Lighting HPS or Fluro

[CDub]

Hi,

This is my first serious grow attempt.

I have a nice walk in wordrobe 2.5metres by 1.5metres. It has a built in ducted exhaust and fresh air inlet. It holds a constant 20degrees C (with the light off) and 50% humidity. I am currently running a 400W Sonlight Agro HPS (which I believe covers the blue spectrum for the veg cycle as well) pumping out 55,000Lumens

I am thinking of going up to the same light in the 600W model as it claims 90,000Lumens, however the big issue is will my power bill come under scrutiny from the autorities (It is only a small apartment).

Will the 600W be producing more heat and require a greater safe distance from plant top reducing the "actual lumens hitting the plants"?

Would I be better off running multiple fluros at a very close range (daily adjusting not an issue). Maybe a shelf system with a sea of green?

I know these are very broad questions but any ideas apreciated.

 

[StonerGrower]

A 600watt will raise your temps a bit yes...Shouldnt be too much of a problem though. The more light the better...And I doubt your house is going to be targeted by authorities.

 

[CDub]

Thanks for the reply,

I am concerned just that a small apartment usually running only 1 or 2 X 40W lights and a TV, fridge etc. suddenly starts usuing 600W on 18hr cycles that the rapid usage change might raise alarm bells with my electricity provider.

Do you think this is a real concern for me? Keeping in mind I am in Sweden (not very tollerant) and quite sneaky authorities.

Cheers

 

[StonerGrower]

For all they know you got a really big tv or an extra freezer.

 

[MagicCannabus]

I think it really depends on your approach. I grew for several years with HID and now I am going with T8 shop lights running vertically. It's totally possible to make it work well if you really look at it from a vertical-growing perspective. At my floor space I have 250W per square foot, but the plant will be filling out toward the lights more like a sideways sea of green coming out of one plant 360 degrees around the stem.

Google "inefectual" and "high pod" if you want to see something truly beautiful. Also check out my thread on using T8 shop lights in this very forum. It's in progress, but bear in mind that I have abandoned my HID completely for this. I have a lot of faith in it, and that faith is growing a lot as I do more research. I think the future of growing is in surrounding the plants with light. I think the "phototron" was on the right track, but they really never pushed the concept to it's potential. It's really more for display plants, and even has clear glass walls. Without all that lost light and a lot more light packed in, the idea can really work.

 

[bbbrad]

If you're elect is anything like Canada it is all electronic billing the only time human eyes will see your bill is if you miss a payment or 2. Don't worry it will not be noticed

 

[Racefan]

I think it really depends on your approach. I grew for several years with HID and now I am going with T8 shop lights running vertically. It's totally possible to make it work well if you really look at it from a vertical-growing perspective. At my floor space I have 250W per square foot, but the plant will be filling out toward the lights more like a sideways sea of green coming out of one plant 360 degrees around the stem.

Google "inefectual" and "high pod" if you want to see something truly beautiful. Also check out my thread on using T8 shop lights in this very forum. It's in progress, but bear in mind that I have abandoned my HID completely for this. I have a lot of faith in it, and that faith is growing a lot as I do more research. I think the future of growing is in surrounding the plants with light. I think the "phototron" was on the right track, but they really never pushed the concept to it's potential. It's really more for display plants, and even has clear glass walls. Without all that lost light and a lot more light packed in, the idea can really work.

The main problem with vertical floros are that a lot of the available lumens at the middle and top of the bulbs are wasted when small plants or starts are introduced. Yes as the plants grow they use more and more of these lumens but wasted light is wasted growth and with floros anything wasted means longer veg times and even possibly less yield.
To the op...where are you from. if europe I would consider the floros as I know they really watch for excessive hydro use there. If USA or Canada then get the 600.lol

 

[MagicCannabus]

You're absolutely right, which is why I veg them in top-down lighting with supplemental side-lighting. I grow them that way and then when the are tall enough to properly use the vertical light they're going in the flowering chamber which is entirely vertical.

On the other hand, if you study inefectual's "high pod", you'll see that even for veg, vertical fluoro lighting can do some amazing things. I plan to try his method out eventually too, though I think I'd use a larger container than he did(he had 44 gallons with 330W of light, which isn't enough volume for that much wattage).