First post...questions about lights and yield???

Hi Everybody!
I'm on a my third grow about ready to switch to 12/12. I've been vegging 16 Tropical Kush plants under a 600W conversion and a 400W mh for a month in my veg bathroom. They are in 6" rw cubes. I hand water them with Floranova grow and Floralacious Plus. They're healthy and I haven't had any problems, unlike my first two grows. They are all about two feet tall.

In my flower room I have a 4X8 ebb n' flow tray under 2-1000W hps, air-cooled lights. My friend loaned me 4-600W hps lites and now I'm trying to figure out how I should set up my 16 ladies. I was thinkin maybe buying another 4X8 table and putting 8 plants on each, placing 1-1000W(in the middle) and 2-600s(on the ends) over each table? Or should I just put all 16 on one table with 1-600W(middle) and 2-1000W(ends)? Which way might produce a higher yield?

My first two grows were pretty mediocre. On my first First grow I had 12 Haze plants and 2 green cracks all in 4" and 6" rw cubes, on my 4X8 ebb n flow with 2-1000W hps lites and I averaged 1.5oz/haze and 3oz/green cracks, 1.5 lbs total. My second grow(still drying/curing) I had 10 green cracks and 3 faceoffs(?) in 6" rw cubes and it looks like I'm probably gonna get about the same as the first time. I appreciate any incite. Thanks.
 

greengenius

Member
That's a lot of lumens for 16 plants. i have 25 plants in a 4X8 that are about that tall and im using 2 1k lights. in my case another 600 would be ideal. Try it out and and if they're crowding and lower sites are suffering, move em over and run both trays.
 

MrBuds.com

New Member
Damn son you are using a lot of watts for just 16 plants...I think you could do more with less...but I would just add to your ladies if you have the room...I hate to see what your electricity bill is. BTW, Does your air-cooled system keep the temperature down??
 

researchkitty

Well-Known Member
That's a nice amount of watts for 16 plants, you've vegged em long enough it sounds. The second 4x8 tray is probably a great idea, you just wont fill both all the way leaving 14" or so on each side I'd rather see you in an Ebb & Grow bucket system! :) The lack of yield per 1000w lamp (You should get double the yield at least of what you get now) is probably something lacking in the grow environment......... What's the specs on that so we can get an idea?
 
Thanks to you all of you for your quick response.

That's a lot of lumens for 16 plants. i have 25 plants in a 4X8 that are about that tall and im using 2 1k lights. in my case another 600 would be ideal. Try it out and and if they're crowding and lower sites are suffering, move em over and run both trays.
That's a good idea. I'd hate to waste the electricity if I don't need to. I just thought that the plants would grow bigger and produce a higher yield if they had more free space around them...

Damn son you are using a lot of watts for just 16 plants...I think you could do more with less...but I would just add to your ladies if you have the room...I hate to see what your electricity bill is. BTW, Does your air-cooled system keep the temperature down??
Yeah I am worried about my bill, especially if I'm not gettin the yields I should be. I have a 10" Vortex fan that exhausts the air from my 2-1000watters and you could touch the glass no prob. My temps stay between 70-78 but I'm sure when summer gets here I'll have to use my air conditioner or get a wall unit or something. So do you think I should leave the 16 on one table?

That's a nice amount of watts for 16 plants, you've vegged em long enough it sounds. The second 4x8 tray is probably a great idea, you just wont fill both all the way leaving 14" or so on each side I'd rather see you in an Ebb & Grow bucket system! :smile: The lack of yield per 1000w lamp (You should get double the yield at least of what you get now) is probably something lacking in the grow environment......... What's the specs on that so we can get an idea?
I've never done the bucket system but I'm definitely interested in it. Yeah my first two grows I had alot of problems. My first grow I had winged-root-aphids that ate the heck out of my roots and I got root rot, my temps were 75-85(day) and 60-65(night), with a 20 degree fluctuation often. I was learning as I was going and I never did get the nute schedule right. My second grow I had got thrips, still had the root aphids, and I think because I didn't clean my bathroom walls and still used my shower, allowing humidity to reach the 90s I got white powdery mildew but I killed the bugs with azamax and Safer 3n1 dunks to get rid of the mildew. The dunks and sprays I applied were hell on my plants and there growth was stunted and leaves looked beatup. The midew came back during flowering so I applied 3n1 spray and baking soda mix to combat that. Do you think the mildew affected my yield?

My last grow: 11x10x8 room, 13 plants (10 greencracks,3 faceoff), 6" rockwool on top of 3'X1' slabs on a 4X8 ebb n flow table. Two-1000w hps lights aircooled. Tap water(let sit for 24hrs and is about 100ppm). I flooded the slabs once a day for 30min as per hydro-store guy advise. I wasn't sure if this was enough but the rockwool stayed moist and the plants never appeared to be thirsty. I use GH Floranova per the website nutrient calculator, usually starting a lil less. My room is 70-75 degrees f(day) and 65-70(nite). RH is 35-60%. I have two intake vents with 8" ducts split to a 10" duct that is connected to a roof dormer for fresh air. I have a 400-500cfm blower modified for my exhaust that I have on a 15min timer that ducts out to another roof dormer to exhaust air out. Please let me know if you need any other specs on my environment.

Thank you all very much. Your help and incite is greatly appreciated.
 

greengenius

Member
Pay your bill and don't listen to him. The noise and smell with your neighbors will get you caught before anyone will check your bill.

Heat displacement is only half the battle. make sure you have plenty of oscillating fans if you plan on having that thick of a canopy. Air flow is crucial.
 
Thanks gg. I am worried about adding more lights since I'm a new grower and haven't got my environment and technique dialed in yet. I have two 16" osciallating fans now and maybe I'll get another one. I liked your idea of putting them on one table and splitting them if I have to. Maybe I'll put two 1000ies and a 600 over one table. idk maybe I should stop writing about it and start workin on it lol. Thanks again bud.
 

greengenius

Member
I recommend an oscillating fan per light to at least blow the heat away from the tops, especially if you like your lights close to the buds. An additional fan blowing through the lower growth is also a plus. I also run a 675 cfm can fan attached to a filter exhausting 15 minutes of every hour. All that plus aggressive trimming and I've never had a problem with mold, heat or any other air flow problem.

Glad I could help. Good luck with your grow.
One light to four lights:
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