Should I turn my light on full?

[NECRONOMICON]

Hello, I'm a first time grower. I recently germinated 12 seeds and they're about a week out of he soil now - they all have their first single blade leaves with the next node just starting to take shape. I have them under t5 bulbs right now but I will be putting them in 5 gallon DWC buckets and under my big light in the next day or so. I will be using a 1000 watt light with a dimmable electronic ballast and my question is: should I turn it all the way up from the get go? I'm sure they can handle it, I'm more worried about it being a waste of power (giving them more light then they can use at this point if that's even correct). Also, if I should wait to turn it up, when would you suggest I do so? It can be set for 600, 800 or 1000 watts. Thanks.

 

[moses wellfleet]

I would put it on the lowest setting at that stage of their lives.

 

[NECRONOMICON]

ok, so at what stage do they really benefit from the bigger light? At how many nodes should I turn it all the way up?

 

[moses wellfleet]

Depends if you are topping, many factors, post pics when they bigger then we decide!

 

[troutman]

When 1st exposing seedlings to a high intensity light I find it helps if you place
the bulb as high as possible and over time slowly drop it down. Slower is safer.

 

[rolandomota]

Leave at 600 until your ready to flower then switch to 1000 you can still use the t5 for a few weeks if you want then transplant when they are foot tall and veg with the 600 until they are big enough like 2 to 4 feet tall then flower with 1000 or use 600 all the way you will use almost half the power

 

[MrBungle]

you could keep em under the t5s till they are ready to flower... start flower at 600 ramp it up to 1kw over the next few weeks till stretch is done then ramp it back down as it finishes.... or to keep it simple do as Rolando suggests