First CFL Grow Using 30 Watt CFLs

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

teSmp, no probs mate, pics are great the more help the better, the timing is something im going to have to think about and research a bit more, from what ive read and journals ive read growers have not had plants die cuz of to much light and it hasnt stunted growth, the only way of finding this out is doing 2 or 3 grows side by side using the different light times, i am gona try this when i take cuttings, i need to see what works best and what gives best results, i mean 24 light might produce more leaf growth but is this then going to lower yield, theirs to many what ifs to think about, im gona read some more journals first and possibly compare what i can, but with all the different types of lights and nutes its not gona be easy, im happy to let plants rest for few hours, im not in a huge rush only growing for myself, i chose 20 on and 4 off, i need to look into this more before i make any decisions, thanks guys for all your input, im gone see this journal through to the end so the more advice i get the better, thanks for input so far and keep it coming, the more help the better ill get,

 

[Mr Mud-Pie]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

Wow thanks 4 info everyone! Good start I liking the cfl

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

i checked my plants today and they seem to be growing good and strong, the one plant the dog ate the leaves off has not died as of yet, the stem has not withered or even started to its still nice and green and strong, not sure if its gona live or not, but with no leaves does it even have a fighting chance, it only had the seed leaves and the very start of the 1st real leaf,
the more help and advice i get the better so ask people to jump on board and give me some tips.

ive ordered more lights, im still sticking with cfl's im not going to change from them at all, im sticking with the 30 to 40 watt cfl's, these give out between 100 and 200 watt of real light but im not sure it really compares, also im thinking about this, what would happen if i had lights above the plants and to the sides of the plants and below shining up, would this increase growth at lower points in the plant or would it confuse the plant at all, its to early to make a difference now, but when it has plenty of leaf and stems would it cause any harm aving lights below the plant shining up through it, i know you can have lights above and to the sides of the plant and this is probably best using cfl. but what about below the plant shining up, im not saying a load of lights shining up just enough to penetrate the lower leaves and branches.

anyone got any ideas on this either good or bad.

n please please ask people to jump on board and give me as much advice as possible, im not an expert grower and only had 2 grows before this but not using cfl, but im sticking with them as en experiment to see if its worth continuing with this method or not, i need to get the most out of these plants to see how much these cfls are worth sticking with, so the more help and advice the better, such as low stress training, scrog, etc etc, like i say height is not a problem as its floor to ceiling and width and depth is roughly 2 to 3 ft square so should manage with 3 or 4 plants, as of now ive got 3 plants and a growing stick the dog left me, ill post some pictures shortly of last nights and todays growth so let me know if their growing as expected or not, no nutes added yet, the compost is some cheap stuff i picked up as i wasnt sure if i was wasting my time buying it to use with cfls, plants seem heathy enough in it though, it dont say its got added nutes, all its says is its made with john innes goodness, ill check on spelling and correct when i can, just gota take the murdering mutt for a walk, might shit the leaves out, n leave me to pick it up, but compost does not say its got added nutes, it has small white bits in it that could be perlite though, looks like small white pebbles that are rough and break down if you rub them between your fingers, the plants are all healthy and seem to be growing really well under the few cfls ive got, pictures will follow shortly after the dog has done his business outside instead of inside, please get people to read my journal and give me any advice

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

thanks, yep thats as i thought with the cfls, i was thinking that 30 watt was only giving out a similar light as a 100 watt bulb, so i was only using that as a sort of guide, im going to get a couple more bulbs and see what happens, plants seem ok at minute, i was thinking of lst them but if i only get 1 fem ill scrog it, im thinking bout avin a strip of lights above the plants then some hanging down around the plants just to ensure i got enough penetration to lower branches, i can only see what happens, this is my very first grow using cfl lights so im in it till the end with these lights, im just trying to see what results i get from cfl's, thanks for your info though

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

hi all, just checking my plants now and trying to rig up better lighting using the cfl's to try and direct the light better, im also building my own reflectors for the lights as i build the new set up, please give me your views on the best route i can take and best grow method, im open to all suggestions, this is an experiment using only basic cfl's for this 1st grow, with any cutting i take im going to set up 3 rooms side by side with 1 plant in each and try the following method with the lights, 24-0, 18-6, and the gas lantern routine, and i can then see myself which i think is best for the plants and best for me to use, at the moment mine are under 20-4 at the moment, i do think plants need to rest and convert what they have taken into the routes to produce better route structure, i have had several arguments about this and whats best, it seems that its only the growers preference and it makes no or very little difference to the plants so my next grow is going to be documented properly and all plants will be grown the same and everything will be measured so all plants are getting exactly the same nutes and water etc etc, i need to do a controled experiment with these different lighting routines, i hope some of you will jump aboard when i start and contribute as much as you can, this grow im doing now is mine but i want as much feed back as i can get even what im doing wrong, the more advice i get from you guys the better my plants will become,

420 all the way peeps

 

[Vampire]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

125w blue cfl for vegging 200wcfl red for flowering. , Long as you mention you have arguments about input best for you to read the forums and decide for yourself what you wanna do with your grow. Everybody grows different with equal success. Rastafari mang

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

yep ive noticed, theirs that many different ways all giving good results, if i have a fem plant among these im going to take clones and set up 3 grows, one using 24-0 and one using 18-6 and one using glr, i think this is the only way im going to see for myself whats best, theirs loads of vids and pics of the results but none of these are with the plant side by side and all are different strains and lights so i think their needs to be a sort of base test where everything is kept the same as it can be and the light schedule being the only difference, im writing down as much as i can about each grow method and the best way of getting the most out of each method then once ive got some clones from mine im going to give it a try and see the results for myself, as of yet ive not come across any pictures or vids of these results side by side with everything kept the same except for the lighting schedule, if anyone knows of any vids or pics making the comparrison then give me a shout and ill have a look, thanks for all the input so far,

@Vampire, so as of now im using the higher kelvin to veg and less lower kelvin for extra light spectrum this will be reveresed when i go to flower, ie more of the lower kelvin and less of the higher blue or daylight bulbs, but the bulbs your using are you saying that the 125 watt bulb is the actual power it uses so that should be in theory compared to a 300 watt incandecent, i know you cant compare, but on my bulbs ive got a few 30 watt bulbs that say they give out between a 100 and 150 watt incandecent light, from what ive learnt i dont use the later wattage i go by the actual wattage so the bulbs im using are 30 watt, so is that what your saying as well, do these 125 wat and 200 watt cfl's need a special fitting or holder or do they go into a normal light fitting, and if i remember are these bigger bulbs the real fat cfls that are quite big with loads of tubes coming of them, i think ive seen some in other grows, is that the lights your going on about, if so i might need to order them off net or keep with the lower watt and just get more of them,

thanks a lot

 

[Aaron Quix]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

Hey Paul, I didn't really have time to go through your whole journal yet, but I've seen you around the other threads doing your homework! First off, I'd like to give you some reps for doing your research, being ploite while doing so, and doing your best to make the most of what you have.
Here's my advice as far as growing goes...Be patient, don't "over love" your plants, and just watch how they behave. You will improve with each grow, it's inevitable.

My first grow journal here was with all CFLs, in a small space. Feel free to have a look if you wish, its the first journal at the bottom of my signature. Speaking of which, it would help you to add a link to your signature, as people will be able to read a post of yours, and then quickly go to your journal without having to search for it. Our good friend XLR8 was kind enought to throw up a link to your journal in one of his reply posts to you, over on his thread. +Reps to him for that

Here are a couple pics of what can be done with CFLs, when money is scarse....
From my second grow, first 420 journal....

These plants (2 of them stuffed into a 2x2 footprint) were left to grow naturally, with no topping, LST, FIMing or anything. Now, I am in no way saying you should do that, I'm just trying to showcase that the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) method, WILL get you your meds. It's also the easiest way to start learning.

Take your time, and don't stress too much about the plants, or they will stress too, and your end result will suffer.
Also, if you do happen to get a male, do not kill him...Try to seperate him, and collect the pollen. It sounds to me like you may benefit from creating some seed stock for yourself, so as to keep you from having to buy more seeds.

Hope this helps, Good luck to you

 

[Aaron Quix]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

^^Sorry, I forgot there were a couple floro tubes in there, but believe me, they weren't of much help. They were T-12s, not really ideal for growing, cheap though!

 

[Xlr8]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls



Almost forgot to sub -- thanks so much Quix for offering your advice and experience to PDP and for the reps.

Can't wait to see how it goes for you, Paul! +rep for a good start and like Quix said so well -- doing your research and asking around.

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

after see in your pics their is no way people can say cfl's dont work or grow well, some of them plants look better than some other journals ive read using proper lights, so that gives me a bit of relief knowing i might just be able to get results like that, XLR8 has been top, has has give me much advice and guidance, thanks quixilir for your advice, it all helps and the more the better, i cant believe the results you got using cfl's other growers on this site should take a good look at your pics, most will be amazed that those buds are a lot better and bigger than theirs, so thanks for showing me it is possible,

in my room now i just changed it around today. i used a frame and mounted light fitting to it, so in the middle now i have got 4 lights shining down, im just waiting for those y connectors to come then i can double up on the lights, i was thinking about having sum 2700 kelv thrown in for the extra light spectrum or is it totally not needed, anyway this will mean ill have 8 30 watt or slightly more above the plants, tomorrow im making reflectors to go over the side of the cage ive made, also i was then going to hang lights down the sides of all the plants once they get big enough, and im tempted to place lights below the plants so it shines up through the middle and bottom of the plant i was going to do this during the flower stage, im just taking sum pics of what the plants look like now so will upload those shortly,

big thanks for all your advice

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

quixilvir, im gona read through that journal looks like amazing results, reps to you both for your input

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

those are the latest pics, sorry bout quality im using my fone to take pictures with cuz i cant find my card reader for my camera, going to have a good look for it tomorrow,

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

why didnt my pics come out, ill try one more

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

here is a direct link to my photos, not sure why it wont post them here when it let me a couple of days ago, maybe im doing something wrong, you should be able to see them on the link below

- 420 Magazine Photo Gallery

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

so as i cant seem to get the pics on my profile, my plants all look healthy, the only concern i have is with the nl x bb fem as it seems to be not growing much its broke the soil but hasnt got much height to it, its leaves as growing small as well, formed properly but small, maybe thats the fem side of it, the bb and special k are growing well, stopped stretching now lights have been lowered, missed my delievery yesterday of 2 new lights so gota pick them up from sorting office so will be fitting those tomorrow morning, cant wait, n if i can get results as half as good as the ones ive just head the pleasure of c in under my journal, ill be chuffed

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

any ideas on home made odour control and what works best, i get a vent to vent it out to but chances are the vent is linked to all the flats in my block so need to disperse the smell through vent the best i can with little or no odour

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

i hope these pics come out now,

 

[donpaul.p]

Re: first cfl grow using 30watt cfls

picture 1, special kush, 2 or 3 days old, ill check when i make my next post,

picture 2, northern light cross big bud femenised, this plant seems to be growing a lot smaller than the others, leaves are closer to the ground and the leaves seem a lot smaller, maybe this is the cross breeding causing this, maybe its meant to be like this, maybe the ones growing quicker are male and females grow slower, only time will tell.

picture 3, these are 2 12volt fans currently running off 10volts, they give off enough breeze to shake the plants to strengthen the stems up, i think a bigger fan would be over kill and kill the plants.

picture 4, is my aerogrow system with one bulb in it, thats the black hood off the top of the aerogrow, i will be taking this out when i get more bulbs and will probably use this to veg clones while i flower the others off, i think the aerogrow is a tad to small to use to flower as well, the hood raises up but from the base to the light you only get about a ft and a half in overall height, ive never used the aerogrow it was given to me, it has the base with it that you put the seeds or cuttings into but dont know how to use it or anything like that, the other bulbs you see are 2 x 6700 30 watt cfls and 1 x 20watt 2700 for extra light spectrum, these lights will be added to as soon as i pick my new bulbs up, not sure if im gaining anything by mixing the lights but as the sun gives out both spectrums through the plants whole cycle then surely its got to do it more good than harm, or if im wasting my time and would be better sticking to 6700 only and then use only 2700 for flower then give me a shout back.

picture 5, all three plants

picture 6, special kush close up, sorry about poor picture i cant find the lead for my camera so using a phone to take pics with till i find the lead

picture 7, close up of big bud

picture 8, now this is the vent in the top of the cupboard, now this cupboard has a small tube like heater in the back and as i live in a flat it must of been a drying cupboard of some kind as it had wooden poles running from left to right at 2 different heights, now when i covered this vent up i had a look inside with a torch and could see electrical wires running inside the wall, now all the flats must have this vent in the cupboard so i covered it up just in case when the plants start stinking they might stink other flats out, so im thinking carbon filter to exract air through that vent, or could i build a sort of screen and fill it with pot pouri or smelly stuff like that then vent through that,

picture 9, taken from above looking down, if you look either side on the wall you will see where the wooden poles slotted in, and if you look harder at the back of the room you will see the small grey tube that used to be a heater, ive never used it and not sure if it works, but think it would be way to hot if i used it as it dont have a thermostat to control heat it just switches on and off,

so i got my pictures up and explained as much as i could, if you have any questions or advice then please give me a shout back