Veg & Bloom Lights

[Dobeyflange]

My light is a viparspectar 600w with dual switches for Veg/Bloom, I’m sure you all know the type.
My question is should I keep it strictly on Bloom as I’m going into my last week of flower and my buds aren’t that big?
It’s my first time grow so I’m not sure what I’m doing.
The ladies seemed healthy enough but the buds aren’t very big at all and aren’t really fattening.
I’ve had both lights on for the full flowering process, but just thought I might be missing something.
The manufacturer recommended using both during flower, thought I’d ask on here as well.
Also, I’m in week 7 of flower and wondered whether I should start to flush them with just water?

 

[falstaffo]

post some pics
and some trichome shots, will be easier for folk to help
cheers

 

[Dobeyflange]

Sorry about the quality of the trichrome ones.
Trying to balance it all and take a shot is hard.

 

[vtwin906]

The pistils look ripe ... mostly curled in and good color, what strain? Most take at least 8 weeks. How far above the plants was the light? What nutes?

 

[Dobeyflange]

It’s a cheese hybrid strain.
I’m using Canna A+B in Canna Coco.
The light’s about 50cm above the plants.
I’ve been going by the guidelines that came with it.

 

[vtwin906]

I'm currently drying a gifted blue cheese clone.... the buds looked similar in size to yours and pistils also looked ready at 7 weeks. I needed to move the tent so chopped it down. With indica dominant plants I want to chop a bit early anyway to max the head buzz and minimize the body slam....

 

[jetsgrower]

I used just veg for a couple weeks and then switch it to full spectrum everthing is going well if that helps

 

[Skunks]

I use mine on both on

 

[Barney86]

I think your problem might be not enough light mate. Pretty sure those lights are somewhere around 240w?
I use old mars 600s amongst other things and that's what they are. Need 2 of them per square metre.
From what I can see you have one for a tent that looks like a 3x3?
Blurple led goes almost straight down so the real coverage area in bloom is literally a few inches more than the light all around. Don't care what the manufacturers say, I've used them enough times and they're all full of it lol. They can grow some decent weed but need to use em at 50w per square foot for a good, solid nugged run. Need them pretty close too. I run my 600s (240ish actual watt) at around 15inches in bloom.
Gotta hit them with a pk booster around week 3ish of bloom to get them off to a good start too, did you do that bud?
Quality looks good, Im not a flusher so won't comment on that one but id give them another week and see what happens, they might give it another push.
She does look finished but she also looks like a plant with naturally red pistils so it's hard to tell.

 

[fanleaf]

Both switches on from start to finish.

 

[Hdinkleman]

veg and bloom switch is a scam. trying to trick you into thinking that the light is better because it has two modes.
basically the same thing as buying a kitchen led light above your sink. and having a switch that turns half of it on at a time.
that viparspectra doesnt have much power, you want the whole damn POS on at all times, so yeah both switchs all the time. then adjust the distance.

one time i would say use just the veg is for clones and/or seedlings.
pretty sure my 75 watt single cob grows a better plant that a 600watt vipar lmao
and it has no switch, and i put seedlings under it from the start

 

[Dobeyflange]

I think your problem might be not enough light mate. Pretty sure those lights are somewhere around 240w?
I use old mars 600s amongst other things and that's what they are. Need 2 of them per square metre.
From what I can see you have one for a tent that looks like a 3x3?
Blurple led goes almost straight down so the real coverage area in bloom is literally a few inches more than the light all around. Don't care what the manufacturers say, I've used them enough times and they're all full of it lol. They can grow some decent weed but need to use em at 50w per square foot for a good, solid nugged run. Need them pretty close too. I run my 600s (240ish actual watt) at around 15inches in bloom.
Gotta hit them with a pk booster around week 3ish of bloom to get them off to a good start too, did you do that bud?
Quality looks good, Im not a flusher so won't comment on that one but id give them another week and see what happens, they might give it another push.
She does look finished but she also looks like a plant with naturally red pistils so it's hard to tell.

I used the pk weeks 5 and 6 and I’m still going to use it for another week I think.
Not sure what to do at all if I’m honest.
I’ve put so much attention into it and it’s not worked.
Really pissed off about it all.

 

[Barney86]

veg and bloom switch is a scam. trying to trick you into thinking that the light is better because it has two modes.
basically the same thing as buying a kitchen led light above your sink. and having a switch that turns half of it on at a time.
that viparspectra doesnt have much power, you want the whole damn POS on at all times, so yeah both switchs all the time. then adjust the distance.

one time i would say use just the veg is for clones and/or seedlings.
pretty sure my 75 watt single cob grows a better plant that a 600watt vipar lmao
and it has no switch, and i put seedlings under it from the start

Cant compete with the cobs mate. Ill come out of the stone age one day lol.

 

[Barney86]

I used the pk weeks 5 and 6 and I’m still going to use it for another week I think.
Not sure what to do at all if I’m honest.
I’ve put so much attention into it and it’s not worked.
Really pissed off about it all.

I reckon its just the amount of light mate. Need more wattage. The blurples are ok as ive said, i do use them but need at least 450w per square meter with them. You know what the actual draw wattage of it?

 

[Dobeyflange]

I reckon its just the amount of light mate. Need more wattage. The blurples are ok as ive said, i do use them but need at least 450w per square meter with them. You know what the actual draw wattage of it?

I have no idea at all about that kinda thing.
I just thought 600w was a kinda middle of the road light.

 

[Hdinkleman]

I have no idea at all about that kinda thing.
I just thought 600w was a kinda middle of the road light.

i actually had a viparspectra 600 for about 3 days before i returned it back to amazon.
if i remeber correctly it pulled 270 actual wattage. i think i could be wrong though, try googling it can find out quick

 

[Dobeyflange]

Why even bother call it a 600w?

 

[Barney86]

Why even bother call it a 600w?

Cos its got 100x 6w diodes or some multiple there of. Just that if they ran at full power theyd blow so the drivers are usually set to only push them at about 45%. Means they last for 10 years without fading.
Still a total con like, im not defending them but thats why.

 

[Dobeyflange]

Cos its got 100x 6w diodes or some multiple there of. Just that if they ran at full power theyd blow so the drivers are usually set to only push them at about 45%. Means they last for 10 years without fading.
Still a total con like, im not defending them but thats why.

I wish I’d known that I’d just have went larger.
My fault, shoulda done a bit more research.
My mate is old school with his lights but he gets results so won’t change.
I thought I’d go LED as it’s the way forward apparently.
Six hundred Schmix hundred.
Arghhhh.

 

[bluenoserjoe]

Thought I'd pipe in here. I have a VP450 drawing 219 from the wall. Specs say 18 to 24 inches, bull. I have mine at 8 to 10 inches and the plants are loving it and praying hard.