CFL question (newbie, first grow)

I bought 2 23w 6500k "daylight" 1600 lumens cfls, then 5 days later added 2 more, but bought 2 30w (more wattage) "bright whites", only 2700k, but it is advertised at 2100 lumens (better). Should I keep using the 30w 2700k clfs, (along with the already 2 others) or get 2 more 23w 6500k 1600 lumens?? I figure more wattage/lumens is better but the color spectrum is way low for veg.. right???? This is in a 2Lx1Wx3H shelf with a door. light is on 24 hours. Plant started in the sun, but came indoors 5 days ago. Also just started the 1st bend for LST. Started this form seed exactly 1 month ago. Its THRIVING so far.. Thus really excited for my first grow.

What lighting do you plan on flowering under? If you have enough ventilation why not add a couple more 6500k and leave the warmer bulb in there to even out the light spectrum? I done a grow of similar size/wattage before and it seems that 100w per small plant is fine, but you really see a difference adding just that extra 50w!

lumens are a measure of how much light a HUMAN eye can see and IMO are not a good calculator. You should be fine with the lights you have but if you have the coin why not upgrade?

More light is good light. the extra 2700k will not harm the plant. If it were HID...HPS and MH together produces monsters. Best of luck!

higher spectrum is better for veg,MH bulbs are white and look like 6500k. lower for flower, hps is yellow, "warmer"

but of course more is better.

Me personally would buy the 2 more 6500k they like $1 each so why not.But you can mix the 4 but a better ratio would be 2:1 either way (6500k:2700k for veg) and vice versa.Remember we are trying to emulate nature and all spring/summer days aren't putting out cool white.

I was planning to flower with 2700k - 3500k spectrum (going along with the elite book and stuff I find online) Temp went from a steady 24C - 27C, to around 30C after adding the other 2 lights. Too warm?? I improved my venting (directing the fan into the shelf via some cutting to the back) into the shelf and put the fan on med; it was on low before the 2 additional cfls and have had it on a timer, 30 on 30 off. I'm keeping a close eye on the temp, especially towards the end of the fan off 30 min window and its never gone more than 35C with the 2 additional lights. Is this too warm?? Even for only 30 mins at a time??? is 25C to 35C to much fluctuation?? As for adding the other two, for a total of 6 cfls, that's a maybe at this point since I would certainly need to improve my ventilation first. Thanks for the help!!

is it Bc. you dont have the budget/money ? or space or knowlegs ?

you need some kind of ventilation system .. not only to keep temps under controle (25-30C)
but also to provide fresh air/co2 and later on in flowering to keep a carbon filter on to filter the air of your grow room .. unless you want to smell your plants going up your driveway ..

and you will need more light .. atlest once you flower ..

2700K have mostly red and yellow spectrum and it is what the plant look for when flowering .. tho a plant use all colors all grow .. just more red/yellow in flowering and Blue in Veg.

outdoors the sun will stand high on the sky in early spring and over the summer get lower and lower .. when it stand high on the sky it let mostly blue light in .. so the plant have addapted to that for millions of years .. once the sun get lower on the sky it let more and more yellow and red in .. in the fall it so low that its highest in Red and very littel blue ..

also .. on a summer day with clear sky the sun will provide sumthing like 10,000 Lumens per sq ft. .. you do the mat .. and sure its not Lumens its Par a plants light is mesured in .. but we use Lumens and you can use it as a rull of thump .. as long as you get it in the right Kelvin ..

atlest 3000 Lumens per Sq. Ft. in Veg and +5 in flowering .. +10K is better if you want dense buds ..


why not make sumthing like this:



use a big PC/bathroom ventilation or two as outtake ventilations on top to replace air inside and keep temps undercontrole ..
and a small clip on fan inside for air circulation ..

Get your ventilation sorted out properly via exhaust fan and never look back, not only will it stabilize and lower your temps but will also provide your plant with FRESH air that contains the co2 that your plant needs. In my tiny secondary veg cab if I cover the small 5" fan that exhausts the air out the top my temps go from a stable 25c to well over 35c and will basically keep rising....just like an oven And that's with 2 fans blowing air around in the actual cabinet, sadly you just have to exhaust that heat

Goodluck with it all!

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So I was really not ready for a REAL indoor grow, but spent a little $$$ on what I ended up getting, and.. well IMO, seems to be going well!

First Pic shows the shelves. I have velcro around the "door" I made front sturdy foam board. Will have a better solution com flower. I bought 1x1 foot sliver stationary at hobby lobby and tapped them inside, 50 cents a square. Have the four 23q "Daylights" and (right now). I took many pics of my "fresh air/vent" system. I cut some of the back material from the shelves on the each side, one being the "intake" the other "out". Also have a small fan "directing" (bouncing air off the wall into the cut hole on the right) air in to the whole thing, then it comes out the left. I know, not perfect, but since my first post, the 4 lights with this setup and having the fan on med (not low) is keeping my temps right at 26C. I'm happy with this for now, and will see what comes about. It really is $$$ spent, since I kinda just threw all this together just to keep the plant going... and I'm having fun in the process!!! Even attempting LST on my first go...

Great Work! Sounds like your starting off exactly like I did, just kept spending (too much!) to keep the first plant alive! Watch out though, its so addictive you will be searching for a big space in shed in no time haha 26c will work well.

If this run is mostly about having some fun in your spare time, may aswell LST, Scrog, play with some bloom boosters etc so you can feel confident next grow and can use your knowledge to put a plan in place. It all sounds so complicated until you actually start doing it Haha I'm excited for you!