Why are Trays 4X4 not 5X4? Please Help

This is frustrating the high hell outta me. The best I've ever done was my very first cycle when I put threw the plants on the ground and had no trays at all. I did about 17 plants per 1000 watt lamp, and now that I have all trays... I have a hard time wrapping my head around why the damn trays aren't 5X4 to begin with. The lamp can cover a 5X4 area. The guys at the shop tell me, "Well, the company that makes them assumes that your plants hang over and fill that area on the outside..." That just isn't the case and it makes things crowded inside of my trays.

I am considering getting rid of the trays all together really. The very first time I grew grass I watered JUST enough so that barely ANY water came out the bottom of the pot. Everything I read says you need run off, but let me tell you... my best run I've had to date I had zero run off.

I'm running 3600 watts, and I'm on the verge of tearing all my hard work apart and just throwing them on the fucking ground again - it's worked out better than having them on my table that's two and a half feet off the ground ... hell my ceilings are only 7.5 feet tall, why waste 2.5 of it with a table unless it's bringing better results?

Even still, I would want to have SOME run off if I put them on the ground again. I can't put all the plants on wood planks because the wood would rot. Do you guys have any ideas as to how I can keep the plants 5-6 inches off the ground and then have their run off fall into some sort of tray below? I would then suck the water outta the tray with a nice shop vac... heck, I could even re-use that water if I used the screens people use for a flood and drain.

I guess I could use the trays that I'm currently using, just support them with wood..and then have one extra row of plants behind the tray. What would I put those plants on... cinder blocks or something?

Do you guys find it annoying about the trays being 4X4 as well or is it just me? I simply can't get over 1 lb per light with the way my room is set up. I run like 14-16 plants per 4X4 area, but the way these indicas have been filling in...I feel like I should have more like 20-22 plants! In a 4X4 area, that really is over-kill in my opinion... but a 5X4 area... well, that would work just fine really. Thoughts?

Well, I run 4x4 trays with a 1000w and I think it works out great. You don't want them right up against the wall, but I think by the done they probably hang over 6" around each side, giving a 5x5 implant. I generally have 15 plants in a tray. How tall are yours when you flower?
Mine is a drip system in a tray with square pots 10" high, and about 5"x5" at the top, filled with hydroton. I've gotten 2.5 oz of dry bud per plant (dry).

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Originally Posted by SpaceNeedle

Well, I run 4x4 trays with a 1000w and I think it works out great. You don't want them right up against the wall, but I think by the done they probably hang over 6" around each side, giving a 5x5 implant. I generally have 15 plants in a tray. How tall are yours when you flower?
Mine is a drip system in a tray with square pots 10" high, and about 5"x5" at the top, filled with hydroton. I've gotten 2.5 oz of dry bud per plant (dry).

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I flowered my recent batch of Purps (indica strain) at about 10-12 inches and they are now four weeks into flower at about 2 feet tall.

You get over two pounds per 1000 watt lamp? What size are your pots in gallons?

I ran Sour Diesel with the plants on the floor, and got over a pound a light... when they were on the floor I waited until 18 inches before flowering which took a little while longer than I like to veg for.

When I ran the same strain on the tables (2.5 foot high tables, 7.5 foot high ceilings) I flowered around 9-10 inches and got .6 pounds per light - A HUGE FUCKING DIFFERENCE.

I can't wrap my head around it because it seems basicly the longer you veg with that strain, the more herb you get..and other variables hardly change a thing. I had 3X better technology in my room the second time I grew it, as well as 3X the smarts when growing herb.

What I want for a low ceiling is a large producing indica... my room is a bit packed and it's just easier to deal with. Having a hard time getting my hands on an Indica that produces as much as the Diesel is supposed to. Have friends pulling two lb per light with SD, high high quality herb.. some of the best I've seen here in California.

I ran one less plant per 1000 watt the second time around, but they just didn't fill in well. Considered topping them, but that takes time with veg too.

In any case, I'm a bit frustrated that I can't hit the same numbers as I did the very first time I grew.

the table/trays have nothing to do with your yield. its 2 things.. first and most importantly.. its the strain... and second and almost just as important... its the veg time.. letting them double in size b4 flower is a huge difference... like 4 times the nodes and they space better... i would never use a table that high in a 7.5 space.. put your trays on cinderblocks with a 6" drip catch under it... and put a hydro pump 10 gpm or more in it to pump the water back into your res... and change the water every 2 to 3 waterings.. also.. 15 plants per tray is one method im really starting to lose faith in.. to get any coverage below the canopy is almost impossible. i work in a hydro store in costa mesa, ca. i talk to alot of guys.. as well as my own exp and it all points to 3 things that make all the difference.. 1. climate control... the biggest thing in growing and never taken seriously enough. humidity, teperature, root space, air circulation, light quality, and co2 levels. second.. is legnth of veg and topping. i know the feeling of just wanting to shove the little ladys in and flower em.. but waiting to top and recover is a massive difference.. if you flower after topping and recovering to a plant 2 feet tall.. your legit. this only takes 5 weeks veg time from a rooted clone to flowering.. and if you are exp in growing at all... your running a sog style grow with plants rooting, vegging and flowering all at once.. so if you clip clones 2 weeks after starting to flower.. they root and you plant.. you have 5 weeks to veg top and recover them.. perfect cycle.. imo. thirdly.. is pot size and spacing.. most guys in southern cali who have been growin for more than a year have cut it down to 6 plants per 4x4. its what i do. and its what most talented growers in my area do. just stuffing 16 plants into a 4x4 is gonna give you bud.. and its the idea of more plants = more bud. i assure you this is wrong.. more root space/quality roots, light coverage, and plant height/space/pot rotation is what will give the best results. i grow sfv og kush. its not a heavy yielding strain. its borderline light yielding strain.. but i have a perfectly controlled atmosphere in my room.. and i space 6 to a tray with 5 weeks of veg.. topped. i assure you.. i get 2lb or more per tray. so.. im getting 4 times the weight as you with 16 plants off my 6.. im using the same light, same space.. just less plants that are managed differently.. there around 5 1/2 feet tall when i finish.. with 4 colas on each plant and good bud down to the 5 gallon tall pot its chillin in. i get almost a half p per plant. but honestly, if you take any advice from this.. and if your not alreaddy doin it... do these 4 things: space your plants more, let them veg long enough to yield properly, give em better root conditions(great white+root excellerator+5 gal pots) and run c02.. you will be at 2 lbs. i promise. its not just me. its the hundreds of growers that come in and out of our store.. dont think more plants = more pot. there not cattle.. coverage and height make a big difference. sorry for the rant i just really have alot of passion for growing and when i do reply to one of these posts i go off.. hit me up with questions if you want concerning my nutes and spacign and shit..
peace,