600 watt hps + 400 watt hps

ejb2219

Active Member
So I am about to set up my first grow when I move into my new place, tell me if this flowering section sound like it would be ok.

A 5' x 6' flowering section with (1) 600 watt hps light and (1) 400 watt hps light. I am planning on having the 600 watt directly above around (15) 6-9 week old ladies who are on their last leg of the flowering process, and the 400 watt over around (15) 3-6 week old girls. This would be one flowering section, so the two lamps would have overlapping light, with all mylar lined walls. After the one set of girls are harvested, the younger ladies are switched under the 600 watt, and a new batch of vegetating ladies will be brought in. Will this be enough light so that all the plants will have roughly the same yield. I dont want to slack any of them. IF not, how much light would be necessary for this 30 square feet grow space. I already have a 400 watt hps, so it would be nice if I could put it to use. Thanks
 

Nute

Active Member
i was curious about this myself? If you have a 400 and a 600, when would be the best time to have the plants under them? If you have the plants under the 400 for lets say week 0-4 and then move them to the 600 weeks 5-8 would that be best. The 400 would allow the plants to stretch a little bit and then hit them with the 600 for the final weeks of packing on the weight. Or the 600 first to allow the best plant growth and then the 400 to finish them off? Anyone have any suggestions?
 

demonic1

Well-Known Member
If you haven't got the 600 watt yet then I would just go for the 1000 watts. Better light coverage and penetration. Also where are you vegging your plants? Can you not just use the 400 watt for vegging and use a mh? If you do have a decent veg set up, then yes you could do half the flowering under the 400 and switch to a higher watt HPS for the last half although a 1000 watt would still be that much better. It just doesn't seem worth the hastle to move the plants from a 400 to a 600 while a 1000 is not much more and gives you way better bud production and coverage.
 

Hydro929

Well-Known Member
I don't want to start this fight but I merely want to say that light intensity is comparable because you can move the smaller wattage lamps closer. In fact he may even get better coverage with the two smaller lamps with better intensity. Not only that but I feel it can be easier to vent and cool the smaller lamps than one huge hotspot at the top of your room. It would also be cheaper to run some floroescents in the veg room than a 400w MH conversion, even with digital ballasts. I would say get a nice digital 600w and that should be plenty of light for 30 sqft. Just my opinion though. If you don't care about the costs and heat isn't a forseeable issue maybe it may advisable to purchase the 1000 as demonic suggests and makes a valid point in stating that a 1000 really isn't that much more of a price jump. If you do I would run the 1000w and the 400w together though. Otherwise it won't really make a difference either way. I feel you would be very happy even if your whole room is sog. The smaller lamps will assuredly grow better bud than some floros but the bigger light can bring out more potential.
If you haven't got the 600 watt yet then I would just go for the 1000 watts. Better light coverage and penetration. Also where are you vegging your plants? Can you not just use the 400 watt for vegging and use a mh? If you do have a decent veg set up, then yes you could do half the flowering under the 400 and switch to a higher watt HPS for the last half although a 1000 watt would still be that much better. It just doesn't seem worth the hastle to move the plants from a 400 to a 600 while a 1000 is not much more and gives you way better bud production and coverage.
 

fat sam

Well-Known Member
well look at it this way, with the 600 and 400 in 30 square feet thats only 30 watts per foot, it will work but the plants on the sides will suffer unless you rotate them around every few days which is your best option, i think that your best bet would be to split the room in to 2 places and do one side veg with the 400 then flower with the 600, but shit my old setup i used a 600 and a 430 in a 5x5 tent and it kicked ass, here is the link to my old setup http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW2HnDZVPIA now im in a different place and i ditched the 430 for another 600 and put a 250 mh in the closet for veg
 

justa hobby

Member
i have this setup with a 4x4x4 and im just about done with my first batch and have no problems. but i do run only 6-12 plants so i handle quite frequntly,and i rotate them everyday. but have no problems.
 
Top