Dimmable ballast question

How long before i move up to 75%? and how long after that to 100% and when switching to hps do i stay at 100% when ready to flower or start back at 50??

Not a lot of info, but I keep at 100% all the time. The only time I may consider using less is if .
a.) I am desperate to try to get temps down
b.) I am doing seedlings, but I personally grow from clones. I do have seeds, will use CFL/LED on the seedling, then fill strength HID once ready.

hbbum said:

Not a lot of info, but I keep at 100% all the time. The only time I may consider using less is if .
a.) I am desperate to try to get temps down
b.) I am doing seedlings, but I personally grow from clones. I do have seeds, will use CFL/LED on the seedling, then fill strength HID once ready.

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Yeah, what he/she said.

You should only ever turn your dimmable ballast down to lower settings if you lower the wattage of your bulb. If you alter the wattage going to a bulb you also alter the spectum of light it emits.

I have a dimmable lumatek 600w ballast that can do 400w and 600w both with the option to go to super lumens, however I would only ever consider using either 400w or 600w with the correct wattage bulb to maximise the efficiency.

No point wasting electric on the wrong spectrum.

Im doing seedlings thats why its on 50% i dont have cfl's, i do have 1 small flourescent but it was causing them to stretch too much although it was close to them so i started my 600 watt dimmable mh bulb at 50%

See #B (I know b is not a number) Post some pics if you want, people may be able to tell you if they are ready for more dilithium crystals

I was advised by a lot of people to do 50% for week 1, 75% week 2-3, then 100% by week 4 on... no need to dim for flowering...this was pertaining to a 600 W Hps/MH, my mates also do this and seems to b the right way to "ease" a powerful light to a sprout.

I have also heard you only use the "SL" settings when your on the last legs of your bulb.

im going to pull out my old camera light meter and see if I can start testing the output of my light. I would be getting close to the end of its life.

FuckJeffGoldbloom said:

I was advised by a lot of people to do 50% for week 1, 75% week 2-3, then 100% by week 4 on... no need to dim for flowering...this was pertaining to a 600 W Hps/MH, my mates also do this and seems to b the right way to "ease" a powerful light to a sprout.

Click to expand...

Thank u, short and straight to the point! That works for me.

hbbum said:

See #B (I know b is not a number) Post some pics if you want, people may be able to tell you if they are ready for more dilithium crystals

Click to expand...

I might post a pic later in the day i have to go to work now