Ok i have a light question. How far should the light be to start off with im noticing the 4 i have going right now are stretching from what it looks like i know its early, i have it 27-28 inches away right now, the plants are 2-3 inches tall. how often should i lower the light, when should i stop lowering the light. thanks
The light should be as close as you can get it without burning the plants....its fairly simple, but for a new grower it can be a bit hit and miss. The old test is to put your hand under the light and feel the temperature....If its too warm, raise the light a little, if its cool lower the light to get the maximum advantage. Just remember your plants are in the light for 18 to 24 hours a day. If the light is even a little bit uncomfortable for you after 1 minute, your plants don't stand a chance. Without KNOWING your set-up its hard to tell you exactly where to hang your lights, you have to work this one out by yourself
im using a 400w mh with a cool tube, intake and exhaust fans temps stay a constant 75 i can put my hand pretty close to the light without it burning atall, like 6-12 inches.
once you get done lowering it you should be able to maintain it around 12 inches from the tops. but don't know how old your plants are and thats the main factor. Hell i got to papayas flowering right now one stretched so much it was touching the cooltube and it i raised the light like 2" just to see what would happen and believe it or not they stayed like that for almost three days before they ever showed any sign of heat stress not the lights are only 4 inches above the tops the stretching period has stopped and the don't seem to be geting stressed and non of the hairs seem to be burnt so just goes to show ya you have to experiment with it cause most my other strains could only take the light being like 12" away.
Got lucky and found that light chart I liked.Like like to flower in the tropical range.It can be a little farther then tropical when young afaik.If I read that chart right then it's 10 - 14 inches?For a 400. /monthly_2007_02/lightintensity.gif.a9a94a6526f6fd74f700254a4ea711cf.gif
all strains are different you cant use a chart for anything in growing unless youve compilated one for a certian growing environment and a certian strain over time and only then do you know exactly what they need. to tell what the plant likes lower the light until the leaves are reaching up tward the light like a V. or until the leaves start to cup inward and get hard ridges on the leaves....then back the light off until they stop cupping. = thats the proper light heigth. try and keep it at that level through flowering until the last few weeks- then some plants get hardened to the light and can take it even lower.... goodluck!
well the light is a 400w mh 6500k rating on it, it might put off alot of heat, the actual heat from the light is very little. so i lowered it from 27-28 to around 14 inches. i guess ill just keep rasing the light as the days go on to keep around 12 inches
