added grow space, by light mover?

[rty007]

hi there folks, i have a question.

as more and more topics come along about those nasty light movers, and from what i asked around it is not that you folks out there don't trust that thing like me, but that you just dont have/dont wanna spend the money. but getting to that question: i am thinking of a 2x600w over 3x6 feet how much more space could i add with a light mover without losing single plant yeild, couse i was thinking about multi strain scrog. I mean some people say, you could double the grow space, but i mean hell no... you are not gona tell me that i could light up a 6x6feet by 1,2kw that means 33w/feet.
but i was wondering if it would do the trick for say 6x4,5 feet? or 3x9

cheers.

 

[Lazyman]

I don';t like them for several reasons:

One more piece of gear to buy
ONe more piece of gear to break
One more piece of gear that you need to maintain
They have started more than 1 grow room fire when a cord snags or something
I hate ducking under them and getting knocked in the head
I also hate that it complicates ducting air cooled hoods

You're right, they do not double your space, my own guess is they would let you expand your garden by about 15-25%, but each plant will yield less since they aren't all getting lit constantly.

Lowering the lights for more intense light also reduces the light footprint, sometimes substantially.

Holding my breath until someone posts a link to Stoney419's grow, impressive as it is it's not something most of us can achieve...

 

[EvilTwin]

...but each plant will yield less since they aren't all getting lit constantly.

Hi Lazyman,
I want to say from the beginning here that I really respect your knowledge and your grows.

The one point...which happens to be a key point in light mover discussion is the issue of light intensity. Have to disagree there.

Plants are funny things. they respond individualistically to a variety of environmental factors. One thing they respond to is the maximum light intensity. NASA, at one point in the past, using this phenomena actually did a plant experiment using strobe lights. I'm not saying that strobe lights are an option...

But plants that have a short-term exposure to very high intensity light grow just as well as plants exposed at a lower light level only continuous. This is one of those obscure issues that you won't find much discussion on.

But it does relate to light movers. Using a light mover allows lower light placement and a stonger intensity at intervals. So the thinking is that the added boost of intensity makes up for the intermittent nature of that intensity.

And those people who say that it's best to simulate nature... a light mover overhead is ideal for simulating the sun and the dark time is similar to occasional cloud cover. I'm not really making this as part of my argument...

...but DJ Short says that light movers with a MH are best for sativas by simulating outdoor equitorial sun. From "Cultivating Exceptional Cannabis-DJ Short"

I've used movers for over 20 years. I rarely have a grow without them. And I personally tend to believe the 1.6 efficiency factor that the manufacturers claim. I'm currently lighting a 44sf bloom room with 1800 watts on a mover. For two years now.
ET

 

[Lazyman]

Hey ET, same here buddy, I always read your posts with interest, and I learn about 15 new things a day here too.

Yeah I know I make some broad generalizations and draw some premature conclusions at times, but my intent is to distill 30+ pages of data down to a sentence or two when I can to help new growers get off on the right idea/and foot. Doesn't always work out but I try to be right as much as i can

Of course when I'm just plain wrong, well, I'm just wrong! LOL

I can see what you're saying, and it makes sense. I did completely neglect my 1 favorite thing about movers, more even growth without manually rotating plants!

I do avoid growing strong sativas and their F2's indoors, just not worth the effort in most cases, take too long to get a smaller yield than a batch of indicas.

So with your room, you have about 40 watts per square foot, and using 600's (good choice!) and if you are using great hoods like the SS2 or Magnum XXXL with digital ballasts, you're probably throwing down about as much light as me with 1000's and cheap xtrasun hoods. I know stoney does a pound a light with 2 600's on a mover, over a 4X8, which is 37.5wpsf.

Do you know your grams per watt/60 days offhand? It's probably pretty good since you're using 600's to start with, well and the 20 yrs experience probably doesn't hurt, hehe

Take er easy bro...

 

[EvilTwin]

Hey Lazyman,
I don't usually bother calculating yield. I love sativas and always have them in my garden. I've grown everything from pure Haze to Nepalese to Reefs Boddhisatva. My last harvest was around 3 pounds. If I were growing with a commercial strain, I'd do alot better.

But the main point of my post is that I feel movers balance things out and it is possible to expand your area with movers alone. They aren't for everyone...but if you have a rectangular area to illuminate, a mover will help.
ET

 

[rty007]

wow a little brainstorm i see
even better two ppl, that i really do respect.
replying:

One more piece of gear to buy
One more piece of gear to break
One more piece of gear that you need to maintain

well there's that, especially the maintaining part is a pain in the ass

They have started more than 1 grow room fire when a cord snags or something

that is not an issue i will have some pro electrician help

I also hate that it complicates ducting air cooled hoods

wont just putting quite a fan do the trick to cool it down?

I've used movers for over 20 years. I rarely have a grow without them. And I personally tend to believe the 1.6 efficiency factor that the manufacturers claim. I'm currently lighting a 44sf bloom room with 1800 watts on a mover. For two years now.
ET

1.6 factor? i normally use 600w for a 3x3ft that would make it like: 3x4,5? this would make me ultra happy couse the plan was 3x6, but have some more space so could push it up to 3x9, that would make it easier on strain choice. couse i plan on doing a all mandala grow.
3x9ft would make it 27plants
but would use 24 spots for mj most likely water farm 8+16 or 8x3... dunno yet.

3 x 8 miles high // just for the sake of getin high ...
3 x hashberry // for its truly yummy taste, and helping with my sleeping problems
3 x speed queen // just for a little bit of chillout
3 x sadha // again sleeping pill, but with a little more kick
3 x kalichakra // for a little bit of jump start morning and when, i'll finally move to get my lazy ass moving on those lazy days, this one really does the trick
3 x satori // it really does help me with my work sometimes
3 x white satin // never really tried it but sounds like loads of fun and quite a good yeilder too...

wass thinking about crosing of the list: 8 miles high and white satina and adding 3 plants of satori and kalichakra

 

[Lazyman]

wont just putting quite a fan do the trick to cool it down?

Not really, you have to have longer ducts with all kinds of kinks in it to air cool moving hoods, it always kinda sucks and reduces fan efficiency dramatically.

 

[Purplestuffed]

u can use a curtain rail wit string to hold the ducting in place and move along with the mover.

 

[Lazyman]

Yep, I've seen that done, and though the ducting is ok when at the furthest point of travel, when on the near side it tends to get pretty kinked up, and it's all just so fragile. I guess I shouldn't say it's BAD per se', but I myself don't care for it.

Like I said, I've learned to have an aversion to complicated things in grows, as it takes something fairly tiny to fail, and man can shit get ugly. Fires and floods alike cause huge damage so rapidly, seeing my buddies light mover snag a cord and burned a hole in his house. He was home at the time and a tripped breaker finally alerted him to the problem.

He got lucky but I decided right then things could still yield well with a very simple and very automated grow. Next grow won't even have a water pump in it!