How Much Area Does a 1000-Watt Grow Light Cover?
Technology is getting better and better, even in the world of grow lights. What else is getting better and better is the cost of purchasing newer technology like LED grow lights, for example. I know because I purchased a 1000-watt LED grow light a couple of months ago on sales for less that $100 CDN. So, why buy such a powerful grow light? It was on sale and I want to achieve maximum results in a fairly-small grow tent.
How much area does a 1000-watt grow light cover? A 1000-watt LED grow light will effectively cover a grow area up to 36sq’. A 1000-watt HPS grow light will effectively cover a grow area up to 36sq’. You must also consider the depth of the plant as in how tall it will grow. When growing Indica’s, the light used will cover more square feet than when growing Sativa.
In this article, regarding how much area a light covers, it’s mostly going to be me talking based on my experiences with different grow lights. I am doing some research so I can give you an idea of costs for electricity further on down the article. I just think it’s important to talk to you just like I would tell one of my friends, in person, what they might expect using 1000 watt grow lights. If that works for you, then please keep reading. Let’s get started.
How Much Area Does a 1000-Watt LED Grow Light Cover?
Let me talk quickly about my last grow using a 50-watt compact fluorescent bulb. I grew 2 sativa plants that reached a height of approximately 5’ in a 6sq’ area before they were harvested. From those two plants and fertilizer added over the length of the grow, I harvested a large sealer filled with buds. I just wanted to mention that because it doesn’t really matter how many watts your bulbs are. Chances are, you will get a fine crop. Not as fine as if you used a more powerful grow light, but you should be just fine.
So, when I think about growing pot plants and how much coverage I will get with different sized bulbs, I draw from past experiences when I need to estimate how a future grow will end up. I also like to use a grow tent, so I consider that as well.
I feel that an area measuring 6’ by 6’ (36sq’) will be adequately covered by a 1000 watt grow light. The only issue you might run into is that LED’s might not penetrate the canopy of the plants as well as an HPS light.
A couple of ways to fix this would be to train the plant as it starts to grow by laying it on its side, allowing more light to penetrate the plant overall. This can also give you many more larger buds to harvest. Another simpler option is to just trim back fan leaves from the plant. This will allow that light penetration to happen.
With a 1000-watt grow light in a tent will produce lots of buds. Make sure to abide by using proper timing for veg and flower as well when it’s supposed to be dark keep it dark. Don’t peak until you know it’s time for the lights to be on.
An example of a really decent 1000 LED light like the one I recently purchased is this LED grow light here. It is available on Amazon as per usual.
How Much Space Will a 1000-Watt HPS Light Cover?
An HPS (high pressure sodium) light, which is very common in indoor grows, will help your plants produce lots and lots of buds. A 1000-watt HPS will easily cover a 6’ by 6’ area and will penetrate deep down the plant to help those lower ‘nugs’ (marijuana buds) grow larger than you might expect.
The HPS lights will generate heat unlike LED’s which means you will probably be watering more often than if you were using LED. You also need to watch room temperature as well, so it doesn’t get out of control.
One huge benefit if you use a sodium light is they throw a yellowish light, which somewhat replicates the fall sun. This means HPS is a preferred light for the flowering (budding) stage.
HPS are really good lights. They do cost a bit more to purchase than an LED grow light.
If you are using a tent, you will want to have inline ventilation, if using an HPS. Having fans running will be required as well.
With HPS grow lights be careful not to have the light, to close to the plants or they could burn. An LED light can be much closer without the worry of your plants getting scorched.
The benefits in using HPS over LED is you will most likely harvest a larger crop much easier with the HPS. I would like to say if your kind of lazy, use an HPS but you can’t be lazy with HPS. You need to be much more attentive to where your plants and lights are situated. Your watering will be much more often as well, unless you have a heater going in your grow tent with an LED light.
If you are interested in an HPS light I would recommend this 1000-watt HPS grow light over on Amazon.
Related 1000-Watt LED and HPS Grow Light Questions.
How Far Should a 1000-Watt HPS be From Plants?
I would keep a high-pressure sodium light, especially a 1000-watt HPS light approximately 3’ above your plants when they are young. As they get older and into the flowering stage, move them closer.
The closest I would go is between 18” to 24”. Any closer and you could risk burning the plants. You should test this yourself, as different plants will react differently to the light.
How Far Should a 1000-Watt LED Grow Light be From Plants
I would go with the same recommendations above for the HPS light however, you can get much closer with an LED light without worrying about the plants burning.
When you have seedlings and young plants, pay attention to how they are growing. If you find your plants are shooting up quickly and they look to really be stretching, then lower the light ASAP. Your goal should be to keep the plants as stalky and full as can be. If they stretch out, they are more prone to falling over and you might find they are too high for your grow tent.
Is 1000-Watt Lighting Good for Vegetative and Flower Stages?
The 1000 watt doesn’t make any difference. It is the light spectrum that does. Think of the seasons (Summer and Fall) and how the sun appears to project different strengths of light. Because of the way the earth is tilting in the fall, different light spectrums are allowed through the atmosphere.
Your weed plants will like a brighter, whiter light in the beginning stages of growth common referred to as the vegetative stage. When it is time to flower, the light spectrum will be a yellowish hue replicating the fall. HPS lights replicate fall lighting very well.
Of course, there will always be many different thoughts on this and unless you are documenting every grow you do on a daily basis like a mad scientist, it doesn’t really matter at the end of the day.
With your 1000-watt lights, you can keep using it for the full grow cycle of your weed plants. That’s what I do. I have done it with lower wattage and higher wattage lighting very successfully. So, the answer is yes.
Using grow lights and grow tents go hand in hand in my mind. Check out this article on why you should use a grow tent when you are done reading this article.
How Much Weed Can a 1000-Watt Light Produce?
First off, this answer warrants its own article as this could be a huge discussion.
There is a general rule of them that is passed on from grower to grower that for every wattage of light used you can expect approximately .5 to 1 gram of smoke-able marijuana. How exciting is that? Even if you were on the lower end, that’s still about 17 ounces. Giddy up!
The truth though (yes, here comes the ‘party pooper’ moment) is that every grow you do will provide different amounts of marijuana. It depends on the plant you are growing, first of all, then the lighting, the soil nutrients and watering as well as heating lighting and humidity. If you get all of those factors right, then ‘bam’, you’re going to have a lot of pot using a 1000-watt grow light!
The nice thing about weed though, is it produces regardless of the lighting provided. Using the more powerful 1000-watt light just gives you the opportunity to really enlarge those buds.
Conclusion
A 1000-watt grow light will cover most floor space in the average grow tents. Especially if you are in Canada and get to grow 4 plants at a time. A 1000-watt light will provide lots of light for those plants and your crop should be plentiful.
Good luck and happy growing!
Heating your grow area is very important. Check out this article which will give you some excellent ideas on how you can heat your grow room or tent that will work for you.