lift up your lights!

[Seamaiden]

and never underestimate the power of T5...
View attachment 392930
$38 of electric gets me a solid 4-6 zips, parked right on top of a good canopy. There's a 600w HPS chilling on the end, and I take advantage of the side lighting with another 1-3 zips, strain dependent.

You're flowering out using the T5, altitude? I've only used mine for vegging.

 

[altitudefarmer]

You're darn right, and not just to make seed. This particular setup is just an 8-bulber, with a mixed spectrum of bulbs. A scrog is your best bet when using t5, you'll want the bulbs anywhere from 2-5" from the plant tops. In 2008-9, we actually set up an entire dispensary in Cherry Creek with about 36 of these t5s. Lollipopping is a must, as the canopy lets hardly any light through if it's done right. Nothing will fill out and reach potential if it's not directly under the light. I have filled t5 scrogs with 1 plant (a real stretcher works well for this) or up to 6 (gets really crowded in that case). The main goal is really just to fill the entire light area with a nice canopy. You'd be surprised at the quality if you've never done it before, but the real (pleasant) surprise is the utility bill.

 

[Seamaiden]

What's the color mix you're using, if you don't mind sharing?

Don't get me started on the power bills. :o

 

[Theoneandonly Z]

and never underestimate the power of T5...
View attachment 392930
$38 of electric gets me a solid 4-6 zips, parked right on top of a good canopy. There's a 600w HPS chilling on the end, and I take advantage of the side lighting with another 1-3 zips, strain dependent.

HAHA dude ur a savage! i love it. reminds me of some DWB type shit!!

 

[baba G]

You're darn right, and not just to make seed. This particular setup is just an 8-bulber, with a mixed spectrum of bulbs. A scrog is your best bet when using t5, you'll want the bulbs anywhere from 2-5" from the plant tops. In 2008-9, we actually set up an entire dispensary in Cherry Creek with about 36 of these t5s. Lollipopping is a must, as the canopy lets hardly any light through if it's done right. Nothing will fill out and reach potential if it's not directly under the light. I have filled t5 scrogs with 1 plant (a real stretcher works well for this) or up to 6 (gets really crowded in that case). The main goal is really just to fill the entire light area with a nice canopy. You'd be surprised at the quality if you've never done it before, but the real (pleasant) surprise is the utility bill.

Is that 54wx8 =432watts of light? With a 400watt HPS I can easily pull 8-12 oz, seems that would be a better use of roughly 400watts, ime
But, t5 are heat proof...

 

[altitudefarmer]

What's the color mix you're using, if you don't mind sharing?

Don't get me started on the power bills. :eek:

In this case, I have 4 veg bulbs in slots 2, 4, 6, and 8. I have 4 bloom bulbs in slots 1, 3, 5, and 7.
Not sure how important it is to use the bloom spectrum, honestly. I have not seen dramatically different results. I just happened to get a great deal on the bloom bulbs because a shop way overstocked.

Is that 54wx8 =432watts of light? With a 400watt HPS I can easily pull 8-12 oz, seems that would be a better use of roughly 400watts, ime
But, t5 are heat proof...

Hey Baba, of course the yield is strain dependent. And I know the wattage is similar, but the t5 adds less money to my power bill. Don't know why. Maybe because the HID ballast pulls more amps on startup than the fluorescent ballast(s). I also should say this is a continuous fresh air vent setup, not an air-conditioned, CO2-enhanced operation. I could draw more power and increase the yield, but the overall efficiency of the grow would suffer.

I also prefer a "ceiling of light" vs 1 bulb; better penetration and less shadow.

The most I ever pulled from a 400 was in a 4x4 soil bed of blueberry; 9 ounces.If I was pulling 3/4 a bow off a 400, that sucker would still be in there chugging away. :-)

Heat was the big issue in this grow, which I why I pulled the 1000w and the 400w and replaced them with a 600w and the T5. I maximized space better and trained my plants differently and saw a slight increase in yield, while my power bill went down about $20/month. In the end, Baba, you're right on a 400 HPS out-performing an 8-bulb t5.

I used to blow out warehouses and recommend as much light as possible. Now I am thinking more about my carbon footprint and angling toward the cheapest method possible to produce top quality bud. If my cost per unit is half of the other guys, I can still afford to give away meds. I know I need to get some land and a greenhouse...

 

[KeepSimple]

First time grower. Just a quick heads up.. Don't make the mistake I did of leaving your lights to high. I stressed 6 seedlings by letting them stretch.. LOL I was all excited because I thought they were just growing incredibly fast. Really Sucked. But hopefully that will be the worst mistake I make along this medicinal journey of mine. On the bright side I had 100% germination rate in 1" grodan cubes my first time.

Using 4'x8 bulb T5HO.

Currently on second attempt with (2x) cotton candy and (1) trainwreck .

I've dropped the T5 down to about 4" to 6" above the new seedlings this time around.

BTW does anyone have any advice on when it's safe for me to move my girls guys under a 600w for veg. Both CC just got there 1st set of true leaves. Is it time to kick up the light??

 

[cannapits]

Good reminder that more light is not necessarily better. I learned that lesson when I tried to use a light-mover, squashed it down tight over the girls because an experienced grower, or someone who I *thought* was very experienced, told me that was the whole point. Burned, bleached, all kinda shit. FINALLY I decided to listen to my gut, and my gut was saying, Raise the light! Raise it! So I did, and everything got a whole lot better.

only time I have had success using a light mover with 1k bulbs less than a foot away was in a stadium going vert. girls loved loved it. using hoods the girls always got stressed

 

[Seamaiden]

First time grower. Just a quick heads up.. Don't make the mistake I did of leaving your lights to high. I stressed 6 seedlings by letting them stretch.. LOL I was all excited because I thought they were just growing incredibly fast. Really Sucked. But hopefully that will be the worst mistake I make along this medicinal journey of mine. On the bright side I had 100% germination rate in 1" grodan cubes my first time.

Seedlings stretch even under direct, full day (8hrs or more) sunlight.

only time I have had success using a light mover with 1k bulbs less than a foot away was in a stadium going vert. girls loved loved it. using hoods the girls always got stressed

Ok, now THAT I'd like to see. Barebulb on a mover? The accident-prone woman is afraid, very, very afraid.

 

[cannapits]

Seedlings stretch even under direct, full day (8hrs or more) sunlight.

Ok, now THAT I'd like to see. Barebulb on a mover? The accident-prone woman is afraid, very, very afraid.

try 3 1ks on a mover. key is to unplug the mover while working. or else you will regret it lol

 

[cannapits]

to be clear thats 2600 shown in pics. had heat issues and replaced 600 with 1k mh and got more light and temps went down 7 degrees

 

[sixstring]

@cannapits , why not space your bulbs out a bit more and have less travelnwith the mover? Just looks like all 3 bulbs are within 18in of each other in the pics.i run movers and horizontal 600 and my lights stay close to the canopy, like und er 12 in.but my movers only travel 3 foot or less.some plants are as close as 4 in to the glass but it doesn't seem to bother them with movers . peace

 

[cannapits]

thanks for the info Sixstring. that stadium was only 8 feet in length. all bulbs were mounted to a piece a wood that I could turn to get the ends closer to the canopy. or could raise and lower each light. way I had it worked the best. 12-14 strains and still pulled almost 7lbs. if it aint broke dont fix it .

 

[sixstring]

The one i use is a lighrail 3.5 and they make a nice trolley to add more lights i use a.threaded rod to connect the trolley to the motor.in this setup I have a light on the motor, one in the center hanging off the rod and one on the trolley.it only moves 2.5 feet but i cover 12 feet with 3 x 600 real well.

and this setup holds 2 x 60" dual cooltubes using the trolley In a slightly dif appoach.

 

[sixstring]

Man that was a bitch from my phone lol.just wanted to toss that out there for others looking to try movers and get your lights closer to the canopy. Peace

 

[cannapits]

i used the same mover and everything. . looks great. in the end different strokes for different folks. best wishes and thanks for the pics