building a new clonebox
- Thread starter -ww-
- Start date
PurplePotion
Member
If it's just for clones, 2 150's would be more than enough. Might even want to consider just using fluorescent strips. How are ya gonna cool the lights?
PurplePotion
Member
Gotcha. It all depends on how big you want them, and how well you can cool the lights. If you are going to be using air cooled hoods or cool tubes, I would think you could get away with 3 150s, otherwise I'd stick with two at most. You, also may want to consider 2 150s and fill the remaining void with some low power fluorescents to root the clones under. I'd be afraid that they wouldn't root with a 150 right on top of them. Then, once they're rooted you could move them under the 150s, and plop some new clones in.
PurplePotion
Member
Hmm. As long as you have enough ventilation in the clone box and can keep the temps under control, you could do whatever you want. Like I said, though you may want to consider fluoro's for the actual unrooted clones.
For cloning, forget HID. A single 23 watt CFL is all you need for a box that size.
For vegging, you'll need some serious ventilation for 2 150's in a box that small. I'd probably do tubes, all flush to one end with the clones on the dark end, away from the lights.
For vegging, you'll need some serious ventilation for 2 150's in a box that small. I'd probably do tubes, all flush to one end with the clones on the dark end, away from the lights.
PurplePotion
Member
Yes. Use the 2 150's at one end and the middle of the cab, then use fluorescents overtop of the un-rooted clones. 150W will be too much for the clones, and they probably will not make it. Get what I'm saying? Once the clones are rooted, then you can move them under the 150's.
I clone in a walk-in closet with a single 23 watt cfl in a ceiling socket some 6 feet away from the clones. That may be overkill on the safety side but, strong light is bad for unrooted clones, they don't need it, they don't have the "factories" to process it, they can't transpire to cool themselves. You can use the 150 but, do your girls a favor and block all the direct light so they only get the reflection.
FreezerBoy said:
i was wondering though about your not wanting to put to strong of a light on unrooted clones since they lack the faculties to heat or cool, but i think that the plants take care of themselves via cellular respiration, so whether they are clones or not they should be able to respond very well to a brighter light.
the intial response to teh brighter light would speed up whatever processes that need to occur, since the genetics that are needed as well to grow any new roots would be sped up as well in response to the intensity of the light.
its the spectrum of light that initiates cellular respiration which is why we change spectrums for the plant to do certain things at certain times. i may be wrong but thats what i remember from my sci/bio books, and i refer to them from time to time when i forget a measurement, a chem./bio. fact about something.
I could be wrong on strong light hurting the plant but, it's not necessary. Using the 150 on clones means he's cut his potential by 33%-50% depending on whether he runs 3 lights or two. A 150 is a whole garden of buds. Why waste it on clones?
I only make a few hundred clones every month, so take what I say with a grain of salt. Plain and simple, too much light is bad for your cuttings. There are two alternatives you might consider. One would be to put a wall in the cab and divide it. You could use about 1' for clones and 4.5' for vegging.
Another alternative is what I'm doing in one of my clone cabs. I have plastic light sockets (those cheap round white ones) about 1' apart. For cloning I use 23 watt cfl's. For vegging, I switch out the 23w's for 65 watt cfl's. If I need even more light I put in a "Y" adaptor and use two 65w's per socket.
These are the bulbs I use:
http://www.1000bulbs.com/65-Watt-Compact-Fluorescents/34238/
PC
Another alternative is what I'm doing in one of my clone cabs. I have plastic light sockets (those cheap round white ones) about 1' apart. For cloning I use 23 watt cfl's. For vegging, I switch out the 23w's for 65 watt cfl's. If I need even more light I put in a "Y" adaptor and use two 65w's per socket.
These are the bulbs I use:
http://www.1000bulbs.com/65-Watt-Compact-Fluorescents/34238/
PC
-ww- said:at the moment i have a clone room that is half the size of the one that i am bulding right now
and i am using one 150w mh ... in a year and a half of cloning in this box i have 95% of success in cloning
well hell i , like pharmacan, jsut read through the post and saw whats quoted, so that leads me to say, if you have had a succes rate of 95% with one 150 and you are gonna dbll the area then just add another 150!! i jsut caught that you answered your own question.
in essence, jsut take your current 95% rate and dbl it in regards to the new space. if anything youll be up to 290% rate!
but i have to stand firm on my oipinion about the light intensity for the clones. your only concern would be heat. as long as you can control the heat from those lights , then go for it, if not then yeah your gonna have to use floros. if i had the funds to get the equip. to give it a try i would, but im 60% done putting my veg/clone cab together, and power draw in my area is a concern.
