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Scarfinger68
New Member
Hello Scar,
I have to begin with a huge thank you for the journals you have written. They have been an entertaining and enlightening experience to read.
I was wondering of you had maybe tried to measure and compare the light output of your CFL setup and your current one. I would think that the HPS would be higher but by how much?
I made reference to this somewhere. I think in this journal. I will try to remember...
My CFL grows had approximately 10,000 to 15,000 lux at the canopy which was 10 inches or so from the lights. I took some measurements and at approximately 6 inches from the lights I could get 30,000 lux. Also I measured at light level, temperatures got up to 140 °F. I placed a plexiglass barrier to help keep the heat topside.
So CFL lux is very dependent on the distance from the light. I was very happy with my CFL grows but in the end I wanted to expand and try to grow bigger plants. Not to say you can't grow big plants with CFL's. It would just take a different set up than my "fixed" CFL light set up. Also heat was a big factor. I already had all the fans. The only thing I added for the HPS grow was at active air intake to help cool the room.
Lux readings with the HPS were 45,000 Lux at the edges and 70,000 to 90,000 at center with a light distance of around 18 inches from the canopy. So the HPS offered much more penetration with one light. Also a bigger footprint allowing larger plants. I do believe I received deeper light penetration that gave fuller/deeper cola development with the HPS compared to my CFL's. You may be able to accomplish similar results with CFL but it would take much more light distance manipulation and or plant distance manipulation to maintain the optimal Lux which I am guessing would be 30,000 with CFL's. With HPS the minimum recommended lux is 45,000 and optimal is 70K to 90K lux.
Hope that answers your question