A 400 W MH should be about 18 inches from the tops of your plants. As Bro Grunt said in another post, put your hand so that the palm is just touching the tops of your plants. Leave you hand there for at least 30 seconds.
Stoney...How long ideally should it take for seeds to sprout through the soil? Remember I planted germinated seeds. I think I may have let the soil get too dry and then over watered to compensate, how detrimental to the newly planted seeds is this? They have been under the lights for about 36 hours. Maybe you can help. I am not too concerned because it was just bagseed, I wanted to get a test run in before my Nirvana items arrive. I have a few other germed seeds i can do another test run with. Since this my first time I have no idea how long I should be waiting for them to sprout through the soil.
As far as the distance from the light you stated about 18 inces however please tell me if this sounds off...I have a Sun System 400 Watt MH Sun Master Warm Deluxe Bulb w/ Econo Grow remote ballast (outside grow room) and Sun System Econo Cool Reflector...My hand feels only barely warm after 1 min from 6 inch distance, and I started the light about 12 inches off the freshly planted pots. Am I nuts or can I expect to be able to keep the light substantially closer to the plants which would free up more room in my grow box...
Sorry I am going on and on I have a million questions...You are all so wise
*********Any posts made by me are purely fictional in nature and by no means is anything I say to be taken seriously. I do not grow or condone the growing of anything not legal. Any and all pictures I post are pictures widley available on the internet and any discussions I am involved in are purely hypothetical or are commentary in nature and should not constitute advice or be considered advice to assist in activities that are deemed illegal.