using plant/aquarium fluorescents with daylight bulbs

[kpaxian1]

my grow room currently has 4 plants under a 4' fluorescent. I am using a daylight tube and a plant/aquarium bulb. i noticed better growth when i switched from a cold white to the daylight bulb, but im not sure if the plant/aquarium fluorescent has a good enough spectrum for marijuana growth. Does anyone else have experience using Plant/Aquarium 4' fluorescents.

 

[T.H.Cammo]

I'm not a "Flouro Guy", so take this for what it's worth!

Everything i've read about flouros agrees on these things:
1. Plant & Aquarium tubes are overpriced and underachievers!
2. 6,500 K (the highest value for "Daylight" tubes) is the best spectrum for Vegging.
3. 2,700 K is the best spectrum for Flowering.

 

[kpaxian1]

I'm not a "Flouro Guy", so take this for what it's worth!

Everything i've read about flouros agrees on these things:
1. Plant & Aquarium tubes are overpriced and underachievers!
2. 6,500 K (the highest value for "Daylight" tubes) is the best spectrum for Vegging.
3. 2,700 K is the best spectrum for Flowering.

yes i agree, daylights are the best for vegging; but would'nt using another fluorescent provide for the missing spectrum's that the daylight bulb does not provide. I though that using the daylight bulb with the plant/aquarium bulb would provide it with the missing usuable light.

any ideas?

 

[SmokesLikeBob]

the daylight spectrum is pretty much all cannabis requires for vegetative growth, soft white, warm white, or 2700k spectrum bulbs are needed to induce greater bud growth...

 

[kpaxian1]

so then just 2 Daylight tubes would be my best choice?

 

[T.H.Cammo]

so then just 2 Daylight tubes would be my best choice?

For "vegging", yeah!

All types of grow lights (except LED's) are fairly wide spectrum, so there really isn't "a hole" in the spectrum that needs to be "filled in". This is particularly true with flourescents.

However - even 6,500 K and 2,700 K flouescents can be "Tuned-up" a little. But not on a "1 to 1" (two tube) basis. If you were doing a bigger grow with "lots" of flourescent tubes, you could do a ratio of (2) 6,500 K tubes for each (1) 2,700 K tube, for the "veg" cycle. Then reverse that ratio for the "flowering" stage.

Note that I use specific color temperatures ("K" numbers) instead of more general terms like "Daylight" or "Soft White". That's because different manufacturers have really different ideas about what temperature a "Daylight" tube should be - it matters!

 

[<Grasshopper>]

I keep saltwater reef aquariums and under the aquarium I grow algae called cheeto algae. Its grown to take up the phosphates and nitrates from the water to discourage bad algae growth. I use this bulb to grow the algae. It can be had in 6500 or 7000 ranges and grows better then standard tubes will. They are a type of compact flourescent. I am gonna try these. They stay cool enough to almost keep your hand on them and are super bright. Here is the link to the site that explaines more about them and has pictures.

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

Worth a try...they worked much better then standard 40 watt tubes at growing cheeto.

Grasshopper

 

[KlosetKing]

the spectrums for each stage listed by the above posters is correct, what i would worry about more is making sure that the fluoros you are using are High Output. many fluros found today that dont list them being HO are only around 2k lumens a bulb, but a lil more for a t5 setup generates around 5k lumens a bulb.... something to look into, you can play with spectrums all you want but if you are only putting out 5k lumens or less (total) per plant, your are gunna have a serious problem no matter what.