HID lamps for seedlings?

Hey everyone I have a question for all you grower out there, what's the deal with most people suggesting that a HID > MH or HPS < lamps are too much for seeslings??

Can anyone enlighten me as to why this is? Is it because seedlings need a weak light to promote more root growth?
Or is IT because HIDs sometimes produce too much heat for the seedlings ?

On a second note...Right now I have my 1000w MH dimmed to 50% on my 5 day old seedlings at 3 feet away, is this distance and wattage (500w) okay for my plants? 3 feet seems kinda far to me for a 500w but being this young I don't want to over do it. But I would like to put it back to full 1000w strength or lower it for now at the least; anyone here start their seedlings with a HID?
cor me hear is not an issue, my basement op stays really cool and I I know for sure I can stay within optimal temps and RH even with my 1000watter.

Any advice? Should I just keep my 500w at 3 feet for now and maybe in a few days(7-8 days from sprout) frOm now crank it up to 1000watts?

You sure do start a lot of posts

Well....hps/mh can throw too much light and heat for a seedling that hasn't gotten those round leaves yet. Can kill it before it really sprouts often the shell pops and those round leaves wilt away.....in nature they go through night time dark periods and don't get thrown under light as soon as they pop..they can handle sunlight from birth but the leaves need to pop first and be ready .. I usually won't put my seeds under light until the round cotyl leaves open fully and they are all good

HIDs are not necessarily "too much" if you run them right. But they are unnecessary and overkill. They will do just as well for a couple weeks with a handful of CFLs, saves a little $ and saves bulb life.

I only start my seedlings under 1000W HID and have no issues and grow lovely compact plants. Keep the light far enough away that you can put your hand palm down at light level and not feel too much heat on the back of your hand. I have some 3 weeks old plants and some that just broke ground this AM and will post some pics when my tech support ( adult daughter ) gets up for school.

You can do it I use a 400 mh sometimes for seedlings it just needs some distance I killed a bunch of seeds that way just in one run but now I keep it a good 2 ft or so away from seedlings atleast so the heat is not too intense. But I usually just use a CFL and start the seedlings on the edge of the veg room so it gets some MH lighting I just don't germinate as much seed now.

It's all about the level of light they get really (assuming temps are controlled). Young plants are just more sensitive because their "skin" is so newly formed. There is some scientific evidence to suggest that some of the resin they excrete forms a sort of sun block (which is why UV light is sometimes suggested in late flowering stage, to stimulate them to produce more sun block). Obviously young plants don't have this so can't immediately protect themselves that way. (although I'm not 100% convinced in the paper, having read it a while ago)

But as their cells age, accumulate and the skin thickens they obviously get more resistant to UV anyway...like normal human babies.

Makes sense... Since they sprouted (after germ in paper towel) I been having them at 3 feet with the 500watts mh. Im at 5 days now. Today or tommorow I plan on lowering it to 2 feet or higher and on the 7-8th day from sprout I plan on putting it back to 1000watts and back at 3 feet and lowering it gradually. Would I be fine doing this? Or could I get away with just putting it straight on 1000watts sooner, like tommorow(6 days freon sprouting)?

Sry for all the noob questions guys, it's just my last crop got all fucked up and growth stopped, and I don't know why. But I did start them right off on a 1000watts at around 28-32 inches away. And maybe over watered them during seedlings. I'm not sure but this run I want to get it right, asking questions and learning from everyone here.

Just put your light at 3ft and leave it until they grow up to it! Check out the Light Distance chart (google it) which will tell you the range for more mature plants

I have started many seeds under the natural sun and never had any sprout that could not take a full day of direct sunlight right from them pushing out of the soil.
The little buggers soak up the sun.
I have also started seeds indoors under cfls, 4' floros, t-5s, 400w hid, 600w hids, 1000w hids. Never any problems.

I think it is more about ambient temperature.

View attachment 2900380View attachment 2900381 don't you ever say I just walked away

Thx for the help.but at 3 feet with 500watts they look a little stretched to me already, or maybe it's just me. I'll post some pics in a sec and let me know what you think. Gotta get on my pc (on iPhone now)

Pics as promised

G-13 Haze


Power Skunk


Grape God


Acapulco Gold


Critical Sensi Star



Cotton Candy


Blue OG



I will post follow up pics in a week or so, Happy Growing

how do they look? stretched? do they look healthy and where they should be, any opiniuons would be awesome. its a multi strain crop; plushberry, cinderalla 99, kosher kush, origonal skunk and jack herer.

btw these are 5 days from sprout, and as i mentioned been at 3 feet with 500w MH (1000w dimmed 50%)

You might want to consider moving the light closer to the seedlings ( and possibly turning up the wattage ) so that they don't stretch. As I mentioned above, place your hand palm down at the top of your seedling. If it's too hot for you, it will be too hot for your plants. Currently I have a 1000W HPS that is about 24" from the tops of my plants, the seedlings are under the same light. If they do stretch then plant them in a bigger pot with the cotyledons approx. 1" above the soil. Good Luck, Larry

Looking a little stretched, i'd bury that stem a bit and move the light closer =)

They are fine. Your temps look on the low side though. 12C is a bit too low for good growth! (I'm assuming 55F is your night time temperature?)

cannabis culture said:

View attachment 2900410View attachment 2900411View attachment 2900412how do they look? stretched? do they look healthy and where they should be, any opiniuons would be awesome. its a multi strain crop; plushberry, cinderalla 99, kosher kush, origonal skunk and jack herer.

Click to expand...

Move them closer to the light and then, stand back!!!!

I pop seedlings in the corner of my veg room, as far away from the 1000w as space and room will allow, but they germ just fine. The shock comes from taking a plant that was just under T5's from a dispensary or something and then sticking it under HID.

Thx for all the help guys! I Just moved the light down to around 2 feet (24-27 inches). My temps are great btw, with my basemebt grow op the temps will be hard to rise anything above 80f I am seeing, so I should be cool. I also mounded soil up against the Starks for added stability.
i plan on leaving it here till Tommorow, then going to switch it to 1000watts and raising it to 3 feet or maybe as low as 30 inches.