Switch from HPS to LED Mid Veg Cycle

[JBUptown]

Hi 420Folks!

Perhaps someone might have thoughts, advise or experience with this particular lighting swap that I am getting ready to implement. Subject is a Veg cabinet 4x4 with 4 WW fems at 11 weeks old under a 400w HPS on 24/7. All the girls are very thick, bushy, and about finished Veg phase for the space available. I have bought a 5wx144 Mars-Hydro LED and want will replace the current 400w HPS due to heat problems.

Any guess on the effects of swapping out the illumination, such as distance between tops and panel, or any things I might need to do or watch out for after the light swap?

The plants are so very healthy and thick and I really don't want to set them back or injure them so close to flower time (if they hopefully adjust to the new light source OK.) I appreciate any help, input and knowledge about such a swap.


JB

 

[Tizyite]

hey there, i haven't switched a light on a plant but i have moved them inside after grown outdoors. my plants nearly died. they didnt enjoy the decrease of lumens or the different spectrum of light. My guess is that the will get stunned my as little while but they should adjust. Ive also taken mothers for 1000W hps and they did just fine under cfls. also some plants are just more sensitive to change

 

[zero244]

I have moved plants from HID lighting to intense LED and it can shock your plants. If your led is a high output lamp, for the first few days keep it 24 to 30 inches above the plants and let them adjust to the down focused light from the LED.

 

[JBUptown]

 

[JBUptown]

I thought it might cause some problems switching to an LED, but I've never grown anything under LED. I will keep a distance of at least 24 inches for the first few days, and will probably switch from 24/0 to 18/6. Heat has been a problem in the past and I am hoping the LED will reduce the cabinet temp a few degrees. Thanks for the info, appreciated!

 

[JBUptown]

Well a couple of days has past since the switch to LED, and so far the plants look like they are very happy. I did 12/12, 18/6 and now on 24/0 for a week or so. I hope they continue as they have thus far, happy leaves indeed! My temps have dropped dramatically in the cabinet from 95F to 83F under 24/7. VERY happy so far with Mars Hydro build quality and LED output.

 

[Big Sparks]

I had a plant given to me that was started outdoors and was in excellent health! I brought it home and then started having problems with the neighbors- mostly the neighbors kids (young teenagers) that were jumping the fence and...well...I brought them inside before I lost them all together! I'm sure anyone could understand. I've grown outdoors many times in the past but never indoors. I didn't even have a light for the poor baby! (wich turns out to be og fire-kush) After trying to let it hang out by a window with direct sunlight it started to wilt and got very weak! After about 2 and a half to 3 weeks of this nonsense I finally bought some 23watt cfl's. 6 23watt bulbs @ 6500 kelvin rating and 2 23watt bulbs @ 2700 kelvin and the plant got its color back and started growing healthy again in a closet that was lined with some windshield sun reflectors from the 99 cent store approx. 3'x2.5' closet at 6' high. Everything was actually going good but after reading many journals of people who were using mars hydro led lights with much success I went ahead and purchased the 96x3watt reflector series with the grow and bloom switches and now my baby is really happy! The length between her nodes has decreased (gotten closer together) wich will be good for when I put into flower BTW! And the overall health and look of the plant is GREAT! Growth has speeded up and I am very happy that my baby is now also happy! I now just purchased another light from mars hydro (mars2 700) for flower and cant wait for it to arrive! Hope this answered your question or at least put your mind at ease! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I will keep you updated on anything new and will also be starting a journal very, very soon! Best of luck to you!

 

[Mars Hydro]

hello

 

[JBUptown]

I had a plant given to me that was started outdoors and was in excellent health! I brought it home and then started having problems with the neighbors- mostly the neighbors kids (young teenagers) that were jumping the fence and...well...I brought them inside before I lost them all together! I'm sure anyone could understand. I've grown outdoors many times in the past but never indoors. I didn't even have a light for the poor baby! (wich turns out to be og fire-kush) After trying to let it hang out by a window with direct sunlight it started to wilt and got very weak! After about 2 and a half to 3 weeks of this nonsense I finally bought some 23watt cfl's. 6 23watt bulbs @ 6500 kelvin rating and 2 23watt bulbs @ 2700 kelvin and the plant got its color back and started growing healthy again in a closet that was lined with some windshield sun reflectors from the 99 cent store approx. 3'x2.5' closet at 6' high. Everything was actually going good but after reading many journals of people who were using mars hydro led lights with much success I went ahead and purchased the 96x3watt reflector series with the grow and bloom switches and now my baby is really happy! The length between her nodes has decreased (gotten closer together) wich will be good for when I put into flower BTW! And the overall health and look of the plant is GREAT! Growth has speeded up and I am very happy that my baby is now also happy! I now just purchased another light from mars hydro (mars2 700) for flower and cant wait for it to arrive! Hope this answered your question or at least put your mind at ease! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I will keep you updated on anything new and will also be starting a journal very, very soon! Best of luck to you!

Hi Big Sparks,
I'm glad we were never teenagers and did anything stupid like that! Really, that did help, I worry too much about things sometimes! Let me know what you think of the Mars 2 700 model after you have used it for a while please? I am totally a LED noob, never grew with one before, but I have used most other lighting solutions available. Do you just use the Bloom/Flower light switch on your Mars Hydro during Flower, or do you leave the Growth Switch engaged at the same time? I've received conflicting direction on this, I hope that the Bloom switch only has to be engaged and illuminated, and not the Growth/Veg light switch as well. Flipped to Flower Only about 10 days ago ... no flowers yet but I know it's early!

Thanks and best of luck

 

[JBUptown]

hello

Hi Sara, Top of the Day (and Cola) to you!

 

[Cybergod]

Just what I needed to know . Going from CFL and small 45W LED to ViparSpectra 600W. I will,head your advice. Cheers.