First timer, doing ok- switch to HPS from t5 for flower?

[closet420]

Hey guys/gals... long time reader, first time poster. I've been around the interweb quite a bit trying to figure out if my lighting is adequate for flowering, and I'm coming up a little short.

I started growing bagseed the 1st week of September, no idea what strain or species. Started in the garage with halogen work lights until they started to lose color and thus my new hobby began... reading, learning, patience, etc...

The first thing I did was buy some t12 lights from a big box store and built a fixture and wired them up.. I have since acquired a bunch of stuff from a old pal of mine on loan. I have a 4 bulb, 4 foot t5 setup, which 'the site' says is 20,000 lumens. The t12 setup I made is standing in the closet providing side lighting. I suppose I should hang it horizontal on the wall and maybe it would do some good for more than the closest plant. I also have a smaller 2 foot, 2 bulb t5 setup which I assume my friend used for clones providing side lighting on the other side of the closet.

All of that along with 7 plants is in my 6 foot long, 2 foot deep, 6 foot high mylar encased closet. I could go higher up to 8 feet if I wanted by removing the shelf, we'll see. As awesome as it might be, I don't want to have to stuff the plants in the closet to shut the door, so I'd like to start flowering very very soon. All of my plants have been on 24/0 since they sprouted, all have alternating nodes and all are showing female preflowers. I also just installed a bathroom vent fan in the ceiling and have a small clip fan to provide some circulation.

From what I understand, MJ needs about 2500 lumens per square foot. 6'x2'=12 square feet, so by this rationale I should be providing 30,000 lumens. I'm 10,000 short. My bud also let me borrow a 400 watt HPS set-up. I need a power cord for it, but before I go and redesign my lighting- do you think I need it? Should I just use the 400watt HPS, or use it in addition to everything else?

Thanks in advance.

closet420 Reviewed by closet420 on 11-18-2010. First timer, doing ok- switch to HPS from t5 for flower? Hey guys/gals... long time reader, first time poster. I've been around the interweb quite a bit trying to figure out if my lighting is adequate for flowering, and I'm coming up a little short. I started growing bagseed the 1st week of September, no idea what strain or species. Started in the garage with halogen work lights until they started to lose color and thus my new hobby began... reading, learning, patience, etc... The first thing I did was buy some t12 lights from a big box store Rating: 5

[Dutch Pimp]

switch to HID & flower...ASAP...:thumbsup:...7 females under one 400 watt HPS; is gonna be maxed out.
Use the t-5's, too...on the sides if possible...IMO.

[Akumasensei85]

Nice

[closet420]

switch to HID & flower...ASAP...:thumbsup:...7 females under one 400 watt HPS; is gonna be maxed out.
Use the t-5's, too...on the sides if possible...IMO.

Makes sense... now to find a power cord for the ballast & get her done!

you think the t12's are doing any good at all? it's a 4 bulb, 4 foot setup, 2 aquarium lights and 2 cool white (i think cool white). i don't think they are because i've had plants right next to it almost touching and the new growth from the lower branches doesn't point toward the t12's.. they ignore it and point toward wherever the t5's are. i'll ditch it if it's not doing anything... save on electric that i'll need for the HPS.

Thanks

[Slevinkal]

The T12's may not be helping much but then again more light = more growth. I'd leave 'em.

Plus, they dont use a whole lot of power anyways...

[GetThisOrDie]

Definitely switch to the HPS and 12/12 asap. Mount the rest of the floros along the side. You will need side lighting as your hps will have to be raised a good bit to cover all of those plants.

[closet420]

Damn... reflectors are expensive!! Gotta pay to play I guess. I should have built a reflector out of scrap wood and mylar.. Anyways:

I hung the t5's on end for side lighting and hung the HPS relatively high to start, just to see what it does to the temperature. I'm glad I put in an extractor vent to the attic the other day, that should help a lot.

One more quick question: About 4 days ago, I transplanted all of them into 4 gal containers filled with fox farms original (i know... I should have used ocean forest). Anyway.. Should I let them veg for about a week to get the roots into the new soil, or will that happen anyway? I'd like to go to 12/12 pretty much right now.

Along with that- I understand the soil has enough nutes in it for a few weeks. Can I add "Big Bloom" now, or give them a couple weeks of 12/12 first? I also have been reading into molasses, so I might add those in weeks 4-7 of flower.

not bad so far for my first time i think. i seem to have enough lights now at least ;-). hard to take a pic, that HPS washes out the contrast quite a bit

[closet420]

One more... You can see in the middle pic how high I can go before I have to dismantle the shelf above the clothes hanger pole thing.. If I need to (and i have already to two), can i continue to tie the plants down to minimize vertical growth while they're in flower? If worse comes to worse, I suppose I could ditch a plant or three to make room.

I think I have too many.

[bigsby]

One more quick question: About 4 days ago, I transplanted all of them into 4 gal containers filled with fox farms original (i know... I should have used ocean forest). Anyway.. Should I let them veg for about a week to get the roots into the new soil, or will that happen anyway? I'd like to go to 12/12 pretty much right now.

Ideally you don't make any changes for a week after transplanting. This has more to do with stress than root development. But you need to flip them to 12/12 so go ahead. They are going to over run your closet as it is!

Along with that- I understand the soil has enough nutes in it for a few weeks. Can I add "Big Bloom" now, or give them a couple weeks of 12/12 first? I also have been reading into molasses, so I might add those in weeks 4-7 of flower.

Again, wait a week or two. Let them settle in to their new environment. Ideally you'd like to see flower development before you start the bloom nutes.

They look great. You should be pleased!

One more... You can see in the middle pic how high I can go before I have to dismantle the shelf above the clothes hanger pole thing.. If I need to (and i have already to two), can i continue to tie the plants down to minimize vertical growth while they're in flower? If worse comes to worse, I suppose I could ditch a plant or three to make room.

You can continue to tie them during stretch in flower. They should be done growing in a few weeks. You many need to get rid of a few. You're problem is not going to be height so much as it will be the bushiness that's going to develop in there. They will get very crowded. Consider pruning lower branches. They will not get much light anyway, they draw energy away from budding flowers, and they take up space. Also, be sure that your plants don't end up touching the florescent tubes. They will damage the leaves.

[Dutch Pimp]

One more quick question: About 4 days ago, I transplanted all of them into 4 gal containers filled with fox farms original (i know... I should have used ocean forest). Anyway.. Should I let them veg for about a week to get the roots into the new soil, or will that happen anyway? I'd like to go to 12/12 pretty much right now.

I just harvested 4 plants from 4 gallon pots. I only vegged them for one more week after transplanting; and the roots didn't fill in, completely, after flowering for ten weeks....so...was they really rootbound in the old pots?

If so...I would give it a few more days under the HID light...:thumbsup:

I would stick with vegging nutes, now and two weeks into flowering. And you can still TRIM, FIM, LST, etc...while still vegging.
Rotate plants when possible.

When I first got my HO T5, I set it on the side. The plants would lean towards the 6500k T5; even with a 400 watt HID overhead......go figure.