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Raising and lowering lights or not?

V

Veggia farmer

Well-known member
I have seen some just have the lights mounted to the ceiling and some raise and lower them. I have always adjusted the height of them.

So the question is if you have a setup of ten lamps. Harvest and planting one set each week. Ten week cycle. Would you mount all lamps to one height or adjust them under way? Short plants not trees. Hps or CMH lamps. Setup is two rows next to each other, five lamps per row.

:tiphat:
 
V

Veggia farmer

Well-known member
Yes, the cmh are dimmable. Good idea, didnt cross my mind.. But dimming in the end when the plants are the tallest would maybe effect yield in weight of flowers and resin?
 
Switcher56

Switcher56

Comfortably numb!
Veggia farmer said:
I have seen some just have the lights mounted to the ceiling and some raise and lower them. I have always adjusted the height of them.

So the question is if you have a setup of ten lamps. Harvest and planting one set each week. Ten week cycle. Would you mount all lamps to one height or adjust them under way? Short plants not trees. Hps or CMH lamps. Setup is two rows next to each other, five lamps per row.

:tiphat:
Click to expand...
I don't have 10 lamps. I have one ea in my veg and flowering tent, and yes I adjust their height to the correct PPFD value for the stage they're in.
 
V

Veggia farmer

Well-known member
Im a little out of date here I guess. I have used the hand feel, is it warm? And looking at plants, look it hot or like it lack vigor/like in a shade?

What is PPFD?:shucks:
 
troutman

troutman

Seed Whore
I initially place the light high on low power and increase the power while lowering the light over time.
This way the plants get used to more light as they get bigger. Temperature above the plants must be
watched as well. Just like nutrients, it's better to go slower to get nice plants vs maxing out all the
variables and frying them.
 
Switcher56

Switcher56

Comfortably numb!
Veggia farmer said:
Im a little out of date here I guess. I have used the hand feel, is it warm? And looking at plants, look it hot or like it lack vigor/like in a shade?

What is PPFD?:shucks:
Click to expand...
I use a light meter. I have since the beginning and position my light(s) IAW their current grow state. e.g:

  • clone - 100-200 umols (I don't do clones)
  • seedlings - 60-90 umols
  • veg - 300-425 umols
  • flower 700-1200 umols. I stay at 900 umols as anything over 1K requires CO2 supplementation
I don't do scrog. I like my plants mobile. e.g tent mgt is as important as anything else we do. e.g pot pedestals (used as req'd, asw I grow at least 2 strains per run. They don't necessarily grow at the same rate))

I rotate my plants daily e.g switching spots. Measuring light intensity, allows me to place slower growing plants under the most light (PAR value) while placing rapidly growing girls in a cooler spot so to speak.

I am not saying what is right or what is wrong. This is simply what I do. I have also switched to using the manifold technique (see sig) for growing (currently my 3rd grow under this technique). I will never look back. I have exceeded 1g/w which apparently is the STD. Not bad for a rookie.
 
V

Veggia farmer

Well-known member
I have this thing :https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-in1-Soil...367160?hash=item548ee10fb8:g:NPsAAOSwz2BeBWsw

Bought it to keep an eye on the moist level inside the beds. Will try playing with the light measurement with it aswell. Thanks now I know what levers that I should look for.

What happens if you go more intens without CO2? So long it not to much heat... Think maybe I have had the lamps closer, so with more intens light. No CO2 here.

Good job Switcher, looks like tasty plants you got there:tiphat:
 
Last edited:
Switcher56

Switcher56

Comfortably numb!
Veggia farmer said:
I have this thing :https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-in1-Soil...367160?hash=item548ee10fb8:g:NPsAAOSwz2BeBWsw

Bought it to keep an eye on the moist level inside the beds. Will try playing with the light measurement with it aswell. Thanks now I know what levers that I should look for.
Click to expand...
Great for checking moisture but nothing else. I go by pot weight but verify with my moisture meter. I want it to sit on the line between moist/dry. I prefer to lean on the dry side.

What happens if you go more intens without CO2? So long it not to much heat... Think maybe I have had the lamps closer, so with more intens light. No CO2 here.
Click to expand...
Dunno good buddy, I forgot the intricacies. I ran CO2 for a bit. I didn't see any improvement using it. Maybe its because I didn't have a sealed room. So I simply keep my lights between 850-900 umols. This is the unit I use...

picture.php

There are others on the market $$caching$$ but it does the job and, that is all that matters. :) It really doesn't matter if the unit is 100% accurate, as long as you only use one unit/instrument to measure. Over time, I can pretty much guess what the light intensity is by a quick measurement (tape measure). This am I measured (2nd week of flower (1st week after transition)) I was sitting at 645 avg at 14" away. I will be raising it slowly (PAR value) over the coming weeks. In the past, I have found that over 900 I am starting to see light bleach on the tips, towards the end of flowering. That is why I keep the intensity below that these days. I'll be shooting for 875-880 this run.

I learn from every run, and choose only one maybe 2 factors to adjust on the next run. If you fiddle too much, IMHO, you don't know what did what etc... Patience is a virtue my daddy told me :)

Good job Switcher, looks like tasty plants you got there:tiphat:
Click to expand...
Thank you sir. I hope this helps :tiphat:
 
V

Veggia farmer

Well-known member
Will get something to measure and will go for an adjustable light setup:)

This helps a lot, give me something more to think about and learn about.

Came over this thread about CO2 released from the soil. Need to measuer that too. I have a lot of soil, so no way you could lift it too. Can always feel, but inside where all the roots are something I need to get more info about, during growth and 20cm deep inside the bed.

Hmm. Im known to fiddle. :p

But actually what Im working on these days its to take a little and a little changes to learn the most. Changing the setup in many ways, or a goal that maybe require many changes but I will learn. Ateast trying new technics.
 
simon

simon

Weedomus Maximus
Veteran
I run 1000HPS' in my flowering room. Not a ton of height to work with and the reflectors are essentially mounted to the ceiling. I find it easier to raise the plants instead of lowering the lights, as I usually grow multiple strains in a perpetual setup. The 600HPS' in the veg room are height-adjustable and I move the reflectors on occasion. Mostly, I just turn down the ballasts until the clones fully seat.

Simon
 
Switcher56

Switcher56

Comfortably numb!
simon said:
I run 1000HPS' in my flowering room. Not a ton of height to work with and the reflectors are essentially mounted to the ceiling. I find it easier to raise the plants instead of lowering the lights, as I usually grow multiple strains in a perpetual setup. The 600HPS' in the veg room are height-adjustable and I move the reflectors on occasion. Mostly, I just turn down the ballasts until the clones fully seat.

Simon
Click to expand...
If it works for you so be it. It is not the golden rule nor is the heat felt on the back of your hand = guess work at best! :tiphat:
 
simon

simon

Weedomus Maximus
Veteran
"Guesswork?" Because the reflectors are stationary? That's idiotic. My flowering room is completely mapped with a light meter. I average give/take 3oz/ft^2 dry. Have a look at my gallery.

Edit: I took a look at the grow pics link'd in your sig. Such cute little flowers. You're not my peer. Please don't post to me again.

Your plant:
picture.php


One of mine picked at random:
CH_00432.jpg



Simon
 
Switcher56

Switcher56

Comfortably numb!
Veggia farmer said:
Will get something to measure and will go for an adjustable light setup:)

This helps a lot, give me something more to think about and learn about.

Came over this thread about CO2 released from the soil. Need to measuer that too. I have a lot of soil, so no way you could lift it too. Can always feel, but inside where all the roots are something I need to get more info about, during growth and 20cm deep inside the bed.

Hmm. Im known to fiddle. :p

But actually what Im working on these days its to take a little and a little changes to learn the most. Changing the setup in many ways, or a goal that maybe require many changes but I will learn. Ateast trying new technics.
Click to expand...
That is the way I operate as well. I change 1 thing, maybe 2 between grows, if I am able to distinguish which one did what. If you change many things, you can't really be sure what did what :tiphat:
 
R

Roadblock

Active member
Switcher56 said:
I use a light meter. I have since the beginning and position my light(s) IAW their current grow state. e.g:

  • clone - 100-200 umols (I don't do clones)
  • seedlings - 60-90 umols
  • veg - 300-425 umols
  • flower 700-1200 umols. I stay at 900 umols as anything over 1K requires CO2 supplementation
I don't do scrog. I like my plants mobile. e.g tent mgt is as important as anything else we do. e.g pot pedestals (used as req'd, asw I grow at least 2 strains per run. They don't necessarily grow at the same rate))

I rotate my plants daily e.g switching spots. Measuring light intensity, allows me to place slower growing plants under the most light (PAR value) while placing rapidly growing girls in a cooler spot so to speak.

I am not saying what is right or what is wrong. This is simply what I do. I have also switched to using the manifold technique (see sig) for growing (currently my 3rd grow under this technique). I will never look back. I have exceeded 1g/w which apparently is the STD. Not bad for a rookie.
Click to expand...

Thats interesting as I do basically the same just a little different.

I keep the canopy the same height by placing other pots under the smallest.

I place the best plants in the most light as they grow faster and more robust which fills the space quicker than a smaller slower plant getting the most light, the slower plants cant take the demand so I find are better in a softer light space.

As for height my plants finish at about 18inches , when they started they were like 6ft away so my lights stay on the ceiling I dont move them the plants grow into them, I believe if there is no heat issues they can take pretty much most all your lights on full power , I run 7 x 600 and have the 4 CMHs run at full power from clone through veg.
 
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