Am I using enough lighting on my babies?

Hello everyone!

This is my first time growing, and I wanted to know if I have a good setup for my JD Easyryder babies!

Currently, I am using 2 x 2400K (27W) CFLs and 2 x 6500 (27W) CFLs. I am also using an LED bar that I got from my buddy (I am not sure how many W this has, but it is pretty damn bright. It would be awesome if someone can verify this for me...). Are these lighting adequate for autoflower growth throughout their cycle? or will I need to replace these bulbs as they grow up? As you can see below, I am planning to grow 2 plants for my first attempt.



I appreciate any comments/advises. Thanks!

You could probably get by with that for a first grow, but you will find, the more light you give, the more bud your plant will give.
My first indoor grow, I started with about 60w of 5000k CFL, added some 2700k to veg, to bring it up to 98w, then about 2 months into flower, added another bunch to bring it up to a total of 305w, and finished out with 2.71 oz of dried kickin bagseed from CFL's.
Trick is, if you can't constantly move the lights to keep them close to the bulbs, move the plant.
.

.

.

Thanks for your reply. The thing is that my plant is an autoflower strain, and I wanted to figure out the perfect combination of lights for a such limited environment.

General rule is 5000k or 6500k for veg, and 2700k for flowering.
If you want to mix, (some people, including me have found to like it) is 60-75% of the 5000-6500k and the remainder of 2700k for veg, (until it starts showing pistils or preflowers), then flip to 60-75% of 2700k and the remainder 5000-6500k until it finishes, or even use that mixture on photoperiod plants when you decide to do them.
Main thing to remember, is give as much light as you can.

Just some notes on what you said and your image:

Get your pots right up to the lights (1 to 2 inches away).
Keep the plants about 1" from the bulbs as well when they sprout.
Make sure you have decent ventilation and air movement.
6500k is perfect for veg, 2400k not so much, rather get yourself some more 6500k bulbs and a 2700k to add some spectrum, as stated by others swap around to plenty 2700k and one or maybe 2 6500k bulbs for flower.

Looks like it will be a fun project

poky32 said:

Thanks for your reply. The thing is that my plant is an autoflower strain, and I wanted to figure out the perfect combination of lights for a such limited environment.

Click to expand...

As far as auto/ vs photo, keep the 5000k-6500k majority until you see preflowers, or IDK if you're planning on changing your light schedule or what you're running now, but when you change to less than 18 on, or see preflowers, then flip your spectrum or change completely to 2700k/ minority 5000k+.

Right now, it is running at full 24hr schedule. So it sounds like 3 x 6500k and a 2700 should be better for my babies at my current stage (1st week since the germination). Since my babies are autoflowers, I assume I will need to replace two of 6500k bulbs with 2700ks as soon it goes onto flower stage? (I read autoflowers begin to flower as soon as 4th week). Are my wattages sufficient? (They are all 27Ws).

And, yeah! This has already been a fun project!

poky32 said:

Right now, it is running at full 24hr schedule. So it sounds like 3 x 6500k and a 2700 should be better for my babies at my current stage (1st week since the germination). Since my babies are autoflowers, I assume I will need to replace two of 6500k bulbs with 2700ks as soon it goes onto flower stage? (I read autoflowers begin to flower as soon as 4th week). Are my wattages sufficient? (They are all 27Ws).

And, yeah! This has already been a fun project!

Click to expand...

Wattages are fine but plants/pots are too far away from light source.
If you can manage see if you can get more lights in there, the more the merrier just don't let them touch the plants.

poky32 said:

Right now, it is running at full 24hr schedule. So it sounds like 3 x 6500k and a 2700 should be better for my babies at my current stage (1st week since the germination). Since my babies are autoflowers, I assume I will need to replace two of 6500k bulbs with 2700ks as soon it goes onto flower stage? (I read autoflowers begin to flower as soon as 4th week). Are my wattages sufficient? (They are all 27Ws).

And, yeah! This has already been a fun project!

Click to expand...

It all depends on the individual plant.
My first CFL attempt, I vegged 1 month, LST'd, and with 98w of mixed 5000k and 2700k, and kept that over 2 months into flower (photoperiod plant that was bagseed) I kept the same, but adding more 2700k's to bring total to 305w towards the end, I finished with over 2 3/4 oz. dried and cured from one plant.
If you put a little effort, you can get decent yield from CFL's.

My plants are actually now situated right below the lights. The image above was taken last week before I planted my seedlings

Good to know! although, I feel like my growing medium has such a limited space for extra bulbs. It will be possible to replace current 27w bulbs with higher wattage bulbs though.

poky32 said:

Good to know! although, I feel like my growing medium has such a limited space for extra bulbs. It will be possible to replace current 27w bulbs with higher wattage bulbs though.

Click to expand...

I did not say higher wattage.
I said higher Kelvin rating.
The 2700 you are looking at, you want to look for 5000k - 6500k if you are vegging, then once you change to flowering light schedule, you can focus on the 2700k.
Until your plants are a 3 weeks old or so, 50w or so will be OK if you keep the bulbs close enough.

As your plants get bigger, THEN worry about adding more wattage (w).
You're fine for now, just keep the bulbs as close as you can without touching.