020ish) so it's nice to see they've updated it a bit.

Two lights spaced appropriately will have a better spread and less of a hotspot.

Ye I get them from eBay, the new one is like 76$ for a 100w. They have a dimming knob and a telephone port to connect them. There’s also a app u can use if u pay extra and get this fancy thing to connect to it, just gonna use a cable

 

[Desolate_Place]

Also I was wondering how high do I turn it up for each stage of the process and what distance do I have the light from the canopy?

 

[VinDeezle]

Also I was wondering how high do I turn it up for each stage of the process and what distance do I have the light from the canopy?

mate, a cheap lux meter is super handy. I use a Uni-t UT383bt. Picked it up for like $40 ages ago, but the $25 one from ebay reads pretty much the same. If you are running an 18-20 hour photperiod with the autos, 7500-10k lux for seedlings, 15-25k lux early veg and 30-40k lux once they have their feet is a general starting point.

But with a single ts600, 50% at 24" should put you in the ballpark for seedlings roughly. Once they are established and you have both lights in, i reckon about 75% at 16-18" should put you in the zone.

 

[Goonie Goat]

Goodluck with everything. Once you start growing you never stop lmfao.

 

[VinDeezle]

Goodluck with everything. Once you start growing you never stop lmfao.

aint that the truth

 

[Desolate_Place]

Might be overkill for most but If I'm using a potting mix instead of a buffered/washed Coco/peat mix I'll do a quick slurry test of the medium in distilled water before potting to see if it's acidic or alkaline.

Sometimes they have too much or not enough mineral buffers and the same with the slow release fertilizers. Sometimes the Coco is full of salts if not washed and buffered, and the peat can be anywhere from pH 3.5-4.5.

I throw 1:2 ratio of soil mix/distilled water and wait for 20 mins to see if it tends acidic or alkaline before I set my heart on a pre defined pH. If it's noticeably acidic I'll be fine with neutral water and no pH adjustment. If it's alkaline I'll need to pH from the get go.

I did this exact method you mentioned and this was my result, the soil PH was like 6.

So I don’t need to adjust the water? And I can move forward without worrying about that? Or do I need to just the water I give the plants

I’m in Adelaide and planning on using tap water which I tested he other day and it was 6.6

 

[Desolate_Place]

Does the water need to be neutral or the potting mix neutral.

 

[VinDeezle]

Does the water need to be neutral or the potting mix neutral.

Neutral isn't a requirement, that's just what I need due to a more acidic potting mix. My medium is 5 flat and can tent to high 4s so if I water at neutral pH the medium stays in its zone.

As long as the potting mix is between low 5s to mid 6s your in the sweet spot, you can just ignore that now. Just keep the Input around 5.8-6.6 and you should be fine. I only do the slurry just to make sure it's not overly acidic or alkaline once at the start as sometimes you'll get an acidic or alkaline mix.

Adding some feed will drop the pH a bit as well. See our tap water is around pH 8-8.5 here so i have to cut it with rain water to get it neutral and it'll just buffer to the mediums pH which is around 5.3-5.8. It doesn't have to be neutral. Thats just what I need as my medium is far more acidic than yours at around 5 flat and my tap water is Hella alkaline.

 

[VinDeezle]

This will help you understand the window a bit better...some nutrients like acidic environments, some like neutral to alkaline. A bit of swing from 5.5-7 here and there is fine so it's not one hard number, plus every plant is different.

 

[VinDeezle]

From general experience I've been slightly alkaline a few times with no real issues but he most common indicator of pH issues is interveinal chlorosis and rust spots from low pH which will cause Ca and mg uptake issues.

If I drop under 5-5.5 too often I'll get calcium/magnesium issues in potting mix, but if i swing up to neutral I don't see any real indicators of pH uptake. Issues with alkalinity usually show as micronutrient deficiencies and general yellowing once you get about pH 7.7-8.