Light Movers. Good, or Time/Place ?

ProdigalSun

ProdigalSun

Well-Known Member
I have heard people claim that light movers are the shit, and some claim that they are just shit. What's up with this shit? Are they worth it? Is it a time and place thing, or should they be a staple in every grow?

My situation....I'm vegging under a 400w HPS. My 600w Flowering ballast just crashed, and since there isn't that much of a price difference in the 1kw lights, I went with the 1,000 :D. Sorta, I owe the bank :/ They are both in cool tubes, and I added the light rail about 4 days ago. It's set to travel about 3 feet laterally.

A few months ago, I decided to leave the flowering light on 24/7, partly because I grow in the free air of an unoccupied bedroom, and I veg 24/7 in there too. It's nice not having to worry about light leaks. I just move the flowers to a dark room. A closet in another bedroom, being 2'x8'x5', I have all the room needed for the flowers. The dark room has its own ventilation, temps and humidity are normal.

This created a problem.... The vegging area became too small. I needed more room there, because I'm trying to veg 400 watts to support 2 1,000 watt flowering rooms. sorta...

I plan on upgrading the 400 to a 600 later, but that is as much power as I'm willing to use. Adding a second light to the vegging area at this time is out of the question. My solution was to add a light rail to the 400w vegging area.

What are your opinions/experiences with light movers in general?
 
rocknratm

rocknratm

Well-Known Member
you can move the plants like that, or setup 2 identical areas. all that's on during the dark cycle is one extraction fan. fuck moving plants every day for 2 months
 
ProdigalSun

ProdigalSun

Well-Known Member
Why spend the extra money? Most people have a hard enough time setting up and maintaining one room, myself included. A plant is worth a few hundred bucks, I can get 6 good sized plants growing under the same bulb, and all I have to do, is 3 minutes of work, twice a day. Compared to the cost of pot, and what I used to have to go through to get it, this is a breeze, I'll not be so lazy.

I once rode my bike at night in february in Michigan to get a dime from a friend about 8 miles away. This is like having an easy button.
 
nevergoodenuf

nevergoodenuf

Well-Known Member
I'm a fan of my 2 light movers. Though I'm not trying to double the light coverage, I'm trying to eliminate shade spots. One I have moves 14" and the other only about 7". This seems to allow me to run my girls closer together. 12 to 16 in 3g. bags in a 4'x4' tray. With training ( tying branches to the bag).
 
SnapsProvolone

SnapsProvolone

Well-Known Member
I love using movers in veg but not flower. Typically they spread your yield unless you are over lit or dealing with tight areas. If using a sun twist use 2000 watts to veg and 4000 to flower and it will rock. if you are using a mover to spread your lumens too thin your results will be limited. If using to even out distribution and or enhance spectrum then go for it. Lumens per sqft is still governing factor mostly.
 
ProdigalSun

ProdigalSun

Well-Known Member
I think it's a good choice for my particular situation. Though I have 8 feet of track, I limited the travel to the 3-4 feet or so that I need. I'm running both lights inline through cool tubes, so the thing ends up tugging the flowering light a couple inches as well, an added benefit.
 
SilentGreen21

SilentGreen21

Member
Light movers do work and spread out the yield. 3 feet back n forth is the way to go. I have done 1 light over 6 feet and that was just a big mistake. I had the same yield but much smaller plants all over. If I had put the 2nd light there, that would have made a huge difference. However, I stopped using light movers and have gotten much better yield. It is all about the wall space being close as possible for the lights to reflect back to the plants.
 
C

CaretakerDad

Well-Known Member
I am a big fan of light movers in conjunction with fans, just be aware that you are marginally increasing the light to otherwise shaded leaf surfaces and the difference will be slight, but will be there. Fans also help to increase light penetration (as well as growing stronger plants) by air movement through the leaves simulating natural conditions as much as possible. Good Growing :)
 
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