Watts/lumens per square foot ?

[julsbagell]

I am in the process of doing up a new place 2 3x6 trays 4 x 1000 co2 never to much light imo look at dd. I am upgrading to 1000s because these new ballasts are 1000 watters only they can be run 65 feet from the lights and I allready have a 240 line in the garage.

 

[John Ditchweed]

hehe I modeled my set-up after el numero uno, I still havn't made it to 3 lbs per run but the last grow was over 2. Once this set-up gets dialed in it is hard to beat production wise talk about maximizing your space

 

[tonyhigh]

Are u still using hydrohuts or have u changed them out for another brand. I have been hearing that they are toxic??

 

[tonyhigh]

What grow medium are u using in the #1 setup if u dont mind me asking?

 

[John Ditchweed]

I am still using a hydrohut.......... I was away from online for a while and came back to people freaking about them but I have had not one problem with mine............ I was using hydrogen clay pellets but last run I used some almost lava rock looking product that just came out

 

[Married2Mary]

Be sure to know that you can use the same amount of watts with different lumen outputs... For example.. I just switched 3 400w lamps at 55,000 lumens each, total 165,000 lumens for 2 600w lamps at 95,000 lumens each, total 190,000 lumens.. Yeah I got alittle better coverage but am getting better penetration..

 

[RansacktheElder]

By my calculations I'm putting a combined 340 watts onto a growing area about 2.5 x 2.5, so I'm averaging 54.4 watts per square foot. I'm utilizing lst and topping to keep a nice even canopy. I'm looking forward to seeing how this does for me.

 

[l33t]

just saw this thread, nice one TK

I usually grow 12/12 or 11/13 from seed so I need light intensity for high yields per plant. Most of time I use 2 x 600s over a 3 x 4 ft canopy. Thats around 100 watts/sq ft (esp with sat dominant strains). After experimenting , anything less than 600w per 3x3 ft (66 w/sqft) seemed to me inadequate.
--

Something I would like to say is that plants don't use up light energy with the same 'efficiency' during their whole life cycle.

This is easy to understand with a simple example.If you take a small sized flowering plant after they stretch period has stopped and then you double the wattage for the remaining last 3-4 weeks of flowering , you won't get the same results as if you had invested those extra watts for the first 4 weeks of flowering instead. This is because the flowering plants ( esp hybrids and indicas) produce most of their roots, branches & leaves during the first 4-5 weeks of flowering then they stop growing and just put on flower mass. If you have a small plant till midflowering then no matter how much light you put to it you are still gonna end with the same small sized plant, just bit fatter/heavier buds. But if you put lots of light during the early till mid flowering period you are gonna end up with a bigger plant with more leaves,branches and budsites that have much more potential of producing high bud yields. And even with less light during the last weeks they will yield well as they already have more mass ,a bigger rootmass and more leaves to use up all the available light , water and nutrients. Growing is not only about light. (Note whenever I say bigger plants I don't necessarily mean taller plants but plants with more mass , they can be pretty short , wide n branchy..)

So if I want to add some extra wattage or redistribute the lighting energy over time for more efficient energy usage , imho the best thing is to invest more energy in the early (till mid) flowering period. IE Instead of using say 80-90 w/sqft for the whole flowering period , its better to use 100+w/sqft for the first half of the flowering period or so , and for the last few weeks you can go down to 60-70w/sqft. You will have used up the same total energy as if you had 80-90w/sqft all the time . This is also kinda like simulating the natures lighting where in most areas the plants receive more and stronger light during summer while during the last weeks of flowering the day is not only shorter but the sunlight is less intense as well.

Would love to hear your opinions on this
l33t

 

[TheNman]

Tex,

Right now i've got both the 2x600s and 1000 over 4x4s.
Just about to finish the crop under the 600s and i think the 1000 gives me better results.

Just wondering how close you get your 600s to the canopy?
I had some yellowing, even though they're in cool tubes and like 10" away.
What's you ideal distance?

 

[Teresa]

In my new Tree room i'm running 3000 watt's.But thinking of adding another 1000 watter.It's 7 x 8 ,not sure what that add's up to in wpsf though :)

 

[aldus]

In my new Tree room i'm running 3000 watt's.But thinking of adding another 1000 watter.It's 7 x 8 ,not sure what that add's up to in wpsf though :)

3000W / 56sqft = 53w/sqft

I have a 600 in a 33"x33" area for 79W/sqft.

First run so I don't know how it will turn out, but I'm hoping for the best.

 

[Rural_GrowOp]

TK do you think it works out the same way in a vert room. I have 2x 1000W hps and with my new ventilation I can get my plants within a foot of my lights. My room is 49 sq.ft. But I have a full 18 in walk way around the back of the plants. It just seems that in a vertical set up the w/sq.ft. rule would bend. Or maybe its just wishful thinking.

 

[Dr Herbal]

Got a plant to do an sog running 6x600w which is 64w/sqft do you guy think thats gonna be good enough or do i need more light :)

 

[dorjewright]

I am sittin watchin this last round of plants just crawl along, not fattin up or finishin like I usually like so start thinkin about other current setups and past setups for answers. So I start figurin my watts per sq.ft on a bunch of my different setups and this what i got..

#1 setup is (2)600w over a 3x3 table or 1200w/ 9 sq.ft. = 133 watts per sq.ft. or 19,556 lumens/sq.ft. with this setup I can easily pull 3-3.25lbs from 9-16 plants on the 3x3.This is my all time favorite setup for yield, density, finish time, potency all that good stuff. Dual bulb hood used in a 3x3 Hydrohut tent.

#2 (1) 1000w over a 3x3 table or 1000w/ 9 sq.ft. = 111 watts per sq.ft. or 16,111 lumens per sq.ft. perfect for single bulb single hood setup and or in a tent.

#3 (3) 1000w over (2) 3x6 tables or 3000w / 32 sq.ft. = 83 watts per sq.ft. or 13,594 lumens per sq.ft.. This setup is on movers and does alright but could use another 1k to really kickit into gear, but overall decent.

#4 (1) 1000w over a 4x4 table or 1000w / 16 sq.ft. = 63 watts per sq.ft. or 9063 lumens per sq.ft. To me this setup is right at the edge of what you need to really kick it out like on a 3x3. I really like the 3x3 tables instead of the 4x4 all the way around.

#5 (2) 1000w over (2)3x6 and (2)3x3 or 2000w per 54 sq.ft. = 37 watts per sq.ft. or 5370 lumens per sq.ft.. This sucks bigtime, movers almost make it more painful because of the shadow dancin..lack of cash has dictated this setup but still it sucks.

#6 (3) 1000w over a 11x14 room on movers or 3000w / 154 sq.ft. or 19 watts per sq.ft. or 2825 lumens per sq.ft. this is at a buddy of mines and he is complaining about yield, density, and finish times. this setup is doin just well enough to piss you off, not really crawlin but not cruizin either. I am tryin to get 6-8k in there for he real kickin flower action.

So I was curious what everybody else was doin and experiencin..

The sun is roughly 100w per sq.ft. full tilt so that is my basic minimum benchmark for my indoor satisfaction..

Mo lumens, mo wattage, mo betta..

Tex

Tex, I'm wondering if you have updates on this topic?

 

[ibTheMan]

1000w over a 4 x 4 area is the exact ticket to efficiency and Large Yields broski's, and if you run 3 or 4 in a row, its even better.

 

[Smoking Gun]

Folks, this is a great topic of conversation. I am quite intrigued to see all the different arrangements of lights and space in everybody's rooms. But I think there is one factor that has been totally overlooked, the law of inverse squares. This law states that an object two feet from the light source is receiving 1/4 of the light as an object 1 ft. from the same source. So all of the measurements of lumens that have been stated here are only for plants 1 ft from the light source. So if you can keep a 600w HPS closer to the plants than a 1000w HPS you will receive as much if not more lumens per square foot and use less energy, therefore a more efficient grow and more weight per dollar spent. So when we are talking about how much light we have on our plants we should also be talking about how far our lights are from the plants, not just how many watts are over each square foot.

 

[Z-ro]

I think that, for me, 3x3s are the way to go. Mostly, I run 1ks over 4x4 trays and have never really been impressed, even though most people in my area utilize the same strategy and claim to be yielding well. I dont think any reflector out there covers the 4x4 well enough at the corners to get the quality and weight Im looking for. For example I can barely pull 1 per light with OGs on 4x4 with a 1k, but then with a 3x3 with only 750w over it and pulled 1.25 on the first run with the 750s...no c02 though so that could be my missing link for good yields on the 1ks. all rooms ran with a minimum of 4 lights in square patterns.

 

[SolMannaFest]

I am sittin watchin this last round of plants just crawl along, not fattin up or finishin like I usually like so start thinkin about other current setups and past setups for answers. So I start figurin my watts per sq.ft on a bunch of my different setups and this what i got..

#1 setup is (2)600w over a 3x3 table or 1200w/ 9 sq.ft. = 133 watts per sq.ft. or 19,556 lumens/sq.ft. with this setup I can easily pull 3-3.25lbs from 9-16 plants on the 3x3.This is my all time favorite setup for yield, density, finish time, potency all that good stuff. Dual bulb hood used in a 3x3 Hydrohut tent.

#2 (1) 1000w over a 3x3 table or 1000w/ 9 sq.ft. = 111 watts per sq.ft. or 16,111 lumens per sq.ft. perfect for single bulb single hood setup and or in a tent.

#3 (3) 1000w over (2) 3x6 tables or 3000w / 32 sq.ft. = 83 watts per sq.ft. or 13,594 lumens per sq.ft.. This setup is on movers and does alright but could use another 1k to really kickit into gear, but overall decent.

#4 (1) 1000w over a 4x4 table or 1000w / 16 sq.ft. = 63 watts per sq.ft. or 9063 lumens per sq.ft. To me this setup is right at the edge of what you need to really kick it out like on a 3x3. I really like the 3x3 tables instead of the 4x4 all the way around.

#5 (2) 1000w over (2)3x6 and (2)3x3 or 2000w per 54 sq.ft. = 37 watts per sq.ft. or 5370 lumens per sq.ft.. This sucks bigtime, movers almost make it more painful because of the shadow dancin..lack of cash has dictated this setup but still it sucks.

#6 (3) 1000w over a 11x14 room on movers or 3000w / 154 sq.ft. or 19 watts per sq.ft. or 2825 lumens per sq.ft. this is at a buddy of mines and he is complaining about yield, density, and finish times. this setup is doin just well enough to piss you off, not really crawlin but not cruizin either. I am tryin to get 6-8k in there for he real kickin flower action.

So I was curious what everybody else was doin and experiencin..

The sun is roughly 100w per sq.ft. full tilt so that is my basic minimum benchmark for my indoor satisfaction..

Mo lumens, mo wattage, mo betta..

Tex

Que Pasa TK!

I realize you started this thread many moons ago and things may have changed without question in regard to opinions...but are you still favoring the dual 600 set up above all else?

Also do you feel 2 regular vented 600 hoods over a 3'x3' bed is pushing it?

Bless up...Sol

 

[dankworth]

I am rethinking my choice of sixtysomething watts/ft2. I have seen specimens flowered with up to 100 watts/ft2 . I think penetration to lower canopy would improve considerably.
I think perhaps my expectation of only 2 oz/ft2 may require review. Seeing others talk about 5+ oz/ft2 is awesome. Saw a picture of the plants from the 2 600 watt/3x3 tent, lots of weight all the way up and down. Like a high-rise building in principle.
Got to get out the light meter and play with the super sun 2 reflectors. Look at footprints.
Thanks for reminding me of all this stuff you guys. If I can get better results out of each ft2, I can spend less time vegging. Reduction in cycle time is money in the bank.

 

[Jon808Burn]

I am sittin watchin this last round of plants just crawl along, not fattin up or finishin like I usually like so start thinkin about other current setups and past setups for answers. So I start figurin my watts per sq.ft on a bunch of my different setups and this what i got..

#1 setup is (2)600w over a 3x3 table or 1200w/ 9 sq.ft. = 133 watts per sq.ft. or 19,556 lumens/sq.ft. with this setup I can easily pull 3-3.25lbs from 9-16 plants on the 3x3.This is my all time favorite setup for yield, density, finish time, potency all that good stuff. Dual bulb hood used in a 3x3 Hydrohut tent.

#2 (1) 1000w over a 3x3 table or 1000w/ 9 sq.ft. = 111 watts per sq.ft. or 16,111 lumens per sq.ft. perfect for single bulb single hood setup and or in a tent.

#3 (3) 1000w over (2) 3x6 tables or 3000w / 32 sq.ft. = 83 watts per sq.ft. or 13,594 lumens per sq.ft.. This setup is on movers and does alright but could use another 1k to really kickit into gear, but overall decent.

#4 (1) 1000w over a 4x4 table or 1000w / 16 sq.ft. = 63 watts per sq.ft. or 9063 lumens per sq.ft. To me this setup is right at the edge of what you need to really kick it out like on a 3x3. I really like the 3x3 tables instead of the 4x4 all the way around.

#5 (2) 1000w over (2)3x6 and (2)3x3 or 2000w per 54 sq.ft. = 37 watts per sq.ft. or 5370 lumens per sq.ft.. This sucks bigtime, movers almost make it more painful because of the shadow dancin..lack of cash has dictated this setup but still it sucks.

#6 (3) 1000w over a 11x14 room on movers or 3000w / 154 sq.ft. or 19 watts per sq.ft. or 2825 lumens per sq.ft. this is at a buddy of mines and he is complaining about yield, density, and finish times. this setup is doin just well enough to piss you off, not really crawlin but not cruizin either. I am tryin to get 6-8k in there for he real kickin flower action.

So I was curious what everybody else was doin and experiencin..

The sun is roughly 100w per sq.ft. full tilt so that is my basic minimum benchmark for my indoor satisfaction..

Mo lumens, mo wattage, mo betta..

Tex

on setup 1# was that a hydro setup or soil? I was thinking of starting a 3x3 and only using 1 600, you say you get 3 lbs from nine plants? would the 1 600 do well with 2 plants... how long did it take from start to finish?