So you're growing 72 plants at a time? In dirt? I used to grow in dirt but the for last three years I've been using 100% perlite in 2gal hempy's You're much more ambitious than I. I plan to only grow 6-8 plants at a time, just one level and using 400w lights. The tent is 79" high, subtract the diameter of my filter (12"), height of the buckets(12") and that leaves me with a max plant height of 55" or 4-1/2 foot. Low plant count is a factor. I did a little measuring and found the smallest circle I can make with 8 buckets (2 gallon) is a 12" radius on centers, so I think I'm good there. I can move the buckets farther away as they get bigger. I have a LUX meter somewhere, that will help me judge where to position the buckets. 1 Lumen = about 11 LUX. I aim for 55,000 w/MH and 75,000 w/HPS. I will still check temperature, aiming 80F or less. I have a 9" Honeywell desk or floor fan that can point straight up. I won't be topping as I want vertical growth. Using clones should give me plants of more or less equal height. I plan to flip at 22". I think I can do this with 2 400w lights, but if needed. I could add a third. A fourth would require buying another ballast and more electric than I am now. I bought the Eeb & Gro so I would have flexibility in placement. And I got a good price on it $310.00 vs $500.00+ retail. Postal inspector called me and asked why their drug sniffing dog hit on the thing just a few hours before they delivered it. Freaked out!!!
Does any of the above sound off the mark? Besides the drug dog.
Is my fan big enough? I have 4" and 6" inline fans with speed controllers, too. The 6" should do fine IMO.
Do you use any kind of screen between your plants and the light? I have some 2"x3" mesh garden fencing that is real easy to work with. I've experimented with screens before but with my setup it's too damn hard to deal with so i bend and tie instead,
Are you using a cool tube(s)? 2 or 3 x 1000 watts is a lot of heat. Nah bro, bare bulbs IMO it's much better.
Do you turn your plants? No I don't, not needed with the system I'm using.
Do you trim your plants? depends on the strain, when I'm running certain sativa strains I do.
With my taller plants, will I need to trim the sides? Or can I just overlap the branches? I do a lot of bending and manipulating.
At 20" radius on center you suggested, I can put in 12 buckets 12" apart center to center. Would that overcrowd them if grown to 4- 4 1/2 ft? vertical SOG? I don't think so Red, 20" should be optimum with a single row height of 12
I have Sensi Seed's Big Bud, Barney's Farm G-13 Haze and L.S.D., Dinafem's Shark Attack, Royal Queen Seed's Ice and blue Mystic, Paradise Seed's Wappa, Acid. and Nebula. All fem seeds. Can you recommend any for vertical, yield, and potency? I'm thinking Big Bud or G-13 Haze? I've only grown Nebula and Big Bud vertically and both were too leafy for my liking, I havn't tryed the G13 haze but a buddy of mine did a stadium grow and he loved it.
One thing I found growing with my system is not to mix up too many strains, as you know, some grow so differntly than others it becomes a nightmare trying to accomodate their differnt needs.
There seems to be a lot less info on the web for arranging vertical lighting.
A pic of your set up would be cool.
Sorry for so many questions.
