Vegging under a 1000w light?

[Light]

My question is, my buddy I'm helping out with lights was using a 400w mag ballast with a lowes HPS lamp. Of course he knows this isn't the way to veg but he has nothing in 400w with the blue spectrum.

I was able to hook him up with a 1000w ballast and full spectrum lamp to give the plants the proper spectrum. I told him to raise the light as high as he can go which is about 8ft and the plants are about 41/2 feet away from the light.

Now I know the lighting is correct, but what I don't know is how intense this light will affect the plants? should we lower the table more? The light puts out about 90,000 lumens.

 

[7greeneyes]

Total light Wattage has nothing to do with the Kelvin temp that the lamps emits. I use a 400 watt MH conversion ( http://4hydroponics.com/plantmax-mh-conversion-bulb-400w ) which emits the proper 6500k blue lights that vegging plants love. They seem to stay happier under the blues vs. hps as well which is nice.


I've vegged under a 1kw hps when emergency situations dictated. You keep them about 4 feet away (or 4.5 like you said) and they should be okay. Wouldn't suggest doing it but the girls survived till I could get a lower-intensity lit veg room.

Quick ?: Are they new cuttings or have they already rooted?

 

[Light]

The seedlings are in many stages, they seem to be happy with the light and the distance we chose away.

The ones that are just peeking through are even lower on the table to soften the blow of light.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Sherrwood]

There's nothing wrong with vegging under 1000 watt, if you dont mind the electric bill.
I recently took my veg plants from the t5's and put them in the other tent under a 1000 AND a 600 with veg. Bulbs for 2 weeks now, tonight I am switching the bulbs to flower and cutting them to 12/12 to start flowering.

As far as height goes, get them as close as you need to, to get proper coverage, as long as the leaves dont burn your fine.

You will surprised how they like the extra lumens!

 

[BenfukD]

Why wouldn't you want to veg under 1000?

 

[Hushpuppy]

One thing to watch for when backing up lights like that is stretch. There is a rule of physics called the square/cube rule that causes the light energy to diminish very quickly with each foot of distance. I always place my hand over my plants with the palm down, just touching the highest top of the plants. I hold it there for a minute and see if my hand gets uncomfortable ffrom the light intensity. If it gets uncomfortable then I back the light up. If not then I lower it until I can just feel the intensity.

Then I watch my plants for about 10 days to see if they are stretching as they grow or are staying more compact as they branch. You want them to stay compact as they will stretch when they go into flower. If the light is too far away, they will stretch to reach for the light.

 

[orangesunshine]

veg 24/7 will also slow the stretch---do ur best to keep the canopy level as possible by setting a booster chair under the smaller ones

i agree with hush get them as close as possible---u may even consider using fan leaves from larger plants to shade the smaller less established ones if they cant handle the heat

 

[Light]

Ya I had to up the cooling in the room, we don't mind the increase in electric. We're able to start more plants now, at different heights using that palm method with intensity. Thank you for the tips and advice everyone.