600 watt lights are nice and can yield good if you know what your doing, but his math is definitely right, you usually want at least at least 50 watts per sqft, a 4x4 tent is 16 sqft, if you have a 1000 watt light in a 16 sqft area, thats 62.5 watts per sqft, just 12.5 watts over what your desired lighting should be. 600s do good because they are efficient as far a lumnes go, not saying 38 watts psqft isnt enough, its just not the most preferred by the plants.. maybe you should get on google and look at 4x4 1000 watt yields, most of them with the right strains doubles your 1 pound yields with the 600, not saying that thats not bad, but the majority of your 1000 watt 4x4s are pulling closer to two pounds than one. I get so tired of hearing people say 4x4s are not made for 1000s and yadayadayaaaa, but look them up, thats how you get the 2 liter size buds.. along wtih co2, the idea is making the environment indoors as close as you can to outdoors, right? Well a 1000 watt light in a 4x4 still doesnt produce as much lumnes psqft as the sun does, would you believe that? I've been looking into 4x4 1000s for a while, and know that this is the best decision, a 600 watt light actually has the most even spread in a 3x3 area, and a 1000 watt is best in a 4x4 area. Its facts. And about grow space, you just went to deducting numbers off the top of your head didnt you? The big kahuna is only about 12 inches deep, along with the pots being about 12 inches, tall. Thats it. I also top my plants, I will be doing 9 plants in there with only a 30 day veg, I will top on week 2. Trust me, they wont be 4 ft tall plants in there.
OK, if you say so.... But here is a nice little read for ya from a 5 second search.. How many lumens or watts do I need? | Growing Medical Marijuana Here is another good read from an experienced grower which used 600w in a tent and another with 1000w... It has been proven time and time again... https://mycotopia.net/forums/holding-tank/54907-dds-scrog-thread.html But you do what you want, it's not my garden and I do not have to smoke it.. So you be an "OldDudeInPain", but I'm going to get better and more off my grows..
Ya it gets old after a while... Seems people grow a couple plants and think they're a horticulturist that knows everything when they don't even know minimum suggested requirements... minimum is 30 minimum suggested is 50 maximum is 100 The link I posted above to DanDare's grow, he uses 100w per sq ft...
I have a 4x4 tent, and I have multiple HPS lights, including a 600 and a 1000. The 1000 absolutely spreads light more evenly across the canopy while still maintaining optimal intensity, there is no question. With that being said, a 600 can also do very well, just not as good as a 1000 would do. OldDudeInPain has valid concerns about height in a tent though. You gotta do some training in order for height to not become a problem when using a 1000 in a tent, but it's doable.
Not really IMO.... Unless you're planning a scrog, sog, or lst grow, you really should be picking a mostly Indica strain for a tent grow anyway... Some Kush would LOVE a tent home under a 1000w!! lol
You say there are no height concerns, but I should be growing an Indica because of height concerns... ok.
Hood 12" Linkage and pully system 6" Pots 12" Distance from plants 12" looks like about 3.5 feet leaving 3 feet to grow in. My math looks okay to me. ODP
Cooling a 4x4 tent with a 1000 watter is kinda difficult but can be done. Just check out my grow, its exactly that: 1000 watts in a 4x4 tent, air cooled reflector.
Yup. This is correct. I don't think 1000 watt is too much light for a 4x4 area, but for a tent you definitely need to consider height and plan accordingly.
Its pretty much going to force him to scrog. That or do some serious plant manipulation. Did not see in the op's original post that this was the way he was going. I was pointing out that he would be having height issues and temp issues. Going with the 600w easily solves those issues. Thats what I was pointing out before it was pointed out my 600w was inadequate to use in a grow. Lol. ODP
Take a look in the forum here how often folks buy these setups and when the plants flower its plants in the lights. Happens alot. Perhaps the OP should pipe in on how he wants to grow because height is a huge consideration. ODP
LST is my preferred method, but yeah it's pretty much required if growing any kind of sativa strain. 600 is definitely a good practical choice for a 4x4. Like I said I have a 600 and a 1000, but I kinda prefer to use the 600. I can train enough to use the 1000, but it's a pain in the ass to train that much, and I'm lazy. Your plants look excellent btw. So frosty!
Thanks Even with the 600w I had to do a bunch of lsting. I have strings tied all over the place down below. Hopefully the OP will make an informed decision on how he wants to grow. He may have a plant number restrictions if hes a patient. He may have physical limitations making scrog alot more difficult. Etc Etc Etc. At least with the noise I made he now knows his options and limitations. ODP
This thread did get me thinking a bit... as an alternative you could go with a 600w & 400w. Both in cool tubes to maximize tent hieght. You may even get away with 1 large blower to cool both lights. This way you could grow how ever you wish and not be stuck into 1 style. May also help with heat issues. I may even give this a go in the future... 3' of grow space would not work for me but this very well could. You would have about 5.5' of grow space including the pot. ODP
Unbelievable!!! You slam me for saying that a 1000w lamp is the correct lamp for a 4x4, and it is an "over kill", and also a waste of money.... Then when I PROVE you wrong, no apologizes, no "hey I guess your right", nothing....... Then you go patting yourself on the back for doing a good job and pointing out the obvious... Oh, so a 1000 watts will work in a 4x4 huh???? Thought my math was wrong and what I posted was the "funnest thing you ever seen posted in a forum"... So what is the difference between a 600w and a 400w over just buying a 1000w, outside of being a waste of money??????? ALL THREE LAMPS ARE SOLD IN COOLTUBES!!! Pat yourself on the back again, because your just a wealth of correct information!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
1000 watts is so not overkill for a 4x4! I have the same issue w not wanting 2 fans. Has anyone tried running 1 fan w a y-split? I have a 4x4 tent, 1000w. I use 2 6" inline fans. 1 for the hoods and 1 for filtration/exhaust. Portable a/c inside tent. Would work great but the tent is inside an uninsulated garage! I just set up a 2x4 tent in my bedroom which has a 5000 btu window unit. Using a couple htg supply 400 watters w a couple of their aircooled 6" hoods I already had. I wanted to run a y-split and only use 1 fan (8" vortex) but thought the back pressure of the filter would cause most if not all the air thru the hoods leaving little or nothing exhausting the tent. Anyone w experience w this?? I ended up running filter->duct->hoods->out window and I'm getting little bits of carbon on my glass, temps in bedroom stay high 60's-low 70's. Tent stays between 68-90! I think I need to get a 6" inline..and install the y-split after the 8" exhaust fan but before the window vent duct That way I'm using my cold bedroom air to cool hoods and I could turn down that monster 8"! Lol And someone please show me how u can get 26 oz's from six plants in a 4x4 area!
Some info to add LIGHT to the situation... In my first grow I mentioned the inverse square law. The Inverse Square law states 1 foot from light source = 100% illumination and LUMENS 2 feet from light source = 1/4 as bright 3 feet from light source = 1/9 as bright 4 feet from light source = 1/16 as bright From what I read most 1000w users are using thier lights at 12 - 18". This creats a loss in effeciancy. Yes you can get the light closer using movers, liquid cooling or AC units. For a 4x4 tent? The difference between a 600w and a 1000w is not as great as the lumen difference would suggest. The following chart again illustrates this. Look at the foot candles against the distance. A 600w at 8" is 65,890. A 1000w at 10" is 64,171. At 12" 44,563. Heat and minimum light distance work against the 1000w. Is the difference that great between the two. The math says no. ODP
I always end up calling it the inverse flux theory... Drain bramage huh? Lol You have valid points and I see your view. I have used a 600 watt in the same 4x4 tent (select-a-watt digi ballast) and the flowers did seem less dense than with the 1k bulb. I cannot comment on heat difference as this was during the winter months when that uninsulated garage stays beautifully cool. I'd rather have 2 600 watt lamps than a single 1k anyday (until It's time to buy new bulbs!)
Another question... Co2 usage... It is generally viewed as good to have a small constant flow of CO2 over the plants at all times the lights are on, dispersed directly over the plants during the time exhaust fans are off. How do you accomplish this with 2 440cfm blowers sucking the air out of the tent and a fan cooling the canopy. This leads back into the boasts in this thread about getting 2lb plus from a 4x4 tent/1000w hps using co2. I would think this would be much easier to accomplish without the giant 1000w 3414BTU heater. Just my thoughts... ODP