Controlling the heat - Advice please

Hey guys!

First time grower here, I need some advice about the heat. I live in a city where the summer has hot days and not so warm evenings. Like 25-30 Degree C in day time and 13-18 Degree C in night time. So there are big fluctuations between the temperatures.

I'm really tight on a budget here so I can't invest into heating/AC systems sadly. I'm using a budget LED light (VS 300W) which according to my experience so far makes the inside of my tent approx. 5-10 C hotter than outside.

Right now my light cycle is 8 AM - 2 AM. Because I assumed it's better if her night cycle coincides with mine. But now I see that, in day time my tent becomes between 27-32 easily (hotter days are coming so could defo see 35 C with lights on) and in the night it decreases down to 15-16 degree.

Do you guys think it would help if I change my light cycle to night time? I could turn the lights off when it's the hottest during the day, but then what I can have is 18-25 with lights on and 25+ lights off. Don't you think the hotter "night cycle" will confuse the plant?

Should I just keep it like this. What would be your advice? Thanks!

P.S.

Here's my setup:

Yes run light on at night.

Not seeing an extractor fan, have you got one?

I've been running my lights at night for years. In the warmer parts of the year it's cooler at night so it helps control the heat. In the winter when it's cold the heat is welcome when it gets colder at night. I'm growing in an unsealed attached garage so running the light at night works for me. Sounds like running at night might just work for you. Any I agree that you need a fan pulling air through the tent not just blowing it around inside.

coreywebster said:

Yes run light on at night.

Not seeing an extractor fan, have you got one?

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Alright I'll do that than! Thanks!

And yes, I have one, it's this one:

Your thermometer is under your light a bit, put it somewhere shaded away from the light and it wont read so hot. Try not to read light radiation just the air temp.

matchgrip said:

Alright I'll do that than! Thanks!

And yes, I have one, it's this one:

View attachment 4603649

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Im surprised you get a 10degree rise with such a small light. Does that fan vent outside?

Also see the post above.

1st off, get your plant out of that cup immediately & transplant into a 3 gallon pot, that is very important.
I assume your running an auto with your time schedule, because that's long cycle.
I run 11 on with 13 off for a standard plant which works fine (that's why I don't run auto's, too much energy consumed + they suck )
Your plant doesn't know what time of the day it is, it only knows light/dark cycles so, yes, run your lights when it is coolest, probably at night, and leave the flap open when your light is on & close it during the day.
Good luck
Oh, and also, never grow just 1 plant, grow at least 3 because if that plant fails, you've wasted a lot of time & effort.
Peace out

Jimdamick said:

1st off, get your plant out of that cup immediately & transplant into a 3 gallon pot, that is very important.
I assume your running an auto with your time schedule, because that's long cycle.
I run 11 on with 13 off for a standard plant which works fine (that's why I don't run auto's, too much energy consumed + they suck )
Your plant doesn't know what time of the day it is, it only knows light/dark cycles so, yes, run your lights when it is coolest, probably at night, and leave the flap open when your light is on & close it during the day.
Good luck
Oh, and also, never grow just 1 plant, grow at least 3 because if that plant fails, you've wasted a lot of time & effort.
Peace out

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Hey! My light cycle is actually 18h light - 6 hours dark. Maybe you read it wrong. From 8 in the morning till 2 at night. Then dark between 2 to 8. I'm running a photo/feminized White Widow.

I have 12 gallon AirPots ready, but I was scared about over watering as I'm not very experienced. So I decided to start small to decrease the change of overwatering. I'm planning to transplant it next week!

I started to grow 2 plants, but one just died for a reason I don't know in the first week. And I also read that because my light is very crappy(ViperSpectra 300W), it can only grow efficiently one plant. So I said what the hell, I'll just learn how to do this properly with one plant and then I'll buy a better light and do multiple plants! Do you think I should start another one? (I have another feminized White Widow seed and another 12 gallon airpot ready)

matchgrip said:

Alright I'll do that than! Thanks!

And yes, I have one, it's this one:

View attachment 4603649

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That fan isn't really a big air mover. If you have problems cooling you may want a centrifugal style blower. Also that slinky duct is very restrictive.

matchgrip said:

Hey! My light cycle is actually 18h light - 6 hours dark. Maybe you read it wrong. From 8 in the morning till 2 at night. Then dark between 2 to 8. I'm running a photo/feminized White Widow.

I have 12 gallon AirPots ready, but I was scared about over watering as I'm not very experienced. So I decided to start small to decrease the change of overwatering. I'm planning to transplant it next week!

I started to grow 2 plants, but one just died for a reason I don't know in the first week. And I also read that because my light is very crappy(ViperSpectra 300W), it can only grow efficiently one plant. So I said what the hell, I'll just learn how to do this properly with one plant and then I'll buy a better light and do multiple plants! Do you think I should start another one? (I have another feminized White Widow seed and another 12 gallon airpot ready)

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If your not running an auto go to 11 hours on/13 off.
Your running an auto light schedule now, which is not needed.
You must transplant ASAP!!!!!!
You want your tap root too go as far as possible without restriction, or it will develop into a root bound situation.
I transplant into the plants final home within 48 hours
Your pots are way huge for an indoor grow, all you would need is a 3 gallon pot for a 3 month grow (1 gallon per month of grow).
This also give you more room in your tent.
I grow a lot of plants (27 @ the moment) so if I need 12 good plants, I start with 17 seeds counting on failures, which always happens.
If you want 3 good plants, next time start with 5 seeds.
Your light is adequate, and yes start that seed.
Where do you live?
I wouldn't use the air pot, just go to a garden center & get a 3 gallon pot with a tray for it, some potting mix & your good to go.
Keep in touch

Haha man I'm sorry, I made a conversion mistake lol.

My airpot is 20 L so that's like 5 gallons I guess. And I have a second one that's 12.5 L (around 3 gallon). Oki, i'll start the second seed and schedule the transplant earlier! Thanks so much

P.s. I live in Berlin.

Jimdamick said:

If your not running an auto go to 11 hours on/13 off.
Your running an auto light schedule now, which is not needed.
You must transplant ASAP!!!!!!
You want your tap root too go as far as possible without restriction, or it will develop into a root bound situation.
I transplant into the plants final home within 48 hours
Your pots are way huge for an indoor grow, all you would need is a 3 gallon pot for a 3 month grow (1 gallon per month of grow).
This also give you more room in your tent.
I grow a lot of plants (27 @ the moment) so if I need 12 good plants, I start with 17 seeds counting on failures, which always happens.
If you want 3 good plants, next time start with 5 seeds.
Your light is adequate, and yes start that seed.
Where do you live?
I wouldn't use the air pot, just go to a garden center & get a 3 gallon pot with a tray for it, some potting mix & your good to go.
Keep in touch

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Stop spreading false info.

P10p said:

Stop spreading false info.

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What is wrong with my advice?

xtsho said:

I've been running my lights at night for years. In the warmer parts of the year it's cooler at night so it helps control the heat. In the winter when it's cold the heat is welcome when it gets colder at night. I'm growing in an unsealed attached garage so running the light at night works for me. Sounds like running at night might just work for you. Any I agree that you need a fan pulling air through the tent not just blowing it around inside.

Click to expand...

In some areas, the local power company will charge a lesser rate for off-peak hours (7pm-7am for example), so there's that potential benefit to running lamps at night as well (unfortunately, I don't have that benefit. My power company charges one rate up until a certain threshold, then ups the rate after that. I'm definitely above that threshold every month).

Jimdamick said:

What is wrong with my advice?

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An 11/13 light cycle for veg? Solo cups are completely fine as well.

P10p said:

An 11/13 light cycle for veg? Solo cups are completely fine as well.

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I thought he was in a bloom cycle, sorry, my bad
But, getting them into their final pot ASAP is essentiall.
Maybe for germination they work, but within a week they should be transplanted.
Every time you transplant you shock the plant
Peace out

E="spek9, post: 15617145, member: 582769"]
In some areas, the local power company will charge a lesser rate for off-peak hours (7pm-7am for example), so there's that potential benefit to running lamps at night as well (unfortunately, I don't have that benefit. My power company charges one rate up until a certain threshold, then ups the rate after that. I'm definitely above that threshold every month).
[/QUOTE]

Another reason I run at nigh during off-peak hours and am not in any hurry to save money on the power bill by switching to LED's. 4.128 ¢ per kWh. My light comes on at 10:00 pm. After that I have to pay for 4 hours at 7.051 ¢ per kWh. The horror...

The power cost here drops significantly during off-peak hours. On-peak = 3pm - 8pm, Mid peak = 6am - 3pm Off-peak = 10pm - 6am