Hey Max,
I understand that I have to have the different layers. The one thing that I am confused about now is why I need 24 plants. I think that I could just do 3 plants every 2 weeks.
If there are 12 plants
3 will be in the 1-2 week
3 will be in the 3-4 week
3 will be in the 5-6 week
3 will be in the 7-8 week
I dont see why you couldnt do this with just 12 plants. I mean I dont think with 1 600W I would be able to do 24 plants. Granted I think there is plenty of room but I think that is to many under 1 light. Let me know why you think the 12 plant system wont work cause I am kind of confused on that. But I do understand what you are talking about the levels, I know they need to be on the same height level.
Also I have total 4 lights, 2 430's and 2 600's but right now I only have room for 1 600, the other 3 are just sitting around collecting dust. I am moving in a couple of months and I am going to try to find the ideal spot to where I can have 3 different areas, 1 clone and mother, 1 veg and one flower room.
Do you also think it is a problem that I am vegging under a 600 W right now? Is that to much heat, should I be using some strong flourecents instead? Also why MH for vegging? And what do you mean by modifying my reflector?
And what is the consensus on the sexing, should I wait 6 weeks of veg time, take clones at around 4 weeks so they can root, or should I just flower a clone thats been vegging a week and try to find out.
I wouldn't do 4 layers with 1 Light... rather just two layers 1-4 and 5-8 week flowering...
I would do more than 12 Plants keeping them low.
I said 24 'couse I thought you want to harvest 12 everytime you harvest, for shure ya can take less if you want to do so.
24 Plants with a modified reflector like yours or something like the "adjust-a-wing" reflector is no problem with 600W there's eneugh light. You just have to start flower them at about 25cm(clones you could even flower lower, seed plants at least nedd about a foot) so they will just reach about 0,5m, this wil maximize your harvest and there's no problem at all for your plants!
There's no Problem to veg them unter 600W HPS, they even sell some HPS with spectre optimized for veging and others for both veging and flowering, but any HPS will work!
But with a metal halide plants grow faster an more pretty, and CFL or flourescents can save energy, but you have to use the correct ones and use them the right way, otherwise your plants will stech...
I would even take 2 clones(maybe one is not gonna root^^) each plant pretty soon(do it right now if allready possible) instead of waiting 'till you can take your 6 clones each plant.
After rooting them and veging them very few days, put them to flower, so you don't even have to take the 6 clones of your males, that might save you lots of work, rockwool, and rooting hormones, and you will know how many clones to take from each mother to get as many clones as you wish for your first cycle!