Starting seeds using HID's

purplecream

Active Member
Can you put a germinated seed straight under a MH light? I have a 250 watt HPS/MH, I put it under the 250 watt MH and i cooked my seed:cry:. I guess i'm just gonna use my leds for the first few days. But anyways can this be done? If so how far does it have to be from the seedling?
 

phyzix

Well-Known Member
As long as they stay below 85F degrees a 250 watter will have no adverse effects. It puts out less power than the sun per square foot methinks.
 

purplecream

Active Member
Weird..Because my temps were at 83F and my humidity was at 65% and my seed was cooked. Also i had the light a foot and a half away.
 
Weird..Because my temps were at 83F and my humidity was at 65% and my seed was cooked. Also i had the light a foot and a half away.
My germinated seeds went right under my 400W HPS, no issues whatsoever. Well, there was one. I was a little worried about them being too close, so they actually stretched until I moved them closer, They are 2 weeks and one day old and doing awesome.
 

laceygirl

Well-Known Member
Hi there,
These are my seedlings under a 400watt metal halide... I start them under a 100watt propagation flouro (4 days)then transplant them like this...



As you can see the light is a fair distance away...Bout 22 inches... I do it via my thermometer...I move the lights up till I reach my desired temp and leave it there... I could get it closer with another fan, but I'm in the middle of winter here and I have an exhaust fan which also provides me passive intake, I do need to get a fan in there blowing on them for strengthening their stems though...:-|
Try again, there may have been something else at play there...LG..
 

YOUNG BUCK

Well-Known Member
My germinated seeds went right under my 400W HPS, no issues whatsoever. Well, there was one. I was a little worried about them being too close, so they actually stretched until I moved them closer, They are 2 weeks and one day old and doing awesome.

I do the same with a 400w hps as soon as the seeds pop they get the full 400w hps no problems.
 
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