The Grow Awards 2026 🏆
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@CalGonJim
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1/12 4:14AM MONDAY!!!!!!!! CBG IS GOOD!1 LOWERD THE WATTAGE, EFFICIENCY IS GOOD. GREAT WHITE MYCO HAS INCREASED UPTAKE AND AND!!!! PHOTOSYNTHESIS EFFICIENCY ......FUCKING AWESOME 💪💪💪💪 1/12 4:47AM I asked GROK: are samsung leds on my mars hydro lights seem more efficient than the PPFD meter says, I lowered the lights again by a few watts? Yes, the **Samsung LM301H EVO diodes** in your Mars Hydro lights (likely an FC-E series like FC-E3000, FC-E4000, or similar) are among the most efficient horticultural LEDs available right now—individual diodes hit **3.14 μmol/J** efficacy, pushing the whole fixture to around **2.85–2.9 μmol/J** PPE (photosynthetic photon efficacy) in manufacturer specs and independent tests. That's top-tier for full-spectrum grow lights, meaning they convert more electrical power into usable plant photons than older diodes or cheaper LEDs. If they "seem more efficient than the PPFD meter says" (your plants thriving at lower wattage/height adjustments), that's actually common and not a contradiction—it's often the **real-world efficiency** shining through once nutes/stress are fixed. Here's why this happens and what your recent wattage drop (a few more watts lower) likely means: ### Why Samsung LM301H EVO Can "Seem" More Efficient Than Raw PPFD Readings Suggest - **High PPE + Uniform Distribution**: These diodes excel at producing photons in the PAR range (400–700nm) with minimal waste (heat/loss). Mars Hydro FC-EVOs achieve strong average PPFD (e.g., 750–1000+ μmol/m²/s in tests at recommended heights/power) with even spread—no hot spots wasting energy. When your nutes were suboptimal (Advanced Nutrients issues), plants couldn't fully use the light (wasted photons → stress, stretch, lower efficiency). Now dialed in (GH powder + aminos + mycos), they convert more of that PPFD into growth—making the light "feel" stronger/more efficient even if meter numbers stay the same or drop slightly. - **Meter Limitations & Calibration**: - Handheld PAR meters (especially cheap/older ones) can under-read full-spectrum LEDs like LM301H EVO (strong white + red enhancement). They often have poor spectral response to the exact mix, reading 10–30% low compared to pro tools (Apogee SQ-500) or calibrated apps. - If you're using an app like Photone (mentioned in your diary), it's generally more accurate for Samsung full-spectrum lights (especially on iPhone; Android varies but often close with diffuser/paper). Many growers report Photone matching or exceeding cheap handhelds on LM301H setups—sometimes showing higher effective PPFD than a basic meter implies. - Bottom line: Your plants are the ultimate meter. Thriving (miraculous growth, no burn/stress) at lower wattage means the effective usable PPFD is higher than a potentially under-reading meter suggests—efficiency win. ### Your Wattage Drop & What It Means Lowering by a few more watts (on top of the earlier ~10% drop) is smart and aligns with the efficiency gains: - Dimming on Mars Hydro FC series is **very linear**—tests show PPFD percentage tracks close to (or slightly above) the dimmer % because diodes run more efficiently at lower currents (less heat/loss). - Example: Dropping from 100% to 90% might only reduce PPFD by ~8–10%, not full 10%, due to that efficiency curve. - Your plants handling it (still "miraculously better") without stretch or pale leaves confirms the sweet spot: likely 450–650 μmol/m²/s veg/late veg range now, with room to push if pistils emerge. - Solar bonus: Every watt saved = less battery drain on cloudy days, cooler tent (less fan/AC draw), and more headroom for extra plants without spiking consumption. **Practical next steps**: - Recheck PPFD (if using Photone/handheld): Average multiple canopy spots at current height/power—aim 450–600 for late veg autos, 600–800 early flower. - Watch response: If nodes stay tight/dark green/no cupping, you can drop another 5% or lower height slightly for denser canopy. - Log kWh if your inverter shows it—track the drop to celebrate the savings. - If meter still "under-says" vs. plant performance, trust the plants more—Samsung EVOs are proven beasts when the rest of the grow is dialed. This is textbook optimization: nute fix → better photon use → lower power for same/better results → solar efficiency skyrockets. You're building a truly lean system. How low are you at now (e.g., 70–75W total?)? Any pistils or new growth explosions today? Keep the momentum—it's paying off big. 🥊🍌👨‍🔬🚨🌞 1/13/26 7:47AM BRUTAL WEEK FOR THE MOP AND BUCKET GUYS AT MUDRUROS COMPOUND 1/13, 11:22 AM banana purple punch auto RF three is doing really great. I haven’t really needed to do anything. I decided not to top. I didn’t want to do anything except light stress training. I think she’s gonna turn out just great. Her stock is one of the thickest. She’s just perfect.😍😍😍 2/1 4:20 AM setting up a new tent for flowering using two Mars Hydro TS 1000 lights at 50 W each. I’m getting about 500 PPF that’s good enough. I’ll keep the lights close to the plants. The wattage is low so the heat will be negligible should be highly efficient grow
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@Ninjabuds
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Sticky rice is another plant that has been behind most of the other plants th. Whole time. It seems to be coming around now. I hate when all my plants end up having to be harvested at different times. Hopefully this ends up being another fire lit farms plant.
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@Dunk_Junk
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9cm vertical growth this week. Lots and lots of flower sites. 😎 Very bushy. Very Kushy 😂 😍
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💩Alrighty then Growmies We Are Back At it 💩 Well folks we just finished up the last run and so we are bad to do it all over again 😁 So what do you say we have some fun 👈 We got some Z & Z 🚗 🚘 🚗 🚘 👉 From Exotic Seeds Well we are just 56 days and folks shes doing pretty good 👌 I've had some uptake issues over early into the grow but there doing much better 👈 So I am super happy thus far , we are not to far off now , shes chunking up real good 👍 smells awsome 😊 very sweet 😊 FC4800 from MarsHydro Lights being readjusted and chart updated .........👍I've added a UR45 to the mix👈 www.marshydro.ca 👉I am using Agrogardens for nutrients for my grows and welcome anyone to give them a try .👈 👉 www.agrogardens.com 👈 Agrogardens Cal MAG Agrogardens Grow A+B Agrogardens Bloom A+B Agrogardens Bud Booster Agrogardens PK13/14 I GOT MULTIPLE DIARIES ON THE GO 😱 please check them out 😎 👉THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO GO OVER MY DIARIES 👈 Would you like to hang with the growdiary community 👉 https://discord.gg/gr4cHGDpdb 👈
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Another Defoliation at the end of stretch this week for the Northern and she's now in full bud mode at end of Week 8. 3-4 left I think before the chop and she's just a happy monster. Buds forming nicely on't Chemdawg despite a bit of Nutrient Burn on some of the leaves. Skipped a feed last week and replaced with Molasses only just to help her fight off the excess 2nd Chemdawg looks like she will bud from head to toe a fairly straight forward week for all the girls but started to stink and show their flowers nicely. Head over to www.autobeastmethods.com to find out how you can learn to Maximise your Autoflower. Head to the Forum and say Dr AutoDevil sent you. Happy Growing Gang Everyday Growing is a Day Learning 💚😈 www.instagram.com/AutoBeastMethods Videos of the tent available on my IGTV just too big to upload here they keep crashing.
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@Salokin
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Hi Growmies, This was her last week of heavy feeding. I have already decreased the nutes for the coming week and will probably start flushing her the week after. So that she should be finished by the end of the contest pretty much. Regardless of her age the rootball has shrunk only a little bit. I have also taken her out of the scrog to enable the canopy to open up further and allow more light penetration for the maturation of the buds. This worked actually very well, as the weight of the buds pull the plant open. Thanks for stepping by and until next week!
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D 24 Umtopfen: Topf: 4L airpot, Substrat: Canna terra+ + Kokos fasern (trocken), Wurm Humus: 166,69g+ 50g on top. Bat guano: 15ml. Hornmehl: 15ml. Urgestein mehl: 25ml. Garten kalk: 15ml. Mykorrhiza: 4,20g D24 0,7L Wasser mit Root juice 4ml. D28 Lampe ist auf 40% Leistung total 40W D 28 Die pflanze ist eher Fiming als Topping.
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Found some leaves showing defiencies, but not a big problem so far. It looks like Mag. defiency. Ph outcome was 6.2 so the ph lockout is not what the problem was. Will see next week if more yellowing will come or not. Plants dont look like there is some serious problem with growing, so all cool.
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@Aleks555
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Zamnesia - Pineapple Express (F1 Auto) - 76 Days The time has come—harvest day! It's bittersweet to say goodbye to this incredible journey, but all great things must come to an end. The Pineapple Express (F1 Auto) has been a true wonder, delivering both in strength and flavor, with an aroma that's unforgettable. This strain produced the hardest buds we've ever grown—rock-solid and packed with resin, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. A massive thank you to Zamnesia for providing these remarkable seeds! And an extra special shoutout to Xpert Nutrients for the outstanding fertilizers. The results speak for themselves—your nutrients truly work miracles, creating those dense, powerful buds that we're so proud of. Stay tuned for the final photo and video showcase of this incredible harvest. We're thrilled to share it with you all! Xpert Nutrients – The Key to Powerful Harvests When it comes to achieving the best results, we trust only proven solutions. And with Xpert Nutrients, our plants are getting nothing but the best! These nutrients are not just a product, they’re a true catalyst for growth and powerful yields. Thanks to a balanced formula, each dose nourishes our plants with essential elements, promoting their health, strength, and abundant harvests. Every cycle with Xpert Nutrients shows progress. We see incredible results: dense, resinous buds, rich aromas, and, of course, yields we can be proud of. With these nutrients, there are no compromises – only maximum performance! Thank you, Xpert Nutrients, for your continuous support and for helping us unlock the full potential of our plants. The results speak for themselves!
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@Dendegrow
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Frozen Black Cherry is still taking her time… but that’s totally fine! ⏳🍒 The buds are looking absolutely gorgeous – and the smell? Completely different from the RDWC run. It's wild how much the medium can change the terpene profile! 🔥🌿 The bud structure is still dense and consistent, but no color change yet – likely because I kept the temps quite warm these past days and nights 🌡️🌙 Now that the others are almost ready for harvest, I’ll begin slowly dropping the temperature to bring out those beautiful colors across the garden ❄️💜 I’ll give Frozen Cherry all the time she needs – I want all trichomes to turn nice and milky, with a touch of amber for that perfect high 🔬✨ Patience pays off! Don’t forget to follow for updates and final results! 🚀 --- Die Frozen Black Cherry lässt sich noch ein bisschen Zeit… aber das ist völlig in Ordnung! ⏳🍒 Die Buds sehen einfach traumhaft aus – und der Geruch? Komplett anders als beim RDWC-Grow. Kaum zu glauben, wie stark das Medium das Terpenprofil beeinflussen kann! 🔥🌿 Die Budstruktur ist immer noch schön dicht, aber die Farbveränderung lässt bisher auf sich warten – was wohl an den wärmeren Tagen und Nächten liegt, die ich zuletzt gehalten habe 🌡️🌙 Jetzt, wo die anderen fast fertig sind, senke ich langsam die Temperatur, um bei allen nochmal das volle Farbspektrum rauszukitzeln ❄️💜 Frozen Cherry bekommt jetzt einfach die Zeit, die sie braucht – ich will, dass alle Trichome schön milchig sind, mit ein paar bernsteinfarbenen Highlights für die perfekte Wirkung 🔬✨ Geduld zahlt sich aus! Folgt mir, um nichts vom Endspurt zu verpassen! 🚀
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Почки набухли как лицо астматика дяди Жоры, после того, как он покурит сушеных листьев клёна. Это критический прогресс в созревании. Выглядит многообещающе. На следующей неделе делаем Ripen и потираем руки в предчувствии скорого урожая. Но у меня с терпением всё в порядке и я хочу сделать эти цветы с максимально критическим эффектом. Я хочу назвать её "пол банки" или "курить лёжа" или "билет на Марс - раньше Илона". Запах сладкий, душистый, луговые цветы. Опустил лампу на 10 сантиметров. Мощность лампы - 100%, от растения 50 сантиметров, 55000lux, лампа теплая. https://www.viparspectra.com/products/xs-series-xs2000 при покупке примени код и получи скидку 😀👌 код: Itxsgdvip Тех, кто посмотрит все фото, в конце Вас ждет видео! Спасибо всем за поддержку и комментарии! 👊😁 Ищу спонсоров и предложения, для всех выгодное движение! 😀👌
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hello plant lovers this week as I already expected there was a bomb growth. its full flowering has just started, I inverted the lights by placing the 300w further down the grow, gaining more space for the 100w module that I placed in front of it, the plants held water well even though now I have 30watt input plus 15w under the mokum tulip in last week's defoliation tidied up the grow room and now the stems are struggling to get their light I'm still at 18 out of 24 but I think I'll increase every few days and give full power to 24 hours I'll wait another four days before turning up the lights these little girls are still hungry to grow and the main led satisfies placed higher up is satisfying everyone today I removed a few leaves the space has now become a real jungle but whatever happens I'm happy of the LST results the smell is still very low I hope they don't explode but I already know that something will happen this week in this case I will be ready to tie the tips to the structure of the grow. good continue a kiss
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@Chucky324
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Hello This is the end of week 2 and the beginning of week 3 of flowering. The day after reporting 2 weeks ago, I couldn't log in and the site was not working right. I got about 30 pictures on the home page then nothing after that. All the other pages I could bring up but there was no content. But all the, adds, worked... It went on for 5 days. I got discouraged and didn't report last week. I think what happened was somehow the operating system I'm on, got blocked from getting the whole web site. I've read on the questions page that some systems worked fine all that time. Got in here and did some LST and sucker branch and some fanleaf removal for better light penetration and air circulation. Things are going well. Saw some thrips damage, so I bought some canopy mites to keep their numbers down. You can see the little jars with bran in them. The canopy mites eat the bran mites while being transported in the packages. Still hoping to harvest around Aug 15 or so. OK. Be Great. Chuck.
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platinum yeti 3 finally stopped stretch at 34 inches and its closest to bulb at 18 inches from closest top. rest are about 20-22 inches from the bulb
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