distance for a 400w hps...???

[Rekap]

ordered a 400watt HPS with ballast and batwing reflector...my baby is still vegging(into its 4th week) can i put the HPS system in now and continue to veg. or should i just stick with the flores. for now and wait for flowering? if i can put it in now, how far should it be above the plant?

Rekap Reviewed by Rekap on 10-27-2005. distance for a 400w hps...??? ordered a 400watt HPS with ballast and batwing reflector...my baby is still vegging(into its 4th week) can i put the HPS system in now and continue to veg. or should i just stick with the flores. for now and wait for flowering? if i can put it in now, how far should it be above the plant? Rating: 5

[puff4twentynow]

i would recommend you put in that HPS as soon as you can. Let your baby veg under the HPS and use those CFL's as side lighting. Veg until your plant reaches between 12 to 18 inches and then start to flower. Before you flower, transplant into a little bit bigger of a pot. Or if you have a bigger pot now, transplant when you setup your HPS. Also if you can get yourself a Hortilux bulb. As for distance, 18 inches is what is recommended from the top of the plant to the light. But others like to use the back of the hand method. Back of the hand method is you lower your light within not too hot of a distance from the top, using the back of your hand to determine if it would be too hot to have the lamp that close. I hope you understand what i just wrote. Happy Growin!!!!!!!!!1 :smokin:

[puff4twentynow]

Here is a pic of 6 ladies under a 400w HPS hortilux and CFL's side lighting after 3 weeks of veg. Just so you can compare what you have now and what you can look forward to. Happy Growin!!!!!!!!!!!1 :stoned:

[Rekap]

thanks for your input, soooo looking forward to my next grow

[hydro]

:rasta: Hey puff4twentynow,
Where did you find your spiral lights? I live in kentucky and cant find them anywhere. The hydro store I use said they discontinued them. :rasta: :rasta: :rasta: :rasta:

[puff4twentynow]

I found mine at home depot. or you might be able to get them off the web from a hydro site. not bad for ten bucks each.

[Zandor]

If you use a remote temperature probe you can monitor the temperature at the top of the canopy and know exactly how close you can get your light with out burning your plants. The hand test is only a rule of thumb and guess. It is not exact so you could burn young growth on the tops so the best way is to use a thermometer.

[Sentinel]

well how hot is too hot?

[Zandor]

The point when the leafs burn is to hot. Like temperatures over 90f is to hot, you would like to see if kept under 85f.

[RoboGro]

Dang! I gotta get me one of those lights. I'm using three flouro bulbs and here's what they look like at two weeks.