Wanna get it right the first time! A few ?s

I was thinkin about using ocean forest by fox farm and also a bottle of nutrients to mix with the water but my local nursery has dr. Earth organic products. What's comparable to ocean forest and big bloom?

My question is what will make my plants grow healthier? And what will make my plants have better buds?

Also, I have a balast with 2 40 watt fluorescent tubes that are 4ft. If I hook up like 4 to 6 cfl's at 50 watts a piece to each of their own bulb sockets attached to cords, would that be enough lighting for an entire grow seed to harvest?
Could I use the tubes throughout the grow for extra light or would that be the wrong light to give all the way through the entire grow?

And one last question...could I hook up All of those lights to one power strip?


I want to be able to have a couple bulbs hanging upside down from just the cords right next to the plants and move them throughout the day so that the sides of the plants get light as well as the tops. Is that ok to do?

Also, I have a balast with 2 40 watt fluorescent tubes that are 4ft. If I hook up like 4 to 6 cfl's at 50 watts a piece to each of their own bulb sockets attached to cords, would that be enough lighting for an entire grow seed to harvest?
Could I use the tubes throughout the grow for extra light or would that be the wrong light to give all the way through the entire grow?

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Are they 50 actual watts? What color temperature are they? Really just a couple of CFLs can grow a plant from seed to harvest, but the more light you have, the bigger the buds. You can use the tube all the way through, the more light the better, I would just keep the plants short because cfls do not penetrate that well. Or you could do some simple LST.

I want to be able to have a couple bulbs hanging upside down from just the cords right next to the plants and move them throughout the day so that the sides of the plants get light as well as the tops. Is that ok to do?

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Yup.

And one last question...could I hook up All of those lights to one power strip?

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Yea man, of course.

BIGfattyhooter said:

Also, I have a balast with 2 40 watt fluorescent tubes that are 4ft. If I hook up like 4 to 6 cfl's at 50 watts a piece to each of their own bulb sockets attached to cords
And one last question...could I hook up All of those lights to one power strip?

Click to expand...

So you are looking at about 380 watts which yes you can attach all to one power strip. Just to be safe look at the power strip rating. A good one for a computer usually has well over 1000 watt capability. But the cheap ones I do not trust at all. I have seen those melt with almost nothing plugged in to it.
On the other hand manufactures and most people will tell you to plug any ballast directly in to the wall.
Then remember that timers take up a big chunk of room on a power strip. If you have not bought a power strip yet I would suggest getting the tower of power from hydrofarms. It is a over sized power strip so you have no wasted outlets from timer Blockage.

I don't know if your local garden supply has it or not but I have had excellent results with "Just Right" soil!! Also I have 2 4ft double tubes combined with cfls and couldn't believe the turn out!!!! It was excellent!!! So use the 4 ft and whatever else you have just remember to keep in mind temperature. " more lights,more heat"!