lighting

[sawleaf]

Flourecents are good, but Halogens don't put out the right spectrums and have a good lumen output.

[HobbsifeR]

kk, well whats a good wattage for flouresents, and do u no how long it would take for germinated seeds to sprout with a normal lightbulb?

[sawleaf]

I usually use compact flourecents. They put out a lot more light per bulb size than the tubes. 42 watts and up are usually good. You can find those massive 125w ones around as well, but I think they are pretty pricy. How many plants are you planning on and what type of setup and budget are you working with?

[dumass]

I don't know how serious you are about your lighting but it's pretty F@#$ing important..... if you would like I will direct you to a system with a top of the line switchable ballast (400 watt MH/HPS) and Sun Gro hood, a MH bulb (for veggie growth), glass, all cords AND postage all for under $400.00. That is what most people spend for this system without the switchable ballast......if you swallowed the hook then just reply and I'll put up the link........

[HobbsifeR]

no money, dude im workin on just gettin them to sprout then im growin them outside, i have to plants(germinated seeds )and im just waitin on them to sprout, i heard that normal lightbulbs can do that but they havent sprouted yet (gettin worried) i no the seeds germinated because i seen the white thing when the seeds where done germinating (2days germination then i planted them in soil) theyve been in the soil for bout 5 days now, i just want to no how long it takes for them to come up and if it would be good to get a flourescent bulb and if that could speed up the process???

[HobbsifeR]

and what type of flourescent, bright white or soft white or colored?

[dumass]

Money, huh? I hear you loud and clear...... that's why (lack of....) I got into this in the first place! Welcome to capitalism - Good thing God made flos for folks like us....... I started some plants outside and brought them in (how cruel!) under flos. At first they grew even faster, I think because the weather had kind of sucked, overcast and rain...) then I noticed that they (12 plants, 3 strains, coloring effects were the same in each plant, I belive they outgrew the available lumens but who knows?) were getting VERY dark, an allmost black, in the leaves but all new growth came in lush and green, then shaded dark. I was using two Phillips 48" "Daylight Delux" 40 watt, 6500k, 84 CRI, 2325 lumens (each) in a foot wide shop light fixture. The plants all fit lined up in a single row down the center of the light. Well, after a trip to Home depot I returned equipped w/ another shop light fixture and two more bulbs. This time around I got the Phillips "Natural Daylight" 40 watt, T12 base, 5000 k, 92 CRI, 2200 lumens (x2) bulbs to round out the "Delux" by putting the two fixtures together. I have read that the T10 base lamps have a 15% greater output than the T12 base bulbs so keep that in mind too...... the two Daylight bulbs (visualy brighter) are now in the two "outside" slots and the Sunshine bulbs are in the center. I also picked up a bag of nylon cord while I was there to hang the fixtures with and found that if you push the sting down the two "inner" rolled edges of the fixture you can use it to pull and hold them together. I'm going back (yet again) to get two lenghts of dowel that I will replace the rope and use them to pull up the center slightly to focus the light on the plants a little more. I'm pretty happy with the results so far, now my plants are nice and healthy and look great and the growth is good! The whole thing cost me about $75.00 but if your only doing two plants then the same lights and a 4 bulb 2 foot fixture should be pretty cheap......... Hope this helps.........Oh, I would think that they (your seedlings) would be out by now! 95% of my seeds are sprouted and up (in soil) in 2-5 days! Seeing that yours were sprouted before they even hit soil I would think by now you'd be handing out cigars...... I don't think lighting is really a factor, until they break, they'll sprout in the dark. At this point it's all about H2O and tempature.... PLEASE tell me I did'nt miss anything......

[HobbsifeR]

Finally, the first sprout came up today,, im sooo greatfull to u guys also, for all the help and info u gave me, ill invest in some flos prolly tomoro but for now i can use the normal lightbulb. , the bulbs are pretty cheap also, i found some minni flos at a garden shop, their 10 bucks each and there for plant growing, the screw into n e normal light fixture so its a money saver, i have this hanging lamp im usin for it, so im gonna home for the best., right niw im growing in a cipboard in my dresser until the plants get a lil bigger then im gonna move them to my closet. and get a lock for the door, dont need my bro to find the plants...(lil bastard) so all in all i thank you all for the help and ill post some pics up soon as i can.

[dumass]

Congradulations Daddy..... I got you a cigar but, uh, we had to use it for something......... Sorry man-

[HobbsifeR]

lol
n/p