HPS lighting question, need some expert knowledge

[Dutchman24]

I am going to be constructing a 3x3x5h grow box and am planning on putting about 16 plants in this area. I have been doing research and it seems like HPS lightbulbs are the way to go and by using a 400 Watt i should be able to get about 5,000 lumens per sq/ft. I am looking at using the HTG supply 400 watt HPS grow light, and this is the link to it http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct...roductID=47929 . This looks like the perfect light to me but then again i am not an expert on this, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[2cimdma]

You should use MH for the veg period and then switch over to HPS for the flower. Alot of plants for 9 square feet though. SOG??

 

[SenorSanteria]

Yeah you need to give each plant about 1 square foot of its own. A 400w HPS is said to be good for a 4x4 foot area, 16 plants. But if you only have a 3x3 foot floor space, youll never get 16 plants in there. With a 3x3 area, 9 plants, maaaybe 10 or 11 is about the most youll fit.

 

[Dutchman24]

Yea that makes more sense, i'm gonna have to bump up to 4x4x5h then, might as well get the most out of the project. And how hight oh a wattage should i use on the mh lamp

 

[T.H.Cammo]

Yeah you need to give each plant about 1 square foot of its own. A 400w HPS is said to be good for a 4x4 foot area, 16 plants. But if you only have a 3x3 foot floor space, youll never get 16 plants in there. With a 3x3 area, 9 plants, maaaybe 10 or 11 is about the most youll fit.

"A 400w HPS is said to be good for a 4x4 foot area"
Yeah - if you only want to average 25 watts/sq. ft.! Is this really the kind of information we should be passing on? Or should we be discussing options?

Yes you can cut it really thin and you will probably get something with 25 watts/sq. ft. -or- you could leave it at 3'x3' and bump it up to a 600 watt light and get over 66 watts /sq. ft. (mo' light, mo' good!)

I'm really not a big fan of "Just barely enough" - "Been there - done that!"

 

[SenorSanteria]

400 watts is plenty of light for 4'x4'. More is always better, but implying that such a setup is not worth doing is completely misleading. All of the 400w light companies recommend using them on a 4 foot by 4 foot area.

 

[KaliKitsune]

"A 400w HPS is said to be good for a 4x4 foot area"
Yeah - if you only want to average 25 watts/sq. ft.! Is this really the kind of information we should be passing on? Or should we be discussing options?

Yes you can cut it really thin and you will probably get something with 25 watts/sq. ft. -or- you could leave it at 3'x3' and bump it up to a 600 watt light and get over 66 watts /sq. ft. (mo' light, mo' good!)

I'm really not a big fan of "Just barely enough" - "Been there - done that!"

400w is fine for a 4x4 area and 16 plants, especially an HID, because of the greater light intensity (double to triple without trying over the best fluorescents.) That 23 watts per square foot is still putting down more light than say even my 432w T5HO for 27 watts per square foot, get a light meter for photography and it'll say the exact same thing.

I won't argue that it is a little skimpy, but it can be compensated for with a little extra time in veg, no biggie.

 

[Dutchman24]

ok so I am either going to stay with 4x4 with a 600 or 4x4 with 400 depending on my budget, what do you think about ventalization. I'm not sure if i should use one or 2 fans or where to place them.

 

[SenorSanteria]

Id probably use two fans... 400's and 600's get hot.

 

[spies420]

Would a 150W hps work for 6 plants or less or is it worth it to go with the 400W?

 

[cackpircings]

Yeah dude go 400… 150 on is plants is way too weak!

 

[SenorSanteria]

I'm using two 150w HPS's for 6 plants.

 

[Dutchman24]

My final decision is to stay with a 3x3x5h box growin anywhere from 8-10 plants with a 400watt hps light for flowering which comes with a 400w mh conversion for veg. I am going to use 1 intake fan about 1/4 of the way up the box and another fan close to the top for exhaust, Is this enough to keep the box at the right temp?. and also what is the best container to put each plant into?