CFL light question: Veg process is higher then 23w necessary?

[keithxs]

Hi guys, first time to post...but have been reading through threads for past few weeks.

Just have one question, which may have been answered before, but I just can't find the answer. Okay I have 11 open sockets for a small cabinet grow (30"x20"x48"). All I can find are 23/26watt 6500k CFLs for the veg process. I easily found the 42watt 2700k for flowering.

So my question: is it necessary to have higher wattage bulbs if I can just surround the plant with lower 23w bulbs?

I guess my thinking is...a CFL is only effective at a certain range, so if I had more of them surrounding, that would be more effective then a higher wattage, though it may have a higher range. (Speaking on terms of lumens)

Btw, I know I can purchase these higher wattage bulbs off the internet...but was trying to avoid doing so....

[ForgetClassC]

Stay with the 23w-29w CFLs the whole way. THats about their peak in efficiency.

-C

[Roughrider]

^^ Agreed.

Not just that, but people forget you don't need as much space in veg, especially the early stages. You won't need the whole cabinet for plants in veg until they're 3 weeks in, at least. Even after you go from 20 oz. cups to 6" pots...you can easily get four 6" pots with fairly bushy young plants into a 15" x 15" area. That only takes four 23w bulbs to cover well. IMO, you can go to at least 21 days of veg--plants around 6-8" high--with one clamp light with two Y-adapters and 4 23/26w bulbs. You save some $$ and stress issues by only using as much light as you need in the early stages