Fluorescent light info PLEASE [Archive] - Green Grass Forums

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bongmaster00

12-04-2007, 05:52 AM

Which type of cfl should i use to grow me some nice plants? I have never even dealt with fluorescent lights, only hps and metal halide. should it be daylight or warm or what? thinking about getting a couple of 95w'ers or 125w'ers so I would like to know. I will be growing Nirvana's Chrystal (White Widow x Northern Lights) and I want to do it right. Any answers will help, i'm in a hurry to get this show on the road. Thanks! Peace!

PharmaCan

12-04-2007, 06:49 AM

Cool white or daylight - around 6,500k - for vegging

Soft white or warm white - around 2,700k - for flower.

Good luck with your grow! :thumbsup:

PC :smokin:

eggrole1

12-04-2007, 11:36 PM

What he said ^

But if you are buying a few 125W CFLs (not 125W equivalents) then you would probably be better of getting an HPS or MH system. It will cost the same to run them but have a slightly higher initial purchase cost.

I'm not saying CFLs are bad, I am using them now, but it is because I am REALLY broke haha. If I had a few hundred bucks I would go HPS/MH all day.

bud luv

12-05-2007, 07:52 AM

M.B.A.

12-05-2007, 08:15 AM

Roughrider

12-05-2007, 12:41 PM

check this deal:
500W FLUOREX HIGH INTENSITY GROW LIGHT CFL HYDROPONIC - (eBay item 190179797982 end time Dec-05-07 11:27:26 PST) (http://cgi.ebay.com/500W-FLUOREX-HIGH-INTENSITY-GROW-LIGHT-CFL-HYDROPONIC_W0QQitemZ190179797982QQihZ009QQcategory Z94941QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

not bad

It's not really any better than using other CFLs. Notice that the headline says "500w" but you look at the light itself and it's 65 (actual) watts, putting out 6850 lumens. It also isn't plug wired, meaning you've got to do a bit of electrical work. It will be harder to hang. It's going to end up costing you $30-$40 shipped. And I'm a little leery of the "6850 lumens"... very, very few CFLs exceed 80 lumens per watt. That's over 100...that's HPS efficiency.

Make it easier on yourself. You can go to Wal-Mart and get one of the 10" Clamp lights for $10, a Y-Adaptor for $1.50, and a 2 pack of Daylight (6500k) grow bulbs for $7.00. That's less than $20 for a good reflector light that puts out about 3500-4000 lumens. It's already got a plug. It's got a clamp, if you want to use that. You can switch out to warm white bulbs to flower if you want...a 4-pack of 23 watters from Wal-Mart is $7. Less cost, more versatility, easier to use. Just my .02

M.B.A.

12-05-2007, 09:06 PM

It's not really any better than using other CFLs. Notice that the headline says "500w" but you look at the light itself and it's 65 (actual) watts, putting out 6850 lumens. It also isn't plug wired, meaning you've got to do a bit of electrical work. It will be harder to hang. It's going to end up costing you $30-$40 shipped. And I'm a little leery of the "6850 lumens"... very, very few CFLs exceed 80 lumens per watt. That's over 100...that's HPS efficiency.

Make it easier on yourself. You can go to Wal-Mart and get one of the 10" Clamp lights for $10, a Y-Adaptor for $1.50, and a 2 pack of Daylight (6500k) grow bulbs for $7.00. That's less than $20 for a good reflector light that puts out about 3500-4000 lumens. It's already got a plug. It's got a clamp, if you want to use that. You can switch out to warm white bulbs to flower if you want...a 4-pack of 23 watters from Wal-Mart is $7. Less cost, more versatility, easier to use. Just my .02

you can get this light at Home Depot for $42 and is very easy to vire up and hang(less than 20mins total). I have 2 of these lights and they are great, the plants love em

killerweed420

12-05-2007, 10:07 PM

I picked up 2 of the T5 Sun SYstems Inner Sun for $99 a piece including bulbs. I'm waiting for my clones to grow then I'll be giving them a shot.They have 8 bulbs each,you can stand them in the middle of your plants or hang them.

Roughrider

12-06-2007, 02:21 AM

you can get this light at Home Depot for $42 and is very easy to vire up and hang(less than 20mins total). I have 2 of these lights and they are great, the plants love em

Glad you're having success, man. But what I'm saying is that there are easier, cheaper ways of getting as much light. I looked into this a little and found out that the lumen output isn't 100% accurate. The 8000+ lumens are brightness lumens, which aren't what you use for checking/grow lights. In terms of "real" lumens, the 65 watt light has 4550 lumens

Lights of America Fluorex Fluorescent Flood Light (http://www.yinyanghome.com/Products/LOA/9266c.html)

Flourex Lumens Claims Misleading - The Garden's Cure (http://www.gardenscure.com/420/lighting/29117-flourex-lumens-claims-misleading.html)

Lumen count - Page 2 - Marijuana Growing (http://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/2379-lumen-count-2.html)

That's still pretty good...but, again, I want to make clear that a $10 socket/reflector, a $1.50 Y adaptor, and 2 26w bulbs for $7 will put out 3500+ lumens, be pre-wired, cost half as much, and be easily switchable to warm bulbs for flowering (which are even cheaper than the 6500k bulbs). There's a guy selling this exact setup on ebay

ADD COMPACT FLUORESCENT GROW LIGHT to 400 w HPS MH - (eBay item 260183816382 end time Dec-05-07 21:00:00 PST) (http://cgi.ebay.com/ADD-COMPACT-FLUORESCENT-GROW-LIGHT-to-400-w-HPS-MH_W0QQitemZ260183816382QQihZ016QQcategoryZ42225QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

for around $45, delivered...which is more than twice as much as you need to spend. If you want to go with the Fluorex light and it works for you, great...but be aware of what its actual lumen rating is and what other types of lights that produce nearly as much output cost.

Big len

12-07-2007, 12:33 AM

I have a post in here that is all cfl. grow there are some pics. with hood that I made started with 8 26 watt. curly bulbs added 2 4ft. sunshine bulbs to the back of my area, and hung another 4 26 watt bulbs around sides.