Lighting Several Lights or Just 1 ... That's the ???

[Buds Buddy]

I've often wondered if it would be better to use something like 4 - 300 watt LED's or just 1 - 1000 watt LED in a 4' x 4' x 7' tent. It seems to me the 4 smaller lights would be better as I think it would give a better light canopy. Not sure if I'm right or wrong or if it would even make a difference. But I'd like to hear some opinions from you more experienced growers.
I've used CFL's, T-5's, MH / HPS & LED's & have combined CFL's w/ LED & T-5 w/ LED & HPS w/ LED's trying & trying to get bigger yields to no avail. Best I've done is 3.5 oz. per plant which I don't consider very good from what I've seen others do. I'm looking for 6 - 8 oz. per plant & I'll be happy.
I always topped or fimmed but did not LST before. This time I'm using LST also.
I currently am re-vegging a Fire OG Photo period plant using LST. The plant is only about 1' tall so far but it's about 2.5 feet diameter. It's a bush with leaves bigger than my hand. Hard to even find the actual branches there are so many leaves. I'm kind of wondering if I should defoliate this plant some it's so bushy. I plan on vegging this plant 10 - 12 weeks instead of just the 8 weeks I usually do. I'm hoping this will increase my total yield some.
Any thoughts on this stuff is greatly appreciated. As soon as my Auto plants sprout I'll be starting a grow journal on them. Yes, I'm doing 2 grows (Auto's & Photo's) in 2 different tents at the same time so I get a harvest every 8 - 10 weeks. I could do all Auto's & harvest every 4 weeks but the Fire OG was so damned good I had to re-veg it. It's twice as bushy this time so maybe I'll get more yield.

 

[MickJ]

I've often wondered if it would be better to use something like 4 - 300 watt LED's or just 1 - 1000 watt LED in a 4' x 4' x 7' tent. It seems to me the 4 smaller lights would be better as I think it would give a better light canopy. Not sure if I'm right or wrong or if it would even make a difference. But I'd like to hear some opinions from you more experienced growers.
I've used CFL's, T-5's, MH / HPS & LED's & have combined CFL's w/ LED & T-5 w/ LED & HPS w/ LED's trying & trying to get bigger yields to no avail. Best I've done is 3.5 oz. per plant which I don't consider very good from what I've seen others do. I'm looking for 6 - 8 oz. per plant & I'll be happy.
I always topped or fimmed but did not LST before. This time I'm using LST also.
I currently am re-vegging a Fire OG Photo period plant using LST. The plant is only about 1' tall so far but it's about 2.5 feet diameter. It's a bush with leaves bigger than my hand. Hard to even find the actual branches there are so many leaves. I'm kind of wondering if I should defoliate this plant some it's so bushy. I plan on vegging this plant 10 - 12 weeks instead of just the 8 weeks I usually do. I'm hoping this will increase my total yield some.
Any thoughts on this stuff is greatly appreciated. As soon as my Auto plants sprout I'll be starting a grow journal on them. Yes, I'm doing 2 grows (Auto's & Photo's) in 2 different tents at the same time so I get a harvest every 8 - 10 weeks. I could do all Auto's & harvest every 4 weeks but the Fire OG was so damned good I had to re-veg it. It's twice as bushy this time so maybe I'll get more yield.

More lights for better cover and if one is shorter or taller you only mess with one light. Also, god forbid, they break, you still have 3 left.

Sent from my comfy chair.

 

[STILLSMOKIN]

Ditto @Rollin_along

Also for photo you want to leave as much as possible until you get the canopy like you want. Then strip everything 6 inches below top canopy. Veg until they recoup and flip 12/12

 

[AutoWonders]

've often wondered if it would be better to use something like 4 - 300 watt LED's or just 1 - 1000 watt LED in a 4' x 4' x 7' tent

I advocate more lights with less wattage for better light spread versus one big wattage light.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Thank You ! I kind of thought the same thing but wanted to get others opinions. I asked because I'm using 1 - 600 watt LED & 7 - 28 watt Spotlight LED's in my 4 x 4 right now & was debating on 1 more 600 watt or 2 more 300 watt for when I flower photo's. I'll go with the 300 watt-ers .
As far as defoliation ... Well I cut out a bunch of leaves that were all bunched up & limp in the center near the stalk & about 10 of the large fan leaves that were blocking the light too much. I am tying branches back every few days & the center keeps filling up again in 3 - 4 days. I wish it would get taller now. It's only about 12" tall but over 2' wide. The 1st time I grew this plant (it's a re-veg) it was about 3.5' tall @ harvest & maybe 16" in diameter. It's gone crazy as a re-veg. .... But I like it !!! I didn't LST last time either. I think I've got her stretched out far enough now so I'll see if she'll grow taller. Light is a good 36" above the plants.

 

[Burn victim]

4 QB 135 or 160 would be nice , but if it was me I’d train my plants for an even canopy & bye one fixture because 14 cobs with individual power cords would drive me nuts ! Power strips with all those plugs make me nervous lol !

 

[MrOldBoy]

Go with one light, stronger light equals deeper penetration and use a light rail to move the light to avoid shade and hot spots created by stationary light ..... plus the rail runs dirt cheap and light covers 40-50 percent more space per watt used than stationary.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Go with one light, stronger light equals deeper penetration and use a light rail to move the light to avoid shade and hot spots created by stationary light ..... plus the rail runs dirt cheap and light covers 40-50 percent more space per watt used than stationary.

I'll have to look into the light rail. I have heard they were a good thing but actually had forgotten about them. Also didn't think it would do a whole lot of good in a 4' x 4' tent since it's such a small area. I once considered buying something like a pottery spinner to set the pot itself on & use a fan speed controller to make it turn slowly but that would only work if there was only 1 plant in the tent so I discarded the idea. I'll check on Amazon to see what the rails system costs. Just started a new job so I may have to wait till next grow to install one if they make one for a small area. It would have been great when I had my 4' x 8' tent up, but I downsized till I sell my house sometime this year & move to a less populated area in a house with a basement that I can use as a large grow area. Off to check out Amazon !!!

 

[Buds Buddy]

Ditto @Rollin_along

Also for photo you want to leave as much as possible until you get the canopy like you want. Then strip everything 6 inches below top canopy. Veg until they recoup and flip 12/12

The plants got stripped as you suggested 3 days ago. There was so many leaves all bunched up & many dried up at the bottom center of the plant. I must have cut off at least 150 - 200 leaves from each plant (80% just from the bottom end). It seems like a lot of leaves but it was a jungle of twisted up mess under there. No Guts / No Glory. Plants were droopy for a few hours & popped right up again & look great now so I put them on 12/12 last night.
Looking forward to seeing the results. Thanks for the heads up !!!

 

[Buds Buddy]

4 QB 135 or 160 would be nice , but if it was me I’d train my plants for an even canopy & bye one fixture because 14 cobs with individual power cords would drive me nuts ! Power strips with all those plugs make me nervous lol !

I do use power strips but I check the Power & Amp Ratings for it & only go about 65% of what they're rated to handle & I only use power strips that have surge protectors so not too worried about them. Never had a power surge or any problem with them.
But I damned sure need to buy a Fire Extinguisher just in case anything does ever happen.