Vertical kinda sucks
No one ever seems to mention the bad points of vertical. Here's a few things to keep in mind before you go vert:
- Most vertical systems are a set size, and made to take a set number of plants exactly the correct size. So when you loose some clones, or your clones grow an extra foot, you just kind of have to make it work.
- Vertical SUCKS for cooling. Sure, you can use A/C's and chillers, but that extra juice could just be powering more lights.
- Apart from Heath, who says he got like 2 gram a watt (which could just be bullshit), I haven't seen anyone with a vert system post yields much better than buckets / E&F tables.
- It's hard to get at the plants
Unless your average temp is below 50 degrees, or you just want to piss around, I'd stay away from vert. It can work. It can even work pretty good - but overall it seems inferior to E&F tables, which are cheaper, and more tolerant of heat and varying plant sizes.
I have got a pound for 800 watts. The key to the size problems is to have a consistent cloneing procedure to insure identical plant sizes. After you get the sizing correct You don't mess with them and let them grow. Harvest time is the only time you should touch them.
I think the best way to do it would be to have 2 identical flowering systems - that way you could take clones from the first system, and in four weeks, be flowering them in the second. Heath said he didn't have moms and took clones from his system, then vegged them until it was time for the next cycle - ime, the clones get WAY too big in 7 weeks.Originally Posted by laughingduck
Still, none of this is an issue if you aren't doing vertical - just put 9-12, or however many plants seem to fit in your E&F and you're good to go.
The set up I use you can move turn,lean the rack Do what ever you want I run a few extra plants My air cooling take a 26 Watt motor
The yields I get with a vertical setup when compared to a horizontal setup of the same wattage and size speak for themselves, to my mind anyways. At least 1.5x, often close to double what I used to yield in the equivalent space. I can get 1/4lb per plant in 3 gallon buckets with 4-5 week veg and pull a pound with a 400w -- that's not just a pipe dream, I've done it. (see my thread...only ended up being about 3/4lb since there were only 3 plants, but I think that's a fair estimate...) I'd love to see anybody pull anywhere near that with a horizontal setup.
The biggest downside as far as I can see is the potential eye damage working in your garden. Get high quality eye protection. Or simply work when the lights are off.
I got 6 oz off of one plant under a 250 watt in a 10 gallon tote...3 weeks veg...on my first horizontal grow. I'm very intrigued by vertical, but if you do horizontal right, you can pull big #s. I'm not hating or questioning, it's just all about technique. All I'm saying is that you can't rule out horizontal based on one or two grows...it's still a very effective method.
Last edited by jcommerce; 04-03-2012 at 02:38 PM.
If you're looking for big yields, vertical is the way to achieve them. You increase your lit square footage significantly if done efficiently and well. It does present challenges, but that's half the fun.
3 weeks veg and 6 oz's, id sure like to know what strains and see proof
Everything I say on this site is fiction and is for entertainment purposes only! I do not support the use of any illegal drugs or the cultivation of cannabis.
I wouldn't say 'big yields' so much as efficient yields. 6000 watts over E&F tables will out yield a 2000 watt vertical system that took as long and cost as much as to make (and uses as many plants). The whole theory with vertical is that a bigger canopy is better than a reflector - you still loose some light to the top and bottom though.
Thing is, %20 better light usage doesn't matter if your needing to run a 1/2 hp chiller, or a bunch of AC's, or your plants get pests that you can't deal with because you can't get to them.
Guess my point is that, before anyone goes vertical, they need to realize it isn't 'better', it's just different. It's pretty disappointing to put together a super-elaborate system, just to realize that (except in the winter), it's no better than normal ebb and flow tables.
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