Which CFL is right for me?

greenearth5

Well-Known Member
I am looking to get some new CFLs. I know that i should get the 6500k for my veg. But how many and which actual wattage should I go with? What do i get to plug them into?

If i need allot of wattage then i would prefer to get the bigger cfls... I have a 75$ budget to work with. I would also like to be able to hang some cfls between the plants... I am working with 2 young (2-3 week) blueberry plants.

Here are the websites that im checking out.........

http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/accessory/lights.shtml

http://www.1000bulbs.com/2-to-200-Watt-Compact-Fluorescent-Screw-In-Light-Bulbs/

http://www.buylighting.com/Non-Dimmable-Compact-Fluorescent-s/75.htm


Thanks alll
 

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satch

Well-Known Member
Buy lots of the regular lowest wattage CFL's they have and lots of Y-adapters and you should be set. Just go to Lowes/Home Depot instead of ordering junk and waiting forever for it to come. You can buy a 10 pack of bulbs for $13, light fixture for $2 without cord, and you can pick up a 6 ft extension cord for 97 cents to use as power cable for your fixtures. That's just about 4 bucks per actual fixture and you can add a Y adapter to each doubling your powa.
 

xxgmrxx

Well-Known Member
yeah lowes or hd and look for a big MULTI-PACK of at least (23w actual=100w equivalent)
then some splitters,dont worry so much about getting both 65k and 27k i'd just get 27k.
if you try to get both youll get half of the lights you can get by getting a 8pack. for your size try to get the 3 light bathroom vanity and like satch said get some y adaptors.

realize tho $75 is not a lot of money and that will go quick. buy some cfls to hold you over but realize your money is tight. for flowering you might want a 42w actual or two but that should be plenty for a plant or two
 

greenearth5

Well-Known Member
i have a 75 dollar budge to tie me over in the veg cycle... once im ready to flower I will for sure have a lot more dough to work with... alls i need is something to tie me over for a few more weeks.. but i gotta get more lights asap

I got two 23watt actuals in there already.. and they are on a y adapter... but im not sure what else to throw in there... a 105 watt actual or several small 23 watt actuals... I have some 23 watters here but they are all soft white which is the wrong bulb for veg growth.. thats why my shit is dieing

So i would like to just get something to tie me over for a few weeks and that doesnt cost much...
 

Mr. Pacific

Well-Known Member
I'd just pick up 4-6 6500k 27w and a couple more standard medium screw in bases.

You can get plastic sockets(that you will have to wire) for $1.39, ceramic for $1.59. V-splitters are $2.50 I think, and a 2-pack of 6500k 100w equiv was $8.97 last time I was in there. All that for around $40.
 

FeRiZaJLI

Well-Known Member
any cfl will work the more lights you have the better i'd say 2-3 cfls per plant and just remember 2700k=soft light used for flowering and 6500k=daylight used for vegg

the 2700k and 6500k are color temps just so you dont get confused like i did thats y im tellin you

if you have the money go for this
http://cgi.ebay.com/400-watt-SWITCHABLE-HPS-MH-GROW-LIGHT-SODIUM-HALIDE-w_W0QQitemZ400007434465QQcmdZViewItemQQptZHydroponics_Seed_Starting?hash=item400007434465&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1309|301:1|293:1|294:50

its a 400 watt SWITCHABLE HPS MH GROW LIGHT SODIUM HALIDE

used both for vegg and flower cant go bad
 

Kingb420

Well-Known Member
buy the 3 light bathroom vanity light at HD for $7(and its chrome!), 3 bulb spots use 3 splitters and you have a 6 light cfl set up thats durable and easy to install, i have one in both of my cabs, a PC powercord hooks it up, black to black, green to green and white to white....NOT HARD
 

greenearth5

Well-Known Member
awww yes.. HTG is the bomb yo... thats the same setup ill prob get in jan.
but this is what i might go with. I hear you can grow in veg with this HPS setup

http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=53025


any cfl will work the more lights you have the better i'd say 2-3 cfls per plant and just remember 2700k=soft light used for flowering and 6500k=daylight used for vegg

the 2700k and 6500k are color temps just so you dont get confused like i did thats y im tellin you

if you have the money go for this
http://cgi.ebay.com/400-watt-SWITCHABLE-HPS-MH-GROW-LIGHT-SODIUM-HALIDE-w_W0QQitemZ400007434465QQcmdZViewItemQQptZHydroponics_Seed_Starting?hash=item400007434465&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1309|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

its a 400 watt SWITCHABLE HPS MH GROW LIGHT SODIUM HALIDE

used both for vegg and flower cant go bad
 

xxgmrxx

Well-Known Member
maybe check the econolight website www.econolight.com under vaportights there is a 150w for $20!!
your plants arenot dying because your using the wrong spectrum of light, more likley due to not ENOUGH light, or possibly a soil problem what kind are you using/are there drain holes in the pots.
I use 4 26w 65k and 4 42w 27k for my flowering chamber so i actually have more red lumens than blue...
 

greenearth5

Well-Known Member
i like that 20$ HPS but I live in an apartment... so i dont want to be risking anybodies lifes here... Yah i know how simple it is to wire.. but Im gone all day and if something happend I wouldnt be avaiable to react to it... thanks thou bud

When i get my own crib Ill most Deffiently buy tons of those 20$ systems

EDIT: I just ordered the 3-pack of FoxFarm nutes from HTG. Once i get those then my plants will get there very first nute feeding... here is the soil I am using... I made some tea out of it 50/50 water/soil ... Ive fed with it 2 times.. yes there are plenty of very effective drain holes.. I think i might have over watered it from the begining ... SMTWTFS i watered them... every freakin day.. well i quit doing that a week ago and so i only water with the tea every 3 days or so
 

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xxgmrxx

Well-Known Member
ok now you got the nutes if i were you id try and replant thoses babies into bigger pots and bury them up to 1-1.5" from the leaves on the plants.
they are very stretched but they are not ruined.
once you repot them keep the lights no more than 2" or you'll just stretch them again
you need more lights ASAP at least two more of the same kind you already have. get lumens in there pronto
just as an example my plants at two weeks were as tall but about 6" WIDE short and bushy is how you want it

P.S. not trying to be a dick honestly just trying to help
 

greenearth5

Well-Known Member
ok now you got the nutes if i were you id try and replant thoses babies into bigger pots and bury them up to 1-1.5" from the leaves on the plants.
they are very stretched but they are not ruined.
once you repot them keep the lights no more than 2" or you'll just stretch them again
you need more lights ASAP at least two more of the same kind you already have. get lumens in there pronto
just as an example my plants at two weeks were as tall but about 6" WIDE short and bushy is how you want it

P.S. not trying to be a dick honestly just trying to help

I got nutes on the way, 1/2 gallon bags on the way, and a 150 hps on the way..... Alls i have is a bag of the old soil & it did have small mold on it.

I would like to go soilless within a month or so.. maybe keep one of these as a mother plant
 

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satch

Well-Known Member
stretched to the max, move the lights closer and it'll be all good. Keeping the lights super close will keep stretching to a minimum and give you fantastic node spacing.
 

Top 44

Well-Known Member
Dude, I just read "Marijuana Buds for Less: Grow 8 oz. of Bud for Less Than 100" by SeeMore Buds. You should check it out, it's all about growing with cfls.
 

xxgmrxx

Well-Known Member
RE POT YOUR PLANTS OR THE HPS WONT MATTER!!! they will still be stretched and it will lock their growth just consider it a restart
 

greenearth5

Well-Known Member
RE POT YOUR PLANTS OR THE HPS WONT MATTER!!! they will still be stretched and it will lock their growth just consider it a restart

i think your right about repoting them.. but what can i do? I got the same bag of dirt that i had when i originally planted these bad boys... and i would prefer to go hydro.... i got nutes on the way and hps on the way.. :wall:

im just not sure what i can do with what i have right now:wall::wall::wall:

are you saying that i should replant them in bigger containers? cause i have 1/2 gallon grow bags ordered
 

xxgmrxx

Well-Known Member
yes maybe wait for the grow bags..
Miracle Grow ORGANIC is a nice CHEAP soil. it has some nutes so you should have to give them any for a week or two
 
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