Adequate lighting?

[Carlo]

Hello all,

I'm new to indoor growing and have a lighting question. I plan on growing about 5 fem plants in a small/medium closet. I plan on using 1 T5 four-foot fluorescent (2 bulbs) for vegetation and 1 HPS 400 watt lamp for flowering.

Do i have enough lumens/lighting for the 5 plants? what if i attempted to grow six plants, which seems to fit, is there enough lumens?

Also, at the flowering stage, could I use both lamps to increase the lumen?

I believe that it's a not good idea to use both in the vegetation phase, but i'm not sure.

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Hello all,

I'm new to indoor growing and have a lighting question. I plan on growing about 5 fem plants in a small/medium closet. I plan on using 1 T5 four-foot fluorescent (2 bulbs) for vegetation and 1 HPS 400 watt lamp for flowering.

Do i have enough lumens/lighting for the 5 plants? what if i attempted to grow six plants, which seems to fit, is there enough lumens?

Also, at the flowering stage, could I use both lamps to increase the lumen?

I believe that it's a not good idea to use both in the vegetation phase, but i'm not sure.

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

Lighting needs are figured by square foot rather than plant count. I would recommend a 4 lamp T5, as a 4' 2 bulb T5 will not give adequate coverage over 4', regardless of the depth of your space. A 400 W HPS is good for about 10 sq ft.

Keep in mind that yield is more a function of your lighting and the strain you are growing. By this I mean that you are not going to get more yield by putting more plants in your space. I think that for a 3 x 3 space (what you can adequately cover with a 400W HPS) that I would keep my plant count to 4 with about a 6-8 week veg.

 

[budman45]

i would use just the 400 watter you need just as many lumans for veg as you need for flower

 

[Carlo]

Could I use both lamps? You guys are pretty knowledgeable. I like that!

 

[nouvellechef]

i would use just the 400 watter you need just as many lumans for veg as you need for flower

No you dont. Thats crazy talk.

Yes you can use both the T5 and the 400.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

i would use just the 400 watter you need just as many lumans for veg as you need for flower

I'm sorry, but this is incorrect. You need 3000 lumens per sq foot for vegging and 5000 lumens per sq foot for flowering. In addition, your vegging room can be significantly smaller than your flowering room as plants generally increase in size 2-3 times when put into flowering. I veg with 216 watts of T5s in a 4 x 2 space and flower with 1200w in a 3 x 6.5 space.

While you can use both lights during veg, you would be better off, energy wise, to veg with a 4 tube 4' T5 and flower with the 400W hps.

What are your plans for ventilation. This is almost as important as your lighting.

 

[Carlo]

Although I'm using the closet, the entire room is empty. The entire place is empty. Therefore, I was thinking that i could use a fan in the closet and maybe 1 on each end of the closet. Do you believe this would be adequate? I would then ventilate out of the room window.

 

[nouvellechef]

Although I'm using the closet, the entire room is empty. The entire place is empty. Therefore, I was thinking that i could use a fan in the closet and maybe 1 on each end of the closet. Do you believe this would be adequate? I would then ventilate out of the room window.

I have a feeling you mean cheap little oscilating fan? You skimp and go cheap in this sport, you pay for it in the end. Just so you know. GL

 

[Carlo]

what kind of fans should be used for ventilation?

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Although I'm using the closet, the entire room is empty. The entire place is empty. Therefore, I was thinking that i could use a fan in the closet and maybe 1 on each end of the closet. Do you believe this would be adequate? I would then ventilate out of the room window.

You really need an exhaust fan--look at Can, Eclipse, Vortex, etc.. You need to exchange the air--your plants need a continual supply of fresh air all the time the lights are on. Oscillating or box fans will just push the air around. In addition, you will most likely find that the closet runs too hot without one.

 

[Carlo]

thanks for everyone's advice. i'm ready to grow, but still waiting on seeds. Patience is a virtue, at least that's what I hear.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

You have your space set up and running? How large is it? From your opening post yesterday, it appears that things were still in the planning stages?

 

[Carlo]

I had been planning this for awhile now. However, this forum has really helped me 'tighten up' my plan. I had already bought everything before I learned from this forum.

In hindsight, I would have bought from a different seed bank, would have bought 1 T5 florescent lamp with 4 bulbs rather than the two bulb kind, and would have bought the HPS 400 watt lamp with a built-in fan.

My closet is 2x6 feet. I believe my seeds are not are going to arrive until at least 1 more week. I have the soil, perlite, pots, etc.

Therefore, my last concern is ventilation, which I'm now assessing.

Have I missed anything?

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

With a veg space that size, I would recommend getting another 4' 2 bulb fixture (and that would still be underlit). With 12 sq ft and a 10000 lumen light, you are at less than 1000 lumens per sq ft. This could well cause your plants to stretch. I think that HTG has them for around $50. If this is not in the budget, I think I would add the 400W after they get a couple of weeks old, this will cost quite a bit more in electricity than if you can manage another T5. I think you make a good decision not getting the 400 with a built in fan. Do you have an air coolable hood?

You are going to want your space set up and dialed in before you germ any seeds. This means running the lights, having your ventilation set up and running, and making sure your temps are within growing range.

 

[Carlo]

Thank you. Do you think I should buy another t5 2bulb or just buy the 4bulb and that way I can use both and have 6 bulbs going?

 

[Jericho]

If you can afford it i would purchase the 4 bulb, That way you may not be underlit.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Thank you. Do you think I should buy another t5 2bulb or just buy the 4bulb and that way I can use both and have 6 bulbs going?

Six tubes would be better. Can you fit both the 4 tube fixture AND the 2 tube fixture in your closet?

 

[Locked]

I always feel bad when the new people find out just how much goes into this...time, money and effort wise. It's not a simple as it seems.

Don't get discouraged bro....your first grow is alwaysna learning experience...hell every grow seems to be a learning experience...and I am okay with that.

 

[Wetdog]

Right now, I would be more concerned with ventilation than more lights.

None of those (what THG mentioned) are cheap and take more than just plugging them in to set up.

You REALLY have to have this taken care of before that 400w gets sparked up.

Wet

 

[Carlo]

What if, although I'm using a closet, the entire bedroom is empty (the entire house is empty for that matter) and I left the closet sliding doors somewhat open. Wouldn't that help the ventilation? I would then use the bed room window to ventilate. Would that work?

Also, I believe that all six tubes would fit & i could also use them with my HPS lamp to help make more lumens.

Privacy isn't an issue in the house.