Quote Originally Posted by xkamikaze9x
So what's with all the soft/warm/cool white discussion? Is this simply optimizing the wavelengths, or it is completely necessary. I only ask because I've been searching but have only found warm white CFLs, which apparently aren't the recommended veg lights. I mean, the sun doesn't magically shift its spectral output, so how does that factor into decreased yield if say I used warm white CFLs throughout the entire process?
Good Q kamikaze...

The A...the sun, that is, what of its wavelengths are visible and not visible to us, are all there at one time. The sun doesn't shift from 6500K during the day down to 2100K toward the time it dips under the horizon.

The atmosphere filters some colors making others more prevalent during sunrise and sunset...but thats just to our eye's limited capabilities. Otherwise, all it's colors are being cast...all the time.


A growing plant utilizes the blues (cool) more effeciently for vegatative growth than it does the warmer colors, (ambers and reds)...the flowering stage utilizes the warmer colors for the process of blooming.

Nearly any color temperature will get a grow by, this game though is best played using the right color light for the stage of growth at hand.