Minimum watts per plant?!?

Rob Roy

Well-Known Member
@ETHERR , It's probably better to figure "watts per square foot" rather than number of plants, since some large single plants are larger than several smaller plants etc.

It's also important to factor in the intensity level of the light(s) used, distance from the plant etc. Looks like you've got your cfl lights nice and close to the plant.

40 - 60 watts per square foot is often mentioned as a minimum for cannabis. Indicas can get by with less light than Sativas. Light reflection is a factor too. If you're on a budget, white duct tape, white spray paint and cardboard can be useful. Good luck.
 

printer

Well-Known Member
LED bulbs are cheap. For a start make a reflector out of cardboard, tape and aluminum foil/ white card stock. You are wasting half your light.
 

Gemtree

Well-Known Member
Pretty sure for cfl they say 100w (actual not equivalent) for the first plant and 50 for each additional
 

printer

Well-Known Member
No cardboard - it is too flammable for lights :-)
I don't think so, if you can put your hand on it and hold it there it is not going to ignite. Especially not the 15W and 20W cfl's. And a little airspace between the bulb and the cardboard will do wonders but even if these touch it will be a non-issue.
 

Kingrow1

Well-Known Member
I don't think so, if you can put your hand on it and hold it there it is not going to ignite. Especially not the 15W and 20W cfl's. And a little airspace between the bulb and the cardboard will do wonders but even if these touch it will be a non-issue.
Its just good grow advice not to use flamable stuff near any lights and electrics, theres no chance of anything in my house causing fire yet every single appliance has been responsible for one somewhere in the world and hence the ongoing logical fire safety advice.

Id also say tin foil is useless in a grow tent too except as a light shade/reflector and then only the shiny side :-)
 

callies

Active Member
if you're only interested in a small plant i veg in a 1.5x1.5ft ish space using a 25w led panel and move the plant under 200w for flower
you dont need allot of light to veg but you'll need 3 times as much to flower
 

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printer

Well-Known Member
Its just good grow advice not to use flamable stuff near any lights and electrics, theres no chance of anything in my house causing fire yet every single appliance has been responsible for one somewhere in the world and hence the ongoing logical fire safety advice.

Id also say tin foil is useless in a grow tent too except as a light shade/reflector and then only the shiny side :-)
The question is how close is near, how flammable the material is and what the ignition source is. It is dangerous mixing water and electricity but I doubt anybody would mention not to water when the lights are on. Yesterday I overheard a nurse telling a patient not to use petroleum jelly on their lips when using their oxygen tank. Something I would not have thought of but makes sense. As far as cellulose material around a light bulb socket with the bulb in, the electricity will not be jumping out to ignite the cardboard. As far as the heat off the said bulbs is concerned there is not enough to cause a change in the cardboard.

I would not suggest using cardboard with an actual 100W light bulb but then again it all depends on distance. I have white card stock as reflectors in my grow area right now but they are not touching the Led strips and the strips are long enough that the 160W being dissipated is 86 degrees on the surface I am not worried about the cardboard. It is just a question of common sense. But seeing that common sense is getting rarer every day I guess we have to put warning signs on coffee cups that there could be hot coffee in them.
 

Kingrow1

Well-Known Member
The question is how close is near, how flammable the material is and what the ignition source is. It is dangerous mixing water and electricity but I doubt anybody would mention not to water when the lights are on. Yesterday I overheard a nurse telling a patient not to use petroleum jelly on their lips when using their oxygen tank. Something I would not have thought of but makes sense. As far as cellulose material around a light bulb socket with the bulb in, the electricity will not be jumping out to ignite the cardboard. As far as the heat off the said bulbs is concerned there is not enough to cause a change in the cardboard.

I would not suggest using cardboard with an actual 100W light bulb but then again it all depends on distance. I have white card stock as reflectors in my grow area right now but they are not touching the Led strips and the strips are long enough that the 160W being dissipated is 86 degrees on the surface I am not worried about the cardboard. It is just a question of common sense. But seeing that common sense is getting rarer every day I guess we have to put warning signs on coffee cups that there could be hot coffee in them.
If we promote one thing for one reason others will misconstrue the application and before you know it some one hangs cardboard on their ceiling which falls on a 1000w light and bingo you have fire.

We have witnessed all sorts here leading to the simple rule not to construct stuff out of cardboard :-)
 

danjac82

Well-Known Member
What is the minimum watts needed for one plant?
I have 3 cfls
2-20watts
1-15 watts
For now
Plenty of light for now and a little longer. Make a reflector and get y adapters. 100 watts per square foot is good with cfl with a plant thats older than seedling..atleast three weeks old. Keep close within three inches if you can. I used to exclusively grow cfl
 

BudmanTX

Well-Known Member
What is the minimum watts needed for one plant?
I have 3 cfls
2-20watts
1-15 watts
For now
nice to see a cfl user around.......i used those for years....

1: get that one bulb out of the soil, bring it up to the side of the canopy.

2: position those other where they are hanging, think triangle with 3 of them....

3: what the K of those bulbs, they look 6500K??
 

printer

Well-Known Member
If we promote one thing for one reason others will misconstrue the application and before you know it some one hangs cardboard on their ceiling which falls on a 1000w light and bingo you have fire.

We have witnessed all sorts here leading to the simple rule not to construct stuff out of cardboard :-)
Then the cardboard box for a grow chamber as suggested in the Budget Grow thread might not be for all eyes. May have to put an adult warning sign on it.
 

PURPLEB3RRYKUSH

Well-Known Member
If we promote one thing for one reason others will misconstrue the application and before you know it some one hangs cardboard on their ceiling which falls on a 1000w light and bingo you have fire.

We have witnessed all sorts here leading to the simple rule not to construct stuff out of cardboard :-)
All my cardboard is used on my car, got a cardboard bodykit, +100 hp lol
 
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