1st grow, I can’t get plants to handle more than 250PPFD

[ToInfinityAndBeyond]

Hello, 1st time grower here, and I too am looking for the voice of experience to help the girls plz . My plants are 6 weeks old, 15” tall, no problems, all healthy. I’m doing sea of green, 8 plants in grow tent doing hydroponics. I have 300w Mars-hydro SP-3000, Mars-Hydro suggests during veg keep light 18”-24”and I am at 20”. Here’s my dilemma: Lights are at approx 250 ppfd, and for vegetative I’ve heard they should be at 400-600 ppfd for vegetative and 600-900 ppfd for bloom, and I need to switch to bloom so I don’t outgrow my 2’x4’x7’ tent. Not sure how to quickly ramp up power without damaging the plants. If anyone how to proceed to get these plants up to speed. 73f 56% humidity. Through and at canopy . I have a apogee MQ-100 which I found out is PAR meter for everything but LEDs, so I’m exchanging it for M200 which works with LED lights, but the current gauge shows. On the M100, meter reading approx 200 ppfd at canopy. I’n at 15” and I need to transition from 18/6 to 12/12 asap. Help!!! I’ll send pics

[golfnrl]

Hi infinity...I'm a relatively new grower having been in this hobby for a little over a year. Now in my fourth grow. I don't have any experience with light meters etc. I grow with an HLG Elite 360 light so I can't really comment on your light and the power it is producing. But, lots of others have experience with your light and I'm sure they will weigh in. I have seen lots of posts about turning the switch from veg to bloom and some say that they leave the light in the bloom setting the entire grow. You will see differences of opinion about the transition to 12/12, some say that you'll need a transition period, others simply say flip the switch. IMHO, just flip the switch when you are ready, you know, when your plants are about half as tall as you'd like their final height to be. You can control how the plants react to the light by the distance it is from the plant, without really worrying about the power, right? With LED's, they are not standardized, the most important number is the actual watts drawn at the wall. Just watch the tips on the leaves closest to the light and new growth for light burn. If your light is producing healthy plants I wouldn't change a thing.

Example: Still trying to find the sweet spot with my light. Manufacturer says about 24" above the plant for flower and a 'little higher' for veg. I started this grow with the light on at full strength (its dimmable) 45" from the sprouts. I began to lower the light as the plants grew and now it is sitting at about 36" above the plants, no stretching or other issues either. I will eventually get it to the 24" for flower.

Here's a quick LED light distance guide. Under 200w total power at least 12" above the plant, 200-300w at least 18" above the plant, 300+w 24-30" above the plant.

[SoOrbudgal]

Well raise the light and make the switch. If you just have the veg light on you needed to be at full spectrum before the switch.

[Tersky]

"I have a apogee MQ-100 which I found out is PAR meter for everything but LEDs, so I’m exchanging it for M200 which works with LED lights, but the current gauge shows. On the M100, meter reading approx 200 ppfd at canopy"

Why are you using a meter not rated for led's and assuming that it is correct.....surprised no one mentioned this...

[Tersky]

Xena i hear ya, i dont know how often i will be back or if i might have to take another break as it looks like l may have to put my dog down in the very near future and i will probably not be a very nice person as i turn my pain into anger as a defense mechanism. I already have found my tolerance to bs is almost nonexistent

[Xena]

Tersky I’m truly sorry to hear about your furry friend. When I lost my last one, I told my wife no more, it took her almost 10 years to talk me into another one. I don’t like most people but I love my dogs and it’s like losing a family member. So I really am sorry to hear that.

[golfnrl]

Tersky, very sorry to hear about your dog. We had to put our beloved dog down on Thanksgiving (U.S.) a couple of years ago. I cried like a baby.