Help... Need help with light distance 600w

Hey guys I've been growing for about 18 months now but I've run into a little issue. I have decided to use my 4x4 tent so I could put in a few extra plants... I stared with the 4 that are budding in the pictures at about 5-8in above the highest cola... Now I have added the 2 plants on the left but am scared to pull my tiny reflector up too far... I just put the light up for the pictures below and just need to know if this refector will work for this tent.. I don't plan on using the whole 4x4 space but maybe a 3x3 center square... So just looking for advice... I don't want to loose to much light but want to make sure all plants are getting enough... Don't really have any cash to upgrade at the moment..
600w hps
6 plants in 3gal
Want to add 3 more
Yeild master II reflector 6in
1 foot above canopy seems to spread the light better but doesn't seem to be as bright over all plants
Temps 71°-76° so light distance won't be an issue
Please check out a couple pics and any advice is appreciated

Well, your a little short of the wattage for a 4x4, but I would definitely raise the light a bit. I go about 30" above the canopy with 1kw, so you can definitely go another 12" up.

you can do 24 inches above . works well or a bit higher . and lower does not make to much of a difference may burn the leaves .

limpted said:

Well, your a little short of the wattage for a 4x4, but I would definitely raise the light a bit. I go about 30" above the canopy with 1kw, so you can definitely go another 12" up.

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So would the buds be any smaller if I raise the light? Or won't make too much difference?... Ya when I originally bought the 600w ballast I was using a 2.5x2.5 tent.....was hoping it would be OK if I don't use the entire 4x4 area

I run 1000 and 600 and 400 . my 600 is about 2 foot above and I have experience with cheap 1 power bulbs for 10 bucks and hortilux bulbs for 85. 2 foot above works very well for me and no it wont make smaller buds . and you can spread it further wider . this is my opinion and experience . there may be a lot of different opinions out there . I used to have an issue I used to go to close and hoods were air cooled and it still would burn the leafs . even though my hand was not hot at that distance seamed like they burn . in fact I raised them higher then usual one harvest and the yield was actually better then having the bulbs to close. I prefer 2 fetish for max spread and yield . I am not air cooled with the 600 . but if I were it still be about 2 foot above .

used to air cool the 600s not in the winter . I need the heat in my house burrrr

limpted said:

Well, your a little short of the wattage for a 4x4, but I would definitely raise the light a bit. I go about 30" above the canopy with 1kw, so you can definitely go another 12" up.

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what makes you so sure he is short of wattage? i run a 600 in 4x4 and its perfectly fine.

There is no absolute right answer. You have to balance two things. First you want to cover your entire area. Second is temperature. The closer the lights the stronger the heat. The rule of thumb is without CO2 you want to stay below 80 degrees. Pulling in cold winter air at a rapid enough rate you want to go as close to the canopy top as possible. Yes it does make a difference. The difference is penetration of "usable" light. The further away the light is the less light that reaches the lower parts of your plant. Just slowly lower it day by day until you figure out the right spot to balance those things.

yes a 600 is a bit weak for a 4/4 I would prefer a 1000 or 2 lol or 4 . dont listen to me I do 1000 per square foot . the 600 in a 4/4 will still give you a great amount of quality personal product . you could pull 4 to 24 depending on your experience

srt8666 said:

what makes you so sure he is short of wattage? i run a 600 in 4x4 and its perfectly fine.

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The rule of thumb is 50w/sq ft. you can certainly run a 600w in a 4x4, but it is a bit short.

Kjc99 said:

So would the buds be any smaller if I raise the light? Or won't make too much difference?... Ya when I originally bought the 600w ballast I was using a 2.5x2.5 tent.....was hoping it would be OK if I don't use the entire 4x4 area

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24"-32" is a good height for HID lights. Put your hand on your canopy, at 8" it should feel hot your hand.

Thanks for all the input.... No real heat issues as I live in Alaska and it's still cold out so the room temp is about 68 and the tent canopy temp is 76°...my biggest concern was keeping the light too close that the plants would not all get direct light.... Looks like I can go up higher with the light if needed....Hopefully in the near future I can get a bigger reflector that is more square.... Rollitup has been great all good feedback... Definitely helped me through a few harvests already.... Thanks

no prob have fun .with this great hobby

That's a raptor hood with 1000W HPS. It's winter here and lots of free cooling. Those colas are about 12 inches from the glass. I can't use those large hoods in the summer because it keeps the heat from rising and the AC cant keep up. But if I use my smaller super sun 2 hoods it allows more heat to rise and my AC does get the job done. The only reason I like winter is the free AC!

I hope that object you have attached in the corner at about the level of the hood isn't your thermometer! That's not where you need to be concerned with heat. The place to focus that attention in directly under the light at the height of the canopy. Everything else will be a littler cooler but that's the way it is. If that is a thermometer and that's reading 76 it's probably 8 plus degrees warmer were I mentioned under the light. I hang mine off the corner of the hood the furthest from the fresh cool air because I know that's going to be my hot spot.

GOLDBERG71 said:

I hope that object you have attached in the corner at about the level of the hood isn't your thermometer! That's not where you need to be concerned with heat. The place to focus that attention in directly under the light at the height of the canopy. Everything else will be a littler cooler but that's the way it is. If that is a thermometer and that's reading 76 it's probably 8 plus degrees warmer were I mentioned under the light. I hang mine off the corner of the hood the furthest from the fresh cool air because I know that's going to be my hot spot.

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Wow nice picture.... Ya I have a thermometer in the corner but also hanging from the reflector as well... Just moved it for my earlier pictures....Definitely want to spend a little more on my next hood....

limpted said:

Well, your a little short of the wattage for a 4x4, but I would definitely raise the light a bit. I go about 30" above the canopy with 1kw, so you can definitely go another 12" up.

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I'd say if he is getting 600w one foot off his canopy, then that would be better light to the plants then your 1000w 30 inch's off.

Eitherway a 600w is more then fine for a 4x4

Kjc99 said:

Wow nice picture.... Ya I have a thermometer in the corner but also hanging from the reflector as well... Just moved it for my earlier pictures....Definitely want to spend a little more on my next hood.... View attachment 3613873

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I recommend fashioning some sort of shade so your not getting direct "sun light" on the sensor part.

It's no different then taking a true outdoor temp reading. It's done in shade not direct sun light.

I just use a bit of aluminum tape to fashion a little lip over it

kiwipaulie said:

I recommend fashioning some sort of shade so your not getting direct "sun light" on the sensor part.

It's no different then taking a true outdoor temp reading. It's done in shade not direct sun light.

I just use a bit of aluminum tape to fashion a little lip over it

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I understand your point but there's no shade covering the colas. So I'm not sure that one equates with the other.

I sweat less if I were to workout in the shade than if I were in the sun. So if it were 78 in the shade that wouldn't stop me from feeling like it was a higher temp. I've never put a cover over my sensor and I don't let it get over 78 and I have plenty of fans spreading the heat and stale air. Never had an issue.

GOLDBERG71 said:

I understand your point but there's no shade covering the colas. So I'm not sure that one equates with the other.

I sweat less if I were to workout in the shade than if I were in the sun. So if it were 78 in the shade that wouldn't stop me from feeling like it was a higher temp. I've never put a cover over my sensor and I don't let it get over 78 and I have plenty of fans spreading the heat and stale air. Never had an issue.

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I get your point and understand why it sounds strange. But what's happening is the radiant heat is heating the sensor, so it's not giving you a correct reading. Basically its reading hotter than what it really is. Ie you can probably get your light closer.