How many lights do I need in my area?

"Sigh".....this grow isn't cutting it. Sweet, like Roseman said, 23's are a waste. I'd end up spending so much money trying to get the wattage I need. Plus, there'd be way too many wires hanging everywhere. That just sucks that neither HD or Lowes has the right base. Even with using 65,s, I would have to use more reflectors than I was hoping to. Oh well, if nothing else, I'll end up with some bud that's lacking. Next time around, I intend to do it the right way. (A few hundred personal acres of land works for me---wish I had it)
I've seen a few threads where people claim to have done a full successful grow with under 100 watts--------PFFT, yeah right.

how are 23's a waste? Ive seen people pull off 8-23watters and come out the same as a person with a 150hps/mh system.

Hmm, I won't call you a liar. I'm just accustomed to doing things the natural way. I guess you could say I got a little excited over Roseman's grow. BTW, no 23's for sale at my local WM. There were some 42's for a little less than $9. I hate myself for not buying more at Lowe's when they were on sale---6 23w for $5.48 (w/tax.) I went back the next day to get more and they'd been cleared out.
What I have now is 6 23w(2700), 2 26w daylight--3 "shoplights"--3 of which are 6,500k and 3 3000K, , a 68w(2700K), 2 42's(both 2700)
Being they are 14 to 18" tall now, I'm expecting them to double in size. I want to veg them some more---7 out of 7 girls.
That only makes a total of what?....580 watts? Peeking in at them is just NOWHERE as near a thrill as seeing them in natural sunlight. Everything is going along very SLOW....not to mention the foliage is just nowhere as near green. I just don't see how this will be enough.
I recently moved. My last place had HUGE windows and skylights. I only had to supplement additional light for 3 hours a day.
I feel I need AT LEAST an additional 600 watts---with more daylight added into the mix.
I still say nothing like mother nature---HPS included.

1000 watts of CFL would be insane.. I could go to Walmart tomorrow and get 40 packages of 4 23 watters. I think walmart knows they are being sold for growing, lol

ok. i hate to be a party pooper. but didnt you say your grow area was 2-3 feet tall. im pretty sure you cant do anything with that. sorry

HAHAHA at Walmart being in tune with the needs of the general public. I say some grower came in and saw those cheap cfl's at Lowes and wiped out of the numerous BOX's.
You think that much wattage is insane? Look at Roseman's.....and the end product doesn't exactly suck.
And Tommy, no....I never gave ANY measurements. I would just prefer to yield as much as possible. Never say never.....God gave me an awesome green thumb. I've cloned just about every plant from the smallest of twigs and made them gorgeous bush's.
40 packages??? That's $240......not to mention 3,680 watts.

Babs, I did my first grow VEGGING with two 85 watt CFLs, one of each spectrum, 2700k and 6500 k. when I started the BLOOM cycle, I added two 65 watt CFLs, both 2700 Kevins. I had three plants, they were monsters too, bushy ladies, and yielded about 9 ounces. I spen $179 on my initial kit, plus $68 for lights, $8 for two extra air stones and $12 on a aim pump. Plus a $10 fan. That is about $280 to get 9 ounces of dried manicured skunky sticky buds, that was the best pot I ever smoked.
I have added antoher tank over the years and about 8 more bulbs, two 105s, and some more 85s. Plus about 8 42s. Each grow gets cheaper. My last grow, I yielded 15 and half ounces and I spent $60 for nutrients.
SH has excellent customer support, plus there are a hundred growers on this thread that have used the system at our thread on SH-Bubbleponics that are willing to help you.

Thanks Roseman. That's my plan---add them as I go. After viewing a few threads, I'm really interested in hydroponics. It's good to hear that it IS feasable to get by with what I have. Trial and error I guess.
I'm not even going to tease myself by looking at that site yet--I just don't have the funds. I know that in the long run, I'll be better off for it. I simply refuse to buy smoke. Ack, wth is wrong with this generation??? 100 bucks and up for a 1/4!!! When I was in HS, we "shared the joy."
Regardless, there is so much joy in growing and I will EVENTUALLY go that route.
Speaking of nutrients, isn't there ANY place other than online where you can get something ideal for blooming? I began with the Schultz 10-15-10. I then switched over to Miracle-Gro bloom booster---15-30-15. But, I feel that may be a bit much nitrogen? I dunno.
I

oops....continuing--hit enter by accident. I was thinking about bone meal----just something with phosphate alone. I feel like the plants have already received enough of everything else by this time and I don't want to overload on the wrong nutrients. I visited the high dollar garden center in town...they didn't even have anything. I keep hearing about Foxfarm...what's so wonderful about that one? Do you know? <<Open to suggestions>>

there are BLOOM nutirents, with a 0 for Nitrogen, and a high number for Phosphoroous (mispelled) at Walmart.

Babs34, I suggest a $8.00 five gallon bucket, the lid is $2.00 more, a $12 airpump and a $4.00 airstone, three grow cups and some hydrton rocks and rockwool cubes.
You could be growing 3 plants hydroponically in a 5 gallon bucket.

There was a lady here, two years ago, named Princess something. I forgot.

She was one amazing lady grower. After two years, she went real pro, but her first grow or two, she did HYDRO, in a bucket, with a lid, and she used plastic cups for grow cups with slits cut in the sides with a razor. She used granite driveway gravel for hydroton, (it should of not worked) she used a kitchen sponge, cut up in two inch squares for her rockwool. She robbed her aquarium of a pump, tubes and airstones. She grew bag seed, sativa, and used 6 23 watt CFLS, and she did not know what spectrum or kelvin she used. She used all kinds of home made nutes, and she never had a pH meter or test strips, no ppm meter either. AND SHE HARVESTED BUDS! She posted pics too. Everytime someone told her YOU CAN NOT DO THAT, she got more determiend.
She eventually got some tanks, some real hydrton rocks and rockwool, and real nutes, but she amazed everyone with her polish engineering!

I would have loved to have seen that. You can sum that all up to just having a natural green thumb. I may be one of those in the future getting extremely technical with ph strips and the whole nine yards, but I just don't see it in the immediate future. Mind you, I don't talk to my plants and give them names. (OK, I do get a little goofy and talk to them sometimes) I do just have the touch. I always somehow just "know" what they need. I really don't think there is anything so technical about it. BUT, I may just try to take it to an "exact science." For now, I just enjoy viewing individual grows and reading their day to day diaries. SO many BEAUTIFUL plants---almost don't want to harvest some of them, LOL.
I'm not feeling incredibly hopeful for this lil crop this time around, but I WILL master it eventually. Right now, I am just looking for that perfect strain to do it with. I want a sativa----hate the "stoned stupid buzz." Ideally, I would like something that gives you a really "up" and sociable feeling----and has the ability to help pain. It's been way too long since I've gotten a hold of something like that. Many years ago, I had a friend who traveled a lot and introduced me to some awesome strains----some of those buds were just GORGEOUS--dry and ready to smoke. I didn't even entertain the idea of what they looked like before harvest then, but now....oh what I'd love to do. Since I can't have that dream greenhouse, I will look for just one or two for now. I was thinking I would try to get my hands on the PPP and WW. I'm really anxious to get my hands on something I smoked years ago--don't even know what it was. It had bright red and bright yellow hairs in it----it was the most beautiful bud I had ever seen.......and FUN as hell too. That stuff would have you just sitting at a table amongst a group of friends uncontrollably laughing!
And because I now have neighbors that are WHINERS---I WILL have to take the extreme route with all of the "technicalities."

23 or 26 watt CFL's with some Y-connectors are really all you need. Bulbs larger than this go up very quickly in price.

Wal-Mart has both veg and flower bulbs. The veg are GE Daylight and run about $7 a pair. The flower = Great Value brand in the green box, $7 for 4 of them.

If you can jam as many of these bulbs into your box, this is the cheapest way to go. And it works...

LOWES now has 65 watt (300 Equvilant) CFLS, warm white Spectrum, for $16.95.

I never prune or trim away any helathy leves, but I do snip off the tops and ends, I snip the new growth at 2, 3 and 4 weks of vEG, in HYDRO grow. It is different for soil.

......oh well

At walmart thay have a 42 watt CFL Light bulb( Equivalent 150) but it dont say if it is 2700k or 6500k. Can any one help me with this. ok in the attached thumbnail below is how i want do do my .but i need help with how many lights for each room. just dont know. this in my basement 6 x 6 x 6.5 for flowering 3.5 x 3.5 x 6.5 veg.

this is a good one thanks rosebud