# dimming a 600 watt hps during flower



## Bongofury (May 28, 2015)

Is it ok to dim the light during flower? Could it hurt anything? My plants are growing close (8") or so to the light. I have a 7' high tent on the way in a few days. I don't want to LST. I just want to let them grow. My ballast has a dimmer to 50% or 75%. aka 300 or 400 watts.

Can I do It?


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## Grower13 (May 28, 2015)

dimming the light will cause plants stretch..........get you some string........ tie a loop around her about 75 to 80 percent the way to the top and pull her down as far as you dare and tie string off to the side of the pot......... bondage is what we call it.


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## Bongofury (May 29, 2015)

Grower13 said:


> dimming the light will cause plants stretch..........get you some string........ tie a loop around her about 75 to 80 percent the way to the top and pull her down as far as you dare and tie string off to the side of the pot......... bondage is what we call it.



I'm gonna grow a set and take your advice Grower13. I'm gonna bend them over tomorrow. They are sleeping presently. Thanks for the advice Grower13.


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## The Hemp Goddess (May 29, 2015)

Dimming the light is the worst thing you can do.  Just LST them and give the plants the light they need.


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## Dr. Green Fang (May 29, 2015)

.......................just LST. 

What's frustrating is you say "I don't want to LST" 

You funking KNEW the answer!


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## Grower13 (May 29, 2015)

Bongo........ I had to super crop a couple of tops in my grow last night........ I would be super cropping your plants if they were mine......... there's some threads here at mp bout super cropping.......... it is a skill to learn if you want to keep your plant short.


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## Dr. Green Fang (May 29, 2015)

Grower13 said:


> Bongo........ I had to super crop a couple of tops in my grow last night........ I would be super cropping your plants if they were mine......... there's some threads here at mp bout super cropping.......... it is a skill to learn if you want to keep your plant short.



Yes, a combination of super cropping and LST would be optimal. Mostly LST IMO


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## Bongofury (May 29, 2015)

Ok I bent them over. the 2 tallest. I cropped the 2 smaller plants that did not need bent over. It was easy. Thanks for the advise everyone.. The new tent will be here end of next week.


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## 000StankDank000 (Jun 2, 2015)

Dimming your ballast will only hurt your bulb and change the spectrum of your light.


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## Bongofury (Jun 3, 2015)

000StankDank000 said:


> Dimming your ballast will only hurt your bulb and change the spectrum of your light.



Thanks Stank. I didn't do it but now I know why. That won't be my last stupid question.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jun 3, 2015)

I used to dim my lights all the time and never had any bulb damage.  Bulbs should be changed out regularly, anyway as they do lose lumens as they are used.  I have never heard of dimming the light changing the spectrum?  Stank where did you read that?

The real only problem with dimming lights is the lower lumen count.  Nothing else.


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## 000StankDank000 (Jun 3, 2015)

The Hemp Goddess said:


> I used to dim my lights all the time and never had any bulb damage.  Bulbs should be changed out regularly, anyway as they do lose lumens as they are used.  I have never heard of dimming the light changing the spectrum?  Stank where did you read that?
> 
> 
> 
> The real only problem with dimming lights is the lower lumen count.  Nothing else.




Ok so you have a par meter THG? You won't be able to see it get damaged unless you have a light meter.

As for the spectrum. I can see the spectrum change with my eyes as I change the ballast settings.

It changes the LIFE span of the bulb the lumen output and spectrum that is ALL


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