1000w vs 600w

I'm in the process of laying out my new grow room. I'm trying to determine how many lights, watts, etc. My ultimate goal is to increase yield. I currently have two 600w hps lights for flowering. I can comfortably fit about 5 to 6 plants per light in 5 gallon buckets. I'm currently growing white widow and yielding on average about 3 dry ounces per plant.

I'm considering growing Mr. Nice's Critical Mass. I'm hoping to increase my average yield from about 3 ounces to 5 or 6 ounces per plant. Not sure if this is wishful thinking or not.

In my new flowering space I have room for more lights and I'm debating on the best layout. Since I already have two 600 watt lights I would like to use them, but it's not necessary. It seems from a power perspective I can run three 600w lights at around the same amount of power as two 1000w lights. I'm wondering if this is a more effective strategy? I'm actually considering running 4x600w hps lights. I'm just curious if I should actually use 1000w lights instead. Anyone care to weigh in?

Also, on a side note if I'm currently growing about 6 plants under a 600w light in 5 gallon buckets. Is it reasonable to think I could get 10 under a 1000w light? Also, with this ratio in mind I'm wondering if I could still anticipate my 3oz per plant under the 1000w scenario?

I don't use lights this big (400 guy) so take this with a grain of salt. I do know 600's are the most efficient wattage of HID lighting. Since you already have two 600's, I'd say go with two more and just train your plants to be shorter and bushier. That way it doesn't matter that the 600's have less penetration. You could also buy a 1000 and put it in the middle and have the 600's on the sides, but that would require moving your plants around a lot to get the most even light distribution. So I'd say stick with 600's. Easier to get a balanced spectrum that way too, as you could flower with 2 or 3 HPS lights and one MH. Good Luck!

I use 4x 600s and would never buy a 1k unless they quit making 600s...

In my opinion a 600 HPS and a 3x3 ebb/flow SOG tray are a lazy stoner's best friend...

48 of these to tray...

1000 warr lights really put out more heat than they do usable light a lot of the time. i mix and match mine hehe.... and im happy to say i dont own one 1000w light. though i have enough to work with.

besides lights can be picked up for as little as a few clones, some good beans or like 100 bux if you look around. youll find a lot of people decide to try this hobby but end up opting out after a while often leacing them with a light thats doing nothing 100 bux will normally change there mind. i just got 1400w worth for $150 600mh 2x 400 hps. that will go in the shed with the rest of the lights (not being used).. it seems that i have to many hps atm...

Gypsy, what was the dry weight on that bud?

Yeah, I'm considering moving Ebb and Flow too eventually. Seems like 4x600w on a 3x3 is overkill. At the same time you are getting some killer results from the looks of it.