How many fluoro c lights will

[budlover3388]

ok so how many fluorescent compact bulbs will i need for a maximum of 4 plants?? i will be useing a t5 for vg but since this will be my first grow(not yet soon) im using fluorescent compact.. how many will i need to be focused on 1 plant?

 

[hazyatbest]

im assuming that you are talking about compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), and to grow 4 plants, it really depends on your grow area. do you have a grow box? are you using mylar for reflection?

if it helps, i have 3 plants right now that are using CFLs. i plan on scrogging them b/c the CFLs aren't as strong as HID lights. i have enough room for anywhere from 1-20 lights, and more if i split each fixture. you can also keep the plant low by not letting it veg too long. i know people who flower as soon as the seed pops out of the soil.

 

[NoLogo]

i agree with hazy, it really depends on your grow space and how many you can cram in there without burning the plants or creating too much heat. the cfl bulbs really do crank out some heat, not like an HID, but still enough to burn you plants if they get close to touching, and enough to impact the temp of a small grow area.

give us a couple pics of where you plan to go and we should be able to offer a little more insight.

 

[budlover3388]

im assuming that you are talking about compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), and to grow 4 plants, it really depends on your grow area. do you have a grow box? are you using mylar for reflection?

if it helps, i have 3 plants right now that are using CFLs. i plan on scrogging them b/c the CFLs aren't as strong as HID lights. i have enough room for anywhere from 1-20 lights, and more if i split each fixture. you can also keep the plant low by not letting it veg too long. i know people who flower as soon as the seed pops out of the soil.

no i dont have a grow box,and yea im gonna split the fixture but im wondering if 2 24 watts bulbs will be enough for 1 plant?

 

[budlover3388]

also im talking about for flowering

 

[budlover3388]

bump

 

[NoLogo]

i have used 2 CFLs per plant before but was not thrilled with the results in flowering, for veg it was fine. i would suggest 3 per plant, with 1 light fixture and 2 spliters you can use 3 bulbs per fixture, which i think would be best.

depending upon how you position the lights, and the fixture you use, you may have better results with 2 per plant.

 

[Stix]

look at it in lumens. You should have "atleast" 3000 lumens per square foot for veg and around 5000 lumens per square foot for flowering.

(1) 23 watt CFL is roughly 1350 Lumens.
(1) 29 watt CFL is roughly 1750 Lumens.
(1) 39 watt CFL is roughly 2780 Lumens.

Don't forget to use the right bulb for veg and flowering. Your already at a disadvantage using CFL's so make sure you use the proper bulbs at the proper time.

Veg should be a higher K value: 6500K is ideal. (daylight bulb)
Flowering should have a lower K value: 3000K is ideal. (warm bulb)

 

[budlover3388]

i have used 2 CFLs per plant before but was not thrilled with the results in flowering, for veg it was fine. i would suggest 3 per plant, with 1 light fixture and 2 spliters you can use 3 bulbs per fixture, which i think would be best.

depending upon how you position the lights, and the fixture you use, you may have better results with 2 per plant.

thanks, do you remeber what was the total weight in for that grow?

 

[budlover3388]

look at it in lumens. You should have "atleast" 3000 lumens per square foot for veg and around 5000 lumens per square foot for flowering.

(1) 23 watt CFL is roughly 1350 Lumens.
(1) 29 watt CFL is roughly 1750 Lumens.
(1) 39 watt CFL is roughly 2780 Lumens.

Don't forget to use the right bulb for veg and flowering. Your already at a disadvantage using CFL's so make sure you use the proper bulbs at the proper time.

Veg should be a higher K value: 6500K is ideal. (daylight bulb)
Flowering should have a lower K value: 3000K is ideal. (warm bulb)

thanks pretty much got my answer here

 

[hazyatbest]

i had like 8 CFLs on one plant, but didn't effectively move them around until the last month or so of flower, so i didn't get as much as i probably could have. i ended up with a little over an ounce, but could have been more.

the key with the CFLs is keeping the tops of the plants as low as you can. one of my girls was topped this time, one was LSTd, and the other one will be scrogged. all 3 will let me keep the lights closer to my girls.

 

[budlover3388]

i had like 8 CFLs on one plant, but didn't effectively move them around until the last month or so of flower, so i didn't get as much as i probably could have. i ended up with a little over an ounce, but could have been more.

the key with the CFLs is keeping the tops of the plants as low as you can. one of my girls was topped this time, one was LSTd, and the other one will be scrogged. all 3 will let me keep the lights closer to my girls.

kool man but 8? wow i was just thinking of using 2 or 3 for 1 plant

 

[hazyatbest]

you could use that many, but i would LST the shit out of the thing. you have to keep it as low as you can or the CFLs won't be as effective. if you let the plant grow tall, the strength of the lumens won't reach down to the lower plant material. remember i said that i used more lights, and still didn't get as much as i could have, so imagine what 2 or 3 is going to do...

 

[budlover3388]

you could use that many, but i would LST the shit out of the thing. you have to keep it as low as you can or the CFLs won't be as effective. if you let the plant grow tall, the strength of the lumens won't reach down to the lower plant material. remember i said that i used more lights, and still didn't get as much as i could have, so imagine what 2 or 3 is going to do...

your right thanks for the tips and i will lst

 

[Erk202]

im wondering if 2 24 watts bulbs will be enough for 1 plant?

2 CFL's are enough but u will need to add more watts in those 2. Im using 2 CFL's thats 40w(150w) and the other is 26w(100w) And im doing just fine.

 

[dagermankid14]

More light the better. I used during veg 7cfl's for two plants. n:vison 30w(120w) 2000 lumes.

 

[budlover3388]

2 CFL's are enough but u will need to add more watts in those 2. Im using 2 CFL's thats 40w(150w) and the other is 26w(100w) And im doing just fine.

thanks ill try to look for those

 

[budlover3388]

More light the better. I used during veg 7cfl's for two plants. n:vison 30w(120w) 2000 lumes.

dang!

 

[hazyatbest]

it's always good to move the lighting around the plant to get effective coverage, but another method is to rotate the pot. you can give it a 1/4 turn everyday or even more than that, and this makes sure that all parts of your plant are getting equal light. when i first started doing that, it was only once a day, but now it has increased to like 3 or sometimes 4 times a day. it really is good for us CFL'ers since the lights aren't as strong.

 

[budlover3388]

it's always good to move the lighting around the plant to get effective coverage, but another method is to rotate the pot. you can give it a 1/4 turn everyday or even more than that, and this makes sure that all parts of your plant are getting equal light. when i first started doing that, it was only once a day, but now it has increased to like 3 or sometimes 4 times a day. it really is good for us CFL'ers since the lights aren't as strong.

thanks i will do that hey have any of u used a vanity bar?