Just wanted to start off by saying hey! I’ve always been passionate about cultivation but this is my first time 100% growing. What I mean by that is I use to “grow” as a teen but my dad would get paranoid and kill them before harvest due to smell. But now that it’s legal and I’ve got a place of my own I don’t have to worry about that. I’m hoping for any advice that will help out.
I’m currently using
Sf4000 4x4.
stand up fan and a small
some nutrients from ILGM
Dunes stabilized, monosilic Acid
super thrive
12 - 5 Gallon non-woven fabric pots
Buffered coco coir as a substrate
PH tester for my water
Fiskar snippers
A thermometer
and most importantly a timer. Lol.
I still need to get a humidifier and hydrogemer by if I’m correct that should just about be all.
I’m willing to take any advice and apply it as necessary. Any time and advice given would be greatly appreciated as well.
Just yesterday I transfered from starter pots to my 5 gallon non wovens pots and got my SF4000 so I’m thinking my girls should take off more than they already are hopefully soon. I’m still in seedling stage so there isn’t much to show but I do have this.
Nice setup, only thing I see thats pushing limits is the SF4000/ stated on their site is 450 watt, IMHO you would be better off running 3 plants instead of 6, not knocking just a suggestion, I run SF setups my 3x3 has a SE5000 rated at 480 watt, and a 2x4 running a G4500 @430 watt, overkill maybe but plants need light, and they are very tight in the tent but I deal with that!
Good luck on the grow
Welcome to the community. Great set up. I think you need about two hundred watts per plant in lighting. You also might want to lower to around 18” above your seedlings. Don’t want them to start stretching at this stage. Good luck and use this site for all your questions these growers are the most knowledgeable around.
Thank you! And No you’re fine! I appreciate the advice, and I’m technically asking for it. Lol. I do plan on getting at least 2 more SF4000’S in the near future. I just am trying to balance bills, expecting a kid, and growing. I was thinking 3 or 4 in total. So that would equal up to around how many you were saying per light. My main thing is getting them started until I get get another light ordered. Then partitioning them out as I get more lights. I appreciate the advice!
Thank you! I read online they should be around 24-30 inches away. I will lower it now and see if they stop stretching and begin putting their energy into growing more leaves.
Just wanted to back up what john7 said, based on the pics ive seen and what ive read in the short time ive been here , these people know their shit, dont be scared to ask questions thats what this site is about
Thank you for confirmation for what John said. I have already adjusted the light and hoping for best results. Is there a chart or guide that I could cross reference the height/age of the plant to the distance of light to plant by any chance?
Thank you very much! That’s exactly what I was hoping for. I had the energy too high as well at the beginning so I turned it down as well. I appreciate all of the help.
Definitely will be keeping a close eye and making sure I inspect multiple times a day to be sure I’m not over/under doing anything
Best way to use a grow light is using a par or quantum meter.
You set the light at the manufacturers recommended height above the canopy… Then adjust the intensity with the dimmer to the correct DLI for the plant type you’re growing.
The numbers are DLI… Daily light integral.
The amount of light a plant requires.
With the free Photone app or a par sensor… You measure either the ppfd and convert that to dli… Or on the Photone app you can set it to ppfd or dli… The dli setting converts the “at the moment ppfd reading” to the dli reading for you.
So the numbers on the graph are dli numbers.
12 dli (@18hrs/day)= 185 ppfd
16 = 246
20= 308
30 = 462
40= 617
45 =694
25 (@12hrs/day) = 578
And so on.
The top or orange areas are readings if using CO2 in a sealed space… Plants can handle more with added CO2.
