lightmeup55
Member
How many plants in 5 gallon buckets will i be able to fit under a 1000w hps? Not trying to pack it just want to know what the best number would be for the amount of light.
light question
- Thread starter lightmeup55
- Start date
tharoomman
Well-Known Member
Just remember dude, less can be more.
lightmeup55
Member
hey i totally agree with ya thats why i didnt want a packed estimate. im trying to setup a perpetual where i can achieve a harvest every 2 weeks. if anyone has some tips or advice, they are greatly appreciated.
unohu69
Well-Known Member
Hey nuglets, at what height would the light need to be above the tops of the plants to achieve those numbers. I figure I could get 4, maybe 5 plants in DWC. but I really dont know how far I can push a 1k HPS light, as far as effectively lit area. I mean iv heard 4x4 or 5x5, but i really dont know. My setup should be delivered soon tho, so Ill have some real world experience to work with.
I see pics of guys that have plants crammed right in on each other, and im wondering how do they get enough light with branches and leaves all covering each other. Like that "See More Buds" video where he has 100 plants in a 4x6 area. I think its crazy but if you believe the yield at 4.6 lb, then its pretty impressive.
nuglets
New Member
hey unohu. what's up?
i say that cause there seem to be a lot of guys who think that growing in larger pots is beneficial. so they have small plants in 5 gallon pots. i don't know about the theory and haven't seen any testing so i can't say it's wrong. doesn't seem right to me based on what i know but who am i to argue without proof.
i had some info on light tests that were done with 1000w lights and 600w lights using average reflectors and hortilux bulbs. lost it somehow during the hack. still can't find it online anywhere. it measured footcandles. basically a 1000w light at 18" from the canopy had a footprint of optimal lighting (5,000-10,000fc) of 5x5 and a 600 at 12" was 4x4. i tested it a little myself and it seems to be correct. i use 1000w lights an i get 5x5 out of them. i'm switching to 600w lights when i move to my new tents though that are 4x8.
every plant is different. some guys really lollipop them so they don't need the penetration. i go always give my plants plenty of room cause i grow bushy ones that i have lst'd. i don't like having plants on top of eachother.
unohu69
Well-Known Member
I dont see my plants filling out a 5g bucket really, either in soil or in a DWC. 3g smart pots, or grow bags seem to give me all the time i need. im actually running under my plant limit right now (due to insufficient lighting). in a few days my 1k should be here tho, and i want to get the others going.
I havent done enough larger grows to even know what im gonna be able to produce yet. I need to at least get what my person needs. I dont want to leave them hangn unhigh n dry just because I dont have my shit together yet. Right now, its a toss up between DWC and soil. Im pretty impressed with the DWC yields, but mmmm just sumthn bout the flavor of a nice dirt grow. sorry, i still consider promix/perlite dirt. lol...
I havent done enough larger grows to even know what im gonna be able to produce yet. I need to at least get what my person needs. I dont want to leave them hangn unhigh n dry just because I dont have my shit together yet. Right now, its a toss up between DWC and soil. Im pretty impressed with the DWC yields, but mmmm just sumthn bout the flavor of a nice dirt grow. sorry, i still consider promix/perlite dirt. lol...
raiderman
Well-Known Member
9-12 is good for a 1000..i've got 20 10 inch diameter 3 gal. airation pots under 1-1000 and 8 under a 600.i packem in there ,lots of monsters.do a veg trim at week 6 flower and it will unfold before yure eyes.
nuglets
New Member
i hear ya man. i think you are going about it the right way though. don't rush into it. build up over time as you gain knowledge, experience, and a comfort level. sounds like you are on a good path.
i'm still tinkering with hydro myself. first grow failed but it was because of system problems. new system on the way and will rework some things. i still say soil is the way to go for new growers or even those just looking for more guarantees. only in hydro can you walk into your room and find your plants just FUCKED overnight.
if you go soil i have a great recipe i got from an old pro. i kinda didn't want to try it out but i eventually gave it a go and i am never going back. plants are so healthy and the medium is so easy to use. plus it is really cheap, basically organic, and low maintenance.
sunshine advanced with 20% worm castings and 20% coco coir (b-cuzz brand) then add 1 tablespoon of dolmite lime per gallon
house and garden soil a&b nutes
alaska humisoil bountea, bioactivator, B3, M3 (if you veg longer than 2-3 weeks). brew the tea once a week with a 5 gallon bucket and an airstone
nutes, tea, nutes, tea, water schedule
raiderman
Well-Known Member
thats a good mix.sounds like a plan.i jus use happy frog or ocean forest x perlite.RO water.soil is all i've ever done at least in the last little 10 yrs anyways.
unohu69
Well-Known Member
Sounds like a great mix.
I tried using promix, with some guano and lime, seabird guano, and some general organic 3-4-4 fertilizer. I just kept getting the mixes wrong and had a hell of a time keeping them healthy.
Then I found RIU, started reading the threads here... found Homebrewer's Dyna-Gro threads, and well, havent looked back.
Now I use a Promix /w perlite mix. I use somewhere around 25-35% perlite, as I dont think promix drains very well on its own. then I just stick to Protekt & Grow: 2ml Protekt/ 2.5-3ml Grow for vegging. for flower, 2-3ml protekt / 1ml Grow / 2-3ml Bloom at the start and gradually back off grow later in the flower cycle.
In DWC, im staying pretty close to the DG Soil recommendations, but I havent run a full DWC cycle with just DG yet. All tho, I have a couple running in coffee can DWC's right now that are on a strict DG diet, trying to keep PH some where around 5.8-6.2 if possible. relatively low PPM's overall.
I tried using promix, with some guano and lime, seabird guano, and some general organic 3-4-4 fertilizer. I just kept getting the mixes wrong and had a hell of a time keeping them healthy.
Then I found RIU, started reading the threads here... found Homebrewer's Dyna-Gro threads, and well, havent looked back.
Now I use a Promix /w perlite mix. I use somewhere around 25-35% perlite, as I dont think promix drains very well on its own. then I just stick to Protekt & Grow: 2ml Protekt/ 2.5-3ml Grow for vegging. for flower, 2-3ml protekt / 1ml Grow / 2-3ml Bloom at the start and gradually back off grow later in the flower cycle.
In DWC, im staying pretty close to the DG Soil recommendations, but I havent run a full DWC cycle with just DG yet. All tho, I have a couple running in coffee can DWC's right now that are on a strict DG diet, trying to keep PH some where around 5.8-6.2 if possible. relatively low PPM's overall.
tharoomman
Well-Known Member
Please don't lolipop the plants!!!!!I've never understood the logic behind that. Let em grow. Marijuana has been growing without assistance from humans for quite some time.
nuglets
New Member
mj plants have been growing a long time without sythentic nutrients, HID/LED/CFL lighting, Co2 generators, soiless and hydro setups, etc... we're not trying to grow "wild" mj plants. we're trying to grow mj plants on steroids. lollipopping your plants reduces the amount of fluffy bs popcorn buds on the bottom of your plants that don't benefit from your lighting and only suck energy away from the tops of the plants.
tharoomman
Well-Known Member
Touche on that 1st bit. However it just seems that cutting so much off of a plant would be bad. I suppose i'll have to try it sometime.
As for the fluff bud....well, even bad dank herb is great to me. ie, sugar leaf(NOT fan leaves) and such
tharoomman
Well-Known Member
Yeah, supp lighting is really good. When i 1st started out I had 2 90 watt LED ufo's. 1 for side lighting and I had a Shinnng Silver Haze under the other. It was very noticlible the difference in the buds near the UFO's vs the ones on the other side.
Opps, I should say my main light was a 600 HPS
