If the 9 plants contain a space of four ft square then yes 5 feet square would be pushing the edges on the weak side. At present I’ve got 15 under a thousand watt running at 700 watts vegging foot tall at present planning to split them up once flowering .
I’ve got plenty of mylar if I need to lay any for better light reflection. I’ll see how tightly I can pack em.
Might be more beneficial and easier to buy another hps ballast, a 650 would be perfect.
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If you run a mh with a hps your cola’s will be more compact. IMO you can never have enough light in 12/12.
I don’t want to tell you how to do your thing you’re aware you can drop those lights allot closer. Like 90% closer. I don’t want to sound like a know it all because I don’t just trying to help.
I personally would bend them over and drop the light 18 inches off the canopy with a gentle breeze blowing over its top. Good luck.
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Hugh, I’m new to hps and cmh so when I bought these from a guy he told me to put em on the ceiling , lights are at 7’ . How far away can I run them at 750w.
Thank you for the info. Im experienced but a newb at the same time. You know different, but the same? Lol
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I’m gonna drop the lights tonight after they are off and cooled down. Not alot of space to work in their.a little design error here and there. This was originally setup for LEDs. . And the layout has changed a bit lol.
If it helps running 900 watts of hps I try to stay 24/30 inches off the canopy. Watch for light bleaching and heat issues causing leaf curl or canoeing of the leaves . Also I gradually increase the intensity over the course of a few days not wanting to hit them hard out of the gate with full power give them a few days to get used to the stronger lights .
Nice setup @tc198414, I hope everything goes well in Oregon for you two! 
One minor suggestion - a belt and suspenders thing. I’d suggest you pickup a cinder block or two for your ballasts to sit on. Smoky the Bear and all that.
Cheers
G
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Thanl you for the kind words and advice. I currently have them on the cold concrete floor with a fan on them and tool bench foam pad. I’ll give them some lift.
Gpaw, took your advice and added ratchet straps and lowered my lights 8ninches down to 18 inches from canopy. Plants are praying which is to be expected with a light increase. Added the cynder block for my ballasts to sit on. The floor wasn’t warm but it wasn’t cold cold. The lift and air to the underside might help. Thinking about building a vented plexiglass case /control center for all of my controllers and ballasts
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Next project, the nutrient infuser. Gonna add a t into the irrigation line pre first emitter. Adding a iplant automatic watering kit to feed the nutrients into the line before the water comes on every 7th day. This will only be a one-time thing during our trip. I hate leaving on trips during grows, and so far I’ve had to leave for atleast a week out of every grow to date.
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The rule of thumb is to use the back side of your hand under the canopy . Because of cool tubes umbrellas open reflector all our mileage will vary. If the back side of your hand is slightly unconformable your crop is too. This is also strain dependent and it seems like they can tolerate little closer in veg. Thats how nodding is kept tight.
Plants look healthy though ,good job!
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Thank you, my first grows were major experiments, then after careful reading, studying, and alot of trial and error, things are starting to piece together. Learning the sciences of the plant has caused my brain to go on this obsessive journey to learn all I can. I truly appreciate all the tips and info you guys have offered.
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Looking good @tc198414
Nice frost already.
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They’ve been frosted over since week 3. Always grew with led before so it was a present surprise. Went with m.o.a.b bloom booster by mad farmer, and the full line of aurora root aurora, liquid and powdered nutes. Ran them at 1/2 dose up until flower, and 3/4 now they’re in flower. Just gave them their first full dose of nutes as the bottle described . My problem in the past was nuking them with nutes because I had no clue how to use them.
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My phone’s camera isn’t the best, it definitely doesn’t do them justice, bc it looks like I’ve poured pounds of.sugar all over them. The genetics of these clones are sweet. Ethos
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Update, added another 1k dimmable ballast and upgraded the other 2 to generator ready ballasts. Oklahoma weather is starting to get crazy again. So I will be running backup gens. So what I’ve done with my light setup. I placed 1 lamp in the left corner, tilted at a 45 degree angle. (I think that’s right) so I’m not losing direct light on the wall. And the cmh in the middle . All of my light is directed at the center row. (If that makes sense) reflectors are curved t wings with a glass coating. Added my 2nd portable ac, which is 8k btu. It’s in the attic with venting blowing it into the room. I had to fabricate a ducting system for it. I made sure to use that HVAC schooling I took back in high school. Great pressure blowing in behind the lights. When I get some charge to my phone I’ll upload some pics.
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Lol after reading that realize I forgot to add the 3rd lights installation. It’s the same as the other hps. Cmh is dropped dead center so that it’s a level 90 degrees. The inside tip of the outside lights reflectors are on the same 90 degree line to the center light. Not losing any from the ceiling or above the lights. Everything is aimed at the 6x6 flower space.i should probably invest in a par meter seeing how cell phone par meters max out at like 32k