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CFL Lighting

ryncoke1981

ryncoke1981

New member
Hey there folks i have some questions about CFL's i'm using a mixed spectrum. 2700k, and 5000k (2700k >1600 lumens< are the two on the side and 6500k >1600 lumen< bulb in the centre, in the middle of the plants pointing up is a 5000k, 860 lumen bulb that i thought would be good in the middle like that. also there are 6 little halogen bulbs spaced around the top part that you cant really see but they create some heat which that room needs), anyway my question is how far appart should they be and should they have more light? or less in this early veg stage?
 

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I have not heard much about using halogen for growing, which leads me to believe that perhaps you might want to do some research to find out if they are valuable to you. We do have some CFL growers here who can comment more on that part of your setup.
The plants are looking good.
 
I use CFL for my grows. Don't know anything about halogen lights but with CFL the more the better. You can add a splitter to existing light sockets and double your lights. I use 150w equivalent (42w) bulbs and keep them about 4" from plant. With CFL you lose light penetrate quickly so LST and keeping lights close is a must. I do start with 6500k during veg and switch to 2700k during flower. Good luck, you'really off to a good start!
 
I understand that the Halogens are just for heat but you will still have to turn them off 12 hours/day for flowering. You may need to start thinking now about how to do that unless you are sure the temps will be higher by then. By the looks of your space you may not be able to wait too late by to flower due to space limitations.
 
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If the halogens are for heat -- Instead of the heat why not add more light to generate the heat. I use the thing in the picture -- mix match with cfl's and led's, plus it's like a 5 to 1 thing.
 

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Howdy ryncoke1981, I'm on my fifth grow and I have four 55 watt CFLs, two at 2700K and two at 5000K, for a total of 220 watts for each planter. You should put in more lamps as You need around 115 watts per plant. Reflectors are good to have also (the aluminum foil on the walls is good). If You need heat in Your growing space, get a small fan forced heater and use the halogen sockets for additional CFLs. Here is a photo of my current grow (just after the 12/12 switch). Good luck with Your grow.
 

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Thanks PuravidaC how many bulbs would you use at 42 watt (150) equivilent? i understand they have different lumins the 4 i am using there have 1600 and the fourth small one on the floor is 860 soo i guess its not enough? also the Helegen does nothing for grow lol its just heating things up a bit the room is not isulated well so i have to heat it

Incidently we are getting a tent (4 x 4) next week and at the end of the monthe we are adding a 300 watt LED muti spectrum Grow light, our plan is to only use the CFL for Veg.;...at least untill we can get another LED lol :)) but that will be a while lol. anyway ya so you can see my set up what do you think should i ad more bulbs (i took not of the Kelvin you mentioned and i will be removing those two 2700 k bulbs and adding two 6500k ones right away.
 
hey thanks for the comment and advice. i do indeed have the lights on a timer i am doing a 18/6 light cycle and will definitely switch to a 12/12 in flower. Incidentally we are getting a tent (4 x 4) next week and at the end of the month we are adding a 300 watt LED multi spectrum Grow light, our plan is to only use the CFL for Veg.;...at least until we can get another LED lol ) but that will be a while lol. i do have two heaters in there and the temperature is nice but i cant wait to get them in the ten where i can control heat and humidity much more closely
 
thanks for your comment man. is that equivalent watts or real watts? also do i need that many for veg? i noticed you said you just put them into early flower/stretch . also not this is only for veg we will be putting them under an led ...i wrote the following above in another comment:>>>

Incidentally we are getting a tent (4 x 4) next week and at the end of the month we are adding a 300 watt LED multi spectrum Grow light, our plan is to only use the CFL for Veg.;...at least until we can get another LED lol ) but that will be a while lol. <<<<<<<<<
 
I'm not using my CFLs so much anymore as I'm concentrating on autos right now but my CFL setup is an 85w, a 65w, and a 55w (actual draw), all up in the higher, bluer, color temps (5000k, 5500k etc.) I've vegged up to 4 plants in 3 gal smart pots under just those three bulbs without any problems or noticeable shortfalls.

I think it's simple in flowering to say that more light is better, even if you have to add CO2 to get your plants to use it. In flowering more light = more weed. However, in veg my feeling is that you only need as much light as you need.

When I was doing CFLs I was running perpetual so I needed my vegging plants to stay in veg until the previous generation had finished in the flower tent. Even with just 200W of CFLs I struggled to keep my plants under control. If, for example, you're planning for a 12 cola manifold and you want a final 2-3 foot plant. In this case you'd want to veg to about 2 feet, maybe less. That's easily achievable for 3 plants in 3 gal pots with just 200W of CFL in my experience.

Looking at your pic, I think you can stand to have your CFLs a bit closer to the canopy, even an inch closer will be giving your plants exponentially more light. Do you have some extra height to work with in your veg area? If not, I definitely wouldn't add more light.

These plants are rambunctious, they'll eat as much as light as you can give them up to a point, but personally I find that for veg it's about how much growth do I need/want.
 
1. Actual wattage, the bulbs that I am using are 250 watt equivalent.
2. The plants need (in my opinion) as much energy in the vegetative phase as they do in the flowering phase. In nature the sun does not change the amount of energy it puts out, only the duration.
Good luck with your grow.
 
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