Lights too strong!?! Clones not growing....

I am running 1000 metal halide lights, and at the moment they were about 2.5 - 3 feet above the plant canopy. My plants are Hempstar clones and I transplanted them to 3 inch pots only 5 days old (and I am growing in a 1/3 proMix, 1/3 perlite, 1/3 Micromax (soil+pete mix)).

Plants aren't dying, but they aren't really doing anything. Usually I start to see something by now. I have since moved my lights about 5 + feet away.

Runnoff is at 400, only putting Ausie tonic, half dose of rhyzotonic for roots and some biogold in water (no food till I see some growth).

Is 5 feet (lights) too far away!>!

gangas canner said:

I am running 1000 metal halide lights, and at the moment they were about 2.5 - 3 feet above the plant canopy. My plants are Hempstar clones and I transplanted them to 3 inch pots only 5 days old (and I am growing in a 1/3 proMix, 1/3 perlite, 1/3 Micromax (soil+pete mix)).

Plants aren't dying, but they aren't really doing anything. Usually I start to see something by now. I have since moved my lights about 5 + feet away.

Runnoff is at 400, only putting Ausie tonic, half dose of rhyzotonic for roots and some biogold in water (no food till I see some growth).

Is 5 feet (lights) too far away!>!

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I wouldn't think that's too far away given the stage of growth that they are at. Just because they got the light doesnt meant that the plant is ready to explode just yet, let it develop it's root system first.

You might want to look up a lighting chart, which can be found on this website, so you can determine the optimum distance for you girls.

But at this stage, then need probably LESS attention than anything, less light, less nutes...Too high of a dosage on a feeding and overpowering light will result in stunted growth.

Also, maybe Hempstar needs sometime before it really gets going...

hey man i went 2 weeks with out seeing any thing so time time time just relax

Your using a 1000w so at 5 feet you got just about nothing for light reaching the plants, as a rule of thumb a 1000w can only reach 4 feet with effective light. 3 feet should be fine, if the top leaves start to turn yellow move the light up 6".

woodsmaneh! said:

Your using a 1000w so at 5 feet you got just about nothing for light reaching the plants, as a rule of thumb a 1000w can only reach 4 feet with effective light. 3 feet should be fine, if the top leaves start to turn yellow move the light up 6".

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His plants are 5 days old...1000 watts is more than enough at 5' away... you have to acclimate them to the light before trying to get it as close as possible. Whatever...people can fuck up their own grows.

Hey guys . thanks for all your input. I gave'em a day at 5+ feet away so that they can chill out while I figure this out. I think that I'm used to another strain that moves a little quicker than the star in Veg, so the "time time time" comment might be good advice. Also. I have moved the lights back to 3 feet away, foliar spray once a day once lights go out, and bought another humidifier to keep humidity at 50% rather than 30%.

Also, I am adding C02, but only at 750 ppm to start.

Hope this works out. I'll keep ya'll posted.

I welcome any comments on the actions I've taken.

BTW, as my runnoff was at 400, I will feed a little on my next watering, and the water in will be at 6.2 PH. Yet to be determined on the ppm/ph reading of the runnoff, but will keep this thread updated.

The dude is applying dynamics for a 1000 watt in a with full-sized plants. If you look at his chart that he posted even at 3' you are still in an optimum range for full sized plants...5 day old plants dont need optimum lighting from a 1000 watt HPS, there's no dense canopy for the light to penetrate...when you start to see them start reaching for light then start to move it down. But you will know when you are too close because your plants will try to grow AWAY from the light.

When I move my clones to veg under a 400 i keep it literally 3ft up until I see growth then I start to bring it down. I never just blast them with some HID right away.

You are wasting electricty for one. Those plants could establish their roots under a 16/8 cycle under flourescents, which is a hell of a lot cheaper to run thatn a 1kw hid lamp. Seedlings and cuttings should be under less intense light. They should then be hardened before a full time hid regimen.

The light spectrum that plants need has run out at 5 feet with 1000w light so yes they will grow a bit but if you move the light to 4 feet you are starting to receive the light spectrum that promotes growth so for the best effect4 feet and above is best with a 1000w. I do concur that it's a little much for 5 day old plants but as I always say use what you got. I also harden of my plants for outdoor. I do use a 400w at 18" to grow my clones and have no problems and a 99% success rate in jiffy 7's.

let me sum this up for you... at 5 days looking healthy thats still kind of early. yes some will root in 4 to 5 days but not all strains are the same. that said your cuttings dont need much light right now 3 to 5 ft wtv u choose is fine. 3 ft could even be too much light...i'd recommend 5 ft they will do just fine. as for cfl or mh for cloning. I noticed my roots come faster using the 400 compared to t5's. with my 400 i get roots in 6 to 7 days with my strain with the same strain under cfl's i have to wait 10 to 12 days sometimes a couple days longer for all of them to be rooted. as for your soil make sure its wet all the time but not too wet to rot the plant. and spray dem and open the dome twice a day. if your doing all that just wait and youll see roots. only start to worry after 10 days... .5 days is way too early to be crying out...

i used a 600w mh on 24/ cycle for about 3 days and i got bummed on the electric not worth the money next ill get cuttings growing bout a week earlier under fluro save the money, a 1000w light doesnt work properly at 5 foot???
it would work on cuttings at 5 meters never mind feet

Once again. Thanks for all the replies. Not much happening yet, but no die back either. Moved lights to 3 feet away. Humidity is at 45, temp lights on 78 lights off 70, 18/6 light schedule.
To re-iterate, these clones are clones that were taken over 2.5 weeks ago, put in rockwool, once roots showed, tranplanted 7 days ago into 3 inch pots, and they haven't really grown since. No domes needed as they have been hardened off already. I mist them in their sleeping cycle once a day. Not stressing yet, but stress level slowly rising with the passing of each day. Just a slow strain to establish roots I guess, but shit!!!!
Oh, and I have the C02 levels at 800 ppms
Any more comments appreciated.