What light ballast to use for Verticle / stadium grow?

[mrktwiz]

All;

Been lurking for over a year here and am now converting a 8x8 horizontal coco/perlite grow into a stadium/vertical grow. So a quick question....what type of ballast (light holder) do you use for a vertical grow, my local hydro guy is totally clueless to help me.

I am converting a 8 x 8 horizontal to a stadium vertical grow and have been looking for something to put my HPS bulbs into or can I just take the adjusta-wings reflector off and use the ballast I currently have? Sorry for such a NEWBY type of question but need some help? Once I get started I will take some snaps, it's gunna be so ghetto, DIY type of stadium and hand watered for now but...I am SO inspired by the great guys n gals on this thread! My goal is to go from my current 2 - 2.5 lbs per 2K of lights to (fingers crossed) 4-5 lbs??? I will be using a v-scrog as well. Wish me luck and peace my brothers and sistahs.

Mrktwiz from N. Cali

 

[Rysam]

pull the reflector off, use the socket that was in the reflector and dangle that sucker somewhere around the middle of the plant. stack lights as you grow higher to ensure optimum light. No additional pieces required unless you go with cool tubes.

 

[Aerohead]

I would use your current ballast, you could use the cord and socket from your existing hood but it's better to just buy a socket and cord for $25 at your local hydro store. Here is a pic of the one I picked up for 25 bucks so I didn't have to hack apart my cooltube.



Hey good vibes for your new vert grow, I am also trying my first vert grow, just went through ditching the reflector, and just bought a new socket for my existing ballast.

Good luck!!

 

[mrktwiz]

SWEET ok thanks guys....I think I will (for the 1st grow and cuz I am ubah cheap)...I will just remove the reflector and use the existing ballast and hang it. I am going to run (2) 2000 watt HPS's in an oval pattern with 2 layers of 8" shelving, going to run about 30 - 35 plants in 3 gal SmartPot's....now to find an auto watering system(?)

Does anyone have a suggetion? Just get a res and run pumps and tubing and to each smartpot?

Thanks again everyone for the help! Love this board.

Peace!

mrktwiz

 

[Shcrews]

just to clarify -

you are talking about the socket assembly and reflector, not the ballast. the Ballast is the light's power source and should not be changed unless it is broken.

to answer your question, you can either use a cooltube/suntube mounted vertically with the reflector taken out, or, as i suspect you are doing, you can just hang a bare bulb with the socket..

i have done both, they both have advantages. if heat is not an issue just hang bare bulbs. cooltubes require ducting and fans.

in a vscrog it is customary to have a fan on the floor pointing up at bare bulbs to circulate air and disperse heat. in a stadium the floor fan isn't used but air circulation is still key.

btw, i hand water my stadium, it sucks.

for an automatic drip system you need
-Mondi pump
-3/4" tubing
-1/4" tubing
-timer

put the pump in the res with the 3/4" line running from the pump all around the shelves in a loop, then put individual 1/4 lines from the main tube to the plantas.. set the timer to feed 2x per day for as long as necessary until runoff. make sure the runoff drains back to the res or out the window. i think thats how its done.

 

[mrktwiz]

just to clarify -

you are talking about the socket assembly and reflector, not the ballast. the Ballast is the light's power source and should not be changed unless it is broken.

to answer your question, you can either use a cooltube/suntube mounted vertically with the reflector taken out, or, as i suspect you are doing, you can just hang a bare bulb with the socket..

i have done both, they both have advantages. if heat is not an issue just hang bare bulbs. cooltubes require ducting and fans.

in a vscrog it is customary to have a fan on the floor pointing up at bare bulbs to circulate air and disperse heat. in a stadium the floor fan isn't used but air circulation is still key.

btw, i hand water my stadium, it sucks.

for an automatic drip system you need
-Mondi pump
-3/4" tubing
-1/4" tubing
-timer

put the pump in the res with the 3/4" line running from the pump all around the shelves in a loop, then put individual 1/4 lines from the main tube to the plantas.. set the timer to feed 2x per day for as long as necessary until runoff. make sure the runoff drains back to the res or out the window. i think thats how its done.

Schews -

I bow to your wisdom and help. THANK YOU

I have never used a drip watering system, (I am hella old school and just hand water BUT that is a bish).....I have a trash can for reservoir and your simple description of the drip system is EXACTLY what I was looking for, do you think a 185 gph pump is sufficient? I have my reservoir just outside my grow room and so the line to the 1st dripper will be about 6'.

Again thank you..thank you

Mrktwiz in N. Cali.

 

[Rysam]

If you go with a watering system, make sure all the 1/4 lines are the same length. that ensures even flow to each plant.

Handwatering sucks. I'm building a timer setup too.

 

[dubdi3mond]

Nextgens with Ushio bulbs, perfect combination

 

[mrktwiz]

If you go with a watering system, make sure all the 1/4 lines are the same length. that ensures even flow to each plant.

Handwatering sucks. I'm building a timer setup too.

Rysum - Thank you, I assume you mean all 1/4 lines the same length coming OFF the main 3/4 line correct?

Again I just LOVE this site and the great wisdom and help here!

Mrktwiz in N. Cali.

 

[mrktwiz]

Nextgens with Ushio bulbs, perfect combination

Dub;

I will check those out, the bulbs are a little pricy @ $100.00 a pop, but after my next crop I am sure I can get a couple. Are they really that much better than my current 1K HPS bulbs?

Mrktwiz in N. Cali

 

[Shcrews]

Rysum - Thank you, I assume you mean all 1/4 lines the same length coming OFF the main 3/4 line correct?

i think thats right.

Dub;
. Are they really that much better than my current 1K HPS bulbs?

digital ballasts are worth the extra $100 or so in my opinion: they run cooler and make your bulbs brighter. just make sure you can bring them back to the store for immediate replacement if they malfunction as the technology is relatively new.

and as for bulbs you cant go wrong with Ushio, Hortilux, or Solarmax. some bulbs work better with certain ballasts, just ask at the store....

i like ushio 600's and Solarmax or Hortilux 1000's

 

[Rysam]

yup, the 1/4" must be the same length.

 

[mrktwiz]

Thanks everyone for your help now on the the SHOW....

Thanks everyone for your help now on the the SHOW....

yup, the 1/4" must be the same length.

Yeah we just built the room today (Pictures coming but I am wasted literally) We had some issue with our drip lines leaking we are fine tuning atm...but thank you Rysum.

quote from Shcrews - "digital ballasts are worth the extra $100 or so in my opinion: they run cooler and make your bulbs brighter. just make sure you can bring them back to the store for immediate replacement if they malfunction as the technology is relatively new.

and as for bulbs you cant go wrong with Ushio, Hortilux, or Solarmax. some bulbs work better with certain ballasts, just ask at the store....

i like ushio 600's and Solarmax or Hortilux 1000's

Shcrews - My bulbs are Solarmax so I'm good and YES I want to go to digital ballast's asap, I am NOW thinking of turning my 4 x 4 veg room into a smaller vertical flowering room also since we put in the drip system today and it can handle 20 - 30 more plants. I have a good supply of cloners here in the Santa Cruz, Cali area so getting a lot of good strains is not too hard and their cheap (or free from friend growers yippee).

Once my g/f GET's ME MY FLIPPIN DIGI CAMERA BACK (grrrr) I will put up some snaps if I can figure out how to post them here to share with you guys. I am REALLY proud of this small stadium grow and want to THANK everyone in the Vertical Grow section for all your wonderful inspiration. I am so tired but so stoked to have it up, my environmental and de-hewey are all set... the scrubber is dialed in and I am maintaining a consistent 72-75 degrees running (2) 1K lights for 18 hours on (vegging for about 1-2 weeks.

My strains are as follows;

1) Tang - it is supposed to be the NEW shit strain here in N. Cali very rare (or so I am told). Strain developed by close friend and is really limited to the Santa Cruz area where I live. I will grow out this and share it's development with you.

2) OG Kush - Well known nice buds decent yielder I think(?) OG Kush, a strain that has as much hype and talk around it as any other. Believe the hype, believe that you will be severely couch-locked if not borderline catatonic, believe in OG Kush.

3)#90 Day #1 & #2 strains - this is an old school and rare strain from the early to mid 1990's. Don't know much about this one we will see together what it produces.

4)Afghani Goo "Afygoo"- Very nice strain, Approach this strain with caution! Saying you’ll be stoned after trying this is a HUGE understatement.

5) Goo - Apparently this is a cross of Hindu Kush/Blueberry, here is the strain guide definition but I doubt I have this exact strain; "The original Goo strain was developed in northern cali around the beginning of the 70's by Gooeybreeder. It consists of Cambodian, Mexican Gold, Maui Wowie, Lumbo Gold (All from 1970 genetics) and Thai (With 1980's genetics)."

This should be an interesting stadium grow and once I identify a good yielding/potent strain I will mono-crop it from their and try to fine tune the environment for maximun yield.

Mrktwiz in N. Cali -

 

[Shcrews]

santa cruz huh? and you have the Goo? interesting..

check your PM's

edit: i dont think you have enough posts for me to pm you..

 

[mrktwiz]

santa cruz huh? and you have the Goo? interesting..

check your PM's

edit: i dont think you have enough posts for me to pm you..

Shcrews - think your right, I cannot find any PM's (or even how to check them total newb here). Dude are you in my neck of the woods?

Send me an email to; megayields at gmail.com

and yes I have the Goo ....

Mrktwiz in N. Cali

 

[Shcrews]

Shcrews - think your right, I cannot find any PM's (or even how to check them total newb here). Dude are you in my neck of the woods?

Send me an email to; megayields at gmail.com

and yes I have the Goo ....

i will definitely write you... just a heads up, you should probably edit that post cuz i dont think discussing clone trading is allowed on icmag.

EDIT: definitely not allowed... i pasted this from the medical forum

"A Warning About Clone Swapping And The TOU Of IC Mag:

Here on icmag.com it is a clear violation of the TOU to discuss clone swapping of anykind. This is of course for the security of you. It has been brought to my attention that there has been discussion regarding, regarding swapping clones between members.

This has been a issue for a long time and i have been very lenient. But now i have to make it clear. It is against the TOU #7. Speaking about trading clones outside of clubs is not allowed. You must, in a public forum, discuss clones that clubs own, and clones that you own. And discussion of meeting up in clubs should not be discussed in public forum and only in pms. For the people who do not have enough post to PM. Well you need to contribute and become part of this lovely family."

 

[Shcrews]

check your email

 

[whodair]

I would use your current ballast, you could use the cord and socket from your existing hood but it's better to just buy a socket and cord for $25 at your local hydro store. Here is a pic of the one I picked up for 25 bucks so I didn't have to hack apart my cooltube.



Hey good vibes for your new vert grow, I am also trying my first vert grow, just went through ditching the reflector, and just bought a new socket for my existing ballast.

Good luck!!

i would lower that light a bit...hang the bulb down under the canopy...those are small plants maybe youre trying to protect them from burn ??

 

[whodair]

this socket formerly resided in a hydrofarm hood...i rewired it to straighten it out...ugly aint it ??

they shot up in no time !! heres the bulb "mid plant", proper vertical style !!!

 

[mrktwiz]

Shcrews - " you should probably edit that post cuz"

Done...sorry.....

Got your email and hit you back.

Staying forever vert!