lighting problem

[xrayx]

ive heard from lots of people that u need your lights close to your plants to sop them stretching, but this worrys me cos my 600w hps gives off alot of heat and i dont want to burn my plants wen they sprout........how close should i have them im a little confused..............

[BkSkillz]

for sprouts best thign to do is put them under cfls for first couple weeks then introduce them to the hps begining from about 24 inches away till u get the confert level u want and the heat test with your hand

[xrayx]

what do you mean do the heat test with my hand.......

[Garden Knowm]

Put your hand where your plant is.. if your hand can STAND the heat.. then so can the plants

Ideally, a healthy vegging plant will have the HID, 6 inches from the canopy.... Ventilation is key... You want to pull the heat away from the plants.... This is how you get 1 gram per watt.. keeping the lights as close as possible..

your worry is valid... and you should keep a close eye on your plants , burnt plants are depressing...

love

you can always put you pots on a GRATE.. and put a fan under your pots.. The fan will be blowing directly UP through the grate, through your plants.. blowing all heat up and away from your plants...

as long as the room temp is not a problem, this method is FULL PROOF...

COOL tubes are also amazing!!!!!!!

love

[xrayx]

cant use that method cos im usein nft il just have to get a fan blowin over the light

[justaseed]

if you have a 600hps your gonna want it pretty far away from seedlings. they can't use even close to that much light. as others have said cfls or flouros are a better choice for seedlings. switch to the 600hps when they get bigger and can actually use that much light.

[Garden Knowm]

a 600watt bulb needs to be 5 feet away from seedlings..
I agree with justa seed

[xrayx]

ok thanks i was just a bit worry cos last month the four plants i was growing got burnt buy the heat and killed them.......so as long as i keep the 600w away from the seedling and get a fan blowin on the light i should be ok