Grow room size plans: Lighting/Lumens/Space per plant?

[smackhead1984]

Got a few plans i wana check over if any of you guys can help me that'd be great,

So far my plan consist of a grow in a rectangle spare room.

The room will be split in two by a curtain made of white, light proof, sheeting.

So there will be two grow rooms running at once, so that as plants come off veg an go into flower more can be placed into veg.

Veg room = 1/3rd of total space
Flower room = 2/3rd of total space

Veg room = 1 x 600w hps on 24 hour
Flower room = 2 x 600w hps on 12/12

Am i right in thinking that as plants grow larger and pass into the other room this much extra light will still be good for the plant as the ratio of light to grow space is still the same as the floor space in each room are doubled as are the lights. the plants will just be spaced out more. or should i just pack them in and have the same # of lights for both rooms?

flower space:
Will be 8x8ft = 64sq.ft
having 27 plants that = 64 divided by 27 = 2.37sq. ft each, which is not a problem as plants can grow as tall and large as they like. ive noticed everyone seems to be very keep on twist tying techniques all claiming more yeild. But as height is not a problem i was just goin to grow them as tall as possible, cutting each back so they have one main stem and one large cola, and experiment by having a few plants say 5, with more leads branching off, which maybe is a good idea for all 27 plants as i have more than 1.5 sq, which is the space im told is suited to a 1 stem plant so the leaves a blocking the lower ones cos there iant any cont theyre cut off to put more focus on grwth of the top, is that right???

Lumens per square foot:
1x 600w = 90,000 lumens so 2x 600w = 180,000 lumens
180,000 divided by 64sq.ft = 2815 lumens which im happy with :)

Im planning on growing 15 northern lights (indoor) and 12 super skunk, which are indoor/greenhouse plants i think... will this make a difference at all?

there are other factors of course but i would like to sort these queries out as ive been wondering about them for a while,

any feedback / criticism would be very much appreciated,
Thanks in advance.

[PharmaCan]

You're at 18.75 watts per square foot, which is not enough light. You need at least 40 watts per square foot. My 2 x 600 watts cover an 18 sq.ft. scrog.

PC :smokin:

[xcrispi]

8' x 8' = 64sq' x 50 watts = 3200 watts to grow wall to wall .

How do you plan on gettin in there to work BTW ? :D

More plants doesn't mean more weed . 2 x 600w . 3 gal pots / soil . I see 12 topped once yielding nicely .

1 x 600w veg , 2 x 600w. bloom . sounds like a good plan .

Keep in mind - despite the 7 ft. of headroom , a 600w. lamp cant penetrate much deeper than 3-4 ft. / after that it's all underdevoloped popcorn crap at the bottoms of plants . :(
Peace
Crispi :jointsmile:

[smackhead1984]

Sorry im an idiot, was tired late last night an i posted the size of the flower room not the flower space (space taken up by pots):

Really the space will be: 6.6 x 6.6 ft = 39.6 sq.ft

so having 27 plants = 39.6 divided by 27 = 1.46 sq. ft each plant.

Lumens per square foot:
1x 600w = 90,000 lumens so 2x 600w = 180,000 lumens
180,000 divided by 39.6 sq.ft = 4545 lumens

[smackhead1984]

Still doesnt add up though...

Watts per Sq.Ft:
1200 divided by 39.6 = 30.3 watts???

i dont really understand how it can be so high the right amount of watts being 40 watts per sq. ft?

im not saying it isnt its just that im going off Ed Rosethals book "Closet Cultivator" which states that lumens per sq ft can be from 1500 lumens and plants will still grow well, 3000 is excellent, and that 5000 is optimal, and with my lights i'll have 4545 lumens which is pretty much high level on this scale, so how can my watts be so low on ur scale? wouldnt 40 watts give off excessive amounts of lumens?

[smackhead1984]

More plants doesn't mean more weed . 2 x 600w . 3 gal pots / soil . I see 12 topped once yielding nicely

Keep in mind - despite the 7 ft. of headroom , a 600w. lamp cant penetrate much deeper than 3-4 ft. / after that it's all underdevoloped popcorn crap at the bottoms of plants . :(


i was going to flower them when they are 12" to 18" tall (hopefully taking 1 month in veg) so even if they tripled in size during flower they'd only be 3 to 4.5 foot tall at most?

Also the book states that bottom sets of leaves and braches are removed so that growth is focused into upper sets of leaves, what are the negatives of this technique?...Does it sound ok?

[smackhead1984]

also i'll be hanging a reflective curtain around the grow pots so that the grow area really is a contained space of 39.6 sq. ft.

[PharmaCan]

This is an mj growing forum, not the math club. You asked for advice - you got it. If you choose to ignore it, so be it. You don't have to justify your mistakes, just make them and learn.

PC :smokin:

[smackhead1984]

i wasnt to justifying my mistakes i am asking for reasoning behind what you have said, im sorry but if im going to be told something is true then id have to have a reason why it is true to fully believe in it, im not going to just blindly follow it.

Im not saying ur wrong and i never have, i just want to know why your opinion conflicts with the author of the book so that i better understand.


and it was you who gave me an example involving maths!
you need 40watts per sq ft
i just tried to use the guideline u gave me, now my setup didnt add to enough light on your scale so its fair enough im left wondering why the bridge between the two seemingly common guidelines are so different.


a wise man learns from his mistakes
a wiser man learns from others

i dont want to make mistakes when i dont have to through a bit of knowledge.

[xcrispi]

Most of us old folks go by watts per. sq. ft. -n- not lumens .

Lumens could be from weak ass cfl , led sources that are almost usesless once the light source is less than a foot away from it's target . = reasoning for watts -n- not lumens .

Do a search here and at the other sites for "watts per. sq. ft."
your gonna find 40-50 to be optimal .

Why not a pair of 1000's if it's a lumen booner you have ?
2-1000w hortilux = 290,000 lumens where as 2-600w only = 200,000 lumens . 2-1000 = the lumens of 3-600w.

Crispi :jointsmile:

[smackhead1984]

hey just sayin thanks for your help and all the info i put it up to 40 watt a sq ft and theyre growing rapidly,
thanks again!

[kittieluver1]

its really not about watts at all, its all about the lumens. watts measure energy and power, lumens measure light output. the plants need the light, not the energy running the light. ever notice how you can get equal wattage bulbs that have a different lumen output? check a regular bulb, like a standard incandescent. you can get 60 watt bulbs that have a 100 lumen output, or you can get a 60 watt bulb with a 250 lumen output. obviously these arent suitable for growing whatsoever, but its the same deal with higher output lights.

[superskunk1]

^^^ they actually have a point people can measure using lumens and or watts its not just all about lumens.

If it was about that then everyone would get 600w systems because they get the best lumens per watt. (sum1 correct me if im wrong im going by HTG supply systems)

[jtsik330]

If i were you and this lighting is the most you can have. I would either reduce the amount of plants and tighten up the space a bit ooorrrr try and go with 1000 watters. I'm sure everything will be fine if you truly have 4500 lumens per sq foot because the best growth is done at 5000 lumens per sq ft. Going by watts 50 watts per plant is what i go by and 200 watts is my max wattage per plant.