So from what I’ve read the majority say there’s no real point running side lights. But the few who have tried it seem happy with the results. My current grow the buds stretch down as long as your arm. I run a scorpion diablo so theres no shortage of power up top. I have anywhere from 900- 1200umol at the canopy at 15inches high 90% dim, any more power I and I get bleaching, but when I measure light level just below the canopy im seeing 300-400umol or less. So my question is if you we’re going to add 1 or 2 lights below the canopy what would you choose and how would you mount them? Keep in mind these lights will be close to budsites maybe even 6 inches or less in some spots. I’m hovering over 2 or 4 of the hlg saber 150(out of stock atm). I think they will be too much power and will need to purchase individual dimmers for each light pushing costs through the roof but will give maximum control of output being so close to plants. Are there any other single bar type full bloom spectrum LED out there that would work plug and play with no dimmer required.
Pic showing possible mounting positions for 4x bar type LEDs
It’s just my own opinion, but you would be better served with a net and spread the plants out. You should be able to make the same light produce more buds by forcing sideways growth. They would have to be pretty good lights to really help you anyway. I’ve tried side lighting with T5 3500k 54watt lights and I didn’t see enough difference to make it worth that extra wattage @Bjg. I believe @dbrn32 our lighting expert tried to tell me it was a waste of time years ago. I’m sure some swear by it. For me and a bunch of us, the net is the way to go.
Thanks for your input. Yeah if you look closely there is a net in there. I find I don’t have much success with nets, the plants tend to just do there own thing, could be the wrong nets or my poor skills. I have more succes tying branches down to the pot but I still think the bud sites would extend over half a meter vertically. I guess if I’d have kept up with tying them down they would have spread out further possibly allowing some more light in. It seems an easier option to just get some more light down there, it also has the familiar feeling of going down another pointless rabbit hole.
Light receptors on the plants are on the top of leaves, not the bottom. Under canopy lighting will do nothing. Spreading and leveling the plant as stated will maximize your light. Also; flower does not need light. Leaves do all the work.
Thank you @Myfriendis410 that is good to know. I had an extra 68W fluorescent and guessed that it would be best utilized up top not from the sides as I was tempted to do. Here is my setup turned way down for the photo.
Yeah I’m aware of how a leaf works and which part of the leaf that requires light hence why I’m considering adding more light to them. Each budsite is surrounded in sugar leaves not just fan leaves alot of these sugar leaves see little to no light at all, creating soft fluffy buds just below the main canopy. Obviously you would mount the lights as high as possible(below the canopy) on a downward angle to maximize leaf contact.
Everyone talks about larfy buds down low from too little light regardless of training, would adding more light down low not be a good approach to this problem? Just pondering ideas.
Your issues with screen may be more related to how it’s managed or executed. Hard to say there is a right or wrong way to do it, but in theory the idea is to set a canopy level and keep whatever is at or above this level. Bud sites below here are typically removed to assist plant in focusing energy into the colas you would intend to keep.
If you can get light directed at buds under canopy some of it will be processed and you will get a little better bud development. I don’t think it will be enough to justify the cost or hassle of messing around with though. I would try working with some selective defol to see if you can’t just get light a little deeper into plants and maybe try removing those low bud sites early in attempt to get plant focusing more energy on tops.
