FIRST CFL GROW~~any help??~~~

hey everyone, this is my first post on here and my first cfl grow....wondering if anyone had any inputs or comments to make this better and grow better. i made a plywood box 2'x2'x4'. i got one large computer fan for the intake and a smaller one of exhaust, i have 2 soft white aero grow bulbs (not sure of wattage) and 2 23 watt warm cfl and 1 9 watt soft white cfl. the tall plant is about 4 weeks old and the other little ones are about 1 1/2 weeks. any comments on how to improve my setup would be great! also, how can i make them "bushier"?. is the large one ready for flowering? and how long should i flower for? what nutes should i use during flowering? do i need the soft white cfl's in flowering or just warm ones?

thanks

i hope that isnt tin foil. that causes hot spots. get polyphelm or mylar for reflective material.
you can top or pinch them to make it busier. id top that big one if i were you.

if you really want to flower then id get a lot more warm CFLs.
white cfls = good for veg
warm cfls= alright for flower
HPS=amazing for flower
Metal Halide-amazing for veg.

the warmer the spectrum of light for flower, the better.
and of course....more lumens the better


the large one could be flowered, but do you think you are ready for flower, yourself? i think you should get a HPS before you do that.
you got a long ways to go.

too wet. u you only need one bulb that being a 23 what 6500 k about readdy ..

thats also a huge mess of wires you got there.
dont want a fire to start

ok thanks ill get that crap outta there, i was thinking on painting the inside white as suggested on another site? thanks heatless on the info on cfl's but as for hps i cant get one i gotta keep this box hidden, so i'd prefer to go cfl all the way. and i know it looks wired in there lol but most of the lines in there are to hold the lights in place (some are hanging) and i had a bunch of cord that was way to long so i bunched it up and zip tied it

Its looking good. I guess you just gather whats available around the house and make it happen, hehe, I was too. The Daylight bulbs (6400 K) CFL is good for vegging so get a few of those. Tin foil is not that much of a problem as you are using CFL, hot spots is not an issue, and they ARE very reflective, however they are conductive aslo and by the look of your wiring I think you should change them.

you need way more lights. your plant looks stretched.

Yo those pics are hectic to look at. Haha, na but you know there's a CFL Growing subsection under Indoor.

Checked out the Indoor section to read upon CFL's for seedlings before transplanting myself, and there was the CFL Forum! Pretty handy.

How many lights do you have? I'm thinking about three for one plant or two for a couple of months to clone and then transplant.

im getting some 42 watt cfls and y adaptors this friday also some mylar or something and fox farm soil, to add in my setup. right now i have 5 cfls in there, 2 42 watt soft white, 2 23 watt warm and 1 13 watt warm. im working on gettting some shit outta the box aswell (wires, timers, etc) but have to keep everything "hidden"....maby make a box ontop to hold the wires and timers but also keep them hidden? i bent the tall plant over and it already seems to be getting bushier on the sides---atleast some more growths happenin!. thanks for the info!

i heard that 12 cfls (from 23 watt to 42 watt) mixed of soft and warm lights would be good for 3-4 plants....is this accurate? my box is 2 ft x 2 ft x 4 ft...... how many lights you guys suggest?

thanks again

that many cfls will be good for ONE plant for bud.
itll be good enough for 4 or 5 in veg.
still living with the rents huh?
i dont think all the work trying to hide it is worth the time.
at all....
you should abide by your parents rules and just wait to grow when you move out

mikeward said:

any comments on how to improve my setup would be great!

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lights lights lights. You're plants want more.

also, how can i make them "bushier"?.

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besides lighting, you can cut the lead growing tip to cause it split in two. Each time you do that, the plant will replace the tip with at lease 2 branches, and the lower lateral branches will grow out

. is the large one ready for flowering?

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Not really unless you'll be satisified with popcorn buds.

and how long should i flower for?

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count on 8 weeks minimum.

what nutes should i use during flowering?

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theres tons of ferts available...check the boards see what people use and what works then make a decision. For mine I use Foxfarm. Usually cheaper to buy locally than online.

do i need the soft white cfl's in flowering or just warm ones?

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red tones are best for flower. Again, light is your plants friend. The big yellow ball in the sky is gone and you have to replace that. Think of how much light the sun gives versus your cfl's. you're plant is begging for light. Good luck

HeatlessBBQ said:

.
still living with the rents huh?
i dont think all the work trying to hide it is worth the time.
at all....
you should abide by your parents rules and just wait to grow when you move out

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parents dont care and know about it. but i have a bachelor so anyone that comes in can see everything.....its not something i want "out in the open" to anyone that walks in.

also re did my box setup today, removed all the tin foil crap and just painted the whole inside white, moved the lights closer (and planning on getting alot more!!!) and got almost all wires out and the timers. looks alot better and safer. thanks everyone for the help and welcome more input.....

thanks willmunny for the info!!!