Cfls is the best way to grow

Yes, I agree.
I like to mix the spectrum in flower.
My yields are less, but my buds are stronger.

T5s are nice, but the cfl 23W bulbs work great.
I also use some bulbs from the sides or from the bottom-up.

:peace: to the brothers and sisters,
cocoJoe
 
I've been vegging for 6 weeks with 8 45w (6500k) CFL bulbs and my 4 plants are loving it. The 23 watts you're reading is the actual wattage the bulb consumes, and most people here use that number to describe the bulb. The manufacturer says a 23w cfl looks about as bright as a 100w incandescent bulb, so that's where the 100 comes from. Everyone just calls it a 23w to make it easier.

When growing with CFL lights, I've learned that the more bulbs you can get in there, the better. Spread them all around, or make a fixture and line them up making a wall of light (what I've done). I recently added 12 more CFLs to my fixture (all 23 watt 2700k) since I'm planning on flowering soon. My fixture now has 8 x 45 watt bulbs and 12 x 23 watt bulbs, grand total 636 watts. It takes up the entire ceiling of my cab, just about, but provides a ton of light inches away from my canopy.

However you arrange them, keep them close. I've read in other threads 4 inches is the recommended distance, so that's where I keep mine. I'm new here, but I've been researching a lot before beginning my grow regarding lights and CFL usage. For my situation, I personally think they provide the most "bang for the buck" when used correctly. You're not going to grow colas as big as your forearm, or rock hard buds you have to pick apart with a knife, but a lot of people here have grown some incredible stuff without spending more than $50 on lights. They're easy on your power bill too.
 
For a small grow you may be right. However, when you break the 200 watt area you are losing in the size category greatly. Those bulbs Rasta described come to a grand total of $97 dollars for the cheap bulbs at my local hardware store. As for being easy on the power bill... 600 watts is 600 watts. It cost more to run those CFLs than it does a 600 watt HPS. You can get a cheap 600 watt HPS system for about $150. With the electricity cost here you will save about $75 a year changing from your CFL setup to an HPS.
 
I have to agree with hosebomber. If you just want to grow enough for your own supply cfls work fine. I grew some of the best stuff i ever smoked with cfl's. If you want more than that though cfl's end up being allot more expensive in the long run. Not only do you need to use roughly 50% more power for the same amount of light but after a year or so you'll want to replace your bulbs as cfl's start getting allot dimmer after that. Replacing a single hps bulb costs allot less. If a cheep start up cost is your main concern there is another option though. There's an old gardeners trick for overpowering fluorescent shoplights to run brighter called overdriving or supercharging. All you need is a shoplight like they have at home depot & an extra ballast. Basically you just wire it so each tube is running off of the leads for two tubes. T8 tubes are allot cheaper than cfl's & one of those puny 4 tube fixtures will put out more than 20,000 lumens. I've found this to be cheaper & far more effective than using cfl's. In fact my overdrive t8's put out more light than my t5's.Overdriving Fluorescent Lights
 
Hosebomber said:
For a small grow you may be right. However, when you break the 200 watt area you are losing in the size category greatly. Those bulbs Rasta described come to a grand total of $97 dollars for the cheap bulbs at my local hardware store. As for being easy on the power bill... 600 watts is 600 watts. It cost more to run those CFLs than it does a 600 watt HPS. You can get a cheap 600 watt HPS system for about $150. With the electricity cost here you will save about $75 a year changing from your CFL setup to an HPS.
Click to expand...

You're right about the power consumption, the electric company doesn't care what type of lights you use, just how much electricity. I can't remember exactly how much I paid for the bulbs altogether, but I remember it was around $100 to build my fixture when it was all said and done.

My cabinet is pretty small (3 feet wide, 2 feet deep, 4 feet high), and I wanted to have overhead lighting that spread over the entire area. Heat was also a major issue, since I didn't want to have to use a noisy exhaust fan that kept me awake at night (light sleeper). I have one small 50cfm bathroom fan for an exhaust fan, and a small fan pulling air through my lights to help circulate. Temps stay below 80 for the most part.

Hosebomber is right about the HPS being a superior light in a lot of ways, but I'm pretty sure for my application CFL is the way to go in terms of space constraints and heat management. Those were my two biggest factors in deciding which lights to go with. For my next grow, I might experiment with a 400w dimmable HPS or MH. I'd definitely like to be able to use HID lighting, as long as it doesn't get too hot and my plants have room to grow without getting burned.
 
Hello people i have a question, R my lights to close to my plants or r they ok their 75watts fluorescent 24in i got two each one has 3 lil plants their 5in tall the lights r two inch away from d plants oh yeah in vegging
 
GrandDaddyPxx said:
I would like to know me being a newbie to growing how many and how many watts perlight per plant should I have CFL
Click to expand...

You want to light your growing area and not the number of plants. Please read over the link in my signature for more basic information on lighting. If you have any questions after that, please feel free to ask.
 
Hosebomber said:
You want to light your growing area and not the number of plants. Please read over the link in my signature for more basic information on lighting. If you have any questions after that, please feel free to ask.
Click to expand...

Thanks appriciate it. Is that so my plants get the most light from all directions?? For an optimal result ?
 
Quik question this is my first grow im using 2cfl pumping 150 watts if daylight in my 2nd week of veg giving about 3000 lumens is that enough for vegging? please help..
 
ColoradoHigh said:
:welcome: to :420:

It all depends on the space you are attempting to light. 50 watts/sq. ft., with 2,000 lumens/sq. ft. for vegging and 3,000 lumens/sq. ft. for flowering, are considered the minimums for a good grow.
Click to expand...

Im using a 2x2 home made tent. Also im strapd for cash rite now from the holidays and all, but do u know of any good gomemade nutes for vegging and would u reccomend using?
 
DankkAbuser said:
Im using a 2x2 home made tent. Also im strapd for cash rite now from the holidays and all, but do u know of any good gomemade nutes for vegging and would u reccomend using?
Click to expand...

your urine has lots of nitrogen or good old compost is great, ashes from your bowls.
 

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