Is this too close?

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It's a 400W MH conversion bulb and it gets pretty hot. Putting my hand directly under the bulb hurts (and would burn quickly if I left it there), but when I hold my hand down towards the soil it's hot but bearable. I'd say it's about 1 foot between the bulb and the soil. Is this too close?

Thanks guys.

If it's hot, move it up, that's gonna dry em up pretty quick. It's never but nice and warm above my plants, slightly warmer than the grow room ambient temperature. you want your hand pretty much touching the top of the plant, that's where the new growth is coming from, don't want to burn the top up

I've been misting the soil regularly to keep it moist, and the only way to move it down would be to move it another whole foot down. Also I'd have one less shelf :/ lol

Can you raise the plants?

yes, that is too close. are those seedlings? why not start off with a lower wattage until they have had time to develop a root structure and to harden them for the upcomming wattage (400 watts)? if not, drop them down a foot then, which would be about right for seedlings.


either way, good luck on your endeavor.

Yeah I could do that easily, but I'd rather keep that shelf if possible. But if you think 1ft is too close then I'll move em down a shelf and raise them. Nothing but the best for my babies

@J2M3S I only have the 400W system until my 2 26W 6500K CFLs come in a couple days, and I didn't want to risk using the only other CFL I have any longer because it's 2700K.

Thanks for all your advice

raise your pot box then with a few mags or shoe box m8 the closer the better as long as its not too hot for ur hand.

a light spreader/heat shield might be the answer you're looking for, if its in the budget

http://www.budshydrowarehouse.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=164

Not exactly sure how that thing works...

Also - overnight I ended up drying the fuck out of my plants. They're okay now, I think, but I switched to a couple 6500K CFLs until they can handle the MH