Jackalope
Well-Known Member
I have a 250 watt CFL grow light. I'm thinking of doing a Auto grow with it. I know its not a lot of light. How will it work? Any input would be appreciated
PurpleGunRack
Well-Known Member
Re: 250 watt CFL.
What color temperature is it?
What color temperature is it?
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Jackalope
Well-Known Member
I got the 6500k I know I'm going to have to change to a flower bulb at some point for best results.
PurpleGunRack
Well-Known Member
Excactly, you could have used a 2700K all the way through, but if you have to go out and buy more light, don't go with CFL, a 250w HID is better
HayStack
Well-Known Member
It will probably work. I did my first indoor grow last year with CFL's. I used 6500k the whole grow and they came out great. I only got about 8 ounces from two plants, but I was happy. The only difference is that I had two lights. One was a 250 watt like yours and the other was a 300 watt. Had I grown only one plant, I'm sure it would have done just fine.
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Jackalope
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the input on this. Hard to grow a plant with so little light when I am used to 1000 HPS. Damn them 1000 watt lights pack on some rock hard buds. Seeing how this is just a for fun grow I might stay with 6500k light. I have had successful crops with both MH and HPS before the combo ballast and corrected bulbs were out. Back in the day you had to choose your poison. HPS or MH. So I know a veg bulb will bud plants and visa versa.
PurpleGunRack
Well-Known Member
I stand corrected
Thanks for that info 
However should you need to buy anything new you're better off getting the lower CCTs (~3000K) for full cycle and flowering.
HayStack
Well-Known Member
I stand corrected
However should you need to buy anything new you're better off getting the lower CCTs (~3000K) for full cycle and flowering.
After the two indoor grows I have done (One is still in the process of growing). I have learned that you can grow with just about any kind of light. Although I still think the good old sun is the best lighting of all. Heck, I even talked to my old girlfriend the other day. She lives in Hawaii now. She was growing and using nothing but those little CFL light bulbs you get at Home Depot. She told me the grow was going fine until someone broke into her shed and stole them. She's gonna start a new grow next week after she puts a good padlock on the door. But the bottom line is that light is light. As long as you have enough to keep your plants happy, they will grow. But I'm still interested in trying other lights that people here talk about like HPS and better LED's. I was looking at Black Dog LED's last night. They look amazing and the amount of light they put out is definitely something to look at. They are really expensive, but there must be a reason for it. The only reason I can think of is that they probably kick ass. Lol. Their Phytomax 2 200 watt unit actually pulls 210 watts. That's crazy for an LED as far as I know.
PurpleGunRack
Well-Known Member
Yeah, you're right on that, and good call to use what light you already have, if you only have small needs it'll be fine most of the time
Tell her to booby trap the shed door so the weed thieves get a bucket of wee in their faces when they open the door
The blackdog LED are not any better than the cheaper blurple brands, and the price is just down to marketing. How many watts a lamp draws just measures the input energy(joule per second), not the photon output.
I have only one recommandation for light, and that's DIY'ing a samsung/bridgelux linear light strip lamp, this is the only way to get maximum photons for the upfront cost and the most photons per watt used.
DIY LED light is the biggest thing to come around since we went from buying weed to growing our own, same deal - cutting out the middleman and baking the cookies ourselves
Tell her to booby trap the shed door so the weed thieves get a bucket of wee in their faces when they open the door
The blackdog LED are not any better than the cheaper blurple brands, and the price is just down to marketing. How many watts a lamp draws just measures the input energy(joule per second), not the photon output.
I have only one recommandation for light, and that's DIY'ing a samsung/bridgelux linear light strip lamp, this is the only way to get maximum photons for the upfront cost and the most photons per watt used.
DIY LED light is the biggest thing to come around since we went from buying weed to growing our own, same deal - cutting out the middleman and baking the cookies ourselves
Berulakide
Well-Known Member
Ok, pushing the strips in a cfl question thread? Come on...
You will be fine verging with cfls light. Yes led is better but costly also, so it depends on your budget. I have also used cfls with a home made hook or extedable grow room. Cfls have to be close, really close to get good light. I grew a quarter pound on one plant with cfls before and they were just the little 23watt jobbies with y splitters and home made reflectors. Most of the light comes off the side of the bulbs.
Definitely use 2700k for lower though.
You will be fine verging with cfls light. Yes led is better but costly also, so it depends on your budget. I have also used cfls with a home made hook or extedable grow room. Cfls have to be close, really close to get good light. I grew a quarter pound on one plant with cfls before and they were just the little 23watt jobbies with y splitters and home made reflectors. Most of the light comes off the side of the bulbs.
Definitely use 2700k for lower though.
PurpleGunRack
Well-Known Member
When people talk about getting Black Dog? Hell Yes!
But I'm certainly not pushing anything, I don't sell anything, I just help people getting more light for their money, I'm sorry if that's a problem for you, but I'm gonna keep it up so you just have to get used to it
Please read the posts in this thread in depth before bashing, I clearly advocate using the light you have in stead of buying something new.
I know you've been to other light threads, where I advise people to get HID if they want to match their grow room size with their budget.
Berulakide
Well-Known Member
Oh yea, I am not trying to be a weasel. I was being smart saying pushing, I should have put lol or jk I agree your strips are efficient and work well as I have seen others do the same. I was just answerring his question about cfls as I used them years ago also.
Like most any kind of lighting it will work and with all kinds are different efficiencies and lots of other vriables, but they all work, if there is enough present.
Like most any kind of lighting it will work and with all kinds are different efficiencies and lots of other vriables, but they all work, if there is enough present.
PurpleGunRack
Well-Known Member
I was trying to be smart too, I know you're one of the good guys
Not ''my'' strips yet, for now I'm stuck with these aaaaaaaaaaaaancient Quantum Boards
Berulakide
Well-Known Member
I haven't looked at the strips quite as much as the cobs, I don't know how much light output or anything but lights have changed a massive amount in the last 10 years it is crazy.
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Jackalope
Well-Known Member
This 250 watt CFL grow is only for fun and only experimental. It does not need to supply my needs. This makes it easier to run with what I got. At some point in time I will upgrade from my 1000 watt HPS I normally use. I don't see new lights being better. Mostly they are less expensive to run and they create less heat. LED is just one of the many options out now. With sky high start up cost for some of these lights its not something you want to do on a whim. Someone mentioned the new lights coming out. Some will stand the test of time most will not. Lots of new everything now that companies can create products made just for marijuana. Any new light system I am interested in cost upward of a $1000. Way to much to spend for something that can only do as well as what I am already running. If I was going to make a COB style light system I would probably go with a Phototron type box for total light penetration.
HayStack
Well-Known Member
Just go with what you got now if you are just experimenting. But I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
