Using my planted aquarium CF light?

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DonPendleton

Active Member
Yeah, I know everyone posts their own thread asking if their light is ok and its really annoying...Sorry 'bout that gents.

I've got a 2x96 watt 6500k CF light I was using on my 125 gallon planted aquarium that I wired up into a custom canopy for the tank. Now Im wondering if I can take the ballast and bulbs out and fit them on a piece of 3/4" ply to fit my closet and use them for gro lights? (the 6 foot light box its in now its 2 freaking inches too long to fit my closet!) I am thinking 5-6 plants.

I have about a million other lights I used to use on my tanks that I was thinking of just screwing to the ply along the sides of the big CF to add some other temps...

Here is a pic of my light. I got it as a retrofit kit and it was pretty pricey so I really want to re-use it.







Here is a pic of the light it puts out.


So, I was thinking mount it on ply then hang it on an adjustable chain and see what happens? Can I get away with this for the full growth of the plant?
 
Cr8z13

Cr8z13

Well-Known Member
Roughly 200W is enough light for 1-2 plants. CFL's should be added during flowering, though.
 
Quickset

Quickset

Well-Known Member
I'm guessing when you say that the custom box is 2 inches too long to fit in your closet that if you were to mount it vertically it would be too long.

The bulbs are 3 footers (approx) since I see 4 inside your box, 2 bulbs per fixture. Take them out of the box, separately mount on plywood and fasten vertically 1-2 feet from the floor (no need to waste light on the plant containers/pots). The top of the vertically mounted fixtures would be 4-5 feet from the floor when you're done.

You can add more 3 foot fixtures overtime, I would think 4 fixtures at the minimum, 1 in each corner. Then as Cr8z13 said you can supplement this lighting with cfl's, mounted on moveable stands or hung from the top of the closet. You should have room for a shelf at the top of the closet to keep supplies. You may want to elevate the pots off the floor depending how cold it gets during dark periods and adjust the mounting height of the fixtures accordingly. Good luck!!!
 

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Quickset

Quickset

Well-Known Member
Should have added what I'm using too, a T5 HO fixture (10,000 lumens output) and 4x23w (100w equiv, 4x1600 lumens) CFLs for my flowering girls.
 

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DonPendleton

Active Member
Thanks all!!

Its actually only 2 bulbs, 96 watt each 6500k the reflectors really make it look like 4!!! The space im working with is 51"x23" footprint and 61" tall. (there is a really good size shelf at the top for supplies)

Im going to split the height in two for now and grow on the upper half until I figure out what Im doing.

Im going to take the two lights and mount them to plywood in the top. there should be about 22" where the bulbs are side by side. Im going to grow a few seeds in that spot and get one good mom going then add more lights...

I see no need to buy more shit before I get the basics down. LOL!

Plan is to eventually use the botton 30" of vertical space to run my 6500k lights shown above with another 200watts or so CFLs 24/0... Then use the upper 31" of space to flower... I havent decide on lights yet and I dont plan on buying any until I need them...LOL! I can just see myself buying all these fkn lights and having nothing but dead plants and cant even use them!!!

HaHa!

Thanks so much guys!

Big props to DrBud I love you man!!! I think i have everything you have ever typed on the internet bookmarked! Also thanks to mrbombdiggity!!! If I had never found your threads I never would have found DrBud and I probably never would have thought growing was possible for me!!!

(PS- BombDiggity and MRbud- My boyfriend is CONVICED you guys are growing elsewhere and sticking the buds in those small pots just for pics. HAHAHAHA He keeps sayin "wow they are really pulling one over on you." LOL! I cant wait to show him whos the WOman! Thanks guys!)

Oh yeah... My fixture is actually 22" too long...thanks for measuring so accurately for me honey...


 
JanecommaMary

JanecommaMary

Well-Known Member
if ur growin ur veggin plants to 30 inches or near that, then ur plants are going to at least double, probably triple in height during flowering. i would split it up so there would be more room in the flowering stage than vegging stage, but thats just me. also those spiral cfls are really simple to use and work great if u need to add some extra growing power to ur grow...
 
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DonPendleton

Active Member
JanecommaMary said:
if ur growin ur veggin plants to 30 inches or near that, then ur plants are going to at least double, probably triple in height during flowering. i would split it up so there would be more room in the flowering stage than vegging stage, but thats just me. also those spiral cfls are really simple to use and work great if u need to add some extra growing power to ur grow...
Click to expand...
Yeah... Im not sure how tall im going to let them get before flowering... Good thing to think about! Thank you!

I figure if im gonna let them get 30" Then I'll just veg and flower in the full height of the room and swap bulbs back and forth. There really isnt enough room for 2 sections if I let them get that big.

I am so excited!!! Just finished painting the room and started germinating my first seeds... Tee Hee.

I am really gonna need some serious scent mask and venting help here soon!

My boyfriends buddies will sniff out my opperation and smoke me out of production in no time flat if Im not careful!!! I really dont want any of them knowing what I have going on, those hooligans will drink one two many and come crashing in for some free smoke at 3 am...:-?

Thanks again everyone. Toke, toke... ramble, ramble, ramble, you know how it goes...:mrgreen:
 
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DonPendleton

Active Member
What do you guys think about this as far as how to set up my space...

this pic shows using the space only for veg, for veg and flowering the adjustable shelf would be near the middle and for only flowering at the bottom.

 
Quickset

Quickset

Well-Known Member
DonPendleton said:
Why is nobody replying? I guess I'll take the hint...
Click to expand...
Guess they're busy like I was with holiday stuff. Anyway, here a link for the main light I'm currently using. Bulbs seem like the ones you're using?

http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=51907

I like the bulb fixtures you're using. I'm might get some to mount vertically like I suggested you do.

JanecommaMary's advice about plant height is right on. Your plan looks good to me! Our grow spaces are approximately the same, your's being wider, but mine is dedicated for flowering.

I just made an high capacity air scrubber and took some pics of the work in progress. I'm going to post it someday soon in the DIY sub-forum of the General Mari Grow forum but until then here's a great smaller air scrubber/filter by Zen that I built in like 10 minutes. Mounting it took more time in my separate veg grow box. You'll see my replies and pics in Zen's thread.

https://www.rollitup.org/do-yourself/101248-best-diy-ez-walmart-carbon.html

Keep us posted!


:peace:
QS
 
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