Reflective lining is the next thing you will need for your grow room. Which type you go for is mainly your own choice but also partly depends on the type of growroom you're using.
Reflective lining is used to ensure that light can reach the lower leaves and branches of your plants, especially when they are thickening at the top. The lining's effectiveness is also influenced by the distance of your plants from the sides of the growroom. The walls should be as close as possible to the growing area to maximize the light reflecting properties of your chosen lining.
The best choices are either Mylar or diamond reflective sheeting which reflects up to 95% of light when tacked flat against walls. Loose or wavy Mylar is not so efficient and will decrease reflective ability. Best for stable walls such as a closet or wardrobe. Can be quite expensive if you're working on a budget.
White plastic sheeting is around 90-93% efficient and can be used to make portable, waterproof walls. Cheap black plastic sheeting will ensure no light leaks into or out of your grow room.
Flat white emulsion paint is also an efficient light reflector. This is ideal where you are working on a tight budget.
NEVER use tin foil to line your growroom. This causes hot-spots and can damage your plants.
You can also paint the floor of the room or, alternatively, you can purchase a special lining for the floor which is not only reflective, but also waterproof and easy to clean. Good for hygiene.
Whatever lining you choose, you should remember that this is an important part of the design of your growroom. As light is probably the most important factor for the success of your crop, it is common sense that dictates you should maximize the light available to your plants. Lack of light to the lower leaves can spell disaster to even an experienced grower.
Showing posts with label grow lights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grow lights. Show all posts
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
Friday, 28 September 2007
Growing Marijuana - An Essential Guide to Lighting
Pivotal to the success of your plants are the lights under which you cultivate them. Now that you've chosen your growroom, and made some preparations, it's time to decide on how much light your plants will need and which type of lamp you choose for maximum growth. There are two main choices of lights; metal halide and high-pressure sodium. Your choice here is crucial as the light is the single most important factor in the success of your crop.
Facts about grow-lights
Both Metal halide (MH) and High-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps are from a group of lamps known as high-density discharge (HID) lamps. The output of the light is much higher than other lamps of their size, making them a powerful and efficient light source for your indoor grow. These HID lamps require a ballast to allow delivery of regular current and proper voltage to the arc. Both lamps also require specialist fittings to allow them to run safely.
Which do I need?
Realistically, you will need both. Metal halide lights are the choice for the vegetation stage of growth, as they emit light in the white/blue end of the spectrum, promoting bushiness and prohibiting upward growth. For flowering, high-pressure sodium (HPS) is more appropriate as it's light consists of yellow, orange and red spectrum light, perfect for flowering and fruit production.
When buying your lights you need to be aware of the wattage of light you will require. The following is a guide to required wattage. This can be used safely provided you have a good reflector on your lamp as well as good reflective wall covering.
2.5 to 3 feet (0.8 to 0.9m) - 400 watt
3.5 to 4 feet (1 - 1.25m) - 600 watt
4 to 5 feet (1.3 to 1.5 m) - 1000 watt
Smaller lamps are available but aren't considered a good choice because the low level of light emitted is not sufficient for decent plant growth.
These lamps are quite an expensive item, so you need to be sure to buy only the highest quality lamps. Find out which brand are preferred in your area and check customer testimonials if buying online. A highly recommended brand is Phillips, but there are others which make the grade. My personal choice for lighting supplies is Esoteric Hyroponics
There are others if you search on Google. At the end of the day it's probably best to go with one that quite local to you as this keeps shipping costs down.
Facts about grow-lights
Both Metal halide (MH) and High-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps are from a group of lamps known as high-density discharge (HID) lamps. The output of the light is much higher than other lamps of their size, making them a powerful and efficient light source for your indoor grow. These HID lamps require a ballast to allow delivery of regular current and proper voltage to the arc. Both lamps also require specialist fittings to allow them to run safely.
Which do I need?
Realistically, you will need both. Metal halide lights are the choice for the vegetation stage of growth, as they emit light in the white/blue end of the spectrum, promoting bushiness and prohibiting upward growth. For flowering, high-pressure sodium (HPS) is more appropriate as it's light consists of yellow, orange and red spectrum light, perfect for flowering and fruit production.
When buying your lights you need to be aware of the wattage of light you will require. The following is a guide to required wattage. This can be used safely provided you have a good reflector on your lamp as well as good reflective wall covering.
2.5 to 3 feet (0.8 to 0.9m) - 400 watt
3.5 to 4 feet (1 - 1.25m) - 600 watt
4 to 5 feet (1.3 to 1.5 m) - 1000 watt
Smaller lamps are available but aren't considered a good choice because the low level of light emitted is not sufficient for decent plant growth.
These lamps are quite an expensive item, so you need to be sure to buy only the highest quality lamps. Find out which brand are preferred in your area and check customer testimonials if buying online. A highly recommended brand is Phillips, but there are others which make the grade. My personal choice for lighting supplies is Esoteric Hyroponics
There are others if you search on Google. At the end of the day it's probably best to go with one that quite local to you as this keeps shipping costs down.
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