When should I turn up my dimmable light?

My plants are about an inch tall or so with their first true leaves. Some are already forming more, while a few are just now finishing up their first leaves.

I have a 400w HID dimmed to 200w. I'm not sure when to turn the light to 75% or 100%.

Thanks!

I worked my 600 watt ballast from 250 (using a 400 bulb) right up to 660w (switchingbto 600w bulb of course) one step at a time in about 3 weeks from first leaves.

In your case, maybe go up one step as the number of leaves double? So 75% at 4 fully developed sets and 100% at 8? Maybe even 75% at 8 sets and 100% at 16?

As long as you don't blast it totally at this stage you should be ok.

Growan said:

I worked my 600 watt ballast from 250 (using a 400 bulb) right up to 660w (switchingbto 600w bulb of course) one step at a time in about 3 weeks from first leaves.

In your case, maybe go up one step as the number of leaves double? So 75% at 4 fully developed sets and 100% at 8? Maybe even 75% at 8 sets and 100% at 16?

As long as you don't blast it totally at this stage you should be ok.

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It sounds like you know what's going on. I'll take it. I might try turning up to 75% at 4 fully developed leaves. If the leaves start to curl or anything, I'll turn it back down and wait until 8 sets. Thank you

LemonLily said:

It sounds like you know what's going on. I'll take it. I might try turning up to 75% at 4 fully developed leaves. If the leaves start to curl or anything, I'll turn it back down and wait until 8 sets. Thank you

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I'm just going by roughly what i did with mine. I know when i got started i always tried to give as much light as possible as close as possible and ended up bleaching the leaves, even though the heat wasn't a problem.
When they're as young as they are now it won't hurt to ease them in gently (same as with nutes) before hammering them with evetything you have! There's plenty of time for that later on.

LemonLily said:

My plants are about an inch tall or so with their first true leaves. Some are already forming more, while a few are just now finishing up their first leaves.

I have a 400w HID dimmed to 200w. I'm not sure when to turn the light to 75% or 100%.

Thanks!

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would of had mine a 100% from word go

Light bright....light bight, turn on the magic of shinning lights. I run a 600 bare bulb and that sucker is at 600 from start to finish. Them little hoe's love it. They are all reaching out their arms dancing away when the air rotates on them.

I dont get it....why would you buy a light and only use it at 50%. The more light and intensity the bigger the plants.

You can turn it up however you like if it is based on money saving, although you're not going to save much if it's just a single light. If it's because you're woprried about the plants, then don't, you can happily grow from step one with your hps at full whack.

I was kinda thinking about energy consumption, but after reading I decided to turn it up to 400w, just to see. Leaves began to droop, so I had to move the light about 3 inches further. The light is about 8-9" away running from 70-79 degrees with two hours of darkness to give the ballast a small rest. Since I have started this way, I will continue. Honestly, at 75% a few inches closer I believe the lights will be doing just as much. Maybe even 50%. But, I'm not concerned with energy (sorry environment), so full speed ahead!