fluorescent lighting necessary??

[swissmiss]

I just SPLURGED MY ASS OFF on a fancy mh fixture and bulbs. Is it worth it to have a standard fluorescent fixture with two 40 watt bulbs for the first two weeks?

[swissmiss]

and also, I read that the longer you have the light on, the faster your plants grow. What do you think are the appropriate dark/light periods in each phase of growth or does it even matter?

[Dutch Pimp]

Floro tubes are much easier on seedlings for the first 1-3 weeks.
Metal Halide bulbs puts out a lot of UV light, which is hard on seedlings. You have to place the MH bulb very high up and you need to monitor it constantly, watching for light burn.

You have a choice of veg light times; 18/6...20/4...or 24/0....whatever suits you best.
Flowering is 12/12.

p.s....don't put seedlings directly under MH....offset some.