When To Switch Seedlings to Main Lights?

[guitarguy10]

Seedlings planted 1.5 weeks ago under 2x60W CFL right now and I was just wondering how long I should wait to put them under the main light (a 240W LED)?

 

[Nickcg123]

I personally would have started with the led aswell. Put it about 20-22" above plants, wait a day or two and adjust from there.

 

[guitarguy10]

I personally would have started with the led aswell. Put it about 20-22" above plants, wait a day or two and adjust from there.

It's a bit too much for them, in my last grow from seed I started with the LED and they had a lot of light stress. It's a pretty small grow space (2'x4'x5') so 240W ('real' watts) is pretty bright for the space. This is the light if you're curious: https://gn.uk/led-grow-lights/gn-telos-8

 

[Nickcg123]

It's a bit too much for them, in my last grow from seed I started with the LED and they had a lot of light stress. It's a pretty small grow space (2'x4'x5') so 240W ('real' watts) is pretty bright for the space.

I start my seedlings under a 400w mh from the time they break soil, I place the light at 18" above and have done that for nearly 15 years now with amazing results, that being said I'm not to familiar with led so i suppose shouldn't suggest what I'm not familiar with. Although I do know the light intensity and heat coming from my mh is greater than the led so not sure why you would have an issue

 

[Nickcg123]

I start my seedlings under a 400w mh from the time they break soil, I place the light at 18" above and have done that for nearly 15 years now with amazing results, that being said I'm not to familiar with led so i suppose shouldn't suggest what I'm not familiar with. Although I do know the light intensity and heat coming from my mh is greater than the led so not sure why you would have an issue

I start my seedlings in a 3x3 tent

 

[guitarguy10]

Yeah this is my first experience with an LED light myself, that's why I've been hesitant to put it up with such tiny seedlings, but I'll just put it up high and keep an eye on them.

 

[StareCase]

Once the first serrated leaves have opened, start with the lights 30" above. Every couple of days, lower them and inch or two until they are 20" - 22". By that time, the plant will be large enough to handle the LED.

 

[Moldy]

I've got a cheap 300W LED that covers about 2' x 2' and can not put it any closer than 32"- 34" without burning babies and/or young seedlings. I use to use T5's but the bulbs get weak real fast and my plants suffer a bit from the low light intensity. Good that you're keeping a close eye on those plants.

 

[guitarguy10]

I've got a cheap 300W LED that covers about 2' x 2' and can not put it any closer than 32"- 34" without burning babies and/or young seedlings. I use to use T5's but the bulbs get weak real fast and my plants suffer a bit from the low light intensity. Good that you're keeping a close eye on those plants.

Yeah I've always tried to start under small lights, in this case just CFL cuz they are really cheap and a board + zip ties + power bar = poor man's lighting lol. I just can't remember when I switched to my main light cuz uh I guess I smoke too much weed lol.

I dunno how it would compare, I bought one of those cheap 600W LEDs off of amazon a while back (brand Phlizon or something) and tbh it was a piece of trash lol. When I did some deeper digging it turns out that it only uses like 87W and a fraction of PPF of 'real' LED lights. I wasn't even going to go with LEDs given their price and/or the amount of scammy/shitty ones out there but I got the one I have now for a steal from a friend who tried growing but gave it up (he spent about $600USD on it and sold it to me for about $175), so I hope it works out, I'm used to HID lighting.

 

[spek9]

I start my seedlings under a 400w mh from the time they break soil, I place the light at 18" above

I do the exact same thing, and have been doing so for a long time. My 400W lamp is approximately 18-24" above the plants (seedlings and freshly planted clones).