Cool white and warm white!

[Hasnain]

Hi guys,

Thanks for reading this!

So I have made this structure with pvc pipes (picture added), and I'm gonna hang 4 bulbs from each corner, right above each pot.

I'm gonna be using autoflowering seeds, so I just wanna know, is it cool if I first use 4 cool white bulbs for the initial vegging period, and when I see the plant beginning to flower, I could change the bulbs to warm white??

Is it ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for me to use both types of light at the same time, or can I use one type, and then change to the other when the time is right??

I'll be really glad if someone could help me out with this!!

Thank you!!

Here's the photo :-

 

[Usheonoret]

Hi! I guess your preparing is right and you won't have problems with this. All the best.

 

[JimmyV]

Hasnain,

First off, GOOD looking stand you made! I've thought about making a stand out of pvc in the future. Now I've got your design to consider as well, so thanks for the picture! I take it you're going to be growing in soil? Not like that has anything to do with your lights but I was just wondering what you were going to do. As far as the lights go, what size bulbs will you be using! Will the lights have a hood on them? Are these going to be CFL lights or some other bulbs? Let me know the answers to these questions and then we can go from there. Have a good one, take care.

 

[PurpleGunRack]

Hi and welcome to 420!

Mixing the spectrum is best, maybe have 3 cold and 1 warm for veg and 3 warm and 1 cold for flower.
Autos usually start to show flowers after 2-3 weeks.

 

[Hasnain]

Hi Guys,

So what I'm planning on doing is using a set of warm and cool white cfls for each plant, and just use these throughout the grow.

So each plant will have 1 warm and 1 cool white CFL above it, both bulbs are 65Watts, so that's 130watts per plant, which is about 8500 collective lumens per plant, which I think is plenty... Right?

4 sets, 2 bulbs in each set = 34,000 lumens of light in total.. For growing 4 plants, in an 8 sq.ft area.... These numbers sound good?

I'll just make a simple hood so that none of the light goes above the grow area, don't think that will be an issue.

Additionally, I'll be using some reflective paper on the sides as well... And I've got natural light coming from my windows as well...

Let me know what you guys think,

Thank you so much! Cheers!

 

[Robert Celt]

Good morning Hasain

As PurpleGunRack suggested, mix your colors. 2:1 or 3:1 if you are able for better results.

The other thing to consider when using CFLs, is that they don't have great penetration. A 23w CFL has about 1600 lm at 12" from the bulb, but at 24" that drops to 400 lm and at 48" that becomes 100 lm, and that is in open air with no obstructions like plant leaves.

To get the most out of CFLs you want to keep a low flat canopy, or in your case with autos, have lights over and around your plants

 

[Hasnain]

Hi,

Yup I'm setting it up in a way that I can adjust the heights of the bulb, so I can bring them down as close as I can, and once the plants start gaining height, I'll be able to bring the lights up accordingly.

Thanks!