Olive Drab Green
Well-Known Member
Just an idea for you, if you want to keep it cheap and use something bigger than a CFL you can trust.
https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector-Spectrum-Indoor-Plants/dp/B015FLSOCE
You can use that CFL, I started with 2 42w CFLs, but it's tedious because you have to constantly reposition, it gets hot, you have to add more and more through the grow to the point of inefficiency, and won't really yield you anything compared to what you could.
https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Reflector-Spectrum-Indoor-Plants/dp/B015FLSOCE
You can use that CFL, I started with 2 42w CFLs, but it's tedious because you have to constantly reposition, it gets hot, you have to add more and more through the grow to the point of inefficiency, and won't really yield you anything compared to what you could.
sworth
Well-Known Member
5500k cfl will work for vegging. And you can just just keep on adding more cfls as she grows if £/$ are tight.
Here's a link on kelvins that's excellent, but basic; http://www.growweedeasy.com/kelvin-wattage-lumens-CFL-bulbs-growing-marijuana
peracho
Active Member
Love the information. Thanks !
Cyrus420
Well-Known Member
I did my first grow under a Hydrofarm 125W CFL and grew two small plants great through veg. A single high powered CFL can do a SCROG in a small space, you might need some more wattage than that one CFL. Also don't forget CFL's need to be real close to your plants to be effective, usually within a few inches.
SPLFreak808
Well-Known Member
It will work, its just expensive as hell to run cfl's compared to hid/led
Cyrus420
Well-Known Member
Would you care to explain this? CFL's are extremely cheap to run compared to a HID.
SPLFreak808
Well-Known Member
400w of cfl's cost much more to run vs 400w of hps, is this some kind of trick question that you haven't thought out?
The HID is easier to cool(with a hood), will finish the whole plant faster and you will get a bigger return compared to using 400watts of spirals. You also dont need to power 10 individual ballast in the grow room which gets very fucking hot.
grapefruitmarmalade
Well-Known Member
I still have some CFLs from my first grow. I use them to light up trivial parts of my house. And even they are on their way out. Moral of the story is: you buy cheap you buy twice
HazednConfused
Well-Known Member
Saying 400w of cfl costs more to run than 400w of hid is like saying 400 lbs of brick is heavier than 400 lbs of feathers.
SPLFreak808
Well-Known Member
Not even close, 400lbs of bricks wont grow weed.
Cyrus420
Well-Known Member
How is HID easier to cool? CFL's are so cool they can be right next to the plant and they won't even curl. A basic clip on fan is enough to cool your plants if you're growing with CFL. I did one grow with one big 125W CFL and never had to even open my tent.
Also not everyone uses spirals or even that much CFL. And CFL's also don't need ballasts so I don't quite understand that point?
HazednConfused
Well-Known Member
Good thing it's a metaphor and not meant to be taken in a literal sense.
HazednConfused
Well-Known Member
Cfls have built in ballasts, what the tubes feed into.
SPLFreak808
Well-Known Member
Each CFL has its own ballast built in, notice how the base if a cfl is still pretty hot?
Cfl's create ALOT of thermal heat from surrounding the plant in the grow room, in fact the room itself will require more ventilation with cfls over an hid in a sealed hood, its easier to contain and remove heat trapped in a hood vs heat trapped in the room. You also get much more product that finishes faster requiring less light hours for the amount of power pulled from the wall.
Its like leaving the prius at home while driving the hummer to work, it could be done the other way around to save money if it were a concern. Fyi, I'm talking about cfl' not "fl's", tubes are more efficient.
SPLFreak808
Well-Known Member
Good thing it makes no sense at all i guess lolGood thing it's a metaphor and not meant to be taken in a literal sense.
HazednConfused
Well-Known Member
SPLFreak808
Well-Known Member
Worthy of that user name eh
HazednConfused
Well-Known Member
I am bro. Im a komplete tard.Worthy of that user name eh
SPLFreak808
Well-Known Member
I was being nice, its pretty obvious by your response you were being a douche after i corrected you. That metaphor has ABSOLUTELY no relevance to grow lights, is all im saying. 400w is just the power pulled from the wall, dont forget about the rest of the equation on the output side of the circuit.