CFL's

[LISTEN2KMK]

Are two 25 watt CFL's efficient enough life for only one plant in my closet? The one plant im movin indoors is only around 18 inches, i got it started late in the season so im gonna put it indoors. It can grow up to 6-7 nft. before it has to be cut, and has about 2 ft. across to grow. will these lights be sufficient enough for the whol process or will i need something a bit stronger for flowering?

[psteve]

Shoot for at least 50watts per sq. ft.
So if your room is 2x2, that's 4 sq. ft, and you'll want at least 200 watts = 8x 25w CFL.
The 'daylight' bulbs give the most lumens per watt.

[LISTEN2KMK]

Ok this is going to be my basic grow setup and i will ask questions that i have about it.

Ok, im using a 5 gallon bucket of some nice miracle grow soil.

I will transplant the plant i ghot outside to this bucket after i soak the rootball to drown out the pill bugs.

I have a single light fixture wich has an adapter on it to where it splices it to hold two bulbs. This fixture will hold two soft white 13 watt 800lumens a peice, and 3000k.
Question: Is this a sufficient light source? And if not, then could i add a 15 inch fluorescent tube.

All of these lights will be mounted together in a home made sheild lined with aluminum foil to reflect the CFL's and the fluro.

all these lights in the hood will be kept on a timer for the neccasary times needed with each cycle.

When would be the best time to bring it in, to adjust it to new light schedule?
and what exactly would be the best light cycle to put it on?

I was just planning on opening my closet once a day for a few hours and turning on the ceiling fan to curculate the stale air.

water will be added when neccasary, and i have been using milk every couple days.
Im sure the milk will help with the shock period of being moved wont it?

Thanx in advance!

[psteve]

No.

[Chronisseur]

I believe 3500-5000 lumens per sq. foot is optimal

[LISTEN2KMK]

So what wattage of bulb do you suggest? and how many of them?

[Dizzy1]

If your only going to be using CFLs you'll want at least 6-8 (more is you can) 40 watters. Those put out about 2600-2800 lumens.

You'll use the "cool" to veg and then have to switch the bulbs to a "warm" to flower.

So you're looking at 6-8 of the cool and 6-8 of the warm.

And I wouldn't let them grow straight up, the CFL's won't penetrate the foliage down low and your yield will suffer. Read about LST-ing to keep the plants lower and increase your buddage.

[KL4D4]

I have around 250 w of CFL'S for my first grow and I was disappointed in the results. BUt if you are still planning to use CFL's flower it as early as possible

[psteve]

If your only going to be using CFLs you'll want at least 6-8 (more is you can) 40 watters. Those put out about 2600-2800 lumens.

You'll use the "cool" to veg and then have to switch the bulbs to a "warm" to flower.

So you're looking at 6-8 of the cool and 6-8 of the warm.

And I wouldn't let them grow straight up, the CFL's won't penetrate the foliage down low and your yield will suffer. Read about LST-ing to keep the plants lower and increase your buddage.Exactly right. Except I'd use daylight bulbs all the way through for maximum lumens. With so little light to work with, if you switch to warm white for flower, you should also add more bulbs.

[Chronisseur]

the longer shaped bulbs (40 watts) surrounding the outside of the crop,(not covered like in a desklamp, but on a 3 strip for 2 sides) seems like winning plan to me...?Yes?No?

[psteve]

(not covered like in a desklamp, but on a 3 strip for 2 sides)
A reflector will almost double your light output, and is ESSENTIAL when growing with CFL's

[Dizzy1]

I think he's talking the ballasted bulbs? 2 to 4 footers?
If so, those WILL work, but are more limited than the Bulb shaped CFLs.

You can spend a chunk of change and get the high output T5 fluro bulbs (light sticks) and get a good amount of lumens, but you'll still be limited to mounting. With CFL's you can move the bulb inside the plants grow space if needed.

[spectrum balanced]

this is a stupid question because I'm pretty sure I know the answer - 250 watts of CFL lighting: will it produce the same yield as 250 watts of HPS lighting when flowering?

I only ask because I think I will be flowering in an Ikea wardrobe type thing, and I'm worried about being able to control the heat. (I posted here and not a new thread because I feel its very relevent to this thread)

[Dizzy1]

Well, that's a little mixed in question and answer.

When you say CFL Watts, are you referring to the actual wattage of the CFLs or the incandescent equivalent?
We'll go with the actual CFL wattage.
Will 250 CFL watts be like 250 HPS watts? No. I'd say the 1st 2 feet from the bulbs would be kinda close, but farther away you lose Lumens from the CFLs, it might still be bright, but no where near the intensity of an HPS.
You can move the CLFs alot closer to the plants then you could with the HPS, so you can start to make up for the difference, but they would still fall a little short. Now if you put a cool tube on that HPS then you can get right up and cozy with the plants as well and blow the CFLs out of the water again.

Heat.
CFLs do run a LOT cooler than an HPS, but you put 250 watts of CFLs in there and it ain't all that cool anymore.
Cool tube on an HPS and vented outside will be less heat.

Not sure if I helped or compounded your questions. :)

[spectrum balanced]

that definately helps and I was talking in actual CFL wattage, so thanks for intuitavely interpereting my poorly formed question :)

I havent read about/dont know anything about cool tubes in HPS'. Are there HPS bulbs that run cooler than regular hps bulbs that are catagorized in a certain way, or is there some kind of cool tube that you can screw into an hps ballast?

[PharmaCan]

I havent read about/dont know anything about cool tubes in HPS'. Are there HPS bulbs that run cooler than regular hps bulbs that are catagorized in a certain way, or is there some kind of cool tube that you can screw into an hps ballast?

ROFLMA

Greenfire Product: COOL TUBES & LIGHTING SYSTEMS (http://www.greenfire.net/hot/L106.html)

When you see what the cool tube is, you'll see why I was laughing. :D

PeaCe :thumbsup:

[Dizzy1]

Hehe :)

You can also do a home brew cool tube. If I can do one, anyone can do one. ;)
Text (http://cannabis.com/growing/lighting-How_do_i_build_my_own_cool_tube.html)

[Chronisseur]

A reflector will almost double your light output, and is ESSENTIAL when growing with CFL's

Right, but to maximize lower and mid growth, I think the longer bulbs placed vertically(bulb tips up) could depend on reflection from inner surface of box alone. Done right n tight leaves minimal lumens wasted.

Very true though, if you dont properly harness your cfl's they're about as usefull as another Bush in office!

[MajMike]

I use the big CFL's, with a 105 wt blue and 150 wt red bulb, both with reflectors. They seem to work fine, here a pic of a flower at 4 weeks. (I only have a 6 sq ft garden in scrog)