question/thought/recommendatons on LIGHT

[marcaka]

I have about 8 ladies and they are about to be in veg. stage... I was going to move them into another housing area and was wanting to germinate more seeds so that I can have continuous production. MY QUESTION IS about a T-5 light. I have heard a lot of people talk about using this on their germinating seeds and seedlings before they are immature plants and start getting nutes. Can someone please explain to me a good set up for a T5 or is is better to just get another 400W HPS? I pretty much am wondering has anyone had success with germinating and getting their plants ready for Vegetative stage with the T5 or other cfls? Never used anything but my HPS but I NEED another light so I can keep things continuous... input would be awesome! also.. how you did it would help. thanks

marcaka Reviewed by marcaka on 01-30-2010. question/thought/recommendatons on LIGHT I have about 8 ladies and they are about to be in veg. stage... I was going to move them into another housing area and was wanting to germinate more seeds so that I can have continuous production. MY QUESTION IS about a T-5 light. I have heard a lot of people talk about using this on their germinating seeds and seedlings before they are immature plants and start getting nutes. Can someone please explain to me a good set up for a T5 or is is better to just get another 400W HPS? I Rating: 5

[stra8outtaWeed]

i would get some blue/red LED bulbs and a blue LED bulb w/at least 10 watts per bulb~ go to the harware store and get some ceramic bases for the bulbs then just wire them together with a regular 2 prong plug and you will have the healthiest babies! :thumbsup:

[bigtopsfinn]

I'd say it depends on the space you're trying to fill...

400w hps has a footprint of about 3ft x 3ft, and it might get a little cramped for 8 plants. This of course depends on how long you veg them for and how big the plants get in flowering.

There are plenty of success stories using CFL's and T5's for veg, but you will need a lot of them. Again, depending on how long you are vegin for.

If you have a switchable ballast, get a 400w MH bulb for veg. Even a 250w would be enough for veg (might need to get the right ballast though). Then get a 600w or 1000w HPS for flowering and you're golden :thumbsup:

[seventhchild]

I have about 8 ladies and they are about to be in veg. stage... I was going to move them into another housing area and was wanting to germinate more seeds so that I can have continuous production. MY QUESTION IS about a T-5 light. I have heard a lot of people talk about using this on their germinating seeds and seedlings before they are immature plants and start getting nutes. Can someone please explain to me a good set up for a T5 or is is better to just get another 400W HPS? I pretty much am wondering has anyone had success with germinating and getting their plants ready for Vegetative stage with the T5 or other cfls? Never used anything but my HPS but I NEED another light so I can keep things continuous... input would be awesome! also.. how you did it would help. thanks

confused ...are your "8 ladies" autoflowering seedlings , from femmed seed , or revegging?guess it doesn't matter as your question is about a T5 light.no light is needed while germinating seeds but a two bulb 48 inch T5 fixture can grow about 50 seedlings about 6 inches tall in 3 inch pots. some verities may become root bound before that hight and need trans planting sooner.at 6" imho the plants are vegging and MAY BE ready for nutes or flowering or whatever.BTW you can get pretty much the same results using t12,s or t8,s with much less upfront cost.a 4 bulb 48 inch T12 or T8 fixture will grow 18 very nice seedlings in one gal pots. .of course if you have the room and money imho either HPS or MH will do better than fluorescents at all stages of growth.

[marcaka]

my ladies are from a few hermie plants that i have had much success with. I used those seeds, germinated them, and they are now in soil under 400W HPS 18/6... I wanted to use a different space to have other germinating seeds and then during the veg stage and change the other room to a flowering room when the time comes. I was just thinking of getting another 400W HPS for vegetative in the other room.. Will that be good and cause the least stress?

[bigtopsfinn]

my ladies are from a few hermie plants that i have had much success with. I used those seeds, germinated them, and they are now in soil under 400W HPS 18/6... I wanted to use a different space to have other germinating seeds and then during the veg stage and change the other room to a flowering room when the time comes. I was just thinking of getting another 400W HPS for vegetative in the other room.. Will that be good and cause the least stress?

I still say get a 600w for your flowering room.

There is no stress involved here if you do it right. Things that stress your plants are: Changing light cycles (this doesn't include going from 18/6 to 12/12), light leaks during dark hours, too much heat, too cold, too much nutrients, too little light, too much water, not enough water, not enough fresh air... might have missed something but the point is that changing your light from veg to flowering is standard procedure. Plants actually prefer a different spectrum of light for veg as opposed to flowering. HPS is great for flowering, but not as good as an MH for veg, and vice versa.

[marcaka]

i have a grow tent.... 4X4X6.5 I am also having trouble deciding how to get a good exhaust going... i was thinking get a 4in inline fan bringing air in at the bottom opening and then having a 4in blower turned around sucking air out through the carbon filter and out ducting at the top... is that sound about right?? and on the air coming in should I hook a HEPA filter to it?

[bigtopsfinn]

For that sized space definitely look into a 600w, its footprint is about 4 x 4.

As for your exhaust questions, the way you suggested is OK, but for that sized setup you don't really need a fan blowing air in. I'm not sure if a 4in. exhaust fan alone will cool the room enough, but you really need to look at the CFM's of those fans. There are some different formulas around online which will give you the required CFM's for your space and the light you decide on. There's one formula in here: http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-gr...-progress.html

There are plenty of grow logs around also with people using 400w and 600w lights, and you'll see what kind of ventilation they're using.

Also, a cooltube will help a lot to keep temps down.