flowering under a 600 watt HPS bulb with ballast dimmed down to 400 watts
- Thread starter Mcoocoo
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Clumpyoyster
Well-Known Member
I think the 600 watt is too much for your space. Whats your air exchange like? Temp in tent? That size light is good for a 4x4 how far above your canopy is your light?
Mcoocoo
Well-Known Member
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I agree that the 600 watt is too much light in the 3x3 Air exchange is decent 6 inch Can Fan/filter combo is good at puling air through, so passive air exchange is good. I am able to get temps down to 76-78 with a/c I have the light hung as high as it can go in there. The tent cieling is close to 7 feet, but I am losing about 8 inches due to the filter being in the way of bringing it all the way up. I am getting light stress, yellowing leaf tips, light burn on the top leaves and the center cola is still growing. I tied down the side branches, but not the center cola yet. I did dim it down to 400 and the leaves have started to perk up. Overall the plant is healthy, flowers are filling out nicely, I hope that the top leaves heal enough to continue generating new tissue. I am looking into a 4x4 tent, so I can use the 600 at full strength
Renfro
Well-Known Member
If you want to run it at 400 watts I suggest you use a 400 watt bulb. Running a 600 watt arc tube at 400 watts will alter the spectrum of the output.
Just be sure to change the bulb before going to 600 watts lol.
Will you lose yield, well probably not since your 600 watter is a bit heavy for that space. 600/9=66.67 watts per square foot. The strongest I have ever run, with supplemental CO2 is 62.5. Too much light can be detrimental. You will probably do better with the lesser wattage. 400 watts puts you at 44.44 watts per sqft, ideal for you would probably be 50, so the 44.44 is much more in line with reality.
Just be sure to change the bulb before going to 600 watts lol.
Will you lose yield, well probably not since your 600 watter is a bit heavy for that space. 600/9=66.67 watts per square foot. The strongest I have ever run, with supplemental CO2 is 62.5. Too much light can be detrimental. You will probably do better with the lesser wattage. 400 watts puts you at 44.44 watts per sqft, ideal for you would probably be 50, so the 44.44 is much more in line with reality.
Mcoocoo
Well-Known Member
thanks Renfro, Is it safe to put a 400 watt bulb in there if I keep it dialed back to 400? Also until I do get a new bulb, do I have to start the ballast at 600 every day, then dim it down to 400?
Renfro
Well-Known Member
Well whenever possible match the bulb wattage to the ballast wattage. Using the 600 watt bulb at 400 is obviously not ideal, it may or may not strike an arc at the 400 watt setting. Could really shorten the life of the bulb with failed starts, I would set it at 600 for the start and then dim it after 10 minutes or so, whenever possible.
Mcoocoo
Well-Known Member
what about actually putting a 400 watt bulb in it? will the ballast be able to start it up? thanks
Renfro
Well-Known Member
A 400 watt bulb at the 400 watt setting would be ideal.
Renfro
Well-Known Member
Good idea.
Renfro
Well-Known Member
Hey, just a thought, you may look at metal halide bulbs if you want to run the 600 watt setting.
So a 600 watt metal halide bulb with the 600 watt setting, it will put out less lumens than a HPS making it perhaps ideal. Metal halide also makes the best quality flower IMO. Just something to consider, make sure your ballast supports metal halide but most of the digitals do.
So a 600 watt metal halide bulb with the 600 watt setting, it will put out less lumens than a HPS making it perhaps ideal. Metal halide also makes the best quality flower IMO. Just something to consider, make sure your ballast supports metal halide but most of the digitals do.