cfl question

[TheHumanCanniboid]

Hello all, I'm a new member and a first time grower. I have been doing my homework but am still unclear about some things. First off, what is the right kelvin rating for a cfl grow bulb, I am pretty sure 2700k is good for flower. I have seen various blue spectrum bulbs labeled 'daylight' 'cool white' etc. with either 5000k 5500k or 6500k and a few other variations. I am planning on going out an spending some cash on these bulbs but I wanna get the right ones. Any help would be appriacted.

THC

 

[blackcoupe01]

Are you limited to using CFL?

 

[TheHumanCanniboid]

Not limited, but I am interested in trying cfl for this grow. I have read much about HPS but they seem really expensive and hot. I am planning on 2 small boxes 2' X 2' X 3' tall. I would like to try the SoG method so I am guessing a small box will not be a problem. I am also considering getting some more LEDs ,I have one it seems to be doing the job for now as I am only about one month from seed.

 

[[email protected]]

use lower #'s on scale for flowering and the higher for veg.

 

[T.H.Cammo]

To be more specific - yes the 2,700 k CFL's are best for flowering and the 6,500 K's are best for vegging. I try to avoid using the terms like "warm white" or "daylight white" becuase they are not specific enough. The actual Kelvin color temperature is a much more precise measurement of the spectrum given off by the CFL.

A lot of CFL growers use a ratio of 1 6,500 K CFL to every 3 2,700 K CFL for flowering - it produces tighter buds.

 

[BigBudBalls]

To be more specific - yes the 2,700 k CFL's are best for flowering and the 6,500 K's are best for vegging. I try to avoid using the terms like "warm white" or "daylight white" becuase they are not specific enough. The actual Kelvin color temperature is a much more precise measurement of the spectrum given off by the CFL.

A lot of CFL growers use a ratio of 1 6,500 K CFL to every 3 2,700 K CFL for flowering - it produces tighter buds.

Everytime I look at CFLs, I have no prob finding good veg bulbs. But I never see a kelvin # for the flowering bulbs.

Have a MFGs PN for a flowering CFL?

 

[Butthead08]

You can order the bloom bulbs from high tech garden supply, they have them and i've used them before. They were very good and reliable... I got my T5 set-up from them.

Just some info for you!

 

[T.H.Cammo]

Everytime I look at CFLs, I have no prob finding good veg bulbs. But I never see a kelvin # for the flowering bulbs.

Have a MFGs PN for a flowering CFL?

Check at www.lightsofamerica.com under the "Soft White" catagory. I know I bought some 2700k's, made by Lights of America, from "Wally-World" about a year, or so, ago. Never really used them for flowering but the price was right so I got some of the 26watters (I believe), "just in case". Wal-Mart was running a special Promo deal in conjunction with Southern California Edison Company, so all of the Lights of America "regular" CFL's were only about a buck each.

I still have some of the smaller ones, left unopened, in the bubblepack. On the front, bottom, left hand corner, it says:
MODEL No.: 2714
COLOR TEMP.: 2700 Kelvin

I remember I was pissed because I couldn't find any 6500k's made by Lights of America. So I had to pay about $3.50 each for some General Electrics - oh well!

 

[TheHumanCanniboid]

Thankx all, I went out and bought me a couple of 26W 6500k for my mother (well I hope its a female ) I think I will go HPS for flower mabye add a couple of 2700K on the sides.

Peace THC

 

[1freezy]

I have never seen Kelvin color temperature on a bulb box. I just buy the 42 watt big CFL from TARGET, WALL_MART, or a HARDWARE STORE. This is an old pic from 2 grows ago. I will take a new pic tonight or tomorrow. I did a SCROG my last few grows but the plants where bigger. The next pics with the 42 watt CFLs have not veged, flowering from clone an it looks like they may produce a bit more this way.

 

[supdro]

For cfl go to home depot.. they have all the spectum of bulbs and they are color coded and they have the spectum on the package. Personally i wold get a htg t5 2 foot and 6-8 bulbs would look pretty in your grow space. filler right up ...

 

[T.H.Cammo]

For supdro:
I have to agree! T-5's are probably the better light source, but they seem to be over priced in most places - and they're practically giving away CFL's around here (at least, at the moment). I am in "Experimental Mode" and the cheap CFL's are giving me a lot of bang for my buck - and they're kind of fun to play with too!

For 1freezy:
The Kelvin color temperature isn't always marked so obviousely, but it's usually there if you know what to look for. Sometimes it just says - - - - 2700 K - - - - with no mention of spectrum or color temperature or anything. You just have to read a lot of boxes, untill you get comfortable with it. I wouldn't buy CFL's for growing unless I knew they were either 6500 K or 2700 K.

 

[makinthemagic]

For supdro:
I have to agree! T-5's are probably the better light source, but they seem to be over priced in most places - and they're practically giving away CFL's around here (at least, at the moment). I am in "Experimental Mode" and the cheap CFL's are giving me a lot of bang for my buck - and they're kind of fun to play with too!

For 1freezy:
The Kelvin color temperature isn't always marked so obviousely, but it's usually there if you know what to look for. Sometimes it just says - - - - 2700 K - - - - with no mention of spectrum or color temperature or anything. You just have to read a lot of boxes, untill you get comfortable with it. I wouldn't buy CFL's for growing unless I knew they were either 6500 K or 2700 K.

I had a lot of success with the 42w 2700k CFL's.