600w light rail or 1000w stationary?

meetzu

meetzu

Well-Known Member
I know that there are tons of threads on 1000w HPS vs 600w HPS. I know the efficency differences. I don't have the money to spend on a couple 600w. The ones I am looking at the 600w with light rail would be about $60 more than the 1000w with a decent bulb.

My space limitations and current project should be over in January and I am looking to set up a new tent. From what I have read, different sources site different coverage areas for HID lighting. They range from a 600w covering 4x4 to 6x6 and 1000w covering 5x5 to 8x8 (I don't believe the 8x8 to be realistic at all).

My real question is would a 600w on a 6' light rail be able to provide adequate coverage for flowering in an 8'x4'x6.5'h tent. Would a single stationary 1kw lamp even do it? I would be willing to go through rotating plants to encourage even growth.

As far as the heat issue with the 1kw I have a 285CFM in-line fan i will be using with a filter. Would this be enough to adequately cool it in a room of this size?

Thoughts?
Thanks much.
 
Ronjohn7779

Ronjohn7779

Well-Known Member
When selecting lights it's best to know how many plants you want to grow and how large you want these plants to be.

For instance if you're doing a lot of little plants (i.e. sea of green) then you can use a lower wattage setup just fine.

If you're growing 2-3 footers as their finishing hight then you want to makes sure each of your plants gets at the minimum 100 watts per plant. Most people use light movers when covering a large extended area (i.e 8x8 for a 600w) with more than 6 plants (i.e using 600 watts to grow 9-12 plants). For something like that tent you shouldn't need a light mover at all. I'd just get the 1000 watt unit if you can afford it. The more light you have the better. That 1000 footer should be able to cover a good 5X5 to 6X6 area like that tent's working area just fine. Just make sure to alternate and rotate your plants once every couple of days so they all get even light distribution on all sides of each plant and you should be fine. Seriously since the floor plan for that tent is 4X6 feet the most 2-3 foot tall plants you could put in that tent would be roughly 6-7 with about a foot or so of space around each plant. I wouldn't grow anymore than that unless you had an 8X8 floor space or larger.

With a 1000w with good nutes (hydro or quality soil), CO2, and good environmental controls (ph, RH, temp,ect..) I don't see why you wouldn't be able to harvest 1.5 LBs (or a bit more) off that one 1000W light. I'd just grow 6 to 4 really nicely sized plants in that type of setup. Another possibility would be to grow a shit ton of small plants A LA sea of green (i.e. flowering from 2-4 week old cuttings) all at different ages and harvest every 2-4 weeks a steady amount of top quality weed just at a lower amount (but a higher overall gross at the end of the year). Seriously HID lights are best used with smaller plants. HID's can only penetrate so far and it's best not to go over the 3-4 foot range when dealing with multiple plants.

Light movers are kind of a headache as you known they're bound to breakdown and god knows how reliable they are. I'd rather just get more wattage than a stupid light mover. Seriously for the cost of some of those systems you could just by another HID light set. More lumens and plant rotation and position changing is the way to go! IMO

Seriously this ebay store http://myworld.ebay.com/thehydrosource/ and this one http://myworld.ebay.com/mgssupply&ssPageName=STRK:MEFSX:SELLERID
have some of the cheapest lights offered. They also sell lumatek ballasts which are the best on the market.
 
meetzu

meetzu

Well-Known Member
Ronjohn7779 said:
Seriously since the floor plan for that tent is 4X6 feet the most 2-3 foot tall plants you could put in that tent would be roughly 6-7 with about a foot or so of space around each plant. I wouldn't grow anymore than that unless you had an 8X8 floor space or larger.
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Great answer, I appreciate the help and + rep, but it isn't 4x6, it's actually 4x8. I was leaning towards the 1kw lamp but the furthest part of the floor would be 4' away from the light on each side. Seems like a long ways for light to travel given the distance increasing as the height of the light does. I guess that was more my concern with the stationary 1kw.
 
tems

tems

Well-Known Member
I run a 600w hps on a 6' light rail and fucking love it. I keep the light low to my plants <1.5ft. They're no more than 2-3 ft tall. The light rail has solved my uneven growth problem. You can get way more than 1gram per watt. Way more
 
northeastern lights

northeastern lights

Well-Known Member
Careful with your choice of movers. Chain driven ones SUCK. They can jump track and get bound up, I quickly scrapped mine. Not worth burning down the house. I have a self propelled now. Chain = $80 Self-Propeled-$225.
 
ozzrek

ozzrek

Active Member
I have 12 600's on movers and I love it also..... with 600's you get more lumens per watt anyway. yes the chain driver ones suck. Get the ones with the ruber wheels on a track. Make sure they are perfectly level..... Oh get a spare wheel! you never know when you might need one
 
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brett silva

Active Member
hmmm, after reading this is it safe 2 say that light rails are the way to go? I have 2 stationary 1000's but am looking into making them move. I do rotate my plants every 48 hrs. I understand that the rails provide even growth and no more labor rotating plants, but heres the BIG question.......do movers give you a larger yeild?????
 
northeastern lights

northeastern lights

Well-Known Member
brett silva said:
hmmm, after reading this is it safe 2 say that light rails are the way to go? I have 2 stationary 1000's but am looking into making them move. I do rotate my plants every 48 hrs. I understand that the rails provide even growth and no more labor rotating plants, but heres the BIG question.......do movers give you a larger yeild?????
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Depends on the grower. It helps to spread out the light coverage. I like it cause I'll run my lights a little closer due to the fact it's moving most of the time and won't get as hot in one spot.
 
B

brett silva

Active Member
northeastern lights said:
Depends on the grower. It helps to spread out the light coverage. I like it cause I'll run my lights a little closer due to the fact it's moving most of the time and won't get as hot in one spot.
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ooooh, thats right, you can get it closer cuz youre moving it. I like that. I like that alot

So what a light mover that can run 2 1000 watters should run me about $300 a piece, correct?
 
northeastern lights

northeastern lights

Well-Known Member
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brett silva

Active Member
very nice NorthEastern Lights! Thank you

So what do you think? I currently have a 10x10x12 room with 2 1000 stationary HPS. Id like to get a rail for these and also a second rail with 2 more 1000 watters. It should fit, what are your thoughts? Thanks again!
 
northeastern lights

northeastern lights

Well-Known Member
brett silva said:
very nice NorthEastern Lights! Thank you

So what do you think? I currently have a 10x10x12 room with 2 1000 stationary HPS. Id like to get a rail for these and also a second rail with 2 more 1000 watters. It should fit, what are your thoughts? Thanks again!
Click to expand...


If you can handle the heat then I say go for it.:bigjoint:
 
B

brett silva

Active Member
oh ya, the heat indeed. When I get the other 2 lights next month I will post a in the Room Design a thread about which portable AC unit is the best.
Thank you for the 411 on the Rails. I will purchase them 4 sho and I am VERY VERY excited about it!!!!!!!!
 
NickNasty

NickNasty

Well-Known Member
I would say get 1000 watt, you don't want to get one of those cheap chain light movers they are worthless. And you can always upgrade to a good light mover next round.
 
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