Hey GC, got a question for you growers who side light. things here are always an experiment however I'm doing these girls under this Mars hydro fc-e6500. however as you can see I have a 1000w already hanging up there. Last crop I brought some outdoor girls indoor and bloomed them using both lights- it turned out pretty well. Only ever ran the HPS light at most 75%. It being winter I feel there is an arguement, that if the plant will benefit from the addition of it, I can kick off my heater(at least while the light is on) which runs 24/7 right now to keep growing temps acceptable. So, likelyhood they will appreciate the added light? Should I raise my LED up to avoid cross shadows if I do? My last ones the light was at the roof when I was side lighting. Thanks for reading and any opinion you may have.
If your running that much heat, you might as well raise the led to the ceiling and run both the full 12 hours. With lights, electricity goes in and comes out as either heat or light. Nothing else. If your running an electric heater to keep your grow room warm enough, your not saving anything by running the LED. You will get all around better light penetration having more lights that are farther away which means nice big dense buds top to bottom. This is why i still grow with HPS and only in the winter- the lights keep the grow area the perfect temp so nothing goes to waste.
Yeah, this is my first winter running an LED, been a HPS grower for years, the lack of heat is just such a downer. Thanks for the input. I am leaning to agreeing about the backing the LED light off and bumping the HPS on. None of this is about money or I wouldn't be growing weed as how it's far cheaper to buy it legally here. Lol. Yah, using a 1500w oil heater just makes no sense, sure didn't have to do this when I was running two counter timed HPS zones.
Yep. Everyone trying to grow weed with lights 6'' from tops. Shits crazy. Sure you get some nice top buds but everything down low is fluff. I find more light, farther away will give you an overall healthier less stressed plant with less issues throughout its life. Buying legally here is way more expensive than growing. Outdoor simply doesnt work when its snowing in September. Kicking the HPS on you could also spread the plants out a little more giving even better penetration.
Burrr, snow in September, talk about eww. We get shitty rain starting at the end of September so outdoor still kicks some goods here. All the way til November when it gets too shitty. Yah definitely would be keeping to those HPS for sure. I was always taught it was better to have lights far away, such as you say . I still can't move their bases as I multipurpose the room and everything but yah. It's a seed crop so I wasn't minding the flarf or lowers existing still. It is pretty crazy having the lights so close IMO. Might move my other t5 led 8 bulb set up as another source on the other free side. I'd run another HPS but think the heat might start to get much at my peaks.
This is where I'm at ..the same with many LED users dusting of their HIDs for a warmer winter 2nd thing I did buying up HPS lights was get a light meter, if you have 1000 u-mols(70000 lu) then your plant is at light max already, any more won't help(see Bugbee on YT) let your roots temps and light meter advise you good luck
Yah, root temps are generally okay for the sativa's, lol funny seems a bit counter intuitive. The more indica leaning or looking plants just haven't been able to tap in the same and aren't drinking the same as the sativa's which are sucking it up. (However they also have a small bit of soil with media which could lead to some stalling) Light measurements are sub adequate if your looking for 70k lux. With this LED I have to be about two inches away to get to that. (I know lux is sub par measurement, but it's free app and a general tool, not meant for exact pin point accuracy) Otherwise the majority is sitting at 35k, however the field is more like 20-40k where the majority of flowers are. 70k seems impossible to achieve in this situation, think I'd have to train it under the light for a while in veg to get a good canopy that was gonna be evenly spaced as a square all at the same time- more work than I'm looking to do for some herb. Yah, definitely gonna plug that HPS in. I don't like messing with lights while they are on, in fact I wish these were solidly fixed as I have heard notions the swing of the lights can take away from their growth and be another stressor, however it's on the list of shit I still haven't decided on how I'm gonna do. Well lights on, gonna raise the LED tonight possibly. Guess I got some measurements to do once this all warms up.
I use a oil radiator heater on low, 1500 watts in 5x5 tent. Being on low isn't using that much power. My has three settings probably like yours. Low med high.
Yah, Im not in a tent, otherwise I'd probably lead towards that being the most economical solution. It goes to keep my whole garage at temp, so it's on high all the time.my daily high temp yesterday was 70F. Nighttime Low 61F So much goes with what style one grows in doesn't it. This LED really showed me why they are pushing the tents so hard, they really seem to go hand in hand. The old style of hanging a HID light and using an open area not as applicable or replaced as easily by the LED alone. I really enjoy hanging out in my garage with my plants- I soak in the light too, forgot how much I love basking under HPS.
I think part of the benefit here will be the HPS will be warming the area- concrete in this case as it's my garage. Helping to increase the surrounding things temperature and humidity.
To answer the question . No its a waste of money using the hps for side lighting . reason i say that is the hps will only go about 8 inches deep into the side plants . that would not be worth it in the situation i am seeing in the pic . And my info is suggesting the light was a foot away. What i am seeing in the pic its 8 or so feet away ? There is zero benefit . Only to the power company . Edited , Now a person may say shit all the extra light . Nope sorry if you had a par or lumins meter you will see its hardly any light at all . But it looks bright with your eyes . But wtf do i know ? I would like to watch other opinions .
It's all good. Thanks for the input. I agree in terms of "light" it's not what's really gonna be helping me here.. so probably a shitty name for the thread... Even though it is the light doing the radiation of the area to warm it up. It's more the principle of heat and energy movement. Especially with concrete sucking energy away. Struggling to even hit 70 F at peak. If I had the infrastructure and could easily heat them with some other means, I would probably do it. However closest I can figure is a bunch of 50w heating elements or lifting them all up and running a warmed water through pipes under them. Or direct element like heated flooring/bench.. either way, I don't have that stuff where as I do have a bulb and a dimmable ballast. I can turn my heater during day off (which runs all day) if I run my HPS. so is it really a "waste"? If it's almost triple purposed? Even if I'm not paying more than I would will a heater running? Will those extra pesky photons bouncing around screw em up? All in the name of good discussion, just pondering and screwing around with various ideas. To note- I actually hung up a second HPS light and am thinking that two of them will help generally fill the area... One 75% and the other 50%. However it's merely a test, one more experiment. I am heavily considering running a tent.. which I have sworn against for years.. but seems it may be necessary for my mid winter grow. I wouldn't want them HPS 1 ft away ever though, wayyy too hot, about three to five depending on % they are at, is around ideal. They are about five feet away at closest.
How do you figure the HPS will only go 8 inches in to the canopy? You trying to tell me this canopy is only 8'' deep?