So, I'm just finishing up my latest run and it got me thinking that since I'm already spending so much time and energy on the grow I might as well double down and try to double my yield. \nCurrently I'm running a 600w HPS cool tube, in a 3 x 3 tent, with a 750cfm exhaust fan, pulling air through a carbon scrubber, that exhausts out the window, I also have a couple small fans for circulation. That keeps my temps in the low 80's and the RH hovers around 50-55% lights on. \nFor Nutes I'm using GH Micro & Bloom, Cal-Mag, Superthrive, Hygrozyme, AN Bud Candy, Big Bid, and Overdrive. During flower I usually keep the PPM's right around 1100 and PH around 5.8. \nMy best run came in at around 250g with 4 white widows in a SCROG. If you want to check that grow out the journal link is in my sig. \nNow, what I'm thinking about doing next is getting a 10 x 5 x 6.5 tent and another 600w light. I'm debating on if I want to go with a E&F table and SCROG, or just smart pots with a 50/50 coco/perelite mix and a lot of super cropping. Either way I'm thinking about 8-10 skywalker plants (have a clone now that will be a mother soon). \nMy goal is to get about 2.5oz a plant. \nI'm always open to advice on any part of my grow and constructive criticism but I'm specifically looking for some opinions on, \nIs the exhaust I have now, going to be sufficient for 2 600w bulbs? I forgot to mention I have new hydrofarm air cooled hoods. \nIf it would be better to go with 2 smaller tents or 1 bigger tent? In the same category would it be better to run 1 E&F table or 2 smaller ones? \nI have always run in to RH issues late in flower, my lights off temp is low 70's to high 60's. Anyone have any recommendations for a good, affordable dehumidifier? \nCO2? Don't know much about it, but I think it might be best for me to get the new set-up dialed in before trying something new that looks to be complicated. \nYeah, I know, I have lots of questions but hey at least I tried to give as much info as possible and I have a link that will take you to some pretty pics! \nThanks for reading!!
If you really need yield and have done SCROG before then yes, go SCROG again, but its been some time since I had 9 plants to the square foot ....lol and using 1x 600w to the square meter or yard thats.... 81 tiny plants (18"tall) to 1x 600w HPS, ...could work well for autos...?
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'm not sure what you mean by 9 plants to the sq foot though? Right now I'm only running two plants, in my 3x3 tent, with 1 600w HPS. What I want to do, is get another bigger tent (8x4 or 10x5) and another 600w HPS. I would run both lights (2x600w) in the big tent, so that would be about 3sq ft a plant and about 37.5wt per sq ft.
What vostok is saying is... Rather than adding an extra light, and adding to it the extra logistical issues (heat, humidity, etc.) of doing so, why don't you try using a different method. He suggests running a LOT of smaller plants that are trimmed up like little candlesticks under your existing light. There's no reason you shouldn't be able to double your yield under a 600w light, as you get better at growing. I wouldn't suggest upgrading your setup until you've maximized production with what you already have. Generally speaking, more plants = more yield, assuming you've done the work to fit them in the space properly (trimmed, etc.) I would run several small plants, but I would run over the max number I'm permitted to have in order for my grow to be legal still. Finally, I'm not sure who you've been talking to, but you're spending too much on supplements. If you're already using GH flora, you have all the nutrients your plants need. You might want to consider learning about the Lucas method (my guess is that you've heard of it, if you're running micro/bloom only) and use that to its maximum efficiency before adding supplements. This will help you learn to dial in the other aspects of the grow.
I'm not sure that is exactly what Vostak is saying, but I get what you are saying. Thing is I can only have a max of 12 mature plants. I'm not sure if mother plants count as mature plants but I have 2 that are pretty big already so that leaves me with 10 more that I can legally grow. If I was to run a SOG with 10 plants I would have to get at least 1oz a plant to beat my best yield and from what I understand 1oz a plant in a SOG isn't exactly the norm. My best yield came from 4 white widows that I had under a SCROG, I had some more room vertically but with that set-up I was maxed out on floor space. I got about 11oz off that grow but lost 2oz to bud rot. So with all that in mind I'm just not sure where to go from here. Maybe hold off on the extra light and just work on getting a bigger space? As far as nutes go. I used the Lucas method on the last grow with good results, I did not use the AN supplements on that grow so we will see how it goes this time around. I'm actually just about to start the flush on 2 white widows that I have going I will post some pics when I get home.
Sounds like you're from Mich. with the "I'm allowed 12 plants"... lol I'm allowed the same, and in my personal opinion, your best setup is three of them 3x3 ~ 600w chambers.... If you do it that way, you can have a yield every 30 days of at least 4 plants.... I used to do that in the same setup, did 2 plant SCRoGs in the two flowering tents, and that left me 6 plants I could have as mothers, or experiment with off in a corner somewhere... Or toss a clone in a 2x2 corner and make your own fem seed from your favorite strain... But there is no reason you should not get at least 10-14 Oz every 30 days off three 3x3 tents with 600w, and 2 plants SCRoG'ed.... Then really, you can go with a 400w in the veg/clone/mother tent....
Thanks for replying JJ, I was hoping you would pop in. I've read a lot of your posts and you really know your shit. I'm actually in so.cal, guess our states "rules" are the same....lol One reason I wanted to go with the bigger room was to try to save some cash and reuse the carbon filter fan combo I have. I know with the two flower tent set-up, I would need two filters but do you think I could get by on one 435cfm fan pulling through the carbon filters, exiting out a window?
Ya, I'm thinking in so. cal.... Not... lol Now I'm thinking 2 chambers, and the flowering chamber you'd simply stagger the plants in there, so 8 plants 30 days behind the other 8 plants in there... Then your veg/mother/clone chamber.... It's going to be easier to cool that way.... Speaking of which, how are you cooling, meaning your home and the chamber(s)???? Cause it's got to be what, in the 90's most of the year there???
It's not too bad here, 90-100's in the summer, 70-80 the rest of the year, but yeah the summer is a bitch on the wallet. I run my central air in the summer and that keeps the house in the mid-70's. The rest of the year my biggest problem is cool night temps and humidity. The way I have it set-up now is my exhaust fan pulls air through the carbon filter, then the cool tube and out the window. The fresh air (AC air) get sucked in through the vents at the bottom of the tent. So, I would have 8 plants under each 600, 30 days apart? To get that many plants under a 600 would I SCROG them or maybe SOG?
Ya, you're not going to get 8 plants in a 3x3 or under 600w... Well not 8 of my plants anyway... lmao I usually use 1800w to 2400w for 8 plants and they completely fill a 7'x11' bedroom from end to end... lol Right now it's me and my wife, so we're allowed 24 total... So what you can do is run them under a 3x4 scrog screen, and just run 2 screens... You're not going to get away with stacking the lights on one blower, that's going to cause to much heat in that second light that will simply penetrate the glass/metal, and disperse from there into the chamber... Because you're only cool air is the mid 70s central A/C being fed into the bedroom.... Right???? If so, then you would need a filter for each blower that gets vented outside.... Ouch.... lol So you have a couple options here to relocate that heat outside.... You can do it by adding a window A/C to the window of that bedroom, which will take up the slack from you stacking 2 lights on one blower, then adding a filter... Or you can go chiller and use water to relocate the heat.... The only reason I like to use the chillers is because there is no air exchange between the chamber(s) and outside... So I only have a filter (the 6" combos) setting on the floor in each chamber, just to knock down the smell in the chamber itself.... But I'm using water to relocate the heat from the lamps to the chiller, and that absorbs the heat, then blows it outside... I'll PM you a video of my setup so you can see how I deal with the heat from one of my 1800w systems.....