First time indoor CFL grow need advice

CFL or led or hps for first indoor cabinet closet grow

  • Total voters
    6
  • Poll closed .
Rman18

Rman18

Active Member
Hey all! As the title pretty much explains everything. I have just ordered 12 auto flower seeds from uk seed bank. I ordered auto's due to the fast process. For my first time I feel as a smaller and faster growing plant will be better for my first time grow. So no Critism on the type I will be growing.

Lighting: the next step is the lighting. I have done a lot of research so far on which type of lighting but everybody seems to have their own opinion on what's best. Between led, hps, CFL. I would like some advice on what would be the best to use for my situation. I am leaning towards CFL.

I have a custom cabinet I have made out of our old kitchen cabinet set. That will be placed in the closet of my room. I have ordered some of the basics already. Such as, Mylar reflective film to help the plants get maximum light from the source. Also PH tester and thermometer.
My main concern on this grow is the lighting. I have seen so much on getting 4 or 5 cheap 20-40 watt CFL bulbs and placing them around. And I have also seen people with just one 400-600 watt light fixture hanging above. Also what spectrum I've heard 6-6500k for veg and bring it down to 4K for flowering
I would like some advice on which type of lighting I should start with and would be best with my situation. Thanks guys!!!!
 
TommyDuhCat

TommyDuhCat

Well-Known Member
What are the dimensions of the cabinet? How will you be cooling it? The gold standard is HPS, but if your cabinet isn't big enough it'll burn your plants and if you don't have good ventilation your cabinet will overheat.

LED has a lot of variables, there are so many options. There are great LED options, but there are a lot of bad options too. I don't have any experience with LED, so that's about all I can say.

CFL can be ok if you use enough of them. They're the wallet friendly solution for small operations. 23w bulbs seem to be the best (im only talking in terms of smaller residential size bulbs). They run at cooler temps than larger bulbs like the 40w. You can use the smaller bulbs to set up more even coverage. The downside is you need white a few to get a good amount of lumens into the plant. Seem a few people use the big ones with a reflector, not sure I would though.

2700k-3000k for flower, 6500k for veg is generally accepted as pretty good.
 
Rman18

Rman18

Active Member
Cabinet is almost finished. But it is going to be about 6-8ft high depending on how big I decide to go. It's going to be long/wide enough for 4-5 plants. As for cooling system. I am going to make a cut out on the bottom as an intake for fresh air coming in. I will put a fan on the inside of the cabinet over the hole so the fresh air gets dragged inside. Then on the top I was going to have a cutout. With a fan on the outside for exhaust to bring that air out. So constantly the air getting moved around. Do you think that is a good idea as for the air filtration? What would you recommend for my grow. I do worry about the temperature. What would be the best way to maintain a steady temperature? Thank you so much for the advice already. Looking forward to what else you have to say and anyone else giving me advice. I am very excited for my first legit grow
 
TommyDuhCat

TommyDuhCat

Well-Known Member
You should do some forum searching and browse the grow room setups. There is already a lot of information around on all of this.

Most people use a carbon filter on an in line duct fan for their exhaust, and have passive intakes. Circulation fans are important for air movement, temperature stabilization, and cooling lighting fixtures.
 
TommyDuhCat

TommyDuhCat

Well-Known Member
As for it being large enough for 4 or 5 plants, that's a pretty vague statement. An indoor flowering plant can take up less than a square foot and be 1-2 feet tall, or it could take 30 square feet and be 6 feet tall. So you'll want to decide on a physical height/length/depth for your box and go from there to choose lighting and air flow.
 
Rman18

Rman18

Active Member
TommyDuhCat said:
As for it being large enough for 4 or 5 plants, that's a pretty vague statement. An indoor flowering plant can take up less than a square foot and be 1-2 feet tall, or it could take 30 square feet and be 6 feet tall. So you'll want to decide on a physical height/length/depth for your box and go from there to choose lighting and air flow.
Click to expand...
Is there such thing as too much light? I think one 600watt hps fixture will be plenty. And maybe 2 drop downs on each side.
 
TommyDuhCat

TommyDuhCat

Well-Known Member
I could see cases where there are too much light, mostly because it would be inefficient to add light after a certain point. A 600w hps will support a 6'x6' space quite well. They are also the most efficient hps.
 
Rman18

Rman18

Active Member
TommyDuhCat said:
I could see cases where there are too much light, mostly because it would be inefficient to add light after a certain point. A 600w hps will support a 6'x6' space quite well. They are also the most efficient hps.
Click to expand...
Is there any specific ones you can recommend? A link to one would be great! ☺
 
felipesgonzaleza

felipesgonzaleza

Member
Rman18 said:
Hey all! As the title pretty much explains everything. I have just ordered 12 auto flower seeds from uk seed bank. I ordered auto's due to the fast process. For my first time I feel as a smaller and faster growing plant will be better for my first time grow. So no Critism on the type I will be growing.

Lighting: the next step is the lighting. I have done a lot of research so far on which type of lighting but everybody seems to have their own opinion on what's best. Between led, hps, CFL. I would like some advice on what would be the best to use for my situation. I am leaning towards CFL.

I have a custom cabinet I have made out of our old kitchen cabinet set. That will be placed in the closet of my room. I have ordered some of the basics already. Such as, Mylar reflective film to help the plants get maximum light from the source. Also PH tester and thermometer.
My main concern on this grow is the lighting. I have seen so much on getting 4 or 5 cheap 20-40 watt CFL bulbs and placing them around. And I have also seen people with just one 400-600 watt light fixture hanging above. Also what spectrum I've heard 6-6500k for veg and bring it down to 4K for flowering
I would like some advice on which type of lighting I should start with and would be best with my situation. Thanks guys!!!!
Click to expand...
Nicely thought! try getting many low wattage CFL lightbulbs instead of fewer high wattage cause it's more efficient that way, you don't need to get all of them at veg, you can purchase them as your plants grow, and have them all at flowering. On LED IDK very much, just that they're better because of the color absortion and more expensive atm, I hope they get cheaper as time goes by.
I turn on exhaust and inline for 15 minutes per hour, so long odor and temperature are being controlled.
 
kmog33

kmog33

Well-Known Member
TommyDuhCat said:
I could see cases where there are too much light, mostly because it would be inefficient to add light after a certain point. A 600w hps will support a 6'x6' space quite well. They are also the most efficient hps.
Click to expand...
A 600 in a 6x6 might work in veg but for flower really 3.5x3.5. 4x4 if you have a tent or good reflective surfaces. A 1000 watter will cover a 5x5 a 6x6 would be hard to get your corners with any hid.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
TommyDuhCat

TommyDuhCat

Well-Known Member
kmog33 said:
A 600 in a 6x6 might work in veg but for flower really 3.5x3.5. 4x4 if you have a tent or good reflective surfaces. A 1000 watter will cover a 5x5 a 6x6 would be hard to get your corners with any hid.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I'll take your word for it. I have just been told a 600w would be good for 6x6. I'm planning 2 flower rooms with a 600w in each. Thanks for the data. ;)
 
DANfour20

DANfour20

Well-Known Member
I bought a 200 actual watt cfl, but I wish I'd bought a hps, if you have means to control your temps and a space big enough for more then 1 plant then get the hps man. My 200 cfl is OK for me in my tiny 1 plant space.
 
Tim Fox

Tim Fox

Well-Known Member
Rman18 said:
Is there such thing as too much light? I think one 600watt hps fixture will be plenty. And maybe 2 drop downs on each side.
Click to expand...
yes you can have too much light,, refer to this chart ,, its almost impossible to reach the higher ppfd's with cfls,,,, easy to do with cobs

edit,,, notice anything over 700 ppfd you get diminishing returns
 

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