switching from 400 watt to 600 watt?

rite now i get 2 zips(ounces) per plant with my 400 watt in 5 gall buckets.i do perpetual so 2 plants are done a month leaving me 4 oz a month. i smoke alot and im trying to pull 3 oz a plant to leave me with 6 ounces a month at least. i have the 120$ htg supply magnetic 400 watt that i got like 4 years ago and the reflector was in bad shape so i have it flatten out with a 20$ hps bulb from a store near buy. it puts out 45,000 lumen. shitty but does the job....now tax time came and im getting the greenhous digital dimmible 600 watt hps with the airflow reflector along with carbon filter and inline fan. my question is should i expect double the yield since i will be having double the lumens? did u switch from a 4 to a 600 watt? and if so what was your improved yield? would like some reassurance thanks guys i would really appreciate it and +rep to helpful answers

you should get more.Going from 45,000 to 90,000 is a lot of lumens,

more light=more buds

or should i just jump the gun and go with the 1000 watt?

STEADY BLAZING said:

or should i just jump the gun and go with the 1000 watt?

Click to expand...

If you can get rid of the heat, then go for it

I am not sure what type of grow area you have, but I have went from a 400w aircooled to a 600w aircooled setup in a 4X4X7 grow tent.
My last 400w grow was Nirvana Blackjack and with 4 plants vegged for 5-6 weeks, topped for 4 colas yeilded 500 grams.
My last 600w grow was Nirvana Sterling Haze with 4 plants vegged for 5-6 weeks, topped for 4 colas yeilded 350 grams.
Since I never grow the same thing twice, its kind of hard for me to compair apples to apples. I think it will depend on the strain as well as how the plants are grown. In therory more light should porduce more bud. I did like the fact that I was able to keep the 600w bulb higher off the canopy as compaired to the 400w, This gave me perfect coverage in my 4x4, so even though my 600w grow didnt yeild as much as my last 400w, I still think the more light the better.....provideing you can control the temps.

Stlmatt

im growing in a 3x3x7 grow tent

how hot does it get in the tent?

im guessin the 1000w would be a bit overkill for a space that size

i have an open reflector and it stay around 75 -80 with just a small house hold fan. but i want to upgrade to a aircooled airflow hood from htg with a 424cfm fan for the 600/1000 watt.

I would stick to a 600 in that space.
but maybe taxes went well, upgrade growspace to 5x5, Then go with the 1000?
then, not only more lumens, but can run more plants as well.

it would be a dimmible ballst so couldnt i run it at 50% or 75% to reduce heat when needed?

Will a 1000 produce better results than a 600 in a 3x3?

If you were going to cool the hood, heat wouldnt really be the issue.

You got the money, and want more yield. I say go for it.
Just dont skimp on the bulb. http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-Hortilux-Super-HPS-Lamp-1000W.asp

STEADY BLAZING said:

Will a 1000 produce better results than a 600 in a 3x3?

Click to expand...

I switched from a 400 watt to a 600 watt and get more weed. I also get bigger nuggets and harder.

With the right strains you can grow a lot more.

Just my $ 0.02

golddog said:

I switched from a 400 watt to a 600 watt and get more weed. I also get bigger nuggets and harder.

With the right strains you can grow a lot more.

Just my $ 0.02

Click to expand...

how much more? would you say double?

vilify said:

If you were going to cool the hood, heat wouldnt really be the issue.

You got the money, and want more yield. I say go for it.
Just dont skimp on the bulb. http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-Hortilux-Super-HPS-Lamp-1000W.asp

Click to expand...

how much better is this bulb then the one it comes with? if i buy it how much diffrence will it make? ive only used the htg brand

STEADY BLAZING said:

how much more? would you say double?

Click to expand...

I wish I could say, but I don't really keep track

How many 5 gal buckets are under the 400w at a time?

The growers who get the most per watt are those who are using enough watts, but not surpassing the point of diminishing returns. The only thing more light solves is a lack of light. But if you are trying to light a larger area than the 400 can really handle, then you do have a lack of light.

If you go to 600 I recommend a digital dimmable ballast that will enable you to run your 600 at 400 if need be now and then for heat.

You could potentially double from a 400 to a 1000. If not more. Without co2 or other additives 1-1.5 grams/watt. 400 @ 1gpw, is just under 4oz dried. 1000 @ 1gpw is 10 oz.
I think you would either have to run bigger plants, or more plants to hit that 10oz mark, but theres room to double in there still.

There is a noticeable difference most of the time on bulbs. Super HPS has an enhanced spectrum, and usually yields more than most cheap bulbs.
To say the least, it would pay for itself over its life.

What smile says

ideally for a 1000w you want a 4x4 AT LEAST. 5x5 max.
Upgrading the Grow box shouldnt cost much, if its a viable option, I would. I built my 8x10x8 grow room for under $200(not counting equipment.)

just imagine running 4 plants instead of 2. that alone can double your yield. Plus what you get from the extra lumens

i have a seperate veg room so i run 4 plants in 5 gal buckets and harvest 2 about every month. with my 400 watt im only pulling 2 -3 ounces a month and im trying to double that and get 6 oz a month. so i figured y not upgrade my shitty light. just dnt know if i should go 600 or 1000 watt dimmible......