Viparspectra lights

[ajr1030]

I have the timer series 600w model. On it I can adjust both veg and bloom from 0-100. For seedling (where I’m at on first grow) the directions recommend 40% and 15% respectively for a 10 on 14 hour cycle. Given those options would anyone recommend differently? I’m growing Jack Herer autos.

 

[fanleaf]

I have the timer series 600w model. On it I can adjust both veg and bloom from 0-100. For seedling (where I’m at on first grow) the directions recommend 40% and 15% respectively for a 10 on 14 hour cycle. Given those options would anyone recommend differently? I’m growing Jack Herer autos.

Sure can. Dont pay attention to the gimmick. More photons=more growth. Veg dial=100% Bloom dial=100%. Time on=18 hours and time off=6 hours. The Chinese are decent at marketing gimmicks but we are growing weed, not lettuce. If you were using a LED with an actual power draw of 1200 watts from the wall then yes, play with the dials because you dont need all that power for a small grow but your light isnt 1200 actual watts, its 260 actual watts with both dials maxed out.
Max it out, 20-22" above seedlings and go.

 

[ajr1030]

Sure can. Dont pay attention to the gimmick. More photons=more growth. Veg dial=100% Bloom dial=100%. Time on=18 hours and time off=6 hours. The Chinese are decent at marketing gimmicks but we are growing weed, not lettuce. If you were using a LED with an actual power draw of 1200 watts from the wall then yes, play with the dials because you dont need all that power for a small grow but your light isnt 1200 actual watts, its 260 actual watts with both dials maxed out.
Max it out, 20-22" above seedlings and go.

Thanks man I really appreciate that. I have it on 65 and 45% but as soon as I get home tonight they’re going up to 100% each lol. I’ve been running an 18-6 light schedule.

 

[ajr1030]

Also 20-22” above? I thought it was 32-34? I’m still st the seedling stage only a week in?

 

[fanleaf]

Also 20-22” above? I thought it was 32-34? I’m still st the seedling stage only a week in?

Yep

 

[ajr1030]

Yep

So at what stages would you adjust the height to what? This is my first grow so I’m still learning.

 

[Alafornia]

I'm still new and still don't know jack, but my understanding is the closer those lights are to the seedlings (within reason) and the more light you give those seedlings the less they will stretch and will be more likely to grow nice hardy branches that will support nice big buds. 12 hours is to induce flowering in photoperiod plants. At this stage they need more light. Pretty much all you can give them to promote growth. Please do listen to the more experienced over me, though.

 

[fanleaf]

I would stay about 22" throughout the grow. I looked at your lights coverage par numbers. If you started out at say 36 in as a Seedling and then drop it down to 20 in you may put it into a little bit of stress because it's not used to all that light but if you started out as a Seedling with good bright light at 22 in or so it will be used to it and you will be delivering that much more light energy to the seedling all the way through the grow. Seedlings that grow outside don't get half-strength sunlight from the day they come out of soil so why should have seedlings indoors get half strength artificial light? Our artificial lights don't even compare to the power of the Sun so if a Seedling don't get burnt outdoors in normal sunlight that is because from the day it comes up it's used to that powerful sunlight.

 

[ajr1030]

I'm still new and still don't know jack, but my understanding is the closer those lights are to the seedlings (within reason) and the more light you give those seedlings the less they will stretch and will be more likely to grow nice hardy branches that will support nice big buds. 12 hours is to induce flowering in photoperiod plants. At this stage they need more light. Pretty much all you can give them to promote growth. Please do listen to the more experienced over me, though.

Yeah it’s tough deciding the best route when you’re new there’s so much information out there. That’s been the frustrating part. Mine are only a week once on my first grow and they’re looking good. I’m excited to see how they respond now after I adjust the light setting and height.

 

[ajr1030]

I would stay about 22" throughout the grow. I looked at your lights coverage par numbers. If you started out at say 36 in as a Seedling and then drop it down to 20 in you may put it into a little bit of stress because it's not used to all that light but if you started out as a Seedling with good bright light at 22 in or so it will be used to it and you will be delivering that much more light energy to the seedling all the way through the grow. Seedlings that grow outside don't get half-strength sunlight from the day they come out of soil so why should have seedlings indoors get half strength artificial light? Our artificial lights don't even compare to the power of the Sun so if a Seedling don't get burnt outdoors in normal sunlight that is because from the day it comes up it's used to that powerful sunlight.

So do you think I should slowly adjust the brightness and the height over the next few days l till it’s at 100/100% and 22” because I’m growing autos or just go all in now and let them recover?

 

[fanleaf]

So do you think I should slowly adjust the brightness and the height over the next few days l till it’s at 100/100% and 22” because I’m growing autos or just go all in now and let them recover?

Leave your height alone for now. With autos more light is even more important because you want them to get big fast in the first 3 weeks. For now, leave the light at the height you have it but turn both dials to 100%. Watch over the next few days I bet you see your growth rates pick up dramatically. After about 3 days with the lights at 100% and on for 18 hours a day then drop the light down to 30 in and from there just let the plant grow up towards the light. Once the plant hits about 22 in from the light then slowly raise the light with the plant Growth to keep it around 22 in

 

[ajr1030]

Leave your height alone for now. With autos more light is even more important because you want them to get big fast in the first 3 weeks. For now, leave the light at the height you have it but turn both dials to 100%. Watch over the next few days I bet you see your growth rates pick up dramatically. After about 3 days with the lights at 100% and on for 18 hours a day then drop the light down to 30 in and from there just let the plant grow up towards the light. Once the plant hits about 22 in from the light then slowly raise the light with the plant Growth to keep it around 22 in

Dude you’re the man thank you so much! I’m excited to see how they respond!

 

[Alafornia]

Yeah it’s tough deciding the best route when you’re new there’s so much information out there. That’s been the frustrating part. Mine are only a week once on my first grow and they’re looking good. I’m excited to see how they respond now after I adjust the light setting and height.

You will not go wrong by listening to the experienced growers here. I'm new, but I've also been researching the hell out of this for six months and I've seen nothing here that departs from the best practices I've been able to find with reputable sites across the interwebs. Matter of fact, I've picked up some new knowledge in the past couple of weeks here and expect that I'm just getting started.

A plant needs light to grow. Don't restrict the light. By the miracle of chlorophyll those plants convert that light to energy. The more light they have, the more energy they have (to a point and certainly works for our purposes today).

Keep us updated with some pictures. Start a grow journal. Those plants are going to thrive with what you're doing for them.

 

[fanleaf]

Dude you’re the man thank you so much! I’m excited to see how they respond!

Keep the thread going with updates from time to time. That way we can follow it. I would like to anyways.

 

[ajr1030]

Keep the thread going with updates from time to time. That way we can follow it. I would like to anyways.

Absolutely. I’ll take a picture tonight when I get
Home and I’ll take another in a few days to show the progress!

 

[ajr1030]

You will not go wrong by listening to the experienced growers here. I'm new, but I've also been researching the hell out of this for six months and I've seen nothing here that departs from the best practices I've been able to find with reputable sites across the interwebs. Matter of fact, I've picked up some new knowledge in the past couple of weeks here and expect that I'm just getting started.

A plant needs light to grow. Don't restrict the light. By the miracle of chlorophyll those plants convert that light to energy. The more light they have, the more energy they have (to a point and certainly works for our purposes today).

Keep us updated with some pictures. Start a grow journal. Those plants are going to thrive with what you're doing for them.

Absolutely man like I told fanleaf I’ll take a picture of my strongest plant tonight and I’ll do it again in a few days to show how they responded. Best of luck to you!

 

[Nunyabiz]

When a seedling I always just use the veg setting which is predominantly blue spectrum.
Keeps nodes tighter

 

[fanleaf]

I'll stick with 800+ full spectrum par over a more blue spectrum at 450 par any day.

A par of 800+ in full spectrum will keep nodes much tighter than a blue spectrum with half the par. That's just common sense. Blue may have an influence on node spacing but not nearly enough to justify shutting off half your light lol.
Photons are king of everything.

 

[Zogs]

Just watch your leaves if you are starting @ 22" . I've previously owned a Viparspectra 900 and a 300. With auto's I was never able to start much below 30" and I let it grow to the light . But your leaves will tell you whats up. If you see the edges of the leaves starting to curl than you know it's to close. If you can get away with starting at 22" for sure give her hell !

 

[Nunyabiz]

I'll stick with 800+ full spectrum par over a more blue spectrum at 450 par any day.

A par of 800+ in full spectrum will keep nodes much tighter than a blue spectrum with half the par. That's just common sense. Blue may have an influence on node spacing but not nearly enough to justify shutting off half your light lol.
Photons are king of everything.

Since when do you need 600w for a seedling or up to 3 to 4 weeks in veg?
300w of mostly blue spectrum has worked very nicely for me.

This White Widow is about 3" tall in first pic but is almost touching all sides of a 7 gallon pot, nodes stacked and growth tips coming out of everywhere.
In one pic you can shes only 5" tall but is thick as hell and bigger in dia than the pot.
That comes from two things, mostly blue spectrum in early veg and consistant steady temps that stays within 5 degrees all day lights on or off.
At about 4 weeks I start introducing more red spectrum and full lights, usually start at an hour right before lights off and I do a 20/4 schedule, then in a few days I do two to three hours full lights full spectrum and within another week I just go full 600w full spectrum, it's kind of a reader's digest version of a full season from spring to fall condensed into a few weeks.
Plants stay tight and then explode in growth.
So really it's just whatever works best for you, everyone has their own little ways of doing things.