Seedling lighting?

I have a quick question on newly planted seeds....
Can I use a 600w MH and turn it down 50% and not burn up the new seeds?
I have $150.00 in seeds coming and I don't want to burn them up.

Would it be safer for me to buy T5 lights for the seedlings?

Or should i blast away with the MH!!!!!!

sure, but keep it at distance to start with and keep a eye on temperatures, a more logical option is to use the same amount it cost to run the MH for a few week on some normal household CFLs (23W and up) in 5000K or preferable 6500K to start em out with, less power used and plenty light for young plants, then you also have to option to start new seedlings a week or two before harvest so you have young plants ready for the MH and cut off some time between harvest

You can start out with MH as long as you keep it 2'-3' off sprouts. The main issue will be the heat. Just keep a fan blowing over the tops and you will be fine. I use florescent lighting for the first week until they put out their true leaves. Then I use MH as far as possible away for the next 2-3 days then move a little closer every day.

Yes you can and should start your seedlings under HID lighting. A good rule of thumb is to place your hand palm down at the same height as the top of your plants. If the back of your hand is uncomfortable then it is too hot for your plants. And as stated above you must use a fan to cool and strengthen your plants. Here are some pictures of one of my latest seedlings @ 9, 14, 21, & 31 days started under 1000W HID.



Good Luck and Happy Growing.

CaretakerDad said:

Yes you can and should start your seedlings under HID lighting. A good rule of thumb is to place your hand palm down at the same height as the top of your plants. If the back of your hand is uncomfortable then it is too hot for your plants. And as stated above you must use a fan to cool and strengthen your plants. Here are some pictures of one of my latest seedlings @ 9, 14, 21, & 31 days started under 1000W HID.

View attachment 2940648View attachment 2940649View attachment 2940650View attachment 2940651

Good Luck and Happy Growing.

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From 9 to 31 ecplosive!

I do both depending on circumstances and I have had seedlings get light burned from MH even 2-3' away from the light.
It is definitely best to start out under a flourescent for a day or 3 to let them open up and get started.
You don't have to go get an expensive flourescent set up either, go get a hanger and a cfl bulb or a cheap 2 bulb flourescent for like 20 bucks and that is all you need for the first day or so after seedling breaks surface.

althor said:

I do both depending on circumstances and I have had seedlings get light burned from MH even 2-3' away from the light.
It is definitely best to start out under a flourescent for a day or 3 to let them open up and get started.
You don't have to go get an expensive flourescent set up either, go get a hanger and a cfl bulb or a cheap 2 bulb flourescent for like 20 bucks and that is all you need for the first day or so after seedling breaks surface.

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You guys kill me. Why spend $20 on a cheap fluorescent fixture to save $3 on your light bill and not give your plants a good head start? If you get an extra 1/8th by using HID all the way from start to finish how much have you actually saved by going cheap in the beginning? About -$17 if an 1/8th is $20 where you are from. Check out the pics above, I would put those plants next to a floro grow any day.

CaretakerDad said:

You guys kill me. Why spend $20 on a cheap fluorescent fixture to save $3 on your light bill and not give your plants a good head start? If you get an extra 1/8th by using HID all the way from start to finish how much have you actually saved by going cheap in the beginning? About -$17 if an 1/8th is $20 where you are from. Check out the pics above, I would put those plants next to a floro grow any day.

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Ok, so apparently you quoted me without reading what you quoted...

Please point out where I said anything at all about saving electricity???

Now, please document where you can get an extra 1/8th by using HID for ONE EXTRA DAY on a seedling....

I wont sit here waiting because you cannot do it....

I use flourescent for maximum of 3 days when the seed breaks surface, usually not even 3 days, more about 1 day...

I have seen seedlings get bleached from MH 2' away...

My question is why take even a small chance of light burning a seedling when one day under a flourescent takes away all risk and DOES NOT SHORTEN ANYTHING...

Prove it to me, show me a seedling under flourescent one day and a seedling under HID for one day and then show me the growth difference in that one day....

Not going to happen because the difference is NEGLIGIBLE at the very best.

Considering I do it both ways, I already know, not guessing.


Matter of fact, I will challenge anyone...

Show me a seedling that adds 1/8th of a quarter ounce from being under HID for 1 day....

The whole freaking seedling maybe weighs 1/3rd of a gram, but somehow you get an 1/8th of buds on a seedling...

What happened to the first 8 days (seedling stage). Not doing any good on top your advise that inherits unnecessary risk. Telling a newbie they should because it gives you and extra 1/8 is not true. There are to many variable factors to make such a claim. It makes you look like a newbie. Merry x-mas.

CaretakerDad said:

Yes you can and should start your seedlings under HID lighting. A good rule of thumb is to place your hand palm down at the same height as the top of your plants. If the back of your hand is uncomfortable then it is too hot for your plants. And as stated above you must use a fan to cool and strengthen your plants. Here are some pictures of one of my latest seedlings @ 9, 14, 21, & 31 days started under 1000W HID.

View attachment 2940648View attachment 2940649View attachment 2940650View attachment 2940651

Good Luck and Happy Growing.

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I doubt he is worried about the cost. A good head start would mean less stress on a 2 day old sprout. Your killin me w/ that extra 1/8 BS. You obviously missed the point on starting with floro for seedling and then switch to HID. Not floro for the whole grow. Why would you think that other than you didn't read his post correctly.

CaretakerDad said:

You guys kill me. Why spend $20 on a cheap fluorescent fixture to save $3 on your light bill and not give your plants a good head start? If you get an extra 1/8th by using HID all the way from start to finish how much have you actually saved by going cheap in the beginning? About -$17 if an 1/8th is $20 where you are from. Check out the pics above, I would put those plants next to a floro grow any day.

Click to expand...

crispypb840 said:

What happened to the first 8 days (seedling stage). Not doing any good on top your advise that inherits unnecessary risk. Telling a newbie they should because it gives you and extra 1/8 is not true. There are to many variable factors to make such a claim. It makes you look like a newbie. Merry x-mas.

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Merry Christmas to you as well.

Yes I'm a newbie, check my posts and my rep. I don't understand your question about what happened during the first 8 days as you can clearly see the results. Go with cheap and/or weak lighting if you choose but don't lead the new growers astray because you don't know how to properly adjust your lighting or ventilate your grow, that is what burns seedlings. It is a simple fact of biology that additional lighting in the proper spectrum will produce more vigorous growth, I only threw out the numbers to make it easy for you to grasp the concept that growing on the cheap is a false economy. Additional CO2 and proper nutritional supplementation will also increase growth, do advise against that too?

I run mine under MH @300w until the second set of true leaves start, then bump it up to 450 then 600. IMO more light sooner = better provided you use a bit of common sense.
Fwiw, I considered a 4 bulb t5 rig for vegging & supplemental lighting but the HID has been everything I've needed so far. To each his/her own. I'm just glad people are growing.

Posts and rep doesn't mean anything but that your on the computer a lot. I can tell you are simple minded so I really am not going to debate the issue. I'm just giving an input on what works best for me. Your the newb telling another newb "you should". You probably think 24/0 light cycle is better and maybe you burn your plants a lot by thinking if I give more nutes ill get another 1/8! My plant are one of a kind because I treat them with love and respect. You just feed and give more light. Oh yea and you want to debate co2. shut your cake hole and do us a favor. peace.

If you had any common sense you would have realized that the seedling stage is the topic not vegg period. Thanks for chiming in though. You helped out so much.

Lo Budget said:

I run mine under MH @300w until the second set of true leaves start, then bump it up to 450 then 600. IMO more light sooner = better provided you use a bit of common sense.
Fwiw, I considered a 4 bulb t5 rig for vegging & supplemental lighting but the HID has been everything I've needed so far. To each his/her own. I'm just glad people are growing.

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Since you had to go talking lets see yours. DP Blueberry organic week6