CFL and HPS during veg?

[vtguitar88]

thanks...but I'm asking about the pro's and cons of running a 2700k hps in addition to now 18 23 watt 6500k cfl's on six barely week old babies....

Look, the most important consideration regarding light is the sheer quantity of it. If you have an insufficient amount of light, you'll experience inadequate growth, regardless of spectra. Also, no spectrum will be damaging to your plants. You will simply experience altered growth patterns.

In your case, your choice will depend on a few factors. How worried are you about your electric bill? How pressed are you for time? Do you care more about getting a harvest in a hurry, or slowly caring for a few plants for a long period?

It sound like with such a great number of CFL's (you said like 15 or something, right?) you are providing enough light to veg a few plants well. With this approach, you will notice slow vertical growth, but very dense, bushy growth. When you switch to flowering with the HPS, your ladies will reward you with a great many bud sites.

If you switch on the HPS, you WILL notice much faster growth. As in, probably an inch to two inches a day under optimal conditions. However, much of this remarkable growth will probably manifest itself in internode length, i.e. the length of the stem between leaf sets. However, since you still have the CFLs going, this will be alleviated somewhat, and you'll preserve some of that CFL bushiness.

So if you want the fastest growth, switch on the HPS, recognizing that you are spending money and resources to power that thing.

Otherwise, stick with the CFLs as a great number of these bulbs will produce a nice result for vegetative growth. That would be my advice.

 

[midnightoker]

Look, the most important consideration regarding light is the sheer quantity of it. If you have an insufficient amount of light, you'll experience inadequate growth, regardless of spectra. Also, no spectrum will be damaging to your plants. You will simply experience altered growth patterns.

In your case, your choice will depend on a few factors. How worried are you about your electric bill? How pressed are you for time? Do you care more about getting a harvest in a hurry, or slowly caring for a few plants for a long period?

It sound like with such a great number of CFL's (you said like 15 or something, right?) you are providing enough light to veg a few plants well. With this approach, you will notice slow vertical growth, but very dense, bushy growth. When you switch to flowering with the HPS, your ladies will reward you with a great many bud sites.

If you switch on the HPS, you WILL notice much faster growth. As in, probably an inch to two inches a day under optimal conditions. However, much of this remarkable growth will probably manifest itself in internode length, i.e. the length of the stem between leaf sets. However, since you still have the CFLs going, this will be alleviated somewhat, and you'll preserve some of that CFL bushiness.

So if you want the fastest growth, switch on the HPS, recognizing that you are spending money and resources to power that thing.

Otherwise, stick with the CFLs as a great number of these bulbs will produce a nice result for vegetative growth. That would be my advice.

Thank you. I have 6 plants going. total of 18 6500k, 23w CFL's (3 per plant)....The HPS would be about 2 feet overhead... RIght now it seems like they are growing a little slowly...does that mean they are not getting enough light, or it that just how they grow with CFL?

At what point does the 2700k light overtake the 6500k light? Parts of the equation (distance from plant), output of lamps....

I guess as long as the blue's from the CFL's are not hurt by the HPS, there really is no downside in turning it on..? I don't care about my electric bill...

 

[doobiedaze]

Seriously? 3 pgs for this and ur still askin whether or not it shuld b on? Sorry if i sound like a dick, but just turn the thing on!

 

[midnightoker]

Seriously? 3 pgs for this and ur still askin whether or not it shuld b on? Sorry if i sound like a dick, but just turn the thing on!

well, you sound like a dick. If you read. No one made a legitimate argument based upon factual data. People are just saying why not, or sure....

Not really scientific...

 

[del66666]

Seriously? 3 pgs for this and ur still askin whether or not it shuld b on? Sorry if i sound like a dick, but just turn the thing on!

so so true lol

 

[doobiedaze]

Maybe there is no SCIENTIFIC PROOF, just people who maybe have tried it(or not). Its all just opinion until YOU do it and find out. this grow sh*t aint easy, now be a man or woman and make an effin decision

 

[Kcannabis]

Thank you. I have 6 plants going. total of 18 6500k, 23w CFL's (3 per plant)....The HPS would be about 2 feet overhead... RIght now it seems like they are growing a little slowly...does that mean they are not getting enough light, or it that just how they grow with CFL?

At what point does the 2700k light overtake the 6500k light? Parts of the equation (distance from plant), output of lamps....

I guess as long as the blue's from the CFL's are not hurt by the HPS, there really is no downside in turning it on..? I don't care about my electric bill...

This is just my opinion so take it as you wish. If you aren't concerned about the elec bill and your ventilation is good with current temps not too high, then I would def turn on the HPS. The red spectrum of light will not overpower or overtake the blue or anything it will just add to it. Keep in mind though that your temp will raise dramatically once you turn that HPS on. When I had fluros on my temp was about 71, then when I turned on my 400w MH it is now around 80 - 84. So keep that in mind. Anyway, if you want faster growth I think the HPS will help. Good luck