(1) 125w cfl or (5) 26w for 5 plants to 8''

[abcxyz]

Figured I get a response here since this is technically cfl starting related and not outdoor... yet. So... If I only want to veg indoors until 8'' and have 5 plants which option would give healthier results? Thanks

 

[ScubaSteve]

im a newbie, but i'd guess multiple lights would be best since you can position each light individually around the plants

 

[mannurse801]

For the power you are using with that, get an HID...
If you must, use the 125 as canopy lighting, and a few smaller cfl's as side lighting. 8 inchins is 5 inchess too much for the CFL to reach the bottom leaves effectively...
I vegged with 2 105's, and one they were 3 inched, immediately switched to MH, and I will never go back to CFL other than for supplemental, and seedling/clone lights...

 

[abcxyz]

Thank you both. So you're saying I would be better off getting a 150w mh setup? I don't want to spend too much $ indoors because I'm going outdoors...

 

[mannurse801]

Sorry dude, misread. MH would be best for the guys once they are a couple inches and have a few sets of leaves, but CFL will do fine for an 8 inch plant, but I do recomment a conopy of 125, and maybe 4 side lights...

 

[sirus420]

i agree with superman. 1 big one and some smaller ones. im using a 43w and 4 26w and they are doin fine. And ya im doin cfl all the way but when i get a bigger place and some more money ill be getting a 400w hps (about 200 $) for flowering. But just for veging cfl's are all you need.

 

[abcxyz]

i agree with superman. 1 big one and some smaller ones. im using a 43w and 4 26w and they are doin fine. And ya im doin cfl all the way but when i get a bigger place and some more money ill be getting a 400w hps (about 200 $) for flowering. But just for veging cfl's are all you need.

Yes, I wouldn't consider anything less than 400 for indoor if I was doing it that way, but I wound up getting a 125w+reflector/socket for 80. Hopefully this will work good enough in a traditional 5 plant square space to bring them 6-8'' within 2 weeks or so...

 

[mannurse801]

It won't work for them up to that size, you will need some more. I have 2 105's and they were not enough once the plants get a bit bigger.

 

[mannurse801]

Thing is, CFL's don't get much spread. The light is a good light, just does does not get good coverage at all. At 8 inches high, the plants will be in fairly big pots, as a result, will be spread out a good bit. As a result, more, smaller lights are needed to complete the coverage, that's all....

 

[abcxyz]

It won't work for them up to that size, you will need some more. I have 2 105's and they were not enough once the plants get a bit bigger.

OK, I just cancelled the order for the 125w cfl package. I'll shop around for a cheap 150-175 mh ballast kit. This will take my worries away for sure. I appreciate you saving me some headaches man

 

[abcxyz]

Thinking over again... For 5 plants and only 5500L I'd probably have results I wouldn't like even for shorties... So this is good, problems are being weeded out.

Looking over my carrying bag I have 12'' of height to work with tops (measuring at the top of the 16oz cups). I was under the assumption that I could get 6''ers safely homed inside a 16oz cup . Do you or anyone else agree?