Lighting

[MotherEarth]

I never leave my lights on 24-7 for fear of a fire hazard. I turn them off before I leave the house. They are only 3 weeks old and are growing steady with forest green leaves. 200w lights.
Anyone turn their lights off?

 

[adam420]

The only fire hazard I can think of is it your plants touch the lights for a long peirod of time, that will cause a fire. I use a strong rope for my 400 watt hps cause it's behind the furnance and a chain is to hard to move. I used tape to hold the rope together, bad mistake when I came hope and went to check on my plants I smelled something weird in the basement. The light fell on my plants and was burnning my plastic pots about a half an inch down. Luckley my plants were not harmed it turned out that the heat from the light made the tape soft, stupid me. Now I have metal clamps for the rope. But leaving the light on 24/7 is best for veg and most people recommend it. If your worried about a fire get a smoke detector.

 

[Mutt]

You can go to 18/6 lighting, but 24h lights is best.

Fire-Hazard: don't use cardboard (CARDBOARD BAD) and make sure the light is secure. Smoke detector always and you should be fine.

Your plants will get confused with varied lighting and the yeild and potency will be degraded, as well as the flowering time will be extended.
Any interuption in scheduled lighting is bad. @ 18/6 lights are to remain on for 18 hours without interuption. If not it could force your plant into premature flower.

I also read an article somewhere that was stating the a plant may turn hermie due to stress before flower. Scattered off scedule lighting would cause stress.

 

[MotherEarth]

Very interesting. Thankyou for your advice. As a matter of fact I have duct tape on a rope with my new hanging light...LOL.
My husbands idea...I think Men love duct tape
Thankyou for the warning! Right now I just use those bendable office lamps that you can clamp. Those are nice.

Adam...You use 400 watt...Does that seem to do better? Mine seem to be fine on 200 watt, but if you recommend 400 I will do the same.

Mutt...thanks for the advice about the 18/6 and potency...I wouldn't want that to be jepordized!

I just got a new extra large 40 gallon fishtank...tring to decide if I will use it as my flower pot...or my new hydro experiment. I have 6 plants growing and another 20+ ready to be planted. My grandmother told me that if you talk to your garden she will grow and flourish...maybe an old wivestale, but I believe it works.

 

[adam420]

It's twice as good as 200 watt it all depends on what you want. Right now i'm looking in to getting a 1000 watt to go with my 400 watt.

 

[Mutt]

Lighting depends on your area. If it is small you don't want a 1000W as it will create a heat issue and have to work around it with some fancy ventilation system.

I think it is about 50W+ per square foot. Can't remember the exact number. Anymore than that heat becomes a prblem. So a 3'X3' area would use a 400W system very well.

It all comes down to budget/space/ventilation, and of course how much you want to grow.

Adam420, damn dude I seen a setup with the 1000W and 400W like your doing. Just remember don't look into that bulb when you get it. Are you getting the dual socket hood for that? or are you using one for veg and the other for flower?

Mine don't like my voice..but they love Pink Floyd.

 

[adam420]

lol, my eyes hurt now when I look to long at my 400 watt. Yeah I think it's 50 watt square feet for best, but I also heard you can work in around 30 - 80 watt for square feet. But like you said "It all comes down to budget/space/ventilation, and of course how much you want to grow" bigger space = more lights (watts) = better ventilation. I wanna wait till my 24 birthday for my 1000 watt light cause my dad says he will buy it for me about 10 months to go. I was thinking of getting the 1000 watt for flower and use my 400 watt plus another 200 watt for veg but that like $100 a month for hydo so still working on future plans. Sorry for the long text it's not like be but i have not smoked a joint in like 3 days.

 

[Mutt]

Hey its a post forum.

What I use is florous for Veg. Not much heat and don't need odor control.
This is my thought (sorry dude just smoked a doob so I will chat too).
Veg/clone box with florous (4 40watt tubes or 4 42W compact) and a fan.
Flower area with a dual socket w/ the 1000 and 400 watt blasting away. Venting is already an issue during flower anyway. hook up a homeade carbon scrubber to the exhaust and off you go. Just my thoughts, plus less expense (all that HID heck 1000 and 400 I would want that on 12/12) string of flouros running 24/7 would be less maintence in my opinion. I've seen great grows with florous for veg.

 

[GanjaGuru]

MotherEarth,
Your gramma gave you good advice, except it's not the sound of your voice the plants respond to--it's the CO2 you exhale.
AND
Those who take time to talk to--bond--with their plants, generally take better care of them. They spend more time with them and might see a bug on them or notice they don't look as perky as they did the day before, stuff someone who casually glances at them might miss.

I don't believe plants respond to music (except loud racous music might retard growth) because plants don't have ears, or brains to process music.

Duct tape to men is what Q-Tips are to chicks--can't have too much of 'em.

 

[Mutt]

Those who take time to talk to--bond--with their plants, generally take better care of them. They spend more time with them and might see a bug on them or notice they don't look as perky as they did the day before, stuff someone who casually glances at them might miss.

That is why I am a die hard LST guy. Lets me look over the plant very carefully (and listen to floyd) when tying down. Gives my 10-15min. and I am looking at the underside the tops the color everything.

 

[MotherEarth]

Good rule of thumb on the square footage. That makes me feel better about my lights vs. fire hazard because I have about about a 2 squarefoot area (inside my computer desk cabinet *where the tower should go*) with the lights.

GanjaGuru...someone else said it may be the CO2...but if you speak to her gently with love the CO2 comes slowly and gracefully. PS...Q-tips have many uses!

Adam...sorry you have not had the luxury of nature's wonders in 3 days. Don't worry...soon enough you will have enough to last you 2 years.

Mutt...you really know what you are talking about. I enjoy your posts. You seem a bit modest...please brag a little on your success...tell a story, anything. You are anonymous here.

 

[Mutt]

Mutt...you really know what you are talking about. I enjoy your posts. You seem a bit modest...please brag a little on your success...tell a story, anything. You are anonymous here.

My digital camera is broke at the moment can't take photos of my current grow. but I will start a new thread for you in introductions. 75 bucks to replace the chord from my CPU to the camera. I am saving for a new one.

 

[MotherEarth]

My digital camera is broke at the moment can't take photos of my current grow. but I will start a new thread for you in introductions. 75 bucks to replace the chord from my CPU to the camera. I am saving for a new one.

I look forward to it.