Need Help 400 watt mh light adjustment.

Your temps are good. I think any closer than 12" and you'll be messing up your footprint and risk bleaching out your leaves in a few weeks. what size is your tent?

Right now my light is maxed out (less than 12" from tops) and I'm getting a bit of light bleaching. A good test is to hold your hand under the bulb at the top of the plants and hold it there for a minute. If its too hot for your hand, its too hot for the plants. hope this helps.

In the future, please refrain from posting the same question in multiple forums. Not trying to get on your case, though. good luck buddy.

How many times and how many different ways are you going to post this question...you're a little obsessive, no???

Sorry bout the multiple posts. Im new and I wanted a number of responses so I dont mess up my first indoor grow. I have a 4x4 tent. So even with a sealed and air-cooled hood vented out of the tent you dont think they can be any closer than 12 in? And I am talking from the bulb to the plant tops. Not from my hood to plant tops.

sure you can put it as close as you want. I wouldnt recommend it though. the hand test is a good rule of thumb but i can almost guarantee you'll have light bleaching late in the grow (regardless of canopy temps), which seems to slightly retard bud growth in the affected area. This is my experience with a few grows on a 600. I'd also worry that you arent getting enough light on the edges and too much in the middle. don't take my word for it though, put it as close as you want and take notes and make adjustments next run. everyones set up is different.

How about some pics ? When I plant seedlings I usually end up replanting them once as they tend to shoot straight up the first time around. Or, I start them in smaller cups that aren't full of dirt and I add some more dirt to it to build up around them until they really start to take hold. I use 400 MH too but not to start out with. I se some CFL's until they're strong enough to be under 400 MH.
Take some pics.

I do the hand test and try to keep plants about a foot away. I've got plants of somewhat variable height so I actually have my cool tube on a slant.

Those temps sound good. My temps during the summer reached at its highest about 86 degrees. Not ideal but no problems to report.

Thankfully its fall and my temps will always be around 70-80 now.