Design Help, 2-1000's or 4-400's watts?

Hello All-
Just coming off a great outdoor season, no issues to speak of, very happy.
Starting my indoor project and I need advice.
I'm a Prop 215 Medical patiant looking for some help. I'm allowed 31 plants per my percription.
I have a 12'x16' shed that I'm converting into a grow room. I've insulated, and drywalled the shed last month, dried my outdoor crop in it, and now it's time to set it up for a couple of winter indoor harvests. This is my 1st time growing indoor, so my question is...
What would be better, 4-400 wat lights in the flower room, and 1 in the veg room, or 2-1000 watt lights in the flower room? The ceiling are only 7 feet if that makes a difference.
I originally was thinking 2-1000 watters, but with limited ceiling space, maybe a SCROG grow with 4-400 watters. The flowering area is 8'x12', but I want to be able to walk around the plants, so the footprint will only be 6'x 10'ish.
Any help would be great!
Thanks
Treemansbuds-

Dude go with the more lights it will give you more lumens and will spread the light out more to access more of your plants surface.

the 1000's will give you a much heavier yield. with penetration that goes much deeper. i would get the 2 1000's with a couple of light movers. use lst and cropping from early on to create a dense canopy, and to keep them short.

the 400's will never perform as well. but if you could get 4 600's... that would be bay far the best.

Damn.....
2 responses, and 2 different opinions........next........
leaning towards the 1000watters right now, thinking it will be cheaper too.
More input please.
Treemanbuds-

I have a 600w right now, and would be happier with a 1k. Once you get everything dialed in, you can get 1gpw. 1000g's over 600g's. I would go with the 1k's. Definetely.

I have a similar situation and I went with 2 1000W. I was originally able to fit 20 plants in 7 gallon pots with room to get around.
I eventually added 10 more in 5 gallon pots because it killed me to see the open space that the light was hitting. I figure Ill just have to do some strategic moving around when I need to get to the back. If it becomes an issue down the line Ill deal with it then. Plus Ill probably use all 5 gallon pots on the next grow which will open up some space.

This is the plans to my setup.


And here is a shot of the flower room with the 20 7 gallon pots(there are now 30). I was able to get to the middle back plants from the space on the side. Like I said with 5 gallon or even 3 gallon I would have had more room. I also now have 2 adjust-a-wings I was just acclimating the clones to the HID lamps.



I dont know what type of reflectors you are going to use but those parabolic adjust a wing reflectors stretch the light out in that 8 foot space nicely FYI.

Hello Ruva-
Thanks for the detailed info, sure helps. Are you using the 2-1000 watters in the flowering room, or one in veg room, and 1 in the flowering room? BTW great job on the room and design, looks to be working well.
How many grows have you done with this set-up? Curious as to what your yield was?
Thanks again
Treemanbuds-

Steadmanclan said:

i would get the 2 1000's with a couple of light movers.

Click to expand...

+1

Get a light rail and the add-a-lamp kit. One light mover will move both lights together.

i would rather have a few 400s than a couple 1000s

MediMaryUser said:

i would rather have a few 400s than a couple 1000s

Click to expand...

why?

2 lights on a rail provides just as much coverage area, with WAY more lumens.

1000w Hortilux= 145,000 lumens
400w Hortilux= 55,000

The choice is easy.

...the word is, 400 watt light will cover a 3ft x 4ft area.... = 12 square feet total.
...1K covers a 4 x 5 area....= 20 sqf.


...400 watts lights x 4 = 12sqf. x 4 = 48 sqf.
...1k watts x 2 = 2 x 20 = 40 sqf.


...you will gain 8 total sqare feet of growing space with optimum light w/ the 400watts

...personally, I'd go with 3- 600watts.
...600's are the most efficient...you get more lumens per watt ratio.
Good luck.

yea but 1000's cover ALL the area 3x better. You can get a reflector to cover whatever area you have and not waste light.

145,000/1000= 145 lumens per watt
88,000/600= 146.6 lumens per watt

I wouldn't necessarily say 600's are more efficient. I'd say it would come down to the quality and efficiency of the ballast.

chuckb said:

yea but 1000's cover ALL the area 3x better. You can get a reflector to cover whatever area you have and not waste light.

145,000/1000= 145 lumens per watt
88,000/600= 146.6 lumens per watt

I wouldn't necessarily say 600's are more efficient. I'd say it would come down to the quality and efficiency of the ballast.

Click to expand...

...Jorge Cervantes, " The most efficient is the 600 watt high pressure sodium lamp. It has a higher lumen per watt conversion then any other HID lamp. The lumen per watt conversion is, the amount of lumens produced per watt of electricity. The 600 watt HPS is the cheapest to operate for the lumens it produces." ...therefore, the most efficient.

strain stalker said:

...Jorge Cervantes, " The most efficient is the 600 watt high pressure sodium lamp. It has a higher lumen per watt conversion then any other HID lamp. The lumen per watt conversion is, the amount of lumens produced per watt of electricity. The 600 watt HPS is the cheapest to operate for the lumens it produces." ...therefore, the most efficient.

Click to expand...

you quoted a book published over 7 years ago.

I'm just saying that the difference between a quality ballast and a new bulb is more than 1.5 lumens per watt.

If you'd go so far as comparing an electronic 1000w to a magnetic 600w then the 1k is def the winner.

i agree with you that when comparing apples to apples 600w is more efficient.

I'm just saying that the difference is negligible.

When you're dealing with a newer/better ballast/lamp in the 1000. Then i'd say the 1000w is the more efficient lamp in the end.

treemansbuds said:

Hello Ruva-
Thanks for the detailed info, sure helps. Are you using the 2-1000 watters in the flowering room, or one in veg room, and 1 in the flowering room? BTW great job on the room and design, looks to be working well.
How many grows have you done with this set-up? Curious as to what your yield was?
Thanks again
Treemanbuds-

Click to expand...

2 1000W in the flower room. According to the manufacturer of the adjust-a-wings one 1000Watt with their reflector can cover an area of 8'X6'. But I wasnt buyin it and doubled them up.

Thanks for the compliment, so far so good but Im in the infant stages of the grow.
Im an outside grower and this is my first indoor grow with the exception of a little 2' X 2' CFL microgrow that I did(which turned out surprisingly well).

Here is a shot with all 30. They cover an area of 8' X 6'.

ya i would def go with the 1k's. ruva's set up seems very efficient.

I agree-
Looks like Ruva will be pulling down some nice buds in a couple/three months.
Not much support for the 400watters on this thread.
I think i'm leaning towards Chuckb's idea with the 2-1000's and the light mover with the "add a lamp" kit. Which light mover do you recommend?
What 1000 watt ballast/system/hood should I get? I need some feed back here too,.....nubee
Thanks for all the quick feed back, gotta luv RIU!
Treemansbuds_

MediMaryUser said:

i would rather have a few 400s than a couple 1000s

Click to expand...

why? 400's will never produce as big or dense of buds as the 1000 will. no matter what.

what has been said about the lumen/watt ratio: it is true that the 600watt hps with the digital ballast is the most efficient lamp you can get, but it is not more powerful than the 1000. the 1000 watter will out perform the 600 at a higher cost.

I never realized how big those adjust a wings are! those are bad ass . Are they the avenger larger?