Hi everybody,
Was just wondering if i could ditch my 125 envirolight for my 600w grolux?

The seedlings are 8 days old, they are about an inch and half tall and all have the second set of true leaves.
I repotted them yesterday and all seem happy enough but i used 15cm pots and have 11 of them under the 125w with reflector, problem is it doesnt seem like enough light is getting to the outside plants, the 6 in the middle are fine, so shall i just move the plants about everyday and carry on using the 125w or should i start using the 600w grolux and have it a bit further away? I am using a air cooled reflector so heat shouldnt be an issue.

If i can use the 600w grolux (far better coverage), how far should it be from my seedlings, id usually use the back of my hand, but it is air cooled so it isnt as hot as previous lights.

Thanks for any help.

hello m8

i have a few young plants under an 250w enviro in order to keep the node spacings as small as possible. I have the light rite on top of them wich is great but as i pot up im finding it harder to keep all the plants under the light. So even tho the enviro is the correct spectrum and can be set alot closer to the plants its becoming less practical to use it.

Im about to switch over to my 250w hps because of this problem and i will set it about 2 ft away from the plants to start with and gradually allow them closer. This should enable a more powerful and much better spread of light over my plants all be it the wrong spectrum.

As regards your 600w that is cooled im not so sure about distance but I would carefull if they are very young plants make sure you set them a safe distance maybe 3 or 4 foot away them gradually move them closer and see how they get on.

600w on seedlings sounds like a lot to me, and if you have the light too far away I'd expect some stretch from them.

YES

ditch it,
ditch it,
ditch it.

carefully though

as for distance from seedlings, i'd say 2 foot-ish. e2a: as long as you've got decent airflow.

If you've got space run them both and split you seedlings, just for a week or so, you can then see the difference yourself.

Thanks for that scoob, sounds like were having similar problems m8, i think ill probably treat them to a nice big t5 propogation light for next time, hopefully wont have this problem then. Im the same m8, would of prefered to have them under the cfl for a little while for short internodes but theres no point if only half have the light to grow.

Thanks also tremont, think ill bite the bullet n ditch, ditch, ditch! Yeh i have good circulation and extraction so ill give it a whirl n see what happens, hopefully they dont stretch to much.

Good luck with your grow scoob, hope you get it sorted, your 250w sounds ideal for the problem, just make sure you have a fan blowing on it if they small like mine.

I dont have the space woodbutcher but thanks for your help, ill have to try n make do this time and get a nice big propogation light for next time.

combine the two.
bigger spectrum = tighter nodes/healthier plants.

seedlings can handle 600 watt .
be sure to repot om time.

Thanks m8y good luck with your grow also! My young'ns are about 7 " tall with nice thick stems, i have a fan on the HPS light 24/7 and another clip on fan plus extraction so alls good




How can you combine? do you mean doing what we are already doing... using the enviro then hps? because you CANT use them both at the SAME time,, the enviro needs to be real close to the plants and would get in the way of the light from the hps

+ using both is a total waste of power on a few seedlings

A 250 watt HPS would pay for itself in a few grows.
A 600 watt grow should fit under one of these for 4 weeks. I certainly wouldn't bother with a 125 watt fluorescent for more than the first 2 weeks when they're all in one seed tray.

I repot at 2 week intervals -
7cm square -
11 or 13 cm square
15 or 18cm
18 or 25cm

you'd be surprised how effictive hanging both lights next to each other can be.
Just because our human eyes cant see a 125 enviro when a 600 is burning doesnt mean the plants cant either.

the 125 will add to a completer spectrum , wheter u understand it or not.

Enviro lights have to be very close to the plants (2") to have much effect. HPS lights (600w) will need to be 12 - 24 " away. So placing them the same distance away will add a miniscule amount of extra light/spectrum. It would be like throwing money down the drain. Totally pointless

e2a: you can buy dual spectrum bulbs now if thats what you want

its nothing to do with understanding spectrums its about not wasting money on electric. hang them side by side and the cfl will be way too high to do anything making it a waste. hang the enviro lower and its shade will block light coming from the 600 which will make the 600 less effective. as said ideally a 250 is needed but if its just the cfl or 600 to choose from its going to be the 6 . i'd probably go for a 600mh bulb if i couldnt afford a 250 set up (providing his ballast is compatible)

hps bulbs are way better now compared to when the hps/stretch thing was true. Once you've tried using hps all the way, I reckon you'll be a convert.

Enough heat to damage the tip of an established plant can kill a little 'un so a bit more reflector height just to be on the safe side.