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I didn't want to start a new thread, but I could not find this info. Wondering at what age is it safe to put plants under a 1000w MH. My plants are 2 weeks old and are under a 2 tube CFL. They seem to be stretching a bit and I would like to give them more light. I'm thinking it would be safe to put them 3' under it and slowly move it closer. Any input?
you could put them under the 1000 you can even start them under the 1000 if you wanted to, just seems like a big waste of electricity to use that large of a light to veg some plants when it can be done under several fluorescent or a smaller wattage mh or hps.
I don't think you are using a CFL (swirly light), sounds like a shop light. Get it RIGHT down to your plants. I'm vegging away happily under shop lights atm, 'cool white' style. Stretch is not a problem if you are less than 2" from the canopy.
If you don't want to use the big ass MH yet, go down to home dePOT and get another shop light- mount them side by side, right on TOP of the plants. Works like a charm. See Demeter's Garden of Delights under 'grow log'. She runs side-by-side shop lights in veg, and produces MONSTERS for a flouro veg.
Thanks Stinky, I was waiting for your reply!! I have them under a 4' 2-tube shop light with 'cool white' tubes for 14-15 days now. Don't really care that much about the electricity, I do a lot of welding here so a 1000w on for a extra week or 2 is no big deal ;) But will I get bigger yield by going to the 1000MH right now? It's in a cool tube and temps in my grow room are 74-80 ALWAYS. Thanks!!
I've never put anything under a halide that early. So I can't tell you. I think in veg it's a lot about HOW you use your lights. I like my shop lights, dammit; I just wish I had unlimited funds for toys, and I'd be all over one of those crazy 48" New Wave T5 fixtures like a pair of wet shorts.
I put my plants under 2 x 400w MH and 2 of them crisped up horribly! Be VERY careful. The lights were about 2 foot from the tips at the time. Now at 3 to 3 and a half foot away and one plant is still succeptable at nearly 6 weeks.
Listen to Stinky, no need for 1000w just yet!
mjd
Not to be rude at all to any of you that gave me your input, you all know much more then I do. I'm the type of person that needs to do something to learn..... So I put my plants 3' under the 1000w MH. They exploded!! They love it!! Under it for about 30 hours... they grew as much in that time as 3-4 days under the fluoro. One unrelated question; My White Rhino plants smell like weed already and the Big Bud do not, this is 16 days in. Normal??
I'm not surprised, although I feared the worst when I read that your plants exploded. ;) These plants have evolved to grow under the sun after all. Still, it is kind of overkill. Plants grow in spurts, so you may have just gotten lucky with your timing too.
If I may be allowed to chime in...if this were my lil experiment w/1000W's this early, I'd have a magnifying glass on my leaf tips twice a day--everyday, for at least a week watching for light burn. As I'm sure you know, the earlier you catch an issue, the less amount of damage gets done, and the easier the correction. Good Luck!
I have been watching the tips closely, nothing happening so for, but the pants looking healthier. Thanks for your input!
Hi, the crucial thing here is the distance and airflow between the plants and the 1000w light,
i too grow from start to finnish under HID, only a 400w though....but you have to be carefull to keep a safe distance to avoid burning the plants