New grower all help welcome and much appreciated

mean.green

mean.green

Well-Known Member
I have a 3x3x7 ft space. I use 825 true watts of CFL. I am a beginnner.
Is it effecient to use 825w of CFL? No
I'd be better off with a 600w HPS or a 400w LED; which is what I am deciding between for my next grow.

Can you use CFL's. Yes but for my 3x3x7 space it cost me $350 for lights. I should have done a $350 HPS/MH lamp with ballast for my first grow.

From what I have read online, In my 3x3= 9 sq ft space the most I could pull is a pound. I'd be lucky to get 12 oz.

If you are running a 4x1 ft space = 4sq ft you could pull 8 oz at the most. Most likely you will get 4 oz
 
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HydroRed

HydroRed

Well-Known Member
I think if anyone would have an honest reply about fluorescent light growing it'd be RM3.
I dont personally flower with CFL's or T5's, but have seen some of his garden shots under his T5's and they speak volumes.
I think it is unanimous in the fact that quality weed can be/is grown with CFL's & T5's but if you want weight (which seems to be your main goal here)
you will likely need to get yourself an HID light/ballast if you can manage the temps they will put off.
5 plants dont mean anything, but more in how you fill your light's footprint does. You can have 1 plant that is a monster under the same light that you have 5 small plants under. Both could yield the exact same weight in the end. Its how you utilize the light that you are working with. Some do it with fewer plants & longer veg times or more plants less veg time.....6 in one half dozen in the other sorta deal.
Here is most likely the cheapest digital switchable ballast you will find on the web:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/180860068054?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

If you are growing in a 4'x10" area, you may be better off just getting (2) 150W HPS outdoor lights from home depot or something for about $60 each. They are ready to use right out of the box, its within your budget, and you will be able to place them in a line to best utilize the odd space you want to grow in. I dont believe you will find more usable wattage ready to go out of the box for less.
http://www.e-conolight.com/150-watt-hps-floodlight-6-x-9.html?cid=datafeed-_-google-_-E-HC1H151Z&utm_source=datafeed&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google&utm_term=E-HC1H151Z&gclid=CKGWlNLpvswCFQ6naQode38OAg
 
RM3

RM3

Well-Known Member
HydroRed said:
I think if anyone would have an honest reply about fluorescent light growing it'd be RM3.
I dont personally flower with CFL's or T5's, but have seen some of his garden shots under his T5's and they speak volumes.
I think it is unanimous in the fact that quality weed can be/is grown with CFL's & T5's but if you want weight (which seems to be your main goal here)
you will likely need to get yourself an HID light/ballast if you can manage the temps they will put off.
5 plants dont mean anything, but more in how you fill your light's footprint does. You can have 1 plant that is a monster under the same light that you have 5 small plants under. Both could yield the exact same weight in the end. Its how you utilize the light that you are working with. Some do it with fewer plants & longer veg times or more plants less veg time.....6 in one half dozen in the other sorta deal.
Here is most likely the cheapest digital switchable ballast you will find on the web:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/180860068054?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

If you are growing in a 4'x10" area, you may be better off just getting (2) 150W HPS outdoor lights from home depot or something for about $60 each. They are ready to use right out of the box, its within your budget, and you will be able to place them in a line to best utilize the odd space you want to grow in. I dont believe you will find more usable wattage ready to go out of the box for less.
http://www.e-conolight.com/150-watt-hps-floodlight-6-x-9.html?cid=datafeed-_-google-_-E-HC1H151Z&utm_source=datafeed&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google&utm_term=E-HC1H151Z&gclid=CKGWlNLpvswCFQ6naQode38OAg
Click to expand...
you speak of my new garden 8)

but my old garden had 2 400 watt CMH's and I grew 7 foot trees here

https://www.rollitup.org/t/balls-to-the-wall-grow-riddleme-gets-serious.347914/

4 plants, 2 lbs 8)
 
HydroRed

HydroRed

Well-Known Member
RM3

RM3

Well-Known Member
HydroRed said:
2LB from 800W is proper!
I see you initially started with fluorescent many moons ago and after HID your back to T5's. Just curious, did you start back with the T5's as a power consumption/heat retreat or did you just want different results than that of the CMH?
Click to expand...
They quit makin CMH bulbs LOL

I did dabble with LED a bit before goin back to floros

I love my T5's 8)
 
T

TrusmokerKing420

Well-Known Member
HydroRed said:
I think if anyone would have an honest reply about fluorescent light growing it'd be RM3.
I dont personally flower with CFL's or T5's, but have seen some of his garden shots under his T5's and they speak volumes.
I think it is unanimous in the fact that quality weed can be/is grown with CFL's & T5's but if you want weight (which seems to be your main goal here)
you will likely need to get yourself an HID light/ballast if you can manage the temps they will put off.
5 plants dont mean anything, but more in how you fill your light's footprint does. You can have 1 plant that is a monster under the same light that you have 5 small plants under. Both could yield the exact same weight in the end. Its how you utilize the light that you are working with. Some do it with fewer plants & longer veg times or more plants less veg time.....6 in one half dozen in the other sorta deal.
Here is most likely the cheapest digital switchable ballast you will find on the web:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/180860068054?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

If you are growing in a 4'x10" area, you may be better off just getting (2) 150W HPS outdoor lights from home depot or something for about $60 each. They are ready to use right out of the box, its within your budget, and you will be able to place them in a line to best utilize the odd space you want to grow in. I dont believe you will find more usable wattage ready to go out of the box for less.
http://www.e-conolight.com/150-watt-hps-floodlight-6-x-9.html?cid=datafeed-_-google-_-E-HC1H151Z&utm_source=datafeed&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google&utm_term=E-HC1H151Z&gclid=CKGWlNLpvswCFQ6naQode38OAg
Click to expand...
How many ballast would i need im thinking of just going 400 watt
 
RM3

RM3

Well-Known Member
HydroRed said:
2LB from 800W is proper!
I see you initially started with fluorescent many moons ago and after HID your back to T5's. Just curious, did you start back with the T5's as a power consumption/heat retreat or did you just want different results than that of the CMH?
Click to expand...
Yeah new members here only know me as Rm3, but I was here as riddleme for several years, I became Rm3 because stoners hated typing out riddleme LOL
 
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