help with lighting

[smacky]

I am using a coralife 48in 6700K 4X65watt compact fluorescent fixture over 8 plants. This is my first indoor grow but I have grown many outdoors and at this age they were alot taller. The plants are 8 weks old and are about 4 to 7in tall, they are the densest plants I have ever grown, but they are short, the stems are outrageously thick. Why so short? Is it my light? I am using a hydro setup with GH nutes, they are on an 20/4 light cycle, and have CO2 supplementation. I'd love to have the density of growth but the height just isn't there. I also have 10000k and 20000k actinic lights, used 4 my saltwater aquariums, they too are 4X65 watt 48 in compact fluorescents. How would they do? I do have a 400w HPS I was going to use for flowering when they get taller, would using one of the compacts with the HPS hurt anything? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

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[SWOLENPORES]

use the hps the whole time. it would work much better than the flouros. also what is the height of the light now?

[smacky]

The light is approx 2in above talest plant and about 4 in above top of shortest. The light is 4 ft long and plants are in line right below. I was thinking about using a 20000K light, same size (260W compact flou). How do actinic lights (420 nanometers wavelength) work on these guys??

[SWOLENPORES]

HPS........HPS....... BOTH EVEN BETTER

[sensiskunk]

i have seen good flourescent grows, especially with the compacted floros. IT may be the strain you are growing that makes it so compact and small, prolly majority Indica. Are you using a CO2 tank, generator, or CO2 tabs? Usually when you put CO2 in the room, itll make those plants nice green and tall, from my experiences with CO2 n e ways. being that they are 8 weeks old, Im surprised they arent at least a foot in height. Id say switch out the floros with the hps, and notice how much faster theyll grow under the hps. you could combine the Floros with the hps, but the floros would be insuffiecient for how much light intensity the hps would put off. You should just put ur plants either on 18/6, or 24/0, because having only 4 hours of dark is basically worthless for the plants. Good luck, and post me back with results!