1 plant running under a single 150w HPS, my friend is learning the hard way that he needs to beef up his light. i recommended to him to add another 150w HPS to get 300w, and then he will see results. His plants are not really budding the way they should, he just get hairs and whispy branches. Hes on track with the soil/strands. GC have any advice on this topic?
150 watts is more than enough for a single plant. most likely other variables are causing the lack of growth. got some more info on the grow?
I agree.. I use 2 150w HPS lamps and get great results from 4 plants in 3 gallon buckets.. Those 150's pack a nice punch..
Yea like the post above me 150 Watts of HPS is more than enough. That's like 16,000 lumens! I grew 3 monsters under a single 150W HPS
During the Veg state he is using 2 sprial CFL that are 68w (300w equilavent) 2700k, each. He has seeds from bank (not bagseed) Uses FFOF at this stage and throughout flowering. Everthing seems fine at this stage. However when the plant goes under The 150w HPS , its seems to not do so well. All he keeps getting is hairy, whispy sticks. This is his 3rd plant so hes not a total noob. Using Tiger bloom for nutes . and hes about40 days into flowering and still has immature white hairs with no nugs. Needeless to say hes really getting discouraged . I recently tested his tap water hes been feeding the plant, and even after sitting out for 24 hours, it still seems to be High in PH (8 ish) so i told him about PH down. Any other opinions?
perhaps his hps needs to be closer and should throw the cfl's in for flower too just a thought good luck
first off, if you have a hps, DONT use CFLS. cfls are the cheap way to grow. HIDS verse cfls in vegetative stage will always always grow plants quicker.granted a Metal Halide bulb is better than hps for vegging, hps will still always be better than cfls. so either have him buy a Metal Halide bulb or just use the hps to veg. ph of 8 is way to high. the plant cant take up the proper amount of nutrients. so really focus on getting the correct ph. tell him not to get discouraged. growers can often over think everything and make mistakes. those mistakes will help you in the long run an you will grow from them.
Don't listen to this guy, CFL's a great way to start plants. It's a cheaper alternative to MH, which is kind of a rip off to me unless you buy a conversion bulb for your HPS ballast. But it's probably the distance of the light, combined with the ph, that's causing the slow growth. Or maybe a light leak in the grow room, drainage problems, etc. Basically, it could be a number of issues.
had a good giggle there yeah some may think cfls are the cheap way to grow but using them along with hps is just that bit better, bottom line is more light is better, stick the flouros in for help with side growth, i use a 400w hps and a switchable 250w hps/mh in my room but i still use flouros at each corner & always will
Uploaded with ImageShack.us can it be that its not in a 5 gal bucket? Uploaded with ImageShack.us can i be because he leaves the doors open like this during the day, and only closes them at night/ the off cycle?
whats the light cycle? also id try and geth the 150 parallel to the ground and get some reflective material around the whole box. i like to use the windshield covers that keep the light reflected away from your car
i use to just use a 150w hps all the way through my 1st grow i had 3 plants under it and i got not to bad results now iv got 3 x 150w hps and 200 actual watts of cfls witch is obviously alot better good look bro
Yo, since most of the advice which i would have given you is already said i will add a little something. I use a 250W HPS, and it is like 7 inches away from the top of the plant... so you should put it like 5 inches away , if you see it burning or damaging your baby at any point move it 1-2 inches higher because not all strains are the same and yours might not react like mine i've only grown white widdow. Anyway. good luck! P.s. use the cfl's, why not, they wont hurt your grow... but put the HPS at the top above the plant, and the cfl's near the bottom on both sides..., that way the popcorn buds near the bottom will get some juice later
I vegged just find with CFLs and now I'm flowering with CFLs and the seeds are just bagseed and the plants look beautiful and the lights have worked impeccably. You just need more CFLs than just one in your grow set up and gotta put them around the plant within a few inches of the actual plant to maximize the lumens the plant is receiving.
Here's various pictures from the life cycle of my ladies using nothing but CFLs throughout their life.
thats nice, but still your multiple cfls will never match my mh/hps. sorry. cfls are poor mans lights. but they work. to a degree. your ladies dont look to great. green leaves yes... but she needs more light..