Need some help on light vs. room size

[Doug_Marsh]

I'm wondering what size light everyone thinks I should use. I have a 4x5 room which I know is big enough for a 1000 watt but the problem is my room is only 6 feet high. I already have a 600 watt from my last grow when my room was only 3x4, but I would love to upgrade to a 1000. Anyone have any thoughts? I have 2 6" fans on is the Can RS6 and the other is the Can RS6 L. I would like to get away with only using one fan as well. I'll be running 6 plants and 3 strains grunk (Colorado local strain), Pre 98 Bubba Kush cut and Skywalker OG.

Thanks in advance for your input,

-The Dude

 

[Phaeton]

With a 6' ceiling my choice would be two Hydrofarm (or badboy) 8 tube T5 fixtures. 864 watts, 80,000 lumen. Its only 43 watts/square foot, but the plants can be CLOSE 'cause their fluoroscent lights.
A point source light would have a hard time reaching the edges, that low height gives shallow angle. The diffuse light from the fluoro's will give edge to edge buds. And the room is the perfect size to make this work.
I have four T5 fixtures, I use three of them for sidelights as I have a 16' ceiling & ten 400w discharge lights. 150 watts/square foot, but the plants are kept 30" away minimum, 36" on the blue end.
With diffuse light distance is your friend, and with light coming in from the entire sky the penetration goes from 1/distance cubed to 1/distance squared, funny numbers but a world of difference to those lower buds, 2 times to 4 times the light on the leaf surface.

I am a major fan of multiple lights and my budroom seems to work OK
:kitty:

 

[dgr]

Doug,
Why not run your 600W at 50W/SF? Unless you are up on tables, I think you have more than enough head room. I don't have 6 feet between my 1000W and my trays.

 

[MIway]

w a 1k u'v got 18" w the hood + hangers
min 18" to the canopy
pots at 12" min
that leaves you 2' for the stalk & nugs... assuming everything fits above

also, that leaves your pots on the floor, so no draining system/trays... or that'l cut into your 2' of plant.
if u can control the heat, and nail the grow height, then it'l be tight, but right there. the 6 will give you some wiggle room w the height.. and the heat for sure.

2cents

 

[supermanlives]

use 2 600s

 

[Doug_Marsh]

So many great ideas! Thank you everyone. I'm still up in the air, but I'm leaning towards my 600 with a nice hood and a few t5's to supplement. 2 600s would be great if I could get a few more feet. One thing I worry about is I'm on a 15 amp breaker which also runs my furnace. I would be ok with 2 600s if I had a dedicated breaker. What do you guys think? I also live in a really old house.

 

[stillsmokin843]

i love t5 for veg and work well for side lighting. two 600s would be a good idea. add up all the amps of furnace and 600s as long as the dont equal 80 percent of the breaker your fine.

 

[Doug_Marsh]

I found an old well pump in my basement that runs on an independent circuit with a 15 amp breaker. The well pump is no longer in use since we now run on city water, so I'm going to disconnect the power to the pump and replace the switch with an outlet. This should allow me to run 2 600 watt hps magnetic ballasts, 1 can rs6 100 watts and 2 circulating fans which I do think should be over 100 watts. This brings me to around 1500 watts. I also just about finished getting the poly around the frame of the room and its bigger than I thought. The whole room ended up being 5 1/2 x 4 1/3 width and 6 feet height. I have been growing in a 3x3 tent for about 5 years now starting with a 400 and worked my way to a 600 about a year ago so this will be my biggest grow yet!! I also just became a caregiver for my Dad so I get to run 6 more plants. Good news all around.

 

[Feb2006er]

Grunk still around?

 

[Loc Dog]

Grunk still around?

Not sure who that is but put cursor over a username and it says last time they were on site. Sorry, did not know it was a strain name.

 

[artisa@n]

I think you should use 2 600s and thats enough

 

[Loc Dog]

I think you should use 2 600s and thats enough

Thread is 2011 for original question.