By Peat
Cucumber Grown Using LED Lighting
Submitted on Fri, 2009/10/16 - 6:55am
Last updated on Wed, 2009/11/25 - 1:17pm
This next project is to grow a cucumber using the 'UFO' type 90 watt LED light...
Here is the Product detail
The cucumber seed is an all female Zeina F1 Hybrid. I've modified a disused kitchen cabinet and have installed the LED light, air pump, temperature/humidity gauge, digital timer and an oscillating fan in the enclosure. Temperature is around 28°C (82.4° F), I would have ideally liked this to be lower but that would involve cutting out a hole for an extraction fan - I'll live with this for now.
The AeroGarden Classic is just the container, I have stripped it out of the water pump and central housing. In it's place is an airstone powered by the air pump, the pod is an AG6 longer type which reaches down into the water, the seed has been planted in stabilised rockwool.
Nutrients are FloraMicro and FloraMato, I will be using the same dosages as the Cuke III grow.
The lighting cyle will be 18 hours on and 6 hours off.
Weekly Pictures
Fri, 2009/10/16 - 1:15pm
#2
It's not a simple as adding green LED's, they, apparently don't do much for the plants growth as they are outside the photosynthesis range.
The LED's are very specific, they must be in a certain range to benefit the plants. Generally, the usual blue for vegetative and red for flowering, but, there is lots of discussion on what range of red's, blues, or even white LED's to use; you then get into ratios of red to blue and it goes on...
The output of mine is 'supposed' to equal a 400w HPS lamp, this is up for discussion but the fact remains that they do work - and cost a fraction of the price in electricity use. The also don't generate the heat that HID lights do, you can touch the LED's and only feel mild warmth, perfect for putting in cupboards and not worrying about heat stress on your plants.
I think that LED is the future (NASA uses them on the space station), but it does need to evolve further to compete fully with the normal MH/HPS light on the market.
We shall see how good this is when I grow my cuke, same nutes, medium and cuke seed as Cuke III. It's going to be very interesting as I've always wanted to get into LED grows, well, now I have. 
Fri, 2009/10/16 - 1:32pm
#3
I'm very interested in this light. Can't wait to hear how it goes!
Enjoy
Fri, 2009/10/16 - 6:20pm
#4
Peat - yes, I understood the green light would be useless to the plants. I was thinking purely in aesthetic terms - whether by adding some percentage of green LEDs, I might be able to balance the light to some less objectionable color. For use outside a cupboard. 
That's really supposed to be equivalent to a 400W HPS light!?! Wow! Running cooler than fluorescents is nice enough, but running cooling than those HPS's (and ideally, having less human-retina-scorching light in them) is awesome!
Love the cabinet pictures!
Fri, 2009/10/16 - 6:22pm
#5
P.S. Did you buy that light or cobble it together? Mind if I ask how much it cost?
Fri, 2009/10/16 - 9:25pm
#6
Hi Peat,
Cool! Really equal to a 400 W HPS?? Like Gisette is asking, is it available commercially? I can't wait to see the grow!
Beth
Fri, 2009/10/16 - 11:12pm
#7
Ooh. Reading your post, Beth, I thought to google on the name, "ufo led lights". Check it out!
http://www.sunlightsheds.com/led_systems.htm?gclid=CNCuzJeaw50CFado5QodSUojrw
They have a 50W model too...
Definitely looking forward to seeing your results, Peat!!!
Sat, 2009/10/17 - 3:34am
#8
That's right, these UFO types come in 90 watt & 50 watt models - lots of them out there on the market.
I researched this for many many months before I parted with my cash, as you see, they aren't that cheap at the moment. I've seen peoples grows and they do work, although I think the manufacturers claims of 400 watt HPS equivalent are stretching things a little.
If they work as well for me, then goodbye heat producing limited lifespan HID, and hello to cheaper electricity bills and a very long lasting unit. 
PS - If you look here, there is some more information on the unit I bought, click on the 'information' tab to learn a little bit more.
Tue, 2009/10/20 - 1:39pm
#9
Week 0 - Starting Week (Tuesday 20th October 2009)
Here it is then, the AeroGarden (well, part of it), as you've never seen it before. 
Lets see how this LED technology stacks up then...
Dosage: FloraMicro 3.2mL, FloraMato 3.2mL, EC of 0.80 and pH at 5.5
Tue, 2009/10/20 - 7:37pm
#10
Wow. You've been busy in this cabinet! Let's see... air pump, thermometer/humidity meter (as a controller or just display?) and a... humidifier? The blue line is an air hose and the copper line... no guess on this one. 
Quite a cabinet! How much height is there for the cuke?
Ooh! Very curious about this one, Peat!
Is the light pleasant at all or just plain weird? I was wondering if it might be worthwhile to add some green led's to the mix just to make the light more attractive, if I tried LEDs.