Average Joe Growing?

So I read all these grow guides. i've tried once before. They got about 2 inches tall and died due to overwatering. But anyway. In these guides I read all about these crazy lights. I'm not going to spend more money than it would cost me to buy it myself so I'm not buying these huge crazy lights or anything like that.

Here's my question. I've got my freshly germinated seeds in potting soil from your average walmart in four solo cups. Once they get growing I'll transplant them. I've got 3 15 watt flourescent everyday lights hanging about three inches over the cups. So that's 45 flourescent watts over my plants.

The bulbs in these flourescents are labeled 'plant grow lights'. Of course I know these lights really probably aren't that much different from other flourescents but is my set up doable? I figure if I need to I can buy two more of these flourescents or so. Does anyone think that I need to?

Basically is my light source even slightly decent? I'm sure its not too much. I doubt you could ever have too much.

Sorry for the long post.

45 watts will be ok for maybe one plant but seriously I would invest in something better like at least a 100 watt MH or something.

noname123 said:

So I read all these grow guides. i've tried once before. They got about 2 inches tall and died due to overwatering. But anyway. In these guides I read all about these crazy lights. I'm not going to spend more money than it would cost me to buy it myself so I'm not buying these huge crazy lights or anything like that.

Here's my question. I've got my freshly germinated seeds in potting soil from your average walmart in four solo cups. Once they get growing I'll transplant them. I've got 3 15 watt flourescent everyday lights hanging about three inches over the cups. So that's 45 flourescent watts over my plants.

The bulbs in these flourescents are labeled 'plant grow lights'. Of course I know these lights really probably aren't that much different from other flourescents but is my set up doable? I figure if I need to I can buy two more of these flourescents or so. Does anyone think that I need to?

Basically is my light source even slightly decent? I'm sure its not too much. I doubt you could ever have too much.

Sorry for the long post.

Click to expand...

How much does that run? I'm growing four so when one fucks up I have three more and so on. If only one survives my newbieness then I'll consider it a huge victory.

I have no idea. I would go and look under the classified for a used light if money if tight right now because seriously....45 watts for 4 plants is just NOT gonna cut it.
If you want half decent plants then I would go for a 250 watt.
45 watts will start them off while you look for your new light.

If you want to avoid all of the MH or HPS lighting like you said then go to 1000Bulbs.com and buy 3 or 4 of these Compact Fluorescent - 42 Watt - Full Spectrum 6500K - TCP 28942-65 Light Bulb

Notice the bulb temp is 6500k. This gives more blue light for the veg growth.

Then buy 3 or 4 of these
Compact Fluorescent - 42 Watt - Warm White 2750K - Energy Star Qualified - Neptun #24542 Light Bulb
Notice that the bulb temp is 2750k. This gives you more red light for flowering.
In the end you will spend about 80 or 90 bucks on the lights which be a little more then you wanted to spend but here is the advantage over using what you have and or getting a MH or HPS.

If you use what you have or try to add on from stuff you find at home depot your gonna end up having like 10 lights in your closet and wires everywhere and youll probably end up with tall skinny plants.
Not going the route of MH or HPS you will not have to deal with as many heat issues and not have to deal with any sort of ballast or wiring.

Super important things to remember.

Dont over wanter. let the dirt get a little dry. Your plant likes to get thirsty.
Dont add nutes until after 2 weeks or else you will kill your plants.
Dont let your grow room or wherever you grow get hotter then the mid 80's or else your plants will hate you and die. (I lost 4 babies from this)

feel free to ask any other questions.

Good luck.

You think I should just chuck the other three and focus on one plant? Or wait and see who's the quickest heathiest grower when they really sprout and keep that one and waste the others?

chucking the other three would really decrease your odds of getting a female... which is what Im assuming you want if you want to smoke it and have it be good. so i would invest the little bit of money it would take.

hey noname, you need to replace those with 3 27 watt 6500k's about 20.00 in home depot or lowes. while your there pick up a couple of Y's you can find them in the electrical department. when it comes time to flower add a couple of 3000k's.

hope this helps

noname123 said:

So I read all these grow guides. i've tried once before. They got about 2 inches tall and died due to overwatering. But anyway. In these guides I read all about these crazy lights. I'm not going to spend more money than it would cost me to buy it myself so I'm not buying these huge crazy lights or anything like that.

Here's my question. I've got my freshly germinated seeds in potting soil from your average walmart in four solo cups. Once they get growing I'll transplant them. I've got 3 15 watt flourescent everyday lights hanging about three inches over the cups. So that's 45 flourescent watts over my plants.

The bulbs in these flourescents are labeled 'plant grow lights'. Of course I know these lights really probably aren't that much different from other flourescents but is my set up doable? I figure if I need to I can buy two more of these flourescents or so. Does anyone think that I need to?

Basically is my light source even slightly decent? I'm sure its not too much. I doubt you could ever have too much.

Sorry for the long post.

Click to expand...

Those grow lights you mentioned will work for seedlings but using cfl's gives you a wide variety of sizes to choose from. Plants req about 3000 lumens each for good growth. Enersaver spiral bulbs along with cfl tubes in cool white are excellent for vegetation and can be used in flowering your plants also.(warm white tubes or spiral's are added in flowering also as the "red" light is req to max your yield.) A 100W spiral "cool white utility" bulb can be purchased at Wal-Mart for approx 7 dollars. (3 pack) Each bulb produces 1600 lumens and only burns 23W per bulb. I also use cool white utility 200W bulbs (Wal-Mart) which only use 45Watts of power but produces 3000 lumens. These are 16.95. Your 4 plants req approx 12000 lumens total. Get yourself a 200W per plant.(that gives your total req per plant of 3000 lumens) If you want you can buy the 100W 1600 lumen per bulb three packs and install in gooseneck lamps.(which I do.) When your plants go into flower as I'd mentioned, pick up 4-6 " warm white " 24 inch tubes from Zellers at 7.98 each and use them along with what you're using now. Your hydro bill will hardly change if you use these types of lights. HPS, MH etc, are great but why put out the bucks if you don't have to.Hope this helps and good luck. Whiz Bang.

I did just that. I have the three flourescents I had and added three 150w CFLs. We'll see how they turn out. Thanks for the advice people. I think I'm on a much better track now.