CFL question?!?!?

[nauticaboy84]

Ok so this is my first real attempt at creating a cabinet grow box and i have just couple questions... first off the space im uses is 1ft 8 inchs by 3 ft and about 4 ft heigh, giving me just under 5 squared feet (4.98) of growin area... i wanna grow 2 small plants forceing em into early budding with this setup.....durning the veg stage, i plan on uses 3 CFL 5900K bulbs....2- 24watt 1600 lumen directly over each plant and on 42watt 2400 lumen in the middle....total of 5600 lumen....so about 1100 lumen per squared foot.... by everything i've read this just enough for the veg stage.... durning flowerin i plan on addin 2-42 watt CFL bulbs but this time 2900K with 2200 lumen... the total lumen per squared foot this way would be just over 2000.... again just enough....

my question is, what is the best way to hang CFLs? straight up and down or does layin em sideways work just as well? i wanna save space wherever possible.... i was considering a combination, but really i just want the most light makeing it to my plants, so whats the best way to do this?

Im building my own reflector for these lights, so either is possible... i was plannin on useing ploshied aluminum but read somewhere that isnt a good idea. If polished aluminum reflects heat could i just paint it flat white or cover it with mylar to avoid this? which would work best, polished aluminum? flat white paint? mylar? or something i havent thought of yet?

[nauticaboy84]

lol forgot to ask a question... durning the veg stage im only using 5900K lights... but durning flowering im adding only 2- 2900K lights....If i replace the two 24watt 5900K bulbs during flowerin with two 42wat 2900K light would that be benifitcal? by having 4- 42watt 2900k lights and one 42watt 5900K lights the total lumens per squared foot would be closer to 2200.... i forgot to meantion im gonna indica useing aerated hydroponics.

should i replace higher 5900K bulbs with lower 2900K bulbs?

[Earthy Dank]

You should aim for 50-75 watts of cfl's per square foot for flowering. And I would use the 5900k for veg and the 2900k for flowering. Using the 2900Ks encourages a higher flower to leaf ratio. Hang your lights horizontal if you can and make a reflector like you said except use flat white paint, aluminum foil on the glossy side only reflects around 30 to 50 % of the light causes heat problems while flat white paint reflects around 70-80% light and mylar is like 95%. I am making a small cabinet too 4x2x4ft for flowering and 2x2x3ft for veg. I'm using 4 of the 26w 5900ks for veg and 5 42w 2900k for flowering. When I get enough money to afford a carbon filter and proper ventilation I'm getting two 250W HPS and I'm gonna put the clfs around the sides. I found a bathroom light strip that goes above the mirror that has 5 light sockets and I mounted it sideways in a white box. It works great for a DIY light. The light it puts out is even and fairly bright and it doesn't make very much heat at all.

[KL4D4]

White paint is 99% with mylar just barley coming in 2nd as far as reflectivity is concerned.

I used 4-42w warm and 2-26w cool and im like a week from harvest and I think things when rather well

[Earthy Dank]

Reflective Chart:
Material Reflectivity
Black Less than 10%
Aluminium Foil 55-70%
Semi-gloss White Paint 60-70%
White / Black / White Film 70-85%
Flat White Paint 75-80%
Polystyrene Foam Sheeting 75-85%
Mylar Sheeting 90-92%

[18toki]

What's the Reflectivity on Walmart emergency blanket? Same as Mylar?

[Earthy Dank]

I've heard security blankets work great...