Small Closet Grow CFL & Fluorescent Lighting

[Beginator]

I am new to growing marijuana indoors, however I am quite familiar with plant propagation, care, disease control and prevention etc. I had the materials on hand that I needed to convert a small closet (4x6x5 WxLxH) into a grow space. I used two T12 4 bulb shop lights for side lighting ( 40 watt daylight bulbs) @160 watts each. One 250 watt self ballasted cfl with hood and two small hoods with 3 23 watt cfl's each. Total light draw in the room is around 700 watts. Air supply is provided by two pumps, one 70 liter per minute commercial pump (60 watt draw) and one 15 liter per minute pump (6 watt draw). These two pumps are plumbed together so each reservoir receives equal air. Each 3.5 gallon bucket has a 1.5 inch by 4 inch stone and a 6 inch hydrofarm net pot. I started these as small clones in the beginning of July, today being August 15th. The strains are White Widow x Ed Rosenthal Big Bud; 710 Cheese; and Barney's Farm Critical Kush. I use General Hydro nutes since I had them on hand when I started and kept it going ( I know Miracle Grow bought them out so I will probably not continue on my next grow since I'm not a big supporter) I also use Strata S.O.S (Super Organic Stimulator) and Fox Farm's Bushdoctor Kangaroots root drench. I wish I would have started this post when I began. Any feedback is welcome. If it is negative please leave an informed reason (based on experience or education) so I may correct any issues before they become just that. Thank You. Just want to see if I'm headed in the right direction. (I will be changing to 600 watt HPS when I switch to flower for denser bud development btw).

 

[Beginator]

re: Small Closet Grow CFL & Fluorescent Lighting

More pics to come

 

[jimihendrix58]

Hey nice healthy looking plants.

1 thing I would suggest when you get the money is to get 2-3 Arcadia 54 Watt 12% Desert Reptile Bulbs, to add UVA/UVB, and scrap the daylight bulbs.

Its suggested minimum 100 watts for a 4 x 4 area, but also keep the bulbs 12-18 inches away.

These are Very Powerful and also should be off when working around them.

In general I have my UV bulbs on 20% of the time lights are on.

12/12 I have them on 9.5 hours. I veg on 24 and keep them on 19. 9am-4am

UV will greatly increase and change chemical profile.

They will also make you go blind if you don't watch out.

Hortilux also has the new PowerVeg + UV, but are not as powerful as the Arcadia, but you may also like these. Although the Arcadia are more powerful.

Hortilux also comes in different Kelvin.

I use the Full Spectrum. + UV.

I myself use the Hortilux, for Veg/Seedlings, and the Arcdia for flowering.

If I was to only have 1 it would be the Arcadia.

 

[arpowre3]

Re: Small Closet Grow CFL & Fluorescent Lighting

Setup looks great. Looks like you got it nailed!

Sent from my SM-N910V using 420

 

[jimihendrix58]

Something else you may look into for a HPS bulb would be the Hortilux LU600S. 88,000 lumens, and color corrected with Enhanced Blue.

It has a good bit of Blue light in it along with strong Red. Blue is Essential for most life function and for me, Ive never been happy with my grows that only use a Non Color Corrected HPS bulb, I used to use a combo of Halide/HPS decades ago.

Also for me, YMMV, if I was to use only 1 light source I would choose a Halide any day over Non Color Corrected HPS.

The Hortilux is a Plant Bulb, and from what I can tell is Very Similar to the Gavita as far as Spectrum is concerned, and is for sure as not as bright as the Gavita, but then again I can bring the Hortilux down a bit and semi make up for the less lumens, but admittedly with the Gavita a bit further away, heat is less at the canopy.

But for my meager needs the Gavitas give no advantage as I get 1000gs per light with the Hortilux.

I use the HPS Super bulbs in all applications. I also use the indirect light from the veg lighting for clones. Many feet away.

But your plants look good.

Update ??

 

[ChefKimbo]

jimihendrix58, priceless info about the Arcadia Reptile bulbs!! I've been looking at the PowerVeg bulbs for a month but I couldn't find any alternatives in this class. Awesome info, thanks.