Anyone used light movers with their setup? For the obvious benefit of using less electricity, I want to make my own light mover but did not find a topic about it already. I am sure there is one somewhere around here, but it must be buried. Anyone have opinions about using a light mover to start off with, any experience? Okay, now to make my own. Any ideas? Thanks, I don't get on every day, but I will be on to check as much as possible. IF anyone is curious as to what a light mover is, here is an example.. Professional light movers are expensive. I know there has to be a guide to making one somewhere online. Any help? Thanks.
light movers are an outstanding way to go,i dont know what you mean by expensive,there are some out there for reasonable amounts and you will make your investment back in a hurry,hydrofarm makes a six footer for about a 100 bucks,you will be surprised at the added size you can produce when you hit the plant from more angles
I appreciate the fast response! Your quick tip just found me the cheapest system I have found yet. Here is the one I am looking at now: Hydrofarm - Hydrofarm LT6SYS Light Track System, 6' What is all the huff about chain driven systems? Just more noise, if so that is fine.. I guess I overlooked the argument about lighting angles. I am glad to hear such a strong supporting opinion for the systems. About how many plants could you grow under such a system with say a 430w hybrid son agro bulb? I am planning on using 5gal pails btw. Maybe 2x6?
Well, I personally have only used stationary lights.. but the benifits I understand are as follows in no special order. . There are more I haven't listed.. -Moving the lights over the plants eliminates solid shadows and hits the plants at different angles like gettintall suggested. Obviously the plant will grow better if more sides of the plant gets light. -The light can be closer to the plants without burning them because the plants get a break when the lights move away, and in turn being closer gives them more concentrated light. -If the light can move, the light can reach more plants, saving on electricity and reducing cooling needs.
Yeah. The speed seems to range a lot between systems. The one I found at The Light Rail! The Ultimate Light Mover! takes 3-5min for a round trip of 6 feet, and the one at Hydrofarm - Hydrofarm LT6SYS Light Track System, 6' takes 20 minutes for one length of 6 feet. I am not sure what exactly would be better on the plants, but I think the one that takes 20 minutes might be better because it gives the plants more time to rest in between passes. I have no experience though with it. Anyone else? The concept is like a garage door track kinda. Back and forth, back and forth.
Well that sounds interesting... Does it actually increase yields? or is it just worse light over a larger area? Do you change your light timers to accomodate?
Well, these are questions I have as well Caprican. I have gathered it increases yields because the light can be closer. And I think with a slight delay at the ends before it turns back around, the canopy should stay pretty even. This is where we need the advice from people who know more about it. I will try to make it back online tomorrow, but this is it for me now. Tnx. I suppose this thread should be moved out of DIY if we are not making something home made.
I am using a 4 foot one with a 600 watt cooltube and it works awesome! Without it, the plant in the middle would be the only one getting all the light, now all 5 can get it evenly.
Light movers are a great addition to any room. They can cover more area and bring your yield up. Ive seen one jornal that uses them and he has great results without using Co2 http://forum.grasscity.com/advanced-grow-journals/473672-5000w-ebb-n-gro-show-part-ii.html
I used one for a couple of yrs when I started growing(bought it for a old fish tank...but came in handy for another project) I felt it improved my yield overall. Light gets to more places and made it so I didnt have to rotate plants as often. I would still use one but I now grow in a smaller space and I dont need one...But I had one that was'nt chain driven...heard one at a buddy's and went with the other kind. Numb
I have roughly 7 ft ceilings and I am interested in using 2 light movers to cover 24 plants with 1000 watt parabolic reflectors, does this seem like a reasonable coverage area for this set up? Each plant is going to be in 2the gallon bucks being fed by the CAP ebb n gro hydro system... thanks!
I've used lightmovers on a few occasions and they're useful in some scenarios. They can only cover a little bit of extra canopy...I'd guess around 30% at most. Don't think they're gonna double yields or anything. I currently run a vertical 2k grow. The 2 bulbs are staked vertically supported by a tomato cage frame and move back and forth laterally only about 12-16" In this scenario the mover is used primarily so that I can move the lights out of the way when I water..and it's also used because the room is so small that if the 2k cage is sitting still it wil burn plants. I had another room where I used a lightmover in combination with a cable and pully to move the light vertically up and down. I feel it was a huge advantage in that grow, which was a 1k barebulb vert grow btw. Try to picture how the light come out of the bulb in a vertical set up...you have a kinda 'ring' in the middle..throwing out light 360degrees...kinda like saturn with the rings n stuff...by moving the bulb back and forth laterally (like in my 2k setup) the light mover isn't very efficient, but serves it's purpose. In my 1k grow however with the light moving up and down, that 'ring' of light is dispersed far more evenly then sitting still. A light mover might seem like a bit of money, but they are a very nice addition to certain grow rooms. Also, they only use like 3 watts..I run light rails. I've seen the chain ones have issues over long periods of use, such as slipping off the chain or jamming up. I don't like to worry about equipment failing...this hobby is more then stressful enough as it is. a few vert ppl at IC are incorporating lightmovers to move their bulbs up and down...I think I sparked a trend there
I am thinking about putting two parabolic 1000w reflectors on light movers to cover 24 plants in a cap ebb n gro system and I have about 7 ft tall ceilings.... do you think this will provide my girls with the coverage they need? Reflectors are 42 inches wide and light movers run 6 ft long... thanks!