Upgrading Lights

Cannasutraorganics said:

Why every six weeks??

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It's just the schedule the tent is running on. My OG's take about 9-10 weeks to finish and I stick new clones in every 4 weeks.

There's just always a few weeks in between keeping it from a nice monthly harvest

TheYokel said:

It's just the schedule the tent is running on. My OG's take about 9-10 weeks to finish and I stick new clones in every 4 weeks.

There's just always a few weeks in between keeping it from a nice monthly harvest

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Ok. I've seen some on here harvest at six weeks.... I'm nine weeks on sunset sherbet and still mostly clear tricoms. Pulled last batch at eight and a half. Might push 10. I'm always running long on bud. Like sometime Amber in mine.

Cannasutraorganics said:

Ok. I've seen some on here harvest at six weeks.... I'm nine weeks on sunset sherbet and still mostly clear tricoms. Pulled last batch at eight and a half. Might push 10. I'm always running long on bud. Like sometime Amber in mine.

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About to cut it down as we are typing...

Real simple. HPS is the way to go. If heat is issue I got that covered. Don't need to much fan. Use a super spreader below the bulb. It makes a better more even footprint and acts like a heat sink and removes heat.

I'm getting ready to cut these girls down next week. This week we took Tamgerine dream down. Got 34 and still have some left drying. About 12 more. Ounces, not grams. That was two thirds of one light. Sunset is one light. Looks like a decent yield. Not lot Tangerine Dream or Chronic. I'm seeing 40 to 50.

Cannasutraorganics said:

View attachment 3294077 I'm getting ready to cut these girls down next week. This week we took Tamgerine dream down. Got 34 and still have some left drying. About 12 more. Ounces, not grams. That was two thirds of one light. Sunset is one light.

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That is an awesome operation.

Alas, I am but a broke cripple with more time than money, lol.

But I will say, I am fairly sure that after I buy the Mrs some jewelry to get her off my back for the holidays... I will be buying a 400w CMH or a 600w HPS. Not quite sure yet.

600. Get a gavita. They make them in 600 now. DE bulb and adjustable from 300 to 660. So if heat becomes an issue you can fix it.. Look it up. I'm running 1000 watt Gavita in bud room now for 3 weeks. Way nicer buds then before. Same genetics and all. More yield too. My figures I quote are from my old XXXL magnum. Ocho. I can't wait to see where I'm at in a few months.

Cannaboi757 said:

2 250w would put out 22,100 lumens of GOOD light, household CFL's are not made for growing, and if you place your lights right you'll cover it. Thats why you every time you see a household CFL grow the buds are like half gram buds, i dunno about you guys but 10 grams a plant is a fuckin waste of time.

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first 250w cfl's are expensive for some folks.

The only reason you end up with 1 gram buds is because there is no one spot above the plant that is bright enough to make the plant healthy, combined with the often times no air movement of small grows being educated is much better then making assumptions. A light spectrum is the same from 14w - 240w wattage makes no difference on the spectrum only how far into the leaves the light penetrates. Using 23w cfl's in a broad spectrum style will lead to better buds(quality) if done right, how ever with a huge amount of poorly educated people out there (through no fault of their own) we end up with the main top light source being spread out and weak. Such to the 1 gram pop corn buds every where.

A simple and effective way to handle this problem is to get a 5 gallon bucket( something larger in diameter works better) cut holes around the bottom approximately 3 inches up every 4 -5 inches large enough for the screw part of the light to fit through then attach your socket to the screw part on the out side of the bucket thus holding the light horizontally in a halo fashion then (with out light installed) cut the rest of the bucket off 5 inches above the light holes this is the most cost effective grow light you can make using the spectrums according to the plant phase you will produce larger buds. Using a phase specific spot light in the center of the halo in a hole large enough for the ballast to sit out side the bucket will greatly increase the effective light foot print. for extra sugar make sure to always have a few lights that have out of phase spectrum. example would be in flower, have 2 6500k bulbs along side the 2700k (2100k if you can find them cheap)
Dropping lights down the side of the plant is a key feature in making use of you're 4 pack of each spectrum. I have had great success with 4100k in the most current grow, i would suggest 1 4 pack of 2700k 4100k and 6500k totalling around 35 bucks. Where as one 250 watt can cost 60.


Through experiences we gain knowledge, through application of knowledge comes intelligence.

if your going hps then get a 600 maybe get a cool tube too but if you have the budget you should consider looking at induction they do nice lamps from 100w upto 1000w now days

Thanks for all the input everyone!

knabbed a 400 mh/hps setup with cool tube for now, will be here tuesday on my day off. Ill see how the cooltube does and maybe move to air cooled hood for next grow. The Flowering is coming in good now and the CFLs just aint cutting it. and with being at work 9hrs somedays without coming home half way, the plants keep burning themselves. they are growing like a inch a day during this stretch. Money is not a worry for me and being that i have a full tent and exhaust now, its time to upgrade to some proper lighting.

Thanks for all the replies everyone! Cant wait to get these 4 girls under some HPS! Was really suprised all 4 bagseeds came out female.