fluorescent lights

[dontbugme]

Instead of using those corkscrew CFLs can I use something like an 18inch or 24inch fluorescent light to give seedlings light? What if I don't want to get a sodium pressure light, what happens if you use one of these fluorescent lights while it buds? I know less yield, but what else?

See attached image

[hybridlove420]

that thing looks retarded. buy regular cool white/daylight cfl household bulbs and use those to veg, and warm whites to flower.

if you want to use tubes, get a proper setup, not some 10w dinky-assed bulb thats probably gonna cost ya 10-15$ each

[dontbugme]

that was just some img i pulled off the web.

mine says it is 15w with 75 watt output

[Storm Crow]

And a bit smaller, but if you are just growing for yourself, you can live with it. I found that the GE Kitchen and bath tubes worked well for budding and regular cool whites worked well in veg. The trick it to keep the plants only 1 to 2 inches from the top of your plants. Make sure your set-up is easy to raise and lower! - Granny:hippy:

[stinkyattic]

4 foot, 2 bulb, 80w total fixtures are $9 at home depot.
The 'cool white' T12 tubes to fit them are $3 each.
Voila. Your little plants will love you. I've been using them since day one for my vegging and to keep my moms under.

[psteve]

The 'cool white' T12 tubes to fit them are $3 each.
Daylight T-8's are WAY more efficient, and fit the same shop light, for only slightly more.
Even if they were twice as much, it would still only be $6 each.

[hybridlove420]

damn. if stinky and steve suggest the tubes, they gotta be good :p

im using 10 daylight 23w cfls for 5 seedlings, and theyre happy so far (gonna up it by a few bulbs once theyre bigger i think)

[killerweed420]

T5's would even be better. I've got a 16 tube T5 system I'm using to grow 3 plants now. I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

[psteve]

damn. if stinky and steve suggest the tubes, they gotta be good :p

im using 10 daylight 23w cfls for 5 seedlings, and theyre happy so far (gonna up it by a few bulbs once theyre bigger i think)You're doing great, and on the right track. Your current 230w of cfl's is plenty for 5 seedlings.
Once they get bigger you'll want more coverage.
What I would do is add the tubes vertically as side lighting, to ensure good light penetration.
How big is your space?

[psteve]

T5's would even be better. I've got a 16 tube T5 system I'm using to grow 3 plants now. I'll let everyone know how it turns out.True, but you can't put t-5's in a shop light from Home DePot. And they cost a lot more than $3-6 each.

[420F4i]

that was just some img i pulled off the web.

mine says it is 15w with 75 watt output

if you had about 10 of those you'd be good

[dontbugme]

I know you guys are gonna laugh, but this is my setup right now. I figure I'll just see if the seeds actually sprout, and then i'll worry about moving to a bigger place. This place is much too small right? I'd have to add a fan and probably another light right?

[dontbugme]

bump!

The temperature in there is 73 degrees.

I sprouted one seed in a paper towel after about 4 days. The sprout wasn't very long at all. I'd say the little white sprout coming out of the seed was only 1/4 the length of the whole seed. I left it for a day after I saw that, but it didn't come out anymore so I planted it. Barely under the soil, maybe a little more than 1/8". nothing has come out of the dirt yet.

what y'all think?

[stinkyattic]

With a pair of tinsnips, cut the rims of those cups RIGHT down to the soil surface. You should never have more than an inch of rim above the soil at any life stage; air flow is necessary or pythium wilt of the seedlings is a real danger.
And get the cups RIGHT up to the light. The leaves of the plant should be about an inch from the tube.
You need another tube in there pretty soon if you are going to grow under tubes. I consider a pair to be the minimum; the multiple points of light are really beneficial and you'll see how when you add it.
Temp is good. Ventilation is necessary. A small fan circulating air IN the cab, plus an exhaust removing air FROM the cab, are both needed.

[dontbugme]

With a pair of tinsnips, cut the rims of those cups RIGHT down to the soil surface. You should never have more than an inch of rim above the soil at any life stage; air flow is necessary or pythium wilt of the seedlings is a real danger.
And get the cups RIGHT up to the light. The leaves of the plant should be about an inch from the tube.
You need another tube in there pretty soon if you are going to grow under tubes. I consider a pair to be the minimum; the multiple points of light are really beneficial and you'll see how when you add it.
Temp is good. Ventilation is necessary. A small fan circulating air IN the cab, plus an exhaust removing air FROM the cab, are both needed.

what about now? no seedling has come though the dirt yet. should i cut the cups and move them closer to the light or should i leave them be and put a bowl over the cups until the seeds start to come out?

[stinkyattic]

The light matters after the seedling breaks soil. The air flow is always important.

[hybridlove420]

You're doing great, and on the right track. Your current 230w of cfl's is plenty for 5 seedlings.
Once they get bigger you'll want more coverage.
What I would do is add the tubes vertically as side lighting, to ensure good light penetration.
How big is your space?

my space is an entire freezer room in the basement. (4X6 maybe?)

unfortunately, the downside of this is that i have nothing to ideally contain the lights to only the plant area, besides some whiteboard thats stapled to the sides of my light board (hanging 2X2 corkboard with the lightsockets screwed to it.)

[psteve]

my space is an entire freezer room in the basement. (4X6 maybe?)

unfortunately, the downside of this is that i have nothing to ideally contain the lights to only the plant area, besides some whiteboard thats stapled to the sides of my light board (hanging 2X2 corkboard with the lightsockets screwed to it.)
I'd use 1 inch foil coated foam core insulation from someplace like Home DePot..
You can cut it to fit, and it will reflect almost as well as white walls.
Be careful not to restrict air flow to your plants. It's more important than a little more reflected light.
Eventually you won't need anything. Those 5 plants should fill a 4x6 space nicely, with a bit of room for good light penetration.
Keep the lights as close as possible (like less than 6 inches) to the top of the plants.

[dontbugme]

Well, I've actually got some teeny little seedlings that broke through the soil, well, 3 have, 1 hasn't but I think it will soon.

I went and got another light and I got a T8 tube also. So right now I've got two flo lights, one with whatever bulb it came with (prolly T12) and a new flo T8 bulb. I cut down one of the cups to be even with the soil as stinky suggested, TY. I also got a little mini fan (what a pain in the ass, I had to buy a big adapter also). How strong should the breeze be?

Also Stinky, you said I need ventilation. What happens if I don't add ventilation? Because I really can't, short of just opening the cabinet.

This cabinet is 20 inches tall. This is much too small to flower any decent plants right? Anybody have any ideas how I could make it work?

[SantaClawz]

Havin stationary lights isnt gonna work, you have the right idea, but those are gonna have to be able to move.

[melodious fellow]

What happens if I don't add ventilation? Because I really can't, short of just opening the cabinet.

This cabinet is 20 inches tall. This is much too small to flower any decent plants right? Anybody have any ideas how I could make it work?

You have the same $2 (literally) crackfan from walmart in your grow cab as I do!

Wally world sells these crackfans without the AC adapters they require.. either find a 3 volt adapter or use batteries...

They die so quickly... I have to buy a new fan once a week, this week twice... and I only run them 12 hrs a day

I can't find any other fans that are small enough to fit in my space though, so I have to keep using them

What you could do for ventilation is to drill some holes (or cut out a 4-5 inch in diameter hole directly behind your fan. The fan will then draw cool air from the outside from directly behind it into your cab. Then have a small opening or some holes drilled at the top of your cab so the hot air rising can flow out.

good luck and keep us updated

peace

[dontbugme]

Okay, so with the two lights, the fan and the ac adaptor in there, it got to 91.9 degrees. Way too hot! So I pulled out one of the tubes and it went back down to 85. For ventilation, can I just crack the door when the lights are on?

I know to close it when the lights go off and I start flowering and everything.

[hybridlove420]

put a small fan or a few 12v computer fans in there to circulate air.

if you dont have an in/out ports for air, you may consider building em on...

[stinkyattic]

When you added soil to the pots that no seedling was showing in, did you raise the level of the seed in the cup or just cover it? If you just covered it, it will probably die- the seed should never be planted more than 1/4-1/2" MAX below the soil surface.

[hybridlove420]

I'd use 1 inch foil coated foam core insulation from someplace like Home DePot..
You can cut it to fit, and it will reflect almost as well as white walls.
Be careful not to restrict air flow to your plants. It's more important than a little more reflected light.
Eventually you won't need anything. Those 5 plants should fill a 4x6 space nicely, with a bit of room for good light penetration.
Keep the lights as close as possible (like less than 6 inches) to the top of the plants.

foil toward or away from plants? i have 2X3 syrafoam sheets by my flowering girl right now, and i plan to move them in once shes done in a week or so.

PS: the freezer room is veg only, i have an entire bedroom to flower in under a 600w hps. its roughly a 7X5 area that the plants sit in, so maybe ill wall 3 sides with the foil stuff

[psteve]

foil toward or away from plants? It usually has foil on both sides.:)
Shiny side in (if it has a shiny side).

[stinkyattic]

Foam insulation does not have the proper reflective material unless it actually has real MYLAR on one side. The metal foil one is not reflective- it's as good as tinfoil, and that's not good. You need it to be white from the factory, cover it with mylar or panda film, or paint it white before installation.

[psteve]

You need it to be white from the factory, cover it with mylar or panda film, or paint it white before installation.
This really is the best option. Use pure super bright flat white wall paint, or if you can afford it, flat titanium white.
I use the foil panels for ease of setup in a pinch, not for their superior reflectivity.
Good catch Stink!

[turksteelman]

Hey stinkyattic, I recall in another post you mentioning you had T5 for veg. If someone had a 8 bulb T5 4' x 2', how close should they be to a plant that is about 3 weeks old?

[stinkyattic]

As with any light, as close as you can get it without burning. This depends in part on strain hardiness, ambient humidity, watering schedule, and temps, but generally within 2-3" is the right distance.