Indoor question to cfl growers...

[philipd]

Hello,

I have been interested in experimenting with a small cfl grow. I have always used hps lights and have a grow on the go but was interested in the reasons regular cfl growers choose the method and to other who have dabled their findings.

Thanks

 

[JM]

I think the primary driving reason for CFLs is budget.... with a secondary of still packing a pretty good punch... I've seen some pretty killer grows under CFLs only... I personally use a combo of 400 HPS and 3 125 w CFLS and find its a great spectrum blend also.

http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/guide3.shtml for more info

 

[CanadianBudz]

JM is right, its mostly do to budget and also availability, you also can arrange them in ways to give light to almost every part of a plant and not worry so much about burning them

 

[PhammyDavis]

I just ordered 984w worth of 23w cfls and 8 6 bulb bathroom fixtures and wiring 8 16/3 wiring cords for $210 shipped!!! 24 bulbs of 23w 2700k and 24 bulbs of 18w 6500k. I have 3x1000w hps but wanted these cfls because autos grow way more symmetrical under both spectrums. Maybe mh and hps might work but I wanted to try fluorescents because I have seen what they can do. Cfls on autos til around day 40 to build their "frame" then put them under hps to finish.

 

[CanadianBudz]

I just ordered 984w worth of 23w cfls and 8 6 bulb bathroom fixtures and wiring 8 16/3 wiring cords for $210 shipped!!! 24 bulbs of 23w 2700k and 24 bulbs of 18w 6500k. I have 3x1000w hps but wanted these cfls because autos grow way more symmetrical under both spectrums. Maybe mh and hps might work but I wanted to try fluorescents because I have seen what they can do. Cfls on autos til around day 40 to build their "frame" then put them under hps to finish.

Dang that's a lot of bulbs

 

[PhammyDavis]

Dang that's a lot of bulbs

Yup. Better than paying $3000 plus tax for a 1000w LED. I swear to the way the plants grow, to the way the leaves look, it looks almost identical to how plants grow under LEDs. And I've looked at a lot of LED threads on here. The leaves just look sooo much different. Dont know how to explain but they have this nice sharpness to them. Compared to how the babies veg and grow under hps, CFLs shit ALLLLLL over it. Not even a competition. But course Cfls are gonna put off a lot more heat (I hope not too much) than the LEDs but I'm in a 6.3x6.3x6.3 tent and I happen to have an extra 20lb co2 tank so I need to do is get another regulator and my heat problems should be solved by the co2. I basically plan to have 3 cycles going

Cycle 1: Days 1-20 - 120 Seedlings planted under t5s til they show sex
Cycle 2: Days 21-40 - 50-60 Females Transplanted into 1.6gal pot and moved into "CFL Heaven" box
Cycle 3: Days 41-65 - Choose 50 Best looking females moved from "CFL Heaven" into main 4x8 tent under 2x1000w HPS.
Extras: The extra females will be used prolly to make fem seeds =) Or for other experimentations :twist: Moohahahaha

This way I get a harvest every 25 days about

 

[p.l.u.r]

cfl's are brilliant for starting plants off, i used 2 125w cfl grow bulbs. they worked wonders upto day35-40, imo alot better than starting with hps/mh..! i think if i had the right strain(not a 3ft monster) i would have used them till the end, they just dont seem to penetrate as well as my hps. but with little short autos i imagine they will work fine right all the way through the grow.. also running costs are a bit better too, my 400w hps costs 7pence per hour, 250w of cfl cost 4pence.. some say that they are nowhere near as bright as hps, but if you put the right filter on a camera you will quite clearly see there is alot of light coming from the cfl that the human eye doesnt see..

cfls get a thumbs up from me.

 

[PhammyDavis]

cfl's are brilliant for starting plants off, i used 2 125w cfl grow bulbs. they worked wonders upto day35-40, imo alot better than starting with hps/mh..! i think if i had the right strain(not a 3ft monster) i would have used them till the end, they just dont seem to penetrate as well as my hps. but with little short autos i imagine they will work fine right all the way through the grow.. also running costs are a bit better too, my 400w hps costs 7pence per hour, 250w of cfl cost 4pence.. some say that they are nowhere near as bright as hps, but if you put the right filter on a camera you will quite clearly see there is alot of light coming from the cfl that the human eye doesnt see..

cfls get a thumbs up from me.

I think its important to have both spectrums. Thats the whole point to my cfl setup. If I just had all soft white or all daylight it wouldnt be the same. Hps definitly has better penetration, that why I bring them into the hps room at the end

 

[p.l.u.r]

definatly phammy!!

yeah i should have said really, i use a blue and red cfls 2700+6400.. i must say the blue really does do better than the red though, even in flowering. if i take a pic of both bulbs you can clearly see the blue gives off more light, but they are both 125w each..?

cfl + hps is a winning combo:thumbs:

 

[philipd]

Hey j.m how many plants u growing under that set up? I actualy like the sound of it mite help some heat issues iv been having!