Ask Ed: Grow Questions and Answers - Spacing Lights

Question: I will try to make this as simple as I can, it is kind of a convoluted question. You said that a 1000 watt High Pressure Sodium (HPS) light would be enough to cover a 4 x 4 foot canopy. I have four separate plant areas, each are about 5 x 5 feet. If I added a light mover, would a 1000 watt HPS per 5 x 5 ft area be sufficient lighting?

Additionally, you mentioned that it was more efficient to use three 600 watt bulbs instead of two 1000 watt bulbs instead of two 1000 watt bulbs because less energy is used while the same amount of lumens is produced.

Would it be advisable to use 3 600 watt bulbs to feed two of the 5 by 5 foot areas that are 2 feet apart?

Oaksterdam University student

Ed's Rosenthal: You could use the 1000 watt HPS for a 5 x 5 foot growing area, however I would use a mover that only moved it back and forth 1-2 feet with the direction of the light parallel to the path it is moving on. Using one 1000 watt lamp would be best to grow Indicas or mostly Indica hybrids.

Another solution is to use two 600 watt lamps, which will produce enough light for Indica-Sativa hybrids and a few Sativa-Indica hybrids.

A final solution is to use a 600 watt lamp in addition to the 1000 watt that would provide enough light for mostly Sativa hybrids.

Send your grow questions to Ed Rosenthal at asked420@gmail.com