Latewood's 'little guide' to Lighting...No theory, just info!

[latewood]

I invite you all to comment and add your $.02 worth, or just learn something.

This is actually a reply that I made last night on another thread. I thought it might be useful to newer members who are constanly being bombarded with "Grow lamp info" so I am going to post it as a Thread...Perhaps it can be stuck somewhere for reference...

I am building my own lights , now, and will be posting a step by step tutorial
of 1000 watt ballast and mogul base w/custom chords. Featuring a beautiful brand new Eye Hortilux High pressure sodium bulb!!!

Here is a straight-up tutorial about lighting, no theory, just info

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NO HALOGENS ...you can get cheap cfl's at wally's 42-45w/150 for 8-9 bucks...

You can go to home depot, now; and get some 100-150w cfl's for 25-35 bucks I believe...home depot also carry 250 and 400 MH lamps now.

Some people say that cfl's don't work, but if you want to learn to grow, you can definitely grow using these lights. You will just have a smaller yield, than HID's...

JUST FOR THE RECORD: Lights you can use to grow with from weakest to strongest...i.e., what you can use; right through to what, you should use...for the best results...
2/4 foot tube fluoros...for; seedlings/veg

cfl's...(spiral)/(security light-minimum of 42-125watts 8-40 bucks for; seedlings/veg

cfl's...full spectrum/dual spectrum...90-120 watts 70-120 bucks for; seedlings/veg

small HID lamps, this includes MH (metal halide ) and HPS (high pressure sodium)...80-250 watts 15-80 bucks (limited upgrade bulbs available at this size) for; veg/flower

Big HID lamps 400-1000 watts 15-140 bucks (you can get cheap bulbs, but the light spectrum won't be as wide, limiting growth potential)
Good bulbs are fuller in spectrum, have enhanced spectrums, and generally have a higher lumens output... for; veg/flower...

conversion bulbs can be purchased when you only have 1 light and want change MH(veg) to HPS(flower) or vice versa...these are the highest priced bulbs 120-150 bucks...

I know this goes beyond your question, but so many of you little sprouts, just don't get the lighting issue, yet; so I thought I would try to clear it up for you with this simple little guide...remember,the first rule of growing indoors; imho; You cannot be 'chincy' with your lighting, unless you just want a couple of joints to brag about...hope this helps

latewood Reviewed by latewood on 10-18-2005. Latewood's 'little guide' to Lighting...No theory, just info! I invite you all to comment and add your $.02 worth, or just learn something. :p This is actually a reply that I made last night on another thread. I thought it might be useful to newer members who are constanly being bombarded with "Grow lamp info" so I am going to post it as a Thread...Perhaps it can be stuck somewhere for reference... :cool: I am building my own lights , now, and will be posting a step by step tutorial of 1000 watt ballast and mogul base w/custom chords. Featuring Rating: 5

[Mctuffet]

thank y0ou very much sir.

[latewood]

I'll bump this up for the weekend rush...might post pics of each different light, later,
If I get some replies...

[SittinStoney420]

Hey, money isnt a huge issue for me right now im just trying to find something that works,i have a sodium bulb for my flowering closet. Which i know will work fine, but im not sure about my veg lighting i just purchased a 48 in floro tube bulb and i was wondering if that would take my plant through a healthy veg growth. It produces 1400 lumens and i have it in a small space covered in mylar. Thanks for your input man.

[latewood]

Hey, money isnt a huge issue for me right now im just trying to find something that works,i have a sodium bulb for my flowering closet. Which i know will work fine, but im not sure about my veg lighting i just purchased a 48 in floro tube bulb and i was wondering if that would take my plant through a healthy veg growth. It produces 1400 lumens and i have it in a small space covered in mylar. Thanks for your input man.

1400 lumens is not enough...that would work minimally for seedlings or cuttings...imho
Get full spectrum cfl's or.....before I can truly answer this...I need to know;
...how big is your veg area?
...How many plants are you shooting for?

[BILL THICK]

The opportunity to pose a lighting question I have pondered has afforded itself the chance by this thread and your invitation to delve into the exchanging of ideas and sharing of knowledge and discussing lighting so I hope you don't mind me asking your thoughts and opinions on my area of curiosity.......

...... you have a 6' by 12' flowering room with an 8' ceiling and you have 2 1000 watt Hps do you think it would be more beneficial to yield to grow say 12 plants under more intense lighting in say 2/3's of the room using both lights in an area 6' by 8' or grow more plants (say 18 0r 20plants) under less intense lighting by using the whole room 6' by 12' with the same 2 1000k hps covering the larger are but with obviously less lumens than the smaller area with less plants??? Better yeild with large area and more plants or smaller area with less plants??

Hope I am not hacking on your thread Latewood but I think you may be able to shed some light on the subject( lol..... shed some light on the subject).You seem to be offering your help to us all and I appreciate that :stoned:

Thanks
Bill

[latewood]

I would advise you to buy light movers and get great intensity all over the 6x12...I also believe that you get good coverage in a 6x6 area w/1000w...
or 6x12 with 2/1000w... :thumbsup: either way, you have to move the plants around or you have to move the lights...to achieve the best results yield...hope this answered you query... and, NO, You are not messing up anything here...I appreciate you participating in the great big discussion on lighting...
I posted this thread because of all the same Q's over and over...what is this? what is that? blah blah blah...By having positive participation; we can address issues of lighting, right here!!! I would have already posted pix of different bulbs, but I have been busy on my step by step...check it out http://boards.cannabis.com/showthrea...=34253...later

[latewood]

....................................somebody needs this.............................................. ...

[SigmaGenosys]

how many CFL's should i use if i have 5 plants in a bubbler system? I have one 150W on it right now and i figured when i switch to flowering ill put another on it. Or maybe i should have 3 for flowering.... what do you think?

[latewood]

cfl's are great . but you need a few of them in order to get the girls going...I would get at least 4 and buy some ceramic light receptacles and take a board or piece of plywood and cut it the length of your grow...mark where the receptacles go...
then drill a hole for your wires and feed pigtails through hole...screw receptacles to board...wire them all together with romex...make a chord, screw in bulbs and place over plants...you have 600 watts of cfl lighting
...You need one per plant or 2, but the more the better...I am building one of these and will post a stepbystep when I'm done...hope this helps you out, if not let me know.
keep in mind...the more light=more yield...imho