1000Watt Light Area Coverage

[Musashi]

So I have an 1000w light with a large air cooled hood (several inches wider than an aluminum one a friend is using) with a switchable ballast and both hps and mh bulbs for it. I'm going to be using Deep water culture method w/ 5 gallon buckets in a room that is 7'8" wide, 7' long with a 6'6" ceiling. The room is actually about 4 feet longer, but there's a low hanging pipe I don't want to contend with and figured I can use the area as a drying/curing area maybe.

 

Alright so those are my room measurements and the method and one light I'm working with. My best friend is using a 1000w light with an aluminum hood that is a bit smaller (15x18"), placed in the corner of a larger bedroom to be closer to it's ventilation. My grow area is going to be right in the center of the room with a 21x19.5" air-cooled hood. My question is: With 1 plant per 5 gallon bucket, how many plants can I fit under that light without compromising the meds in both yield and quality. My friend say I should not do more than 6 buckets under one light. I was planning on using white plastic to cover the room for both cleanliness and reflective effect. I know I can't get the full 12 plants under the one light without sacrificing, but judging from the area, it looks like I should be able to get at least one or two more in there. Ventilation is not a problem. I've got A/C in the room along with direct duct ventilation via inline fan(s) with some smaller fans around the room for general air flow.

 

I really don't want to make any sacrifices in quality just to get more plants in there, but if I can feasibly get some more in there without having to get another light, I can just get an extra air pump to handle the extra buckets. Anyone have thoughts on this?

[Afi]

6 is a good number but a lot depends on strain. What strain are you planning on growing? If you wanted to run more you could you would just want to trigger flower cycle sooner so they don`t crowd each other. It is all about canopy control and knowing how much stretch you will get when you trigger them. Basically though if you have an even canopy that completely covers about a 4X4 area for a 1000 watt you will get the same yield regardless of the amount of plants you used to achieve that canopy. With the plant numbers given for medical growers less = more. Hope this helps. Peace, Afi

[Kingdiamond]

I run the big kahuna hood 33x29 i usually run anywhere from 5-7 plants if im running indicas sativas need more room to breathe so its different for each plants size some are like spears others like the plushberry im growing fills out like a christmas tree.

 

[kruztydj]

You should have no problem with 12. Try 4,, 1000 watters in a room about the same size. 12 girls per flood tables under each light with the rest of the room packed with extras. Yeah 12 will be no issue... Heat will be your problem so get yer a/c ready or some dam good venting

[Musashi]

You should have no problem with 12. Try 4,, 1000 watters in a room about the same size. 12 girls per flood tables under each light with the rest of the room packed with extras. Yeah 12 will be no issue... Heat will be your problem so get yer a/c ready or some dam good venting

 

Yeah I'll get there eventually. Just trying to get up and running at the moment. Can't afford the equipment to accomodate more than one light right now. That'd also require more money toward ventilation etc. I do plan on getting there within a a couple harvests maybe if everything goes right. But for now it's just plants, pumps and ventilation for whatever works under one light. And so far 6 plants under the one light is sounding ideal. I might be able to fit a litle more under there like kind said depending on strain, but I'm not sure what strains I'll be getting yet. Will kind of just be getting what's available. Hopefully two or three strains to start. I guess keeping it at 6 will allow for the variables there.

 

For my ventilation, I'm in a 560something cubic foot room with an air cooled hood, an a/c (not sure of the BTU's but it's working fine in a much bigger room with a standard aluminum non-cooled hood), and a inline fan with duct exhaust. The big fan will be a 6inch unless I can find a good deal on an 8inch fan. I'll also have some standard box or oscillating fans around the room for flow. Also it's in the utility room of my basement so naturally a little cooler than the rest of the house anyway.

[Musashi]

Also thionking about a R.O. device. I poked around and saw some ranging from $100 on up. But a lot in the $2-300 range. How do they work exactly and can you just get one to supply water for 12 or more plants? I was under the impression that I'd have to spend insane crazy amounts of money to get R.O. in my house but now I'm just confused. I know you need to add stuff to the water after it's purified and I'm planning on using a 55 gallon drum to store my water for growth that way I only would have to haul 10 or 11 jugs or water once a month or so. But ifI could eliminate having to get water away from home that'd pay for itself. Thoughts?

 

Does the R.O. filter work on your entire house or do you connect and use it with one specific water faucet? I really know nothing about these things.

[Z71_420]

i just bought one from www.purewaterclub.com its there 150gpd model paid 113 for it with free shipping, my well water believe it or not sits at 420ppms, it would only take one waterin and i'd have scale buildup around my drainage holes on my pots, after buying this my ppm level is

5-15 at most, the only thing i'd recommend may be the booster pump if you have a well as it takes quite a long time to fill 55 gallons let alone 25, in 1 24hr cycle it'll fill my 55g drum not even HALF way. oh well...

[LoudPack]

One 1000 watt in bloom can do a 4x4 to 6x6 area effectively. Use a light meter to determine where your weak spots are in the room.

Based on this, Id go one plant per sq ft in bloom so

 

4x4 is 16 plants 16 sq ft.

These would be smaller plants maybe ended under 3 ft at the end of bloom.

 

For feg however, they can cover an 8x8 effectively with a little plant rotation. The younger plants require less light in this stage and so

your 1000 can be raised to cover more area with less intensity. Since your not budding this is perfectly ok, perhaps add a few cheap cfls.

 

Play around with it though, get to know your strains and get a light meter so your not guessing anymore...peace

[Dlo]

IMO,a normal hood can finish 4 plants, the xxl hoods 6 plants. Ive grown them big, sea of green, and I prefer to grow trees. Ive heard people say you can put a 10x10 footprint from the large hoods, but i wouldnt. Definitely does depend on strain.

 

 

My 2 cents

[Shredder]

While the "rule of thumb" says 8 plants under a 1K light, 6 is much easier to manage. But beyond that, if your allowed 12. I'd keep 6 in veg while you flower 6. In that system you take clones at the start of flowering, then have clones ready to flower right after harvest. So your harvesting every 8-10 weeks instead of every 4 months. With everything running and your system dialed in you can get in 5 harvests per year. That is why some commercial folks run hydro, you can veg and flower small plants quick and get in more harvests per year. Flowering 12 at once would give you bigger yields but fewer harvests. So at years end flowering 6 could yield you more. This works in a perpetual harvest as well, same idea but you harvest more often with less plants. A lot of this is just planning ahead.....shredder