when do you throw in your HID's?

yungkodama

yungkodama

Active Member
I have 12 babies that just popped under 4 CFL's. I have my 600w HIDs coming in today and now I ask myself.. when do I throw this bad boy in?!

Now I know it wouldnt be smart to throw that 600w on full blast toasting the seedlings. These guys arent even finished growing theyre first node. BUT. What if I throw my 600w in 50% maybe 2 feet above the babes and then use the 4 cfls to maybe just maybe help the plants not stretch out? Anybody ever run into a situation like this? What did you do or recommend?

Thank you all who have spent the time to read and respond! Much love!
 
I

Illinois Enema Bandit

Well-Known Member
I grow from rooted clones using 3 600 watt hps per table,the day my clones are rooted I put them directly under all 3 600 watt lights & turn the ballasts down to 250 watts at 2 inches from the plants,after 2 days I bump the ballasts to 400 watts with the hoods 2 inches from the plants,on day 7 I go full 600 watts at 2 inches & allow the plants to grow into the glass before raising another 2 inches,keep in mind my lights glass is so cool you a baby could touch the glass & not feel heat .

If I were you I'd leave em under the CFL's until they pop a full set of leaves,then get them under the ,600 turned down as low as possible,keeping the glass away far enough where your hand feels no heat when over top the plants,then raise ballast power & bring light closer as new growth appears.
 
evergreengardener

evergreengardener

Well-Known Member
I always start right under a 600w mh 28 inches from sprouts with good airflow never had a problem. Since you didn't start under strong light I suggest setting them on the outer edge of your light to harden them off first instead of directly underneath the light
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
If you like giving the power company your money then put tiny plants under big lights but they will grow fine under a few CFLs until they are a month or more old and have a bit of foliage to absorb the light. 4 nodes at least.

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:peace:
 
D

Dankistino

Well-Known Member
OldMedUser said:
If you like giving the power company your money then put tiny plants under big lights but they will grow fine under a few CFLs until they are a month or more old and have a bit of foliage to absorb the light. 4 nodes at least.

View attachment 3810860

:peace:
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Agree. I have a homemade fixture that holds 4 cfl's. I use cheap 5k 100 real watt photography bulbs. For a few small plants i light a single bulb. I can veg 4 plants 5-6 weeks (full 18-24" bushes using all 4). When i drop them under my led for flowering, they grow into amazingly full budded ladies.
 
evergreengardener

evergreengardener

Well-Known Member
OldMedUser said:
If you like giving the power company your money then put tiny plants under big lights but they will grow fine under a few CFLs until they are a month or more old and have a bit of foliage to absorb the light. 4 nodes at least.

View attachment 3810860

:peace:
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Well running my 600w only costs me 46 dollars a month and that's if it was left on 24 hours a day so I don't mind keeping seedlings under it also your stems will be stronger using hid
 
MANGOBICHE

MANGOBICHE

Well-Known Member
Speaking of the power company a buddy who works locally was telling me about these battery banks that can be charged in a 110 or 220 socket for idk exactly how long but they apparently hold enough power to goa flowering cycle or along those lines........they have given them to the area's judicial buildings and city hall in the event there's a power outage they can maintain power to whatever in the building needs it i guess. Pretty kool i thought.
 
yungkodama

yungkodama

Active Member
MANGOBICHE said:
Speaking of the power company a buddy who works locally was telling me about these battery banks that can be charged in a 110 or 220 socket for idk exactly how long but they apparently hold enough power to goa flowering cycle or along those lines........they have given them to the area's judicial buildings and city hall in the event there's a power outage they can maintain power to whatever in the building needs it i guess. Pretty kool i thought.
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Battery packs getting crazy now, im sure theres one some of us could use
 
yungkodama

yungkodama

Active Member
Johnny_DankCo said:
Don't dim your lights if possible.. They put out more red, it honesty wont hurt them. But just run MH at full blast, your plants will be thankful
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I was thinking of doing that just incase Idont have a huge spike in my bill :/ thats what im a little worried about to.. but i mean computers today can run 400w so maybe itll seem okay. Im already really on my electricity unplugging everything we dont use.
 
yungkodama

yungkodama

Active Member
Illinois Enema Bandit said:
I grow from rooted clones using 3 600 watt hps per table,the day my clones are rooted I put them directly under all 3 600 watt lights & turn the ballasts down to 250 watts at 2 inches from the plants,after 2 days I bump the ballasts to 400 watts with the hoods 2 inches from the plants,on day 7 I go full 600 watts at 2 inches & allow the plants to grow into the glass before raising another 2 inches,keep in mind my lights glass is so cool you a baby could touch the glass & not feel heat .

If I were you I'd leave em under the CFL's until they pop a full set of leaves,then get them under the ,600 turned down as low as possible,keeping the glass away far enough where your hand feels no heat when over top the plants,then raise ballast power & bring light closer as new growth appears.
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I might take that suggestion and leave em for the rest of the week. Only problem is im low on cash and they are barley putting out 92 watts as a whole. 92 watts to 600w is a big jump and idk if I should get another pack of cfls or slowly build the wattage on the ballast
 
evergreengardener

evergreengardener

Well-Known Member
yungkodama said:
I was thinking of doing that just incase Idont have a huge spike in my bill :/ thats what im a little worried about to.. but i mean computers today can run 400w so maybe itll seem okay. Im already really on my electricity unplugging everything we dont use.
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Why area are you I a 600w doesn't cost that much to run like I said above it would cost me 46 dollars to run 24/7 for a month so not that bad and as far as energy spike that's just noob paranoia man most space heater use 1500w or more
 
Johnny_DankCo

Johnny_DankCo

Well-Known Member
yungkodama said:
I was thinking of doing that just incase Idont have a huge spike in my bill :/ thats what im a little worried about to.. but i mean computers today can run 400w so maybe itll seem okay. Im already really on my electricity unplugging everything we dont use.
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You'll be fine I ran 16K in a illegal state for years with zero problems.. I'm running a 6K flower room in a rec state and still zero issues. Trust me.. just pay the bill
 
yungkodama

yungkodama

Active Member
evergreengardener said:
I always start right under a 600w mh 28 inches from sprouts with good airflow never had a problem. Since you didn't start under strong light I suggest setting them on the outer edge of your light to harden them off first instead of directly underneath the light
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Never thought of that good stuff!
Silly me
 
evergreengardener

evergreengardener

Well-Known Member
yungkodama said:
How many cents are you charged per kilowat?
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I honestly don't know man I haven't looked at a bill I years lol I just pay them when they come in I pay most of my bills online so I don't even check I would only look at the bill itself if my monthly payment was way off my electric bill changes by 20 dollars a month or so but I run 100s of gallons of fish tanks right now I think I'm at 210 gallons lol and each tank uses a good amount of electricity
 
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