I'm never going to grow alot unless I use 1000 watt huh?

Been growing for awhile..
But I always only get 1/2 to 2 ounces ( cured and depending on strain )
Like I only got 1/2oz off my Fruity Pebbles ( a Bubbleberry ) smells like Fruity Pebbles though..
My Sour Diesels usually give me couple of lids each..
Jack Herers slightly less...buds are big but fluffy.

My friend ( and fellow grower) said I would never get large yields due to my lighting situation.

I have 1x400 watt HPS and 2x150 watt HPS...so that equals 700..but he said it didn't matter as it does not put out the lumens a single 700 watt would.
He said I would need a single 1000 watt set up to get the big yields I always see people posting.
Of course a 1000 watt system would melt the wiring in this old place...I can't even plug in the 400 and the 2 150s in the same power strip without blowing the circuit.
I have extension cords running everywhere...

I've tried everything to increase yields...white plastic on 3 sides...then Mylar etc.

Would even a 600 watt provide more lumens then a 400 and 2 150s ?

There are many factors that come into play besides what type of lighting you use. The lights you have are sufficient for the plants you have. Your setup will definitely have more lumens than a single 600. It's also much easier to place 3 lights for great coverage to the foliage instead of just one light.

Are you using any nutrients? How far away are the lights from the plants?

how long do you veg for? try veg'ing atleast 4 weeks and LST'ing

you should be able to do well with the lights you have, yes you have less lumens than a 700W solo light, but then you have alot more coverage with your set up.

Try some Fox Farms nutes. Get your plants around 9" to 18" to your lights. What soil are you using?

You can sell your three lights on craigslist and buy one 1000w with the proceeds ballast reflector and all. I get 4oz per plant, but that's just becuause I dont use 600w lamps.

i suggest lst also i got 10 1/2 ounces off one plant under 600 watts and it is only my second grow.

I use a 400hps...I got 9ozs from 14 plants (I also dealt with some major issues that lowered my total yeild)...I am going to try a new system here in November that will hopefully put me up to 8oz every month. 400hps is so cheap that I buy a new bulb every 6 months...I keep it about 8-10" away from the top of my canopy. I get pretty dense nugs...then again I dont add hardeners or anything like that....

1/2 to one zip that is bad.I get 90 grams a plant with 1 400 watt hps.

wyteberrywidow said:

1/2 to one zip that is bad.I get 90 grams a plant with 1 400 watt hps.

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That's 1/2 to 2 ounces per plant....My SDs are my biggest producers. So about 60 grams on the SDs each. ( Cured weight )

Still low though...

Lights are about 8 inches from tops of colas...

I use organic nutes and Foxfarm/Frog soil...also use teas.

The clones are about 2 feet tall when I start flowering...maybe I don't nute enough as I hate any tip burning...could also be because it's been so dry. Even with humidifier I can barely break 30 RH.

Maybe I'll go back to bending them over and cutting any popcorn off....seem to get more colas and weight. Maybe Sea of Green them..
All I want is colas anyway...

One large light seems more feasible then 3 spread out as I only grow 4 to 6 plants at a time....

With winter coming on heat shouldn't be such a big deal and I can lower the lights even more and enclose the grow area completely...keeping RH up at the same time.

Still the end product is good...I just want more !

Definately trim lower branches so it can focus on main colas or lst the plant so it can grow main colas.Either way you do not need to upgrade your lights you have enough.1 400 in the middle and a 150 on each side.Trust me you will get enough.

wyteberrywidow said:

Definately trim lower branches so it can focus on main colas or lst the plant so it can grow main colas.Either way you do not need to upgrade your lights you have enough.1 400 in the middle and a 150 on each side.Trust me you will get enough.

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Can I still trim the lower branches one month from harvest...or the next grow? Or just the popcorn as a few of the lower branches have some nice size buds.

My last grow was a 1xSD only and I bent it over and trimmed all the small popcorn off and got maybe 3 ounces..but all colas.

This was my first grow with more then one plant...

I don't smoke a lot...just so I can eat. Still got an ounce left from my last grow ( Harvested 2 months ago)
My " friends" got most of it...lol..bunch of moochers..

The main colas now are anywhere from 10 to 14 inches...

But I think my Fruity Pebbles ( Bubbleberry) will be down in a couple of weeks and the Jack Herer is in final flush.
The SDs harvest time is end of next month...

The JH was already budding and big when I got it

Could be PH problems I had ( finally got it under control though ) as the SD in Hydro is way fatter then the dirt one. ( The Hydro solution is PH buffered )

check the amp ratings on your ballasts and add them all up. you are most likely drawing more amps with your multiple ballasts of lower wattage than you would off 1 1000w ballast, which is actually using more juice. if this is the case you might not even need the bullshit of the extension cords and multiple circuts. the 1000 watt may do you just fine with your wiring.

Define a lot. It might be better to state what you would like to harvest, and then we'll tell you whether it's because you don't have a big enough light or that you are doing something wrong.

ogreballerina said:

Can I still trim the lower branches one month from harvest...or the next grow? Or just the popcorn as a few of the lower branches have some nice size buds.

My last grow was a 1xSD only and I bent it over and trimmed all the small popcorn off and got maybe 3 ounces..but all colas.

This was my first grow with more then one plant...

I don't smoke a lot...just so I can eat. Still got an ounce left from my last grow ( Harvested 2 months ago)
My " friends" got most of it...lol..bunch of moochers..

The main colas now are anywhere from 10 to 14 inches...

But I think my Fruity Pebbles ( Bubbleberry) will be down in a couple of weeks and the Jack Herer is in final flush.
The SDs harvest time is end of next month...

The JH was already budding and big when I got it

Could be PH problems I had ( finally got it under control though ) as the SD in Hydro is way fatter then the dirt one. ( The Hydro solution is PH buffered )

Click to expand...

Being that i use a 400 watt i always trim lower buds and focus on main colas.No need to have popcorn buds because the 400 dont penetrate the bottom of the plant as well as a main cola.

tip top toker said:

Define a lot. It might be better to state what you would like to harvest, and then we'll tell you whether it's because you don't have a big enough light or that you are doing something wrong.

Click to expand...

2x what I'm getting now... 2 to 4 ounces per plant.

They are all new bulbs...

I just want to grown one crop a year and have enough for me and " friends "...I'm disabled and in severe chronic pain...so growing at all is quite an ordeal. ( Still way cheaper then buying from a dispensary )

A lb would last me a year easy...

4 plants under a single 600w light and i think youd easily cover a pound. I've seen users with tents packed full of plants pulling 4-6 ounces a plant under a single 600w (Mr west, Don Gin and Tonic as two examples)

As it's indoor then just do 2 grows a year, 8 ounces from 1 grow with those lights, damn, it would be near impossible not to I'm currently just using a 400w light and i generally bring in about 8-12 ounces from a full grow. (although atm only half the cab is ready for harvest at a time so it's staggered)

it's not your lights. you have sufficient lighting. Pay more attention to letting the plant veg, nutes, soil PH if you use soil, Humidity, consistent light cycles, air flow and quality seeds. also consider using diamond reflective sheeting.

tip top toker said:

4 plants under a single 600w light and i think youd easily cover a pound. I've seen users with tents packed full of plants pulling 4-6 ounces a plant under a single 600w (Mr west, Don Gin and Tonic as two examples)

As it's indoor then just do 2 grows a year, 8 ounces from 1 grow with those lights, damn, it would be near impossible not to I'm currently just using a 400w light and i generally bring in about 8-12 ounces from a full grow. (although atm only half the cab is ready for harvest at a time so it's staggered)

Click to expand...

Same here i love a perpetual grow always harvesting something weeks after eachother.

wyteberrywidow said:

Same here i love a perpetual grow always harvesting something weeks after eachother.

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Same here, I do a 2 week harvest interval using a 400 watt HPS for flowering and a 150 watt HPS w/ 4 x 26 watt CFL for vegging

I never run out of smoke

ink the world said:

Same here, I do a 2 week harvest interval using a 400 watt HPS for flowering and a 150 watt HPS w/ 4 x 26 watt CFL for vegging

I never run out of smoke

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Yeah i got a 150 hps with 2-26 watt daylight cfls for veg and clones.I also got t5s but i dont have new bulbs so i use the 150 to veg.Ill get some bulbs for it soon tho i might need it for a breeding cab