CFL for supplemental light
- Thread starter elrodvoss
- Start date
justugh
Well-Known Member
they will work but not as well as u want
for growth u want the daylight bright .........for flowering u want the soft warm
the best advice i can tell u is to get a LED light and use the t5 as a starter light or a side light
if u are short on cash ............a buddy u trust and been tho the shit with that likes to smoke ........we all got one tell him u are doing something but lack the funds if they give u 200 bucks u will always ask them first if they want your extra and sell at a set 300 a oz price (this is assuming u are going some dank shit 15% or higher thc in genetics
the LED light will get u the coverage amount and depth u want to make a few oz to HP per plant with the correct feeding and water
for growth u want the daylight bright .........for flowering u want the soft warm
the best advice i can tell u is to get a LED light and use the t5 as a starter light or a side light
if u are short on cash ............a buddy u trust and been tho the shit with that likes to smoke ........we all got one tell him u are doing something but lack the funds if they give u 200 bucks u will always ask them first if they want your extra and sell at a set 300 a oz price (this is assuming u are going some dank shit 15% or higher thc in genetics
the LED light will get u the coverage amount and depth u want to make a few oz to HP per plant with the correct feeding and water
I know that I need daylight vs soft for different stages.
I don't have the option to lean on a buddy for help. I do plan on upgrading to a LED setup when I get the funds for it. Looking at the $1000+ setups for LEDs.
My last set up was only using the T5 light. Only got 0.70 oz dried from one plant but for 1st attempt at a successful grow from seed to harvest, I mark it as a win.
Now I have better understanding, not using any "fancy" systems. Just air pots and a DIY watering system. So far all 5 of the plants have sprouted and growing. The white widows grew well under the T5. Got about 3 feet tall, but feel the flowering side needs more light. So wanted to add in flowering bulbs when they get to that stage. Maybe 4, one on each corner of the tent for "side" light to help grow the buds.
While LEDs are a future plan and upgrade, they are not possible right now.
So would four 2700k soft white bulbs in addition to the 2 Foot 4 bulb, be ample light at flowering stage for the 5 automatics growing?
I don't have the option to lean on a buddy for help. I do plan on upgrading to a LED setup when I get the funds for it. Looking at the $1000+ setups for LEDs.
My last set up was only using the T5 light. Only got 0.70 oz dried from one plant but for 1st attempt at a successful grow from seed to harvest, I mark it as a win.
Now I have better understanding, not using any "fancy" systems. Just air pots and a DIY watering system. So far all 5 of the plants have sprouted and growing. The white widows grew well under the T5. Got about 3 feet tall, but feel the flowering side needs more light. So wanted to add in flowering bulbs when they get to that stage. Maybe 4, one on each corner of the tent for "side" light to help grow the buds.
While LEDs are a future plan and upgrade, they are not possible right now.
So would four 2700k soft white bulbs in addition to the 2 Foot 4 bulb, be ample light at flowering stage for the 5 automatics growing?
trutattoo13
Active Member
Basicly what is being said is yes it will work ( cool white for flowering ) but every one puts in their lighting suggestions lol u will get a larger yield with better lighting but as to answer ur question yes it will work.
For my 2¢ I used cfl through all of my grow. But soon as I get the $ I will get led lighting or at least HPS for flowering check craigslist I see ppl in my area selling led grow lights pretty cheap as from $40-200 used but worth taking a look the closer the bulbs to plant with out burning is best result I would go with 6 CFLs instead of 4 also check craigslist for bulbs first contractors some times have extras from jobs they sell cheap
For my 2¢ I used cfl through all of my grow. But soon as I get the $ I will get led lighting or at least HPS for flowering check craigslist I see ppl in my area selling led grow lights pretty cheap as from $40-200 used but worth taking a look the closer the bulbs to plant with out burning is best result I would go with 6 CFLs instead of 4 also check craigslist for bulbs first contractors some times have extras from jobs they sell cheap
trutattoo13
Active Member
Like I said check craigslist first to try and find a deal if u buy bulk packs of 3 or more u save a little $ but how many and how much u spend depends on how much u want to yield as well as how many plants u have I'd get some windshield sun screens from the dollar store for a day make shift reflector and some wire hangers to use All the available light u can light is a major factor in yield I'm using strictly CFL's on one plant and predict no more then a half oz havest
purplehays1
Well-Known Member
id buy more t5's they make them as "strips" that are light and easy to put where u need them.
justugh
Well-Known Member
Guy
the simple cheap answer ................u want a few Spotlight plant bulbs........if u look on the box it is 2700k light waves
by adding those u will increase the yeild by maybe 1/3 but u are also increasing the heat by 5x ............so u need to rig up a cooling system with fans to keep the plant from getting heat stressed
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-120-Watt-BR40-Agro-Flood-Plant-Light-Bulb-415307/202768441
that light 4 of them
http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-150-Watt-Incandescent-Clamp-Light-CE-300PDQ/100354511
that socket/ clip on (it is matched to keep u from setting fires)
now u need a tape measure and find out how tall the plant is (overall planter included) a t5 is good for about 1 foot (this includes the 8 to 10 inches distance between the light and plant top cola...................u find that point on the plant and then angle the clip on lights to hit there from the 4 coners
your feed u need to alter it your bloom add 2 more mls to the feed and watch the plant the very tips of the plant should get a burn look if no burn look up it 2mls again when u see the burn look reduce it by 1 ml and hold that feeding .................between that and the lights hitting it correctly i will stake my left nut on u wil pull 2 times what u got last time if not 3
edit.............oh to make them work u power strip them all on one strip but the strip is pluged into a 2nd outlet (not the one the t5 is plugged into) then it just get a timer with in a few mins so one kicks on other is few mins later (they do not need to be perfectly matched)
The clamp was the same style and power on was looking at in our local hardware store.
The light is a nice touch, but the heat in my tent is at the high end right now. Since its growing upstairs, there is always a +10F temperature difference upstairs. To keep inside tent below 90F, have to keep AC at 71F.
Would love to try the lights, but would have to move everything into bigger tent and its not ready yet.
Wanted to use cfl cause the tight spacing issues and heat as well.
If I go bigger tent for next run and still don't have LEDs, I may go that route since ill have lots of extra room for fans in addition to the exhaust fan.
But thanks on the info. The blue grow lights look simple, just sucks about the heat.
justugh
Well-Known Member
the CFLs will not matter if u are that high of temps now
u need to build a swamp cooler
the CFLs in high temps will only cause the temps to go higher (this is the down fall of them) LED is the best counter for the heat with a over powered exhaust system
plus u will not get the results u need to justify the extra heat the power of CFLs are only about 8 inches (account for 4 inches off the plant) .............those flood lights crossed at the right lvls is the only thing that will do what u want on the budget at hand and be justified
u might just want to stick with the t5 only or supply it with acutal daylight when u have the chance too
Ya temp is my biggest problem now. I can control it, but rest of house is chilly. 71F set temp will keep me in at 77F-80F in grow tent.
Hence the cfls. Cooler temps but less results. But better results then just T5.
Here is a 10 day pic of the current project.
Trying with hydro halos for a easier water system to keep smell down. Working really well. Once I get more experience with soil, ill move to next step.
As always, thanks for helpful advice. Slowly learning, but I am moving forward.
Hence the cfls. Cooler temps but less results. But better results then just T5.
Here is a 10 day pic of the current project.
Trying with hydro halos for a easier water system to keep smell down. Working really well. Once I get more experience with soil, ill move to next step.
As always, thanks for helpful advice. Slowly learning, but I am moving forward.
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SpaaaceCowboy
Well-Known Member
I like the idea of additional t5 strip lights for side lighting...I do it myself (my main lights are cfls)
But, yes, you could use those bulbs for side lighting...you should see a difference.
edit: I didn't read all of the thread, and I do not know what the kelvins of those bulbs are...Obviously, flowering you want around 2700k, however, a mixed spectrum is good too, so the occasional higher kelvin mixed in there would work too
But, yes, you could use those bulbs for side lighting...you should see a difference.
edit: I didn't read all of the thread, and I do not know what the kelvins of those bulbs are...Obviously, flowering you want around 2700k, however, a mixed spectrum is good too, so the occasional higher kelvin mixed in there would work too