I'm in a very confusing situation right now and I need to make a decision quick so I'm not just burning electricity, I've got 4 good sized plants in 3 gallon pots in my veg room, while I just took more clones for summer, what I want to know is if 4 plants is enough to get a decent yield out of or if I would just be wasting money running my 1000w through the hot summer for 4 plants in 3 gallons, and I cannot transplant because they are in felt pOts, unless it's okay to transplant out of felt lots even though it'll rip some of the roots
How many plants per 1000w
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Rancho Cucamonga
Active Member
I do 6 plants under 1200 watts(two 600s) in a fairly tight space and do almost 3 lbs dry.
My suggestion to you is use 5-7 gallon fabric pots next time, either SCROG or do like I do and just heavily prune lower branches by early flower and secure upper branches with bamboo/ties to keep the canopy high and as even as possible. With a 1000 watter one could still do 6 plants but 4 is OK. Main thing is get bigger pots. I used 3 gallon smarts a few grows and they were never near the yield of similar strains in larger pots. I'm moving to 7 gallons exclusively. I'd do 10 gals but I think 7s will get me to 3/4 lb per plant on most strains which is about the limit for my skills and environment.
My suggestion to you is use 5-7 gallon fabric pots next time, either SCROG or do like I do and just heavily prune lower branches by early flower and secure upper branches with bamboo/ties to keep the canopy high and as even as possible. With a 1000 watter one could still do 6 plants but 4 is OK. Main thing is get bigger pots. I used 3 gallon smarts a few grows and they were never near the yield of similar strains in larger pots. I'm moving to 7 gallons exclusively. I'd do 10 gals but I think 7s will get me to 3/4 lb per plant on most strains which is about the limit for my skills and environment.
MYOB
Well-Known Member
The number of plants is not what determines yield. You could get more off one plant than you could off 20 plants. It depends on the size of the plant before flowering.
What is "good size?" How long did they grow?
After some experience, I think the best option is fewer plants that were grown out for at least 2 months. I get better yeilds, better control, easier watering/movement of plants, more air circulation and generally better vigor with no more that 4 plants under a 600w HPS/. I am actually considering either cutting that down to 2 plants. The c99 I have are monsters and branching out all over the place.
What is "good size?" How long did they grow?
After some experience, I think the best option is fewer plants that were grown out for at least 2 months. I get better yeilds, better control, easier watering/movement of plants, more air circulation and generally better vigor with no more that 4 plants under a 600w HPS/. I am actually considering either cutting that down to 2 plants. The c99 I have are monsters and branching out all over the place.
NoBarriers
Well-Known Member
I run 2 x 6k rooms with 12 plants per room. I have to stay under plant numbers so a lot depends on your situation but fewer is better for me. One light in a 4x4 area I would do 4 at the most.
Ok I think I'll try and get a few small plants with like a week veg In 1 gals maybe? To fill in the gaps of the 4 others. I know it doesn't have to do with how many plants hit I figured how many gallons per room was a good thing to look at. I just don't want to end up running my 1000w then getting like a half lb.
70's natureboy
Well-Known Member
1000 watts in 7x7 room with either 9 indica bushes or 16 lanky sativas (3x3 or 4x4). Easy lb, should be 2 lbs.
Now understand I'm trying to find a fix for this particular situation I'm in right now, I have 4 plants all about 2 feet tall in 3 gal pots, but 12 gallons for a 1000w seems a little lite. As long as this should be able to put off close to a lb then I'll run it, I just don't want to waste 2 months and $800 in electricity for something thats gonna lose me money
Rancho Cucamonga
Active Member
Where do you get $800 of electricity from? I run 2400 watts 12/12 and 600 watts 18/6 at the minimum year-round and I don't pay anywhere near $800 in two months. I don't pay half that in 2 months. What part of the world do you grow in that rates are so high?
Ignore talk of perpetual grows, I assume you don't have that going. And ignore advice of too few plants. This requires very long veg times and makes no sense if you have the room for 6-8 five+ gallon pots. And if you have not mastered growing to some degree you will not be able to get big yields from 1-2 plants compared to 6-8. I'd just continue as is, lesson learned. I go back to my previous advice, use bigger pots next round and fit in as many plants as you can and do bottom pruning with SCROG or just securing buds/branches so the canopy is level and correct height from lights/light. But for a single 1,000 watt even with a large reflector your light spread is only so much(4x4 great lumens/5x5 good lumens/6x6 weak lumens).
I think you are pretty good at 4 plants under a single light. Please post your room size.
Rancho Cucamonga
Active Member
Lets see some pics of those two 6,000 watt rooms.
Thats not uncommon in certain parts of CA. 2k watts plus an AC will get you a 400$+ month electricity bill easy.
Rancho Cucamonga
Active Member
I understand. And I didn't take into account cooling but OP says they only have 1,000 watts going, unless they are in Alaska or Hawaii it's no $800 even with 1,500 watts of cooling. Cali would be the next highest rates at around 15c per kilowatt hour. I just want to get a detailed idea of why they are or think they are paying that much. I can't imagine paying more than .10c per. I'm near .6c per.
Edit-I see the Northeast is getting hosed at around 16-18c per. Ridiculous.
I think the OP was meaning over the course of the grow, not per month? I dunno, maybe he was exaggerating.
Rancho Cucamonga
Active Member
Yes, they said 2 months(flower cycle) I pay maybe an extra $375 in 2 months using 2400 watts 12/12 and 600 watts 18/6. This is with fans. With cooling which is rarely needed maybe 500 in 60 days. So I have to assume OP is in a hot state that rips people off on electricity rates.
BustinScales510
Well-Known Member
4 plants per 1000 is what I do,but I just switched from 5 gallons to 7 gallons. I think 3 gallon pots would be too small.. If it were me Id try to transplant before flowering. If they have a pretty established root zone you could cut a slit down opposite sides of the fabric pot and carefully lift it out and into a bigger pot and fill it up with soil/coco whatever
Dannoo93
Well-Known Member
U guys got some spendy electric...my bill was 85$ last month running 1000 12/12 witb a 400 18/6 2 inline fans a oscillating fan and some other lil shit
Aeroknow
Well-Known Member
Smart pots are an awesome transition pot. Simply roll/peel the smart pot off for use next time. Transplant into 7 gal(5 gal real). Prune the shit outta them. Give them a week to recover, than flower. The 3gal smart pot to 7 gal pot is exactly what i've been doing lately, 4 plants per light(1000w)1.5~2 lb's. just gotta learn how much veg and prunning needed for next time around.