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I have a bunch of CFL's and a 400 metal halide lamp but only a very small space (big enough for 3-4 mature plants at most). I am also wondering about the energy consumption of the MH lamp, I'm not really looking for a spike in the electric bill. So here are my 2 questions. Will a MH lamp be too hot for a space in one of those behind the stairs closets? And, Will a MH lamp use much more energy then the CFL's?
yes and yes
you will need ventilation either way.
I got the ventilation under control because I gotta have the smell under control as well. My biggest concern is the lighting whether the CFL's will give me a good enough yield or if it will give me a bullshit yield and I should just call my dealer and buy an 8th. Will CFL's give good results straight through the process or for GOOD buds I NEED to switch to MH during Flowering?
Oh yeah, I am working with strong genetics and I have a good idea about nutrients but feeding suggestions are more than welcome!
If you can get a big enough fan and some cfls in the reddish spectrum for flower you should be fine...Dont know what kind of fluoros are reddish but I am sure some one out here can help you find them.
For vegging I would just use the halide and save the fluoros for flower, or vice versa to save on electricity. If you do use fluoros for veg instead of your 400, than be sure to use the bluish spectrum. (Sry I dont know the name for fluoros but I use HID only) Other wise enjoy..and remember environment makes you or breaks you, so invest in a good ventilation system up front.
400 watt set up with fans and all will increase your energy bill by 40-60 dollars a month..just depends on your rates. I ran a 400 and it increasead mine by about 56 dollars with a small fan. You can run them at night to get better rates from your company too, but then you have to worry about light leaks in the daytime.
I'm just starting out and I got one seedling poke through today. My ventilation system is solid. It's not done yet but the design works well with the small space available. My only concern is feeding and lighting. I have a close friend with a MH lamp however I am also working on a college budget. My biggest question is, Are CFL's are a waste of my time and money or with strong genetics, good ventilation, and the loving care from one smart motherf***er, CFL's will produce a GOOD yield.
Hi and welcome to Cann.Com by the way,
You want to flush your buds about the last two to three weeks of flower to let the plant use up its final nutes for taste and resin production. DO NOT ADD any ferts after flush period...this defeats the purpose of flushing.
You can find anything you want on here, just type the subject in search and it will pull it up.
Again welcome, and best of growing; be diligent and read up on all the noobie threads under basic growing. You will be growin your own meds in no tim:smokin:
Oh, and I'm looking for quality not quantity.
If you use ENOUGH cfl's than you can get a few oz every two months. By the time you do this, you could have just grown under that 400 for the same time and got twice as much. Used the cfl's to clone and veg, and had another crop in 60 days after you pick your first crop. All your choice though...