growing times under 1000W

[paddy1]

HI All

 

First time grower hydroponically, but things so far are going remarkably well.

 

Anyway, I got a lot of info about growing times. A lot of people say 18 hours a day is typical during the vegetation stage, but they go onto to state that they have 8 plants growing under a 600W lamp...etc...

 

I have 5 plants in total on the go and they are under a 1000W HPS with reflective covering around the walls. I am wondering two things:

 

1) I have been growing under about 13 hours of light a day and they seem to be growing rapidly and look very healthy. However, it would appear that a 600W or 400W going 18 hours a day would be sufficient for good growth for the same area and number of plants. Is it fair to conclude therefore that 12-13 hours a day under 1000W would be sufficient? If not, how much can i drop hours / day in view of a more powerful light?

 

2) If I can get away with 13 or so hours of light during the vegetative stage, would that mean i drop it down to about 8 hours a day during the flowering stage?

 

Thanks.

[miccyj]

HI All

 

First time grower hydroponically, but things so far are going remarkably well.

 

Anyway, I got a lot of info about growing times. A lot of people say 18 hours a day is typical during the vegetation stage, but they go onto to state that they have 8 plants growing under a 600W lamp...etc...

 

I have 5 plants in total on the go and they are under a 1000W HPS with reflective covering around the walls. I am wondering two things:

 

1) I have been growing under about 13 hours of light a day and they seem to be growing rapidly and look very healthy. However, it would appear that a 600W or 400W going 18 hours a day would be sufficient for good growth for the same area and number of plants. Is it fair to conclude therefore that 12-13 hours a day under 1000W would be sufficient? If not, how much can i drop hours / day in view of a more powerful light?

 

2) If I can get away with 13 or so hours of light during the vegetative stage, would that mean i drop it down to about 8 hours a day during the flowering stage?

 

Thanks.

 

I think you may have your wires alitle crossed mate, you need 18 hours of light during the veg stage of growth, when you lower the hours, your telling the plant it is getting closer to winter, so it will start budding. That is a fact regardless of the size of your light.

 

Depending on the strain, 13 hours will probably make it bud aswell.

[pisspotgrower]

13 hours of light ur plants have probably started to bud, u need do some reading buddy thats the number 1 thing not 2 fuck ya light hours..

 

24/7 or 18/4 or 16/8 for veg

 

12/12 for flower some ppl play around here n there but for none of the reasons u r.

 

dont know if ur trying to save a few bux or what ..........

 

do it right

[Innocent criminal]

Miccyi is pretty much on the money, although it is a little more flexible/variable than that.

 

Most strains are bred under 18/6 for veg and 12/12 for bloom, therefore they perform at their best under those light cycles.

However most Sativas and many sativa hybrids will stay in veg with far fewer hours of light and not bud properly until they have less than 12hrs light, these strains usually take a smaller change in hours to initiate budding but some may want as few as 9 hrs of light to flower with full vigor.

 

Light intensity does play a role, many plants will start to flower even under 24hr light if the intensity is too low, however flower formation is stunted and incomplete. The opposite however does not apply, you can run double, triple or a million times your light intensity and, apart from frying your plants, it wont make a lick of difference to their flowering cycle.

 

So stick to 18/6 and 12/12, unless your into Sativas, in that the case you may need to drop to 9 or 10 hrs light to flower.

[paddy1]

thanks for your help everyone. My power costs are not too concerning as i'm only running one light.

Mostly my concern is fire hazard and sleeping with the light running in the next room!

 

However, everyone seems to give me similar opinions about the hours, but it does seem a bit unscientific - though I am sure everyone who recommend 18/6 with a 1000W is correct (for veg).

 

Just follow my reasoning: from me reading of the info, it would seem that a stronger light required to grow more plants in an bigger area. But how does it do this? Well it seems that a 1000W light releases more lumens than a 600W light. So if lumens play a role in growth and a 600W givens a plant (hypothical figures) 60 lumens per 18 hour cycle, doesn't that mean that a 1000W lamp would give 100 luments per 18 hour cycle? If so, then wouldn't I be giving it 70-80 lumens if i run the 1000W lamp at 13-14 hours a day?

 

however its clear this reasoning is wrong. The only explanation I can think of is that a 1000W light will grow more plants or fewer plants will grow more rapidly and fruitfully than they would under a 600W. And I also assume therefore that hours of light vs hours of darkness is the factor deciding growth phase and flower phase, but amount of lumens received during light phase doesn't have a impact on growth or flower phases. Is that correct?

[pisspotgrower]

sorry probably better leave ya at it gl

[Reverend]

Since you are going the scientific route do a grow diary and let us know how it works out.

[miccyj]

, okay, I'm too stoned. just take the information you have been given by some very experienced growers and believe it's true, we know what we're talking about, promise

[Innocent criminal]

I can see where your logic is coming from but thats not how it works...

 

The reason a 1000w light is able to grow more plants is simply because it covers a greater area with sufficient light for rapid growth.

more light = more area = more plants

thats it, no magic light tricks, just a simple matter of putting more in to get more out.

You are over thinking things, plants are simple, so is the science that goes with them.

 

Best grow method around is the KISS system.... Keep It Simple Stupid

 

By all means play with things and have a bit of fun with your growing, its all a learning curve anyways, just don't expect to better the old standards, they are still in use for a reason.

 

PS, I just re-read this bit...

 

however its clear this reasoning is wrong. The only explanation I can think of is that a 1000W light will grow more plants or fewer plants will grow more rapidly and fruitfully than they would under a 600W. And I also assume therefore that hours of light vs hours of darkness is the factor deciding growth phase and flower phase, but amount of lumens received during light phase doesn't have a impact on growth or flower phases. Is that correct?

 

Thats pretty much on the money, Lumens affect growth rates not the flower cycle.

Cannabis (mostly) is a short day flowering plant, meaning that a decrease in light hours is required to initiate the flower cycle.

Long day plants will flower as light hours increase (poppies, for example)

[Frazz]

is this irish humour by any chance paddy