Please help - 600 watts of CFL or 250 Watts HPS?

[ku78t]

Greetings all,

I have a question regarding which lighting rig I should be using in my 800mm x800mm x 1800mm grow tent.

Please see below the two option I currently have available and on hand.

Left is a 250watt HPS and Right is a CFL rig with two 300watt dual spec lights.

I have been searching and I have no idea which will give me the most yeild.

I have been using the cfl rig up till now and the auto flowers are HUGE (sweet skunk auto from royal queen seeds)

It kinda goes without saying i would like to get the most yield possible and will be so grateful for any advice!

Oh and its their 5th week from seedlings...
It is my first grow...


Thank you in advance!!

 

[iwltfum]

Woah that cfl looks badass. You very well might get more from the CFL's than you will from the HPS. The HPS will probably give you a smaller foot print with more dense nugs within that foot print, but the CFL gives you a MUCH bigger footprint than the HPS would, so it's a toss up

 

[ku78t]

Thanks iwltfum,

I've been reading that the hps gives more penetrating light but I am really looking for optimal yeild - it's been my first grow and I've been trying my best to scrog these auto flowers but they are growing like something out of jack the bean stalk - thought autos were meant to stay small eh?

I've even snapped one of the main stems on one of the plants and it bounced right back (after some cling wrap surgery) I will post you a pic.
I am going to follow your advice and put the cfls back in... But I have another question maybe you could help me with please - do you think I could do some fan leaf trimming?? These sweet skunk autos have grown so big...

Or do you think I should leave them be - I don't want to stunt them but I feel they might be getting over grown?

I will take photos now and post!

 

[iwltfum]

I don't know alot about autos, but I think if they are that big and have been vegging for 5 weeks, you might have some non-auto flower plants there.

 

[ku78t]

They are in their 2nd week of flower , I got the seeds from the Netherlands they are sweet skunk auto from royal queen seeds... What would you think about pruning? Is it a definite negative for autos or is it okay sometimes?


Thanks a million for your input and advice

 

[ku78t]

I am going to swap out the lighting rigs tonight I think...

 

[iwltfum]

I'll let somebody else take over the pruning autos questions for you as I have never grown one before.

After seeing the picture: I think the HPS is too small for the size canopy you have. You will be loosing out on the sides without that giant CFL.

 

[ku78t]

Thanks yeah I am definitely going to switch back to the cfl... I actually ordered the hps because I heard so much adverse stuff about cfls...

Thanks for the advice I really appreciate if someone can advise about the autos!

All the best

 

[ku78t]

Hi, is there anyone who knows about autos which get big and if it is okay to prune them? Thanks