CFL - Preferred Brands?

Hi, first time growing op, about 1 month into action from seed, I have a r.maid grow box with 6 GE 100w (23w) in it. The temps were running in the 80-85 range. Yesterday I grabbed 2 27w daylight CFLs at the depot and swapped them out last night. The light range is in the 5500k, and the temps dropped about 5 degrees just from this change, was this a change for the better? and what is the light range for the standard GE, is it the 390ma?

Which brands are you folks using, or having the best luck with?

Thx, :thumbsup:

The cfl's you need should be 6500k

this where I buy my bulbs ... Light bulbs, Rope Lights, Halogen and Fluorescent bulb - 1000-Bulbs - The Light Bulb Superstore ... outfit in Texas, good service ... had a sodium lamp arrive broken, they shipped a replacement immediately, plus, sent me a UPS pick-up slip, so I wouldn't have to pay shipping etc., ... read the details of each lamp, you can learn an awful lot about lumens, etc... :smokin:

If you are going to use standard socket sized cfl's, try to find the 150watt equv, 42 watt actual. Lights listed as 'bright' or 'daylight' are generally 6500k blue light for vegging. They also come in 'soft' 2700k red for flowering. Lately, I've even noticed that the packageing colors are blue and red, so maybe look for that also.

Home Depot has 65w actual rating, back by the outside house spotlights. Lights of America make them. They're used for mercury vapor replacements. They are great for vegging, with tons of lumens, and very low heat. They are only blue light however. I've used these lights 3" from plant tops.

Next in cfl's, there are 95w, 125w and 200w cfl's. These are actual wattages, not equlivants. They all take mogul outlets. (larger than standard ones, but not difficult to find and wire to 'pieced out' electrical cords. I prefer the 125w cfl's to the 200 watt because placement of lights can spread light as needed... hope this helps

okay so I just looked up the GE's and they are way low (2700), so now I'm about a month along, plants are looking good, small but nice and green and such.

Should I switch the lights around, or just learn for next time, since this is a rubbermaid grow, I'm not going to veg. them for much longer anyhow? Comments / Suggestions...

my lights are the wrong spec. (2700k) during veg., but the plants are looking good one month in

should I switch to the 5000-6500k bulbs???

The optimum technique is to use 6500k BLUE lights for vegetative growth and 2700k RED lights for flowering.

I got mine at wally world.GE Energy Smart #85397,2pk $6.44,6500k.Not a bad price but you could probably find them cheaper

Mine are from Homo Depo I think they were 9$cnd. for 2x32w and 11$cnd for 1x42w, and 129 for the 200w cfl. The 200 is from a hydro store

I think most all CFL's are on the cheap side. I use Sylvania. They do list color temp in small fine print on the back of the package.

GE or Sylvania are both good. I've only ever had problems with one bulb, and it was a generic one. The GEs are best for other lighting needs, because they seem to come on instantly, but with grow lights that's not going to be an issue.

How good expirience did you get outof that 200w cfl. I got a grow box 2.5/3 and 4' tall I'm planing on putting in there a 250w cfl any advise

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Originally Posted by brussels

If you are going to use standard socket sized cfl's, try to find the 150watt equv, 42 watt actual. Lights listed as 'bright' or 'daylight' are generally 6500k blue light for vegging. They also come in 'soft' 2700k red for flowering. Lately, I've even noticed that the packageing colors are blue and red, so maybe look for that also.

Home Depot has 65w actual rating, back by the outside house spotlights. Lights of America make them. They're used for mercury vapor replacements. They are great for vegging, with tons of lumens, and very low heat. They are only blue light however. I've used these lights 3" from plant tops.

Next in cfl's, there are 95w, 125w and 200w cfl's. These are actual wattages, not equlivants. They all take mogul outlets. (larger than standard ones, but not difficult to find and wire to 'pieced out' electrical cords. I prefer the 125w cfl's to the 200 watt because placement of lights can spread light as needed... hope this helps

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that 65w actual rating from home depot ive seen it and almost bought it but a worker told me that even if it fits in the standard cfl socket it isnt meant for it ...so did you use a differnt socket or did you take the chances and it worked?