New lights/mover setup ???
- Thread starter WaterDog
- Start date
Thundercat
Well-Known Member
I don't think you would want to grow them 4 feet straight up in this set up. Those pots can grow huge plants, but you will only have so much light penetration into the canopy. I think if you tried to get that tall you will end up getting lots of larf on the bottom of the plants, or trimming the bottoms out and only growing tops.
A HUGE part of yield potential is canopy management, and training. Canopies come in lots of different sizes and shapes. Maximizing the shape and size depends on your space and lighting. Renfro a guy on here grows giant bushes indoors, but he uses lighting all around the plants to fill that foot print. With lighting mostly above the plants like yours it would seem best to maximise the flat canopy space, and trying not to allow the plants to get 4 feet tall. With some LST, and pruning or manifolding the plants you could build a nice even canopy to cover the space without having random colas jumping up way higher then the rest of the plant. This allows your lights to stay closer, and inturn provide better intensity over the canopy
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A HUGE part of yield potential is canopy management, and training. Canopies come in lots of different sizes and shapes. Maximizing the shape and size depends on your space and lighting. Renfro a guy on here grows giant bushes indoors, but he uses lighting all around the plants to fill that foot print. With lighting mostly above the plants like yours it would seem best to maximise the flat canopy space, and trying not to allow the plants to get 4 feet tall. With some LST, and pruning or manifolding the plants you could build a nice even canopy to cover the space without having random colas jumping up way higher then the rest of the plant. This allows your lights to stay closer, and inturn provide better intensity over the canopy
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Sparky123
Well-Known Member
Here was what I was getting at
https://www.rollitup.org/t/epic-4x4-flowering-smackdown-96-elites-vs-288s.982881/
Look at the spread of those lights in your photos. They are no where near the outside walls at all. Reduce the number of pots to 12. Mainline them like the thread above. And you’ll have a great harvest.
LEDs are known for not the best penetration so growing a 4’ plant will just produce a shit ton of popcorn
Trying to push to much without the spread will just produce shitty bud except for the plants directly under those lights. And trying to raise them for better spread will only reduce your overall par output at the canopy.
It’s nice to have a big space and do a massive grow I think a lot of people would be envious of that much space. However it doesn’t mean you have to use all of the space. Sometimes less is more and in your case this will be true
I’m no expert but if you were looking for that much spread 1000w DE up nice and high may have been the way to go.
https://www.rollitup.org/t/epic-4x4-flowering-smackdown-96-elites-vs-288s.982881/
Look at the spread of those lights in your photos. They are no where near the outside walls at all. Reduce the number of pots to 12. Mainline them like the thread above. And you’ll have a great harvest.
LEDs are known for not the best penetration so growing a 4’ plant will just produce a shit ton of popcorn
Trying to push to much without the spread will just produce shitty bud except for the plants directly under those lights. And trying to raise them for better spread will only reduce your overall par output at the canopy.
It’s nice to have a big space and do a massive grow I think a lot of people would be envious of that much space. However it doesn’t mean you have to use all of the space. Sometimes less is more and in your case this will be true
I’m no expert but if you were looking for that much spread 1000w DE up nice and high may have been the way to go.
Thundercat
Well-Known Member
Nicely done sir
I love it when that happens. Its all a big equation, canopy area + depth x plant count / light intensity x light penetration kinda thing. This is just something I made up, but its the basic principle.
Your yield, and quality of product will be directly related to these variables, and about 20 others
. That's what has been being said from the beginning basically. I wish I had the amount of space and investment you seem to have.
MustangStudFarm
Well-Known Member
I recently bought the light rail with 4 hangers. That's 2x motors and 2x non-motorized. The biggest problem that I had was the ducting for aircooled HPS lights. If your not doing air cooled hoods, you should be in good shape. Ducting and Lightrails together is just a mess! Oh, I have a 6'x16' room. Very similar to your size
Edit: I see that you are not using HPS or air cooled. You also decided against the LightRail, probably a good choice. I don't think that my lightrail purchase was a good investment.
Tons of great info Thanks a lot.
Would the CMH help my cause?
I will be training and manifolding plants no matter what lights I end up using
Sparky123
Well-Known Member
Any more light will help the cause. Something is better then nothing. However decreasing the size of your space may be the ideal solution. However you can load up on CMH and what not. Just remember your energy usage and by nature greater cooling requirements. Only leading to greater energy usage.
Again my suggestion is 12 plants I. 4’x12’ space using the existing lights you currently have.
Just because you have the space doesn’t mean you have to use it all especially with led. Which in my opinion are ideal for smaller spaces with reflective walls. What you have here is more like a warehouse setup which is predominantly lit with HPS
Again my suggestion is 12 plants I. 4’x12’ space using the existing lights you currently have.
Just because you have the space doesn’t mean you have to use it all especially with led. Which in my opinion are ideal for smaller spaces with reflective walls. What you have here is more like a warehouse setup which is predominantly lit with HPS
Thanks for the reply man, Yea I'm being hard headed I want to fill that space with 18 plants. I don't mind adding light as I think the mini split will easy handle whatever I come up with. I figured the CMH would add some nice diversity to the LED spectrum. I might just VEG with the LED then add the CMH when I switch.
Ill also be able to see how different areas in canopy react with which light. I appreciate all the advise keep it coming.
The LEDS are 2.5 off long wall pic is decieving
Sparky123
Well-Known Member
You’ll have to cram them in right to veg under the led then you may as well forget the CMH and go grab 3 1000w hps DE fixtures and just blast the space. But hey you do you. We have all given you the advise it’s up to you to do with the information as you please. Interested to see how the grow turns out. I have a feeling you will be either unhappy with the yields and buds on half the plants not under the lights. Or end up removing some of them after stretch because they will be shaded right out.
Start a journal when you actually put plants in there and tag me. I’m interested to see how this ends up
Start a journal when you actually put plants in there and tag me. I’m interested to see how this ends up
Sparky123
Well-Known Member
To answer this question any other lighting is better then no more at this point. Hell if you want to save money buy some t5’s? Something is better then nothing?
I veg mothers and clones under 8 bulb T-5's. I'll probably add a 4th 550, and really study manifolding the plants that's a lot of good reading
Mr_Manny_D
Active Member
What light rails are these, with the multiple hangers? Ive seen them with only two. Do you have a link? Thanks.
JohnDee
Well-Known Member
Gualala and the others market non-motorized hangers that roll on the track...they call them slave trolleys.
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Cheers,
JD
Last edited:
Mr_Manny_D
Active Member
Great..thanks for sharing.Gualala and the others market non-motorized hangers that roll on the track...they call them slave trolleys.
LIGHT RAIL 3.0 3.5 4.0 Wheel Slave Auxiliary Trolley ONLY Light Mover BAY HYDRO | eBay
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for LIGHT RAIL 3.0 3.5 4.0 Wheel Slave Auxiliary Trolley ONLY Light Mover BAY HYDRO at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!www.ebay.com
Cheers,
JD