Help..Plants don't like HPS.

I vegged my plants under 24+ k Lumen CFLs ( 9 x 2800 ) and now I'm starting to turn on the HPS a few hours a day to get them ready to make the transition to HPS ( Also keeping the CFLs going through flowering for spectrum reasons.)

But within minutes of turning on the HPSs the leaves start to droop.

It's not excess heat or loss of humidity...these are controlled by an AC and humidifiers. So there is no real environmental change.

They just droop, they don't look too happy.

I've vegged under pure HPS before and never had any problems except slow growth during veg.

Is it just a process that they need to get used to ? Take awhile before they get used to HPSs ?

The HPSs adds another 45 k in lumens...so it may be the massive amount of light they get now.

So with the CFLs going and the HPSs that almost 70 k in lumens.

I raised the HPSs a little. Now they are about 18 inches above the top of the plants while the CFLs hang just above the plants. Have to be careful though as the HPSs will throw shadows due to the CFLs below.

So should I wait and see ( Let them get used to the light ? )

Never had this problem before..

Like I said I'm still in veg ( 2 more weeks ) CFLs on 16 hours while the HPSs come on 5 hours later for 6 hours then go off.

Guess I'll wait and see...it's just weird.

How far is your HPS above the canopy????????????????

18 to 20 inches ( 3 x 150 watt HPS )

It's not heat...

only a few things make em droop. heat water humidity and cold are a few. when your light comes on whats the humidity in your room? soil gets warm and emits moisture hydro works the same. just a thought, you said it wasnt heat.

ive experienced this.. theyll take a few days to get used to it.. you can keep the hps at the same height but... just move them further away like to the side of it. or you could raise it.. i like to gradually move them closer until they are finally under it. this will help them alot. also.. do you have a fan blowing at the canopy? i get one fan at my canopy and one on the ground right in front of my intake from outside. this fan is blowing straight up at the light. will help you immensely. gl.

Ok...

Nightime... 68 to 70 f / 60 to 65 RH

Daytime...76 to 80 f / 40 to 50 RH ( 40 is lowest I've seen )

I have plenty of fans...

2 wall mounted oscillating fans that come on when the lights do....another oscillating fan runs all the time next to the humidifier ( I live in Colorado it's really dry here )
And one more fan mounted above the lights to keep air moving in the upper parts of the grow room.

I use 2 sonic humidifiers sitting in one those Wal Mart storage tubs....one is connected to an RH meter and will shut off if RH approaches 70.

It's not over watering or under watering...it's not cold.

And the canopy does get enough air movement.

Guess I'll take above posters advice and just chill...

I should say not all the plants do this as my one Kush doesn't care what I do....but the 2 Blueberrys and the Cherry Bomb / White Widow do.

And again it is not heat as I can put my hand right below the HPS bulbs and it barely feels warm...the CFLs I can actually touch.

And they are potted in those Smart Pots ( which are awesome !!! ) and the wicking action of the pot does keep the soil cool. Can't believe how cool the sol is compared to room temperature. I have a soil PH / Moisture / Temp gauge. Just stick it in the dirt and it shows you everything.

midijunkie said:

ive experienced this.. theyll take a few days to get used to it.. you can keep the hps at the same height but... just move them further away like to the side of it. or you could raise it.. i like to gradually move them closer until they are finally under it. this will help them alot. also.. do you have a fan blowing at the canopy? i get one fan at my canopy and one on the ground right in front of my intake from outside. this fan is blowing straight up at the light. will help you immensely. gl.

Click to expand...

Thanks..I'll take your advice about moving the lights even further up for now.

I agree with midijunkie man...I have had a few strains have to get used to a more powerful light. Good luck

Moved the HPSs up another 6 inches.

Woke up this morning....everything fine. Leaves arrow straight and aiming for the sky.

Guess it was just too much light all at once.

Problem solved.

plants will raise and lower there leaves depending on there internal temperature if the leaves are drooping your getting to much air under the leaves and your chilling the veins, if they reach for the sky they be to hot.

yes i understand your box temperatures are fine but that doesn't mean your not sitting 200k away from the perfect light temps for them, the reason we use different lights is to stimulate different reactions within the plant, having been man handled for so many years it would only be logical that we've dawned upon the age of plants that require such finesse to produce anything that could be passed as weed

chances are the genetics require a little bit different lighting spectrum then your using right now and they aren't getting the appropriate internal temps, bahia black head did this to me under my 6500's but i moved them to 6700's and they perked right back up

Talrox said:

chances are the genetics require a little bit different lighting spectrum then your using right now and they aren't getting the appropriate internal temps, bahia black head did this to me under my 6500's but i moved them to 6700's and they perked right back up

Click to expand...

Uhh..thanks?

But the problem is already solved...read my last post.

They just needed to get used to the sudden tripling of lumens.