First Grow - All Input Welcomed

[McPuffin]

Re: First grow all input welcomed

Thats a 250 watt hps that my friend gave me im doing a test run to see what the temps get to with it. I think i might turn it 90 degrees and also put my cfl rig next to it and run both of them i mean it can't hurt right.

 

[McPuffin]

Re: First grow all input welcomed

He actually gave it to me to have along with a flood and drain table for doing hydro if i ever choose to since he had no use for it anymore.

 

[McPuffin]

Re: First grow all input welcomed

Ok so i was a little bored after work today so i did a little work on the new box and positioning with the lights right now the temps max out at around 80 at the canopy. I cant believe the noticeable stretch from just the first few days of flowering.

 

[mikey232]

Re: First grow all input welcomed

Very nice and I agree u will run out of room lol Mabe a bigger screen for you is a must

 

[McPuffin]

Been busy for the past few days so haven't really had a chance to post. As far as positioning the hps in the center i wouldn't be able to fit the cfl rig in also or should i just scrap the both idea and go with just the hps. Also picked up a can filter and a 4" inline fan to control the smell a little. The stretch has kicked in and she is looking good i think. i'll post some pics in a little while.

 

[McPuffin]

here's some pics from today

 

[McPuffin]

When is the best time to trim out everything below the screen, is there a "best" day of flower to do this?

 

[McPuffin]

Anyone else care to chime in about the light placement? im open to all suggestions should i center the hps and just rewire my light sockets around the edges of the room? Should i just use the hps and none of the cfl's ? So many different options i would really love some other thoughts on this.

 

[ShadowGrow]

If you can I'd suggest putting the CFL's lower and on the sides. A CFL is only good for about 7-9 inches of penetration untiil it's about worthless.

Heat is the real issue, If you are able to move the air between the HPS and the plant you can get it a bit closer too. I think what you have now will work fine but you may get more useable light if you change things up a bit.

Someone told me I could keep my 400w HPS within 10" of my plants, Although I felt that was too close I've had no problems with mine @ 15" away

 

[SmokzAlot]

Great job!
Good ideas abound!

If I may suggest, I would put the HPS center with the long side of the reflector on the short side of the grow space. Use CFL for side lighting if any at all. I would advise build a second box and use them for veg and clone work. I use a 150HPS in myGrowBox and can get my plants within 6" as long as air is moving. You should have no problem with 8"-10". With a 600w I run 12" from the tops all day long. That is an open reflector as well on both. I think with your scrog the 250 will get'r done with some air movement in there. 4" fan/filter should work.

As for your reflector, I would suggest one improvement. Close the distance between the bulb and the reflector. 1" is great if you can get it. Then darn CFLs just don't get far, have to get'em while they are hot so to speak. The whole affair is very distance sensitive. Not much left after 4" of travel from the source (not the reflection). So one inch to the reflector and 3" to the plant would be 4". The best way to do this would be with a light meter to find optimum placement.

 

[SmokzAlot]

If you can I'd suggest putting the CFL's lower and on the sides. A CFL is only good for about 7-9 inches of penetration untiil it's about worthless.

Heat is the real issue, If you are able to move the air between the HPS and the plant you can get it a bit closer too. I think what you have now will work fine but you may get more useable light if you change things up a bit.

Someone told me I could keep my 400w HPS within 10" of my plants, Although I felt that was too close I've had no problems with mine @ 15" away

My advise in this matter and it relates to this thread and you Shadow as well. I feel one needs to know just where the limit is with their individual light setup. Only then are you getting every watt to the plant the you can without causing damage. We all know more light is a good thing. We use a rule of thumb to start. Hold your hand under light palm down. Let the light heat your hand. If its uncomfortable to you it may as well be for your plants. Eventually I want to push the envelope. So I lower it in small increments and watch closely. Yes I discover what is too close that way. Minimal damage and from this point on I am good. As I now know what my distance is. Note this does not take into account bulb aging.

 

[McPuffin]

Thanks for stopping by smokzalot i think tomorrow once the lights come on and i have time im going to play around with the lighting setup some more. As far as the light meter is there a particular brand that you prefer over others?

 

[SmokzAlot]

Sorry to say I wish I had a good light meter. Any good photography type would work I am sure.

The object is to learn as we grow if nothing else. You are doing a great job.

 

[McPuffin]

I had another though last night. Right now the hps light im using has the ballast built into the hood how hard would it be to take the case apart and extend the cord that runs to the socket a couple more feet so i could remove the ballast from the cabinet and just make a new reflector for the bulb as this would allow me to have more vertical space? Does this sound feasible to you guys or should i not attempt this. ( i am pretty handy with tools and rewiring things)

 

[SmokzAlot]

I would weight the decision once I knew the facts. How much is there to gain by removing the ballast? How much overall height do you have above your pot?
Have you learned about other ways to deal with vertical limits? LST, FIM, Topping, Scrog, and such....

 

[SmokzAlot]

Let me add a little more. Another thing to consider is the light fixture's hanging hardware. The yoyo's or what ever you use consumes vertical space as well. An example in my GrowBox I attached the HPS light to the overhead for max vertical with no hanging hardware. I raise and lower the plants instead. All the space is under the light.

Then we always have to think of cost. Is it worth the effort?

 

[McPuffin]

i believe i could gain about 4-5 inches taking the ballast and housing out of the grow space. As far as the hanging hardware the light is hung right to the top of the cabinet maybe about 1" of space between the top of the light and the top of the box just enough for some airflow to pass over. The other reason i though about doing this was to eliminate the heat from the ballast having to be inside the box as it would be one less heat source inside the box. And i have done the lst,fim,topping and a scrog to keep everything compact i have 13" to the top of my screen then about another roughly 2 feet to the top of the box and with the hps light in i have about 16 or 17" between the screen and the bottom of the light. As far as cost's i dont think it should really cost all that much im thinking the only thing i would need would be a 6' section of the right sized wire to just extend the mogul (sp) socket away from the ballast housing.

 

[Casa Verde]

Re: First grow all input welcomed

the only treating i did was to put the soil in the oven for like 20 mins which the wife wasn't to happy about. But after that just added my homegrown casings and that was about it.

 

[McPuffin]

Casa i wish that was what she did but oh no that was not even close. Lets just say someone had to go to Bed Bath And Beyond and someone else got some new baking pans.

 

[DARRRR....]

well, i would say ... teas and more teas with dechlorinated water. and all will be better mkay?