1000w light question

I have started my 1st grow and have a 1000w air cooled light suspended over my hydro grow buckets. How far above the plants should the light hang. They are 12 days old and the light is 27" above them right now. a few of the leaves are curling upwards but I think that is due to Mag deficiency as they started that under cfl's in the veg cab.

Is this to close?

I can hold the back of my hand 6" under the light and it is not hot nor is the reflector to hot to touch.

Thanks

 

Thanks kinky.

I'll make that adjustment. It is not hot at all under the light @ 6 inches so I assumed I could go a little closer than 27 but wanted some feedback from someone who has already been there - done that.

 

Thanks for the help gang.

My 3rd day into the 1000w on 24/7, my grow room temp is staying @ 83 with my 465 vortex's on high. My central air stays at 72. I am trying to figure out how to cool it down in there. My (1) x 4" passive intake to the room isn't enough. I am going to cut 2 more intakes in the wall tomorrow to get more fresh air pulled in there by the exhaust vortex.

Due to the 83 degree air temp in there, the water in the buckets and reservoir is running 83-84 which as I have been reading is another problem in itself.

I will be working on a housing tonight that I can sit all 4 dual air pumps in and have the cool central 72 degree air pulled over the pumps before entering the room. At least they will be pumping cool air into the grow buckets. That should by me sometime to figure out something more permanent like an inline aquarium chiller.

This grow room is becoming a money pit...lol

 

hey suspect,

my grow room link has lots of detail and pics under my signature.

I would appreciate any ideas and insight you might have.

I only have 2 x 4" (fresh central air) intake holes cut into the wall of the adoining room. There is a 465 vortex on each. one for the light exhausting into the attic and the other providing fresh air for the grow closet and then exiting the ceiling thru the vortex and piped out the top of my house. I keep my house @ 72 degrees at all times. I would think there should be a way I can cool my grow room down to at least the upper 70's.

Thanks

 

suspect,

I don't know if you looked at my grow room pics thread but my central a/c unit sits above and 2' over from my grow closet. the grow room and the a/c closet share a common wall with the entrance to my attic right there too.

The closet I made into my grow room is in the coldest bedroom in the house with the most airflow out of the central a/c since it has the shortest route in the attic for the duct to get to that bedroom vent.

I keep the grow room door shut and locked unless I'm in there working on something. All the central air vents in the house are piped into each room from the ceiling.

with that being said, I do have another idea that wouldn't take much effort or much $. since the a/c unit is right above the closet, maybe I could install a central air vent in the ceiling of the closet opposite of the exhaust coming out. That would pipe cold air directly down and in there right over the light and onto the plant canopy. I could shut the vent in the winter when the heater comes on to keep it from getting to hot. hmm....let me give that one some thought.

 

WOW...LOL...and WOW

nice setup!

I feel inferior now...lol



seriously, thanks for the help and very nice grow.

 

yeah, I hear ya. I'm ready to bulldoze the whole damn thing.

I came home from work a few minutes ago, opened the grow door and no light. I check the fuse on the ballast and sure enough its popped. I have one extra, put it in and popped again and threw the circuit breaker this time. It is brand new. I have only been using it 3 freaking days. And of course tomorrow is a holiday so I can't do anything about it tomorrow not to mention I purchased across country in Florida so it won't be a quick fix anyway.

Back to 30w cfl's. This grow is probably screwed. I am so glad I am only starting out on bagseed.

After seeing the light dead, I take a step or 2 in the grow room and I hear squishy squishy. I look down and I have a major ass leak. One of the couplings for the return flow on the reservoir has split all the way down the side and is squirting out....

I fire up the pump and drain the system as quickly as possible. Shop vac'd the 3-4 gallons that got out on the floor and now get to run fans for the next 4 days in there so it doesn't mildew or start mold.

I guess i'll go have a few beers and call it a day. I screw with this tomorrow.

shit happens!....lol

 

If the outlet is overloaded, would it cause the ballast to blow the fuse?

I figured a fuse would pop from a short of some kind. Could a bad bulb cause it to blow a fuse?

As for the flood, I'm going to walmart tomorrow to find me a plastic kiddie pool that will slide in there. If I can find one that fits, i'll place all the grow buckets and reservoir in it. At least it will be contained like you said.

That ballast crap really pisses me off. I paid $560 for the ballast, reflector and both bulbs. Hopefully the company will take care of it. Their ebay feedback is 100% and they give a toll free number for problem solving so i'm keeping my fingers crossed for some good customer service.