HOW do these cfls work HELP!

SmokeNowSmokeLata

Active Member
Ok i got my seed in and need some help with useing cfls? so i found 42watt for both 6500k and 2700k. Do i start with only 6500k for veg then swap out with 2700k for flower? :-?
 

mysticcobe

Active Member
use the 6500k for veg but u should use a hps for flower not cfl's....buds will be skimmpy if u use cfl's........
 

SmokeNowSmokeLata

Active Member
problem is its a close area not able to cut holes to add or take out air so i dont want to have a high temp... kinda my only source i am doing autos and i heard they grow in even the poorest of light but yeah hps do make bigger buds
 

deviantboi

Active Member
You can use CFL's for flowering but like said previously it will produce a smaller yield. I would consider in investing in the hps and creating ventilation, trust me the difference is completely worth it.
 

xxplosive42o

Active Member
If you cannot afford a HPS HID system, then I'd suggest using CFL's for side/supplemental lighting and running a T-5 Flurorescent system on top with like a 4 bulb set-up. I use to run that back in the day when I was a budget grower. Hope that helps!
 

SmokeNowSmokeLata

Active Member
its not really a budget its space and tryint to control temp i dont want it to get to hot in there for the ladies.. i found a 150watt hid hps kit for a 2x2 area the same as mine but what about vegi i asked and he said for my metal halid i would need some sort or adapter. what if i use 6500k cfls for my vegi and switch to the 150watt hps for flower?
 

xxplosive42o

Active Member
I see, well it is possible to grow with CFL's very successfully, but in flower the need for higher power lighting in almost required if you desire big buds! So your plan should be fine! Just make sure you can cool the HID light unit and do not place it too close to the ladies.


PS. Make sure you have enough of those CFL's to provide ample light! You will need multiple bulbs per plant if you want it to get the correct amount of supplemental light.
 

SmokeNowSmokeLata

Active Member
xxplosive i am just doing this for my personal fruit bowl if you get me ;) an plan on doing 2 my first time do you think 4 cfls each plant is enough?
 

tSunami13

Active Member
Starting the plants will be fine under the two lights. Keep the heat away so they don't dry out. You'll need more light to flower. whether it is cfl's or hps. Both lights have positives and negatives. you just have to be able to deal with the effects, heat, distance, and so on. CFL's are easy to sidelight or even surround a plant with. The heat of a hid limits it to more traditional top lighting. Hid's penetrate the foliage better. Bottom line if I remember correctly you need something like 6000 lumens to flower for a minimum. HID's make it easy and surpass that with ease. CFL's well it take's a few but is easily possible.
 
Top