cfl flowering

[hiway]

I know these questions have probably been asked before but I just don't have time to go searching so I will ask .
I am veg growing with cfls and I will be starting to flower but I really donT want to buy an hps so I was wondering how much cfl lighting would I need to flower 4 plants in a 4'x6'x7'high area and what kind of cfl's

 

[Trunk5]

get some 4 foot t5's.. may be a little more expensive then the spiral bulbs, but they will put out more lumen.

 

[Roseman]

4 plants in 24 sq ft?
first get them closer together, make it 12 sq ft. like in a 3 X 4 space.

a decent rule of thumb is you need a rock bottom bare minimum of 3000 lumens per sq ft, and 5,000 per sq ft is best or optimal. 10,000 is duplicating a very hot sun in summer.

If you go with an average of 5,000 lumens per sq ft, ................a CFL will give ya about 60 to 70 lumens per watt. so 5000 times 12 sq ft = 60,000 lumens, and 60,000 divided by 70 = 850 watts. That is almost 12 65s, or 10 85 watt bulbs.

Now if you go with the minimum, 3000 lumens per sq ft, that is 36,000 lumens needed, divided by 70 watts = 515 watts. 12 of the 42s or 8 or 9 of the 65s, or 6 85 watt bulbs.

use more 2700 k than 6500 k, but divide them evening, with jsut a tat more 2700k bulbs than 6500k bulbs.

 

[hiway]

First thanks so much for getting back to me .I guess to do it right I am going to have to break down and buy the hps .buy the time i get and wire up enough sockets I will have spent enough time and money to have done it right using the 600 watt hps thanks again for the quick responce
Deep Water Culture are the best

 

[H6251686]

I was kinda of in the same boat as you are hiway. I have a closet going, But I didn't really want to play with heat problems with the HPS. So I built an 18"x18"x3' grow box and used 3 42 watt CFL's to veggie. They got a little to big in there, after 28 days I put them in the closet under a 400 for 12/12 for flowering. I am doing 4 plants.