LED lamp too close? Help!

I recently replaced my 8-bulb T5 veg lamp with a 180w LED. I was told I could get this lamp just as close to the plants as I can with fluorescent lamps; however, after a couple weeks, they are looking pretty rough. The other variable: I went with a different veg nutrient, so I was also concerned I may have overfed them accidentally?

Soil: Happy Frog; PH: 6.3-6.7; temp: 72-78; water: distilled; nutes: organic 5-1-1 fed once at half strength.

TIA.

Your T5 system was likely 54w. Going from 54-180 is a big jump. Might shut off 1/2 of it next time to let them adjust easier.

I also would say it's time for pots, Bigger roots mean bigger fruits and the cups aren't doing you any favors right now.

Lastly I would say stop feeding her for now. The old growth won't recover but watch new growth; should be prefect wait for the new growth to be lighter in color before you add more food. Try a feeding schedule more like this FwwwwwFwwwww. (You know it's time to water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry)

It was an 8-bulb setup. 432w total watts, but the LED definitely concentrates the light greater.

Thats a nute problem, not a problem with your lights. Just keep ur LED about a foot away and ur fine. You CAN go closer, but there's no need to. They should prolly be transplanted by now.

SWED1985 said:

It was an 8-bulb setup. 432w total watts, but the LED definitely concentrates the light greater.

Click to expand...

=) 54watt X 8 =432w

I thought you meant each bulb was 180w; never used LED before. Sorry!

The most classic sign of heat stress is an upward taco-ing bend to the leaves. Now you decide if its heat or nutes.

a little mag wouldn't hurt. 1tbsp/gal epsom salts sprayed directly on the leaves. looks like a little nute burn but you should be alright. time to up pot into something like 3gal.

Agreed wuth Dannyboy. Thats what it looks like to me.

LEDs wouldn't generally burn your plants like that. But unlike CFLs they don't need to be right on top of your plants either. Since LEDs don't scatter light as much as other lights do, they can be kept at reasonable distance maintaining full effect. I'd guess nute burn or overwatering. Put some drain holes at the bottom of the cup if you haven't already. You don't want excess nute water to build up and rot your roots.

You actually would want the LED at least 12 inches away from the plants. They could be bleached because of the strength of the light. Also, is your LED light mostly red spectrum? If so, that should be used more for flowering plants, and a blue spectrum should be used for veg. I use to have a blackstar 240 and it didnt work well for me so i switched back to my 8 bulb 4FT T5( Also 432w ) because i thought they grew way fast under the T5 and cover a much bigger area. The T5 just works best for my 4x4 tent. If i were to try LED again, i would use Lush Lighting LED's dominator because it has both veg and flower spectrums all in one light. I would transplant into a bigger pot ASAP but Everything else your doing looks great. Keep up the good work my friend.

-Jinx