Indoor Lighting distance

[Phillymate]

Hi

Just a quick question how far should I have my 400w mh from my seedlings would 12" be to close I already have done the hand test and the heat seems ok but just wanted to see what yous afn's think
Input would be much appreciated


Do the seedlings look like there stretching to much already and would this be because the light is to far away?? I was for moving the light closer when the got a couple more sets of leaves .

 

[agito]

start higher maybes 1.5-2ft and lower a couple of inches per day until you get to 10-12" if you start at 12 they will normally burn they are stretched a little but its early days light intensity doubles every 6"

 

[Phillymate]

They have been under the light for 6 days now which has been 2 m high so I have dropped it to 18"

 

[agito]

2m/78" may have been over kill thus the stretch but 18" is far far more actually 1000% more lol just reduce 2" a day now until the back hand test

 

[SmashedbyHashish]

the rule i use for liting is, i put my hand at the canopy top and hold it for a minute...if its the least bit un-comfortable then i kmow to raise it, this takes all the guess work outa of it.

 

[Z3RO]

the rule i use for lighting is, i put my hand at the canopy top and hold it for a minute...if its the least bit un-comfortable then i know to raise it, this takes all the guess work outa of it.

I do the same, just be careful I fucced around and burned myself on the bulb. Nice little shiny scar now.
Not only will they stretch but grow very poorly if the light is to far, that's what Happened to me.I ended up hurting the beginning of my grow severely and causing my plants to be about 2 weeks behind a normal day 40. My biggest looks like a day 18 or so because of it.

 

[agito]

I have fried big plants coming down to quick here's some other rules of thumb remember you get away with less light in veg and at 38" they get no light


get away with less light in veg

 

[Phillymate]

I didn't think coming down to quick wud affect seedlings but I am no expert "trial and error "

 

[agito]

are yours ok mate coming down to 18" you should have been ok still