PharmaCan
05-19-2007, 04:05 PM
I've got a pretty decent grow box going using cfls, and it fits my immediate purposes, but I'm building a new vegging cubicle and I'm really wondering if cfls are worth it.
Right now I have 11 - 26watt and 1- 125 cfl. Cost of the 26 watt cfls, with the socket and lampcord, were about $7.50, $82.50 total, and $75 for the 125 watt lamp and reflector. So that's $157.50 for the lamps I have, and I'd need at least twice as many lamps for the new vegging area, or a cost of about $315.
I can buy two 250w MH lights in cool tubes for around $145 each, or a total cost of $290.
With the cfls I would be burning around 800 watts to produce approximately 51,000 lumens.
With the two metal halides I would burn 500 watts to produce 44,000 lumens.
The vegging area will be approximately 28" deep x 6' long x 42" high.
Could I mount two - 250 watt m/h's in a permanent location at the top of the veg cubicle? Assuming a 5" tall clone, the lights would be about 22" above the clones when they started vegging. Is this so high it would cause them to stretch?
If I let the plants grow to within 8" - 10" from the lights (cool tubes), is this enough clearance?
Right now I have 11 - 26watt and 1- 125 cfl. Cost of the 26 watt cfls, with the socket and lampcord, were about $7.50, $82.50 total, and $75 for the 125 watt lamp and reflector. So that's $157.50 for the lamps I have, and I'd need at least twice as many lamps for the new vegging area, or a cost of about $315.
I can buy two 250w MH lights in cool tubes for around $145 each, or a total cost of $290.
With the cfls I would be burning around 800 watts to produce approximately 51,000 lumens.
With the two metal halides I would burn 500 watts to produce 44,000 lumens.
The vegging area will be approximately 28" deep x 6' long x 42" high.
Could I mount two - 250 watt m/h's in a permanent location at the top of the veg cubicle? Assuming a 5" tall clone, the lights would be about 22" above the clones when they started vegging. Is this so high it would cause them to stretch?
If I let the plants grow to within 8" - 10" from the lights (cool tubes), is this enough clearance?