Hi faithless - yes, I think you're right, as close as they are, and as big as the canopy is getting, light is going to be a problem. My plan was to use the T5 lamp for side lighting. However, my HPS decided to not work, so I'm stuck with the T5 until I can get back to the hydro store.

Hi PTS - thanks for the tip. Will cutting out leaves have any adverse effect? I've exchanged a couple messages earlier in this thread about pruning, and it came up about the leaves being important to leave on. Should I LST, as faithless suggested, instead? I think I'm going to try to at least lean them outward to see if that helps. The lower leaves are definitely looking less healthy as time passes.

Hi CCIE - I'm not sure if it's my ballast or not. It did work at the shop before I purchased it. Then again, the whole setup worked before I left the store. I may see if I can get some warm bulbs for the T5 and ride this one out with that. There's another thread of someone using the T5 lamp, even through flowering. I've not tried the proximity voltage meter, since I don't have one. Even if I did, I'm not sure I would know how to use it. When I flip the power on the system, I could hear a slight phlit-like sound (think of the penguin or cat from Bloom County). If the holiday guests don't get too demanding, or stay too long, I am going to try to make it to the hydro shop this weekend for mylar and replacement parts for the HPS. I hope you can get yours working soon! How many weeks are you into your grow?

By this weekend, I plan to change the water, up the nutrients to full strength, and switch to the 12/12 cycle. They are growing very fast now. I've read that using aeroponics, and T5 lamps would cause accelerated growth, but in the last two weeks, it's been amazing. They have tripled sized and leaf/node growth.

Attached is today's photo. Thanks for dropping by.