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....

keithxs Reviewed by keithxs on 06-04-2010. CFL light question: Veg process is higher then 23w necessary? 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 Rating: 5

[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