Lighting Advice needed on adding supplemental lighting.

[Cap'nCrud]

Hey Guys.... and Gals,
I have a 4x8 tent with a 1000 watt HPS. I have 9 of Mephisto's Grapey Walters just entering pre-flower. My question is, I have a light bar with 6- 85 watt CFL's, would it help to spread out my plants a little and add the CFL's to the HPS? TIA

Edited to add: Heat will be no problem, it is cold as a well diggers ass here.

 

[GoAuto6]

It won't hurt.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Why do well diggers have a cold ass?

Won't add much but wont hurt anything.

 

[Rev. Green Genes]

I dont know if my opinion on this is popular or not... but I always give preference to coverage and penetration before wattage. If you have to raise it high to get coverage over your whole footprint, then yes, add lights. Otherwise, it sounds like a garden hose watering a hurricane.

 

[Cap'nCrud]

I dont know if my opinion on this is popular or not... but I always give preference to coverage and penetration before wattage. If you have to raise it high to get coverage over your whole footprint, then yes, add lights. Otherwise, it sounds like a garden hose watering a hurricane.

This is my thought process as well, I am wanting to give them all of the room that they want to spread, and I don't know the footprint of my HPS really. I have read so many conflicting opinions, and "facts" about it that I'm never quite sure what to do. In the past I have burned a lot of plants with either too much light, or too much heat, or a combination of both. I only have 10 grows under my belt, so I'm still learning. I hate to hurt my little girls, ya know? Thanks to all for your opinions.

 

[Rev. Green Genes]

This is my thought process as well, I am wanting to give them all of the room that they want to spread, and I don't know the footprint of my HPS really. I have read so many conflicting opinions, and "facts" about it that I'm never quite sure what to do. In the past I have burned a lot of plants with either too much light, or too much heat, or a combination of both. I only have 10 grows under my belt, so I'm still learning. I hate to hurt my little girls, ya know? Thanks to all for your opinions.

There is a simple foolproof thing to do.

The light cutoff point is fairly abrupt, so if you raise your hand over the light where you want to put a plant, then lower your hand till you see full brightness on it. Thats your outside coverage limit. Then raise or lower as necessary to adjust to that spot you want it at. In a perfect world that would place the light at a healthy distance from the tops but not too far either.

 

[Cap'nCrud]

There is a simple foolproof thing to do.

The light cutoff point is fairly abrupt, so if you raise your hand over the light where you want to put a plant, then lower your hand till you see full brightness on it. Thats your outside coverage limit. Then raise or lower as necessary to adjust to that spot you want it at. In a perfect world that would place the light at a healthy distance from the tops but not too far either.

Rev, I'm just a dumb ole Hillbilly, so I don't understand exactly how to do what you are saying. Could you do an old fart a favor and try to explain it to me?

 

[Simplicio]

Hey Guys.... and Gals,
I have a 4x8 tent with a 1000 watt HPS. I have 9 of Mephisto's Grapey Walters just entering pre-flower. My question is, I have a light bar with 6- 85 watt CFL's, would it help to spread out my plants a little and add the CFL's to the HPS? TIA

Edited to add: Heat will be no problem, it is cold as a well diggers ass here.

The HPS is probably at least twice as efficient as the CFLs.
The 6 CFLs draw 510 watts total, but if they are half as efficient, then their "effective" output is 250 watts.
That would be 25% more light.
I'd do it.

 

[Cap'nCrud]

The HPS is probably at least twice as efficient as the CFLs.
The 6 CFLs draw 510 watts total, but if they are half as efficient, then their "effective" output is 250 watts.
That would be 25% more light.
I'd do it.

I like your thinking.

 

[Waira]

.. moving this to the right forum, Sick Bay isn't the place for lighting questions,...