I can't even get my seeds started

[TorturedSoul]

There are no single cfl lights that go up to 600w

Pretty much what I speculated in post #31.

from what i can see in your pic its chance to be a 300w or at max 340w

I figured it was somewhere around 200 watts, IIRC. I didn't know they made 300- and 340-watt CFLs. Seems like those relatively huge CFLs are inefficient due to the shape (part of the bulb would block the other part's direct light transmission, wouldn't it?). Several years ago, I had some larger-wattage CFLs. They were not as high-wattage as those, though. Still used "household-sized" medium sockets instead of the mogul ones that the largest CFL bulbs (and the vast majority of HID bulbs) use. It had a more open structure:

...but still appeared to be "self-blocking" to a degree. Therefore, buying - or making - some kind of decent reflector would appear to be very important. The bulb on the right is a standard 23- or 26-watt CFL, used for scale.

A 400-watt HPS blew four of these out of the water in terms of production (for about the same cost in electricity), and the grow room was cooler with the HPS, too, lol. Probably, since the gross wattage was comparable, because the HID's ballast was outside of the grow area, whereas the CFLs' ballasts were attached. I did try to separate them from the actual bulbs (which is technically possible to do with CFLs, but probably not worth the hassle when one can just go buy a HID instead of a bunch of CFLs), but had a "little" accident :icon_roll . Especially if the goal is heat-reduction in the grow room, since air-cooled reflectors are available for HIDs (I suppose they could also be used for the large CFLs, but, again, why bother?).

it will say on the bottom of the light the lip before the tubes come out.

It ought to state the information on the package as well. Ignore anything that states "equivalent," since this is in reference to the old-fashioned, traditional incandescent light bulbs, which have NO place in a grow room (cannabis or otherwise), anyway.

Into some black magic hydro soil

Er... Hydro(ponics) or soil, lol?

Regardless, I really dig it. Not the product (which I have never used), but the package:

It would make a nice t-shirt .

 

[HigherTheHigh]

That there is a 340w CFL, iv stopped using them and went to a 4 bulb t5 for an even canopy of light, with the other cfl it seemed that i could never get my plants to have an even veg height.

 

[Lauralation42]

Pretty much what I speculated in post #31.



I figured it was somewhere around 200 watts, IIRC. I didn't know they made 300- and 340-watt CFLs. Seems like those relatively huge CFLs are inefficient due to the shape (part of the bulb would block the other part's direct light transmission, wouldn't it?). Several years ago, I had some larger-wattage CFLs. They were not as high-wattage as those, though. Still used "household-sized" medium sockets instead of the mogul ones that the largest CFL bulbs (and the vast majority of HID bulbs) use. It had a more open structure:

...but still appeared to be "self-blocking" to a degree. Therefore, buying - or making - some kind of decent reflector would appear to be very important. The bulb on the right is a standard 23- or 26-watt CFL, used for scale.

A 400-watt HPS blew four of these out of the water in terms of production (for about the same cost in electricity), and the grow room was cooler with the HPS, too, lol. Probably, since the gross wattage was comparable, because the HID's ballast was outside of the grow area, whereas the CFLs' ballasts were attached. I did try to separate them from the actual bulbs (which is technically possible to do with CFLs, but probably not worth the hassle when one can just go buy a HID instead of a bunch of CFLs), but had a "little" accident :icon_roll . Especially if the goal is heat-reduction in the grow room, since air-cooled reflectors are available for HIDs (I suppose they could also be used for the large CFLs, but, again, why bother?).



It ought to state the information on the package as well. Ignore anything that states "equivalent," since this is in reference to the old-fashioned, traditional incandescent light bulbs, which have NO place in a grow room (cannabis or otherwise), anyway.



Er... Hydro(ponics) or soil, lol?

Regardless, I really dig it. Not the product (which I have never used), but the package:


It would make a nice t-shirt .

Lol sorry. I meant ideal for this particular thing. I always call it hydro. It caught my eye it was from a general garden store for about £9 it has a lot of nutes already included including bat poop etc etc. I will review it once completed. I'm not to fussed about the wattage on the bulb right now as it has done quite well up until this point for veg and will be changed for flower. Thanks for all the input guys much appreciated. I think the bag looks awesome. I've not managed to find much online about it so I thought I'll give it a whirl. . . .

 

[TorturedSoul]

I got some no-name (well... it has a name, obviously - I'd just never heard of it before ) "fortified" organic soil last year at the end of our local growing season for around $2/bag (including tax, IIRC). I was going to use it for cannabis, but then chickened out and used it for potted pepper and basil plants. It worked for that, although the plants went purple for about a month and a half :rolleyes3 . I gave one of each to Mom and she still has them. I may see about keeping them alive for another year+, but Mom keeps her house barely above 32°F in the Winter for the most part, and mine isn't much warmer except for the grow space. And I just can't see devoting grow space to an ornamental pepper and basil, regardless of how nice they look or taste. So... IDK? I may seriously cut both of them back, gently remove them from their pots, cut away a ~1" slab of soil from the sides and bottom of the root mass, and place them back into their original pots, filling the voids with fresh soil. If so, maybe I can figure something out.

Pepper plants make awesome bonsai "trees," because you can get the growth/look of a 40-year old tree in a year or two. Plus, some of them have nice-looking fruit. This particular ornamental's fruits turn red (only) when ripe, but I once had one that had fruit of several different colors. My "ornamental" peppers are fine to eat, they're just tiny and mostly seed, so it's not generally worth the effort (although they are a little hot and the flavor isn't bad).

Sorry, rambling. When trying a new brand of soil, sometimes you get decent soil, sometimes not. Mine... was worth what I paid for it, I suppose.

 

[Lauralation42]

I got some no-name (well... it has a name, obviously - I'd just never heard of it before ) "fortified" organic soil last year at the end of our local growing season for around $2/bag (including tax, IIRC). I was going to use it for cannabis, but then chickened out and used it for potted pepper and basil plants. It worked for that, although the plants went purple for about a month and a half :rolleyes3 . I gave one of each to Mom and she still has them. I may see about keeping them alive for another year+, but Mom keeps her house barely above 32°F in the Winter for the most part, and mine isn't much warmer except for the grow space. And I just can't see devoting grow space to an ornamental pepper and basil, regardless of how nice they look or taste. So... IDK? I may seriously cut both of them back, gently remove them from their pots, cut away a ~1" slab of soil from the sides and bottom of the root mass, and place them back into their original pots, filling the voids with fresh soil. If so, maybe I can figure something out.

Pepper plants make awesome bonsai "trees," because you can get the growth/look of a 40-year old tree in a year or two. Plus, some of them have nice-looking fruit. This particular ornamental's fruits turn red (only) when ripe, but I once had one that had fruit of several different colors. My "ornamental" peppers are fine to eat, they're just tiny and mostly seed, so it's not generally worth the effort (although they are a little hot and the flavor isn't bad).

Sorry, rambling. When trying a new brand of soil, sometimes you get decent soil, sometimes not. Mine... was worth what I paid for it, I suppose.

I guess you only know once you try. I have started using it now and didn't really experience any issues upon transplantation. I'm just concerned for the slight browning of the stem at the bottom. I guess it could be the stem becoming 'hardened' the light is 300 w I took it all apart while cleaning the tent up beginning of this week. Ah well.

 

[Lauralation42]

from repotting to today. Does anyone have any idea how long untill I can determine the sex of the plant. She broke ground on the 23rd of August so allmost 4 weeks ! Veggie is blowing up !!

 

[Lauralation42]

almost into week 5 white widow auto - black magic soil - vegitable elixir a few times a week. About 4 L a week no ph buffer no magical nutrients. 300W CFL 15 hours a day light.

Any pointers would be greatly accepted. First time grower . . . . . .