Need your Advice - T5 with HPS for flower

[MileHighGuy]

Hello all, some of you know I use T5's exclusively from Veg to Flower. If you want to see my current setup, check out my blueberry link in my signature.

Well, with the new AC installed and good ventilation, it's time to add some HPS... or so I think.

Here is a Photo to show you what I'm thinking.

Now the questions.

I've read elswhere that using the weight of the HPS light waves, you can effectively drive the higher quality flourescent waves deeper into the plant and create a killer product.

Questions:

1. Is this a waste of time, should I just pull the T5's
2. Should I hang the T5's completely vertical or at an angle like the above picture.
3. Is a 600 watter something I should consider or just use the 1000 watt.
4. If I exhaust the air from the Hood on the HPS will that effectively cool the tent or am I looking at huge temerature increases with the 1000 watt.
5. I have an intake and exhaust right now, it seems to me that I would need a seperate exhaust just for the cooled hood... watcha think about that, or can I just use my existing exhaust?
6. I think the Raptor hood will widen the light spectrum enough to mix with the T5 waves... any recomendations on a cooled hood that won't focus the light straight down to much?
7. Vert Growers - Should I consider Vert HPS in the middle with top lighting from T5... or is that just Crazy talk.

I'm going to flower in about 45 days, so I will need to make a decision soon.


Thanks!!!!

 

[Tuhder]

No time to answer all your questions but I say go for it! It looks good to me.

You need to tell everyone how many plants your growing, Or does the picture tell? is it 6?

 

[SOTF420]

I would get a 330 watt Lumigrow ES or TWO and put in the middle of them! , I love 600's but if you won't have temp issues and want to go for maximum yield why not go for the big 1000 HPS. For T5 bulbs you should use the full spectrum 6400/6500k ones they really do bring out the maximum frost I use T5 HO strip lights around the perimeter of my LED grow and they really do make a big difference. Supplemental light always helps & never hurts!

Whatever you do may good karma & maximum frost be with you man!

ps = one thing to remember with HPS is that it produces alot of excess radiant IR heat and even with fixture cooling and air movement you will have signifigant temperature increases due to the heat spectrum in the light being produced. Also they are NOT nearly as safe to operate as your T5's or LED lighting. Of course no T5's or LED right now will give you the penetration or total yields a big HPS will give but with the right set-up you can get close with all the added benefits of not much IR light being produced & far less fire & IR detection risks. Hope this gives you some options to think about!

 

[MileHighGuy]

Good Points, I'll look at the LED you mentioned seriously.

Also, I agree with the safety standpoint and the heat, thats why I went with the T5 to start. In the end, I may decide to stay the same for another grow and then decide.

Mostly, it's my complete obsession with doing "something" in the grow room... I'm sure most of you know what I mean.

Hmmmmm......

I do believe that the A/C combo with separate air to cool the HPS and then exhaust out will work, not sure if I want to deal with it.

Anyone know how many degrees a 1000 watt HPS with proper venting will add to an 8' wide 8' tall 4' deep tent??

 

[MileHighGuy]

I'll be running 6 plants and be rotating 6 more in from a separate veg area.

Although I may be Running 12 at a time very soon and this would be perfect.

Right now I'm deciding to switch to hydro 100% or not.

I have 3 GH waterfarm buckets modified slightly.

I also have 3 Square 5 Gallon Buckets with Bio-Bizz Light, Soil-less mix

 

[SOTF420]

If you are flowering in an 8 foot wide area one stationary 1000 HPS is not going to really give you proper coverage on the sides. I would go with 2 600's or if you don't want to worry about the cooling and fire risks or IR being produced by the HPS then 2 of those LED's I mentioned would give you excellent results in that space although it is still a bit wide. Those 330 watt LED's flower out a 3 x 3 space nicely each but you can stretch it out a little bit with all the supplemental T5 light.

Hell if money is not an issue 3 of them would only use approx 990 watts give or take and absolutely would outyield the one 1k HPS with much frostier & higher potency buds because of all the deep blue in their spectrum and reduced heat. LED fixtures do still produce heat but only a fraction of the HPS because their is no IR being produced in the light but rather only PAR light that the plants use to power phtosynthesis. Good LED lighting is not cheap though so your price of admission to that arena will be considerably more. I guess it all depends on how fat your pockets are.

 

[MileHighGuy]

Right now my T5's are enough by themselves.

I have Two 8 Bulb Fixtures and Two 4 Bulb Fixtures.

I was thinking about removing 432 watts, or both of my small 4 bulb fixtures and leaving the two Large 8 Bulb T5's to supplement the 1000w HPS.

Shit the T5's alone do great, I can't imagine adding 1000 more Watts of HPS and only Removing 432 watts of T5, I might do it just to see what happens.

Burning my house down is a little scary, IR heat detection I don't care about.

 

[303hydro]

Good Points, I'll look at the LED you mentioned seriously.

Also, I agree with the safety standpoint and the heat, thats why I went with the T5 to start. In the end, I may decide to stay the same for another grow and then decide.

Mostly, it's my complete obsession with doing "something" in the grow room... I'm sure most of you know what I mean.

Hmmmmm......

I do believe that the A/C combo with separate air to cool the HPS and then exhaust out will work, not sure if I want to deal with it.

Anyone know how many degrees a 1000 watt HPS with proper venting will add to an 8' wide 8' tall 4' deep tent??

I can tell you a 5x5x7 tent with an air cooled 1000w will sustain the ambient temps of outside the tent, so it not effect it much at all if you got it air cooled.

 

[MileHighGuy]

@303 Thanks bro, thats the info I was looking for... I don't want to jump in and find out I can't keep temps under control.

 

[MileHighGuy]

I also thought about using them as vertical side lighting.... but figured it would be better as additional top lighting like the above drawing... anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

[MileHighGuy]

Okay Not needed yet... but this is the plan.

1 Raptor Air Cooled Hood For extra large light foot print.

1 Hortilux eye HPS 1000 Watt

2 High Output 432 Watt 8 Bulb T5 Fixtures

Going to have an open duct inside my tent towards the top sucking the air from inside the tent across the 1000 watt bulb and outside through my carbon filter.

Like this.... except on the right hand side my duct will just be open inside the tent and not sucking cold air in. This way I can leave my Filtered cold air coming in the tent as it is now.

This way I get support on the sides from the T5's and a little mixed in the middle... but mostly just kickin ass with the big HPS....