neenopacino
New Member
NEW GROWER TRYING TO FIGURE OUT MY BUDDING LIGHTING SYSTEM I WAS THINKING OF DOING A SMALL HPS SYSTEM WITH 1 OR 2 LED BULBS OR SMALL PANELS ANY SUGGESTIONS ON INEXPENSIVE BUT STRONG LIGHT SOURCE 
Need to figure the best lighting on a budget for my grow closet
- Thread starter neenopacino
- Start date
-
- Tags
- grow lighting
Fuzzy Duck
Well-Known Member
Well depends on total area of coverage to how many plants ya want to grow in that space for optimal results & bulb size...
At the end of the day HPS will often out perform most other lights yield wise with leds being a close second & cfl/T5 etc being third place !
If we enter in super cropping techniques/training we may yield more per plant under lighting used...
At the end of the day HPS will often out perform most other lights yield wise with leds being a close second & cfl/T5 etc being third place !
If we enter in super cropping techniques/training we may yield more per plant under lighting used...
- Thread starter
- #3
neenopacino
New Member
Thanks for the basics but i have a closet set up it has a 6' height and 5' width doing an 8 pod dwc system looked at a 150 hps system was going to add led bulbs around the hps is that a good idea or do i need to step my game up im on a fixed budget first grow any tips on inexpensive led bulbs or systems
Fuzzy Duck
Well-Known Member
150w hps is way to small for that area... thats only really suitable for 1 plant or 2 at best !
On average...
250w will cover a 2' by 2' area, thats about 62.5 watts per square foot thats pretty optimal.
400w will cover a 3' by 3' area, thats about 44 watts per square foot thats reasonable average.
600w will cover 4' by 4' area, thats about 37 watts per square foot thats above minium requirements but not quite average.
1000w will cover a 5' by 5' area, thats about 40 watts per square foot thats just below average...
Hanging height per bulb wattage also differs, the higher the wattage the greater the hanging height to avoid heat stress/burn symptoms & may relate to square law of light effect.
Now optimal wattage per square foot is 65w with the average is 50w & that bulb size does effect end yield... for hps bulbs
We must factor in square law of light effect which means hanging height of hoods does effect light energy reaching the plants, kind of diminshing effect over distance ya see ! aprox loss of 1/4 of bulb wattage per foot of hanging height
This may be related to type of hoods used !
Standard hoods mean greater hanging height to avoid heat stress & light burn to which the square law of light does effect.
Air cooled hoods/reflectors means a closer hanging height meaning more light energy being used by plants resulting in improved yields... this adds cost & also effects light foot print as in being a small area of coverage.
Light foot print is governed by reflector design & most being a rectangle design with others being square... which may lead to hanging arrangement for best coverage !
On average...
250w will cover a 2' by 2' area, thats about 62.5 watts per square foot thats pretty optimal.
400w will cover a 3' by 3' area, thats about 44 watts per square foot thats reasonable average.
600w will cover 4' by 4' area, thats about 37 watts per square foot thats above minium requirements but not quite average.
1000w will cover a 5' by 5' area, thats about 40 watts per square foot thats just below average...
Hanging height per bulb wattage also differs, the higher the wattage the greater the hanging height to avoid heat stress/burn symptoms & may relate to square law of light effect.
Now optimal wattage per square foot is 65w with the average is 50w & that bulb size does effect end yield... for hps bulbs
We must factor in square law of light effect which means hanging height of hoods does effect light energy reaching the plants, kind of diminshing effect over distance ya see ! aprox loss of 1/4 of bulb wattage per foot of hanging height
This may be related to type of hoods used !
Standard hoods mean greater hanging height to avoid heat stress & light burn to which the square law of light does effect.
Air cooled hoods/reflectors means a closer hanging height meaning more light energy being used by plants resulting in improved yields... this adds cost & also effects light foot print as in being a small area of coverage.
Light foot print is governed by reflector design & most being a rectangle design with others being square... which may lead to hanging arrangement for best coverage !
