Why give HPS lighting to plants with no bud sites during the first 2-3 weeks of bloom

[maygem12]

Why give HPS lighting to plants with no bud sites during the first 2-3 weeks of blooming 12/12?

-The plant still goes through transitional vegetative growth for the first 2-3 weeks of blooming.

-HPS gives off only a limited spectrum of the light that is mainly beneficial for flower growth.

-There are not even any bud sites during the first 2-3 weeks and when you give 12/12 HPS lighting you get unnecessary stretching.

-Whether you use comparable lumens of CFL, MH, or HPS lighting, the buds still take the same amount of time to initially show, which is about 2-3 weeks.

So why not start 12/12ing the first couple of weeks with 28,000 lumens of CFLs as opposed to 28,000 lumens of HPS other than the fact that it might be inconvenient?

Is there any upside to using HPS over other lights during the initial blooming at all? I feel like it just makes the plant stretch unnecessarily and cost more electricity.

Comments, corrections, thoughts appreciated.

 

[Classyathome]

Sometimes you just have to have faith...

Besides, hps is more energy efficient light - more bang for your buck.

 

[FreezerBoy]

HPS has better penetration. Stretch isn't necessarily bad. It's a natural hedge against mold and disease as well as making more of the buds available to the light.

 

[Natagonnaworrie]

I second the 'bang for your buck' theory... HPS just has more lumens per watt. BUT, i dont think MH would be bad if u have have a space consideration (or if thats what u've got).

I'd loe to see a side by side on that. Wish i has 2 tents.

i would avoid the CFL for initial flowering, just personal experience.

 

[Deft]

I remember seeing a CMH HPS side by side somewhere with clones, should be done by now.

I think stretch makes for bigger buds myself. At least longer, and the longer they are the more room sideways they have to grow out!

 

[lordbudly]

stinkyattic recommended mh light to reduce stretch on the cannabis forums

 

[B.C.]

aaah, it doesn't make that big of a difference in stretch anyway. BC

 

[blynx]

So why not start 12/12ing the first couple of weeks with 28,000 lumens of CFLs as opposed to 28,000 lumens of HPS other than the fact that it might be inconvenient?

It's my understanding that lumens are NOT cumulative, and I've never seen a single cfl bulb that puts out 28,000 lumens.

If a 23w cfl puts out 900 lumens. 5 23w cfl's will also put out 900 lumens, it will NOT put out 4500 lumens.

 

[CMoon]

Comments, corrections, thoughts appreciated.

illuminating leafs commutes energy to flowers!

 

[maygem12]

It's my understanding that lumens are NOT cumulative, and I've never seen a single cfl bulb that puts out 28,000 lumens.

If a 23w cfl puts out 900 lumens. 5 23w cfl's will also put out 900 lumens, it will NOT put out 4500 lumens.

Lumens are not cumulative? Are you saying that one 23w cfl=fiv 23w cfls in terms of output of lumens?

 

[SwampSavant]

Maygem12 - "Is there any upside to using HPS over other lights during the initial blooming at all?"

One consideration that I would keep in mind is that above all else the less stress a plant endures the bigger the yield and the quicker it will finish. When dropping the light cycle by such a drastic unnatural amount we are already causing a great deal of stress. If you switch from MH to HPS at this point the extra confusion to the plants is minimal. On the other hand if you were to wait 2-3 weeks after the light cycle shift you are adding a second photo related stress event.

 

[maygem12]

Maygem12 - "Is there any upside to using HPS over other lights during the initial blooming at all?"

One consideration that I would keep in mind is that above all else the less stress a plant endures the bigger the yield and the quicker it will finish. When dropping the light cycle by such a drastic unnatural amount we are already causing a great deal of stress. If you switch from MH to HPS at this point the extra confusion to the plants is minimal. On the other hand if you were to wait 2-3 weeks after the light cycle shift you are adding a second photo related stress event.

No drop in light cycle. Say you had 28k lumens of CFLs to veg and a seperate cab that does 12/12 of 28k lumens of HPS. Why not continue using the 28k lumens of CFLs to 12/12 for the first couple of weeks of pre-flowering and then upgrade to more powerful HPS when the plant actually has the buds to feed the high intensity lights? If you continue using the CFLs, you get stronger vegetative growth, less stretching, and less heat is used.

 

[Deft]

I think watt for watt and lumen count for lumen count a remote ballast hps will put a lot less heat in your cab than the self ballasted CFL, this is based on my observation growing with remote hps and 42w cfls in my closet. CFL are less efficient at producing light for the wattage used, so where does the extra energy go? Heat!

 

[HairlessCaveApe]

It's my understanding that lumens are NOT cumulative, and I've never seen a single cfl bulb that puts out 28,000 lumens.

If a 23w cfl puts out 900 lumens. 5 23w cfl's will also put out 900 lumens, it will NOT put out 4500 lumens.

I think they are cumilative. If they aint, then Id be able to cover my 4'x8' aria with one 600hps insteda 4. Thats the way I figure it anyhow. Goin by what you think Blynx, you can put 2 x 400 watt hps's in the same reflector and still only get the lumins of a single bulb. I just cant see that. For the OP- If your flowerin indoors under hid,s your Flowers will start settin buds in a week. If they aint you need stronger light. Stronger light brings on flower STRONGER and FASTER!

 

[Scoobs]

Plants don't see lumens People do.

PAR is what you want to talk about.

 

[Deft]

Yea I thought lumens were a measure of intensity and better suited to measuring the power of a projector than a grow light.

 

[SwampSavant]

No drop in light cycle.[/B].

I think you misunderstood me. By drop in light cycle I did not mean that you would be using less light intensity. I was referring to the number of hours the light cycle would change. For example 18/6 to 12/12. I also do not think that you can really compare CFL with HID when talking about flower development . I just started a whole new argument with that last statement but that is just the opinion I have arrived at having used both.

 

[petemoss]

Could someone explain why HPS lighting causes "unnecessary stretching"? My own experience is just the opposite; I believe that MH lighting during the first few weeks of 12/12 caused my plants to stretch. Shortly before Xmas, my 250 watt Hortilux HPS bulb refused to start. I replaced the HPS bulb with a MH bulb and was surprised when my plants stretched tremendously. Compared with plants flowered under HPS, the MH lit plants finished 8"-10" taller with large spaces between nodes. Yield was also much lower on the MH plants. I'm using a generic HPS bulb now with no signs of uncontrolled stretching. Below are pics of my stretchy MH plants and some plants flowered under HPS.

 

[maygem12]

Maygem12 - "Is there any upside to using HPS over other lights during the initial blooming at all?"

One consideration that I would keep in mind is that above all else the less stress a plant endures the bigger the yield and the quicker it will finish. When dropping the light cycle by such a drastic unnatural amount we are already causing a great deal of stress. If you switch from MH to HPS at this point the extra confusion to the plants is minimal. On the other hand if you were to wait 2-3 weeks after the light cycle shift you are adding a second photo related stress event.

Plants go through "photo related stress" in nature all the time i.e. clouds. I do not think that giving your plant a better spectrum of light that is suited to whatever phase it is in would cause much if not any stress at all. Depriving your plant of the blue spectrum of light that HPS does not give off too much of while your plant is still phasing out the veg. stage for the first couple of weeks of bloom sounds more stressful to a plant than using strong CFLS for the first couple of weeks of blooming.

 

[Deft]

Pete moss, is that last pic from the generic HPS? I love my generic 250w polar lites bulb!