CFL'S - Help me choose which ones

[wants_togrow]

ok tonight i bought one daylight 27 = 100 watts 1,300 lumens cfl


I also got a 6 pack of 60 w cfl, 900 lumens.


which is best to use? im only growing a few plants but I want to do it the best way possible. I wouldnt be sure how to surround 3-4 plants with 6 bulbs anyway.

any reply's are appeiciated.

 

[HHGreenHand]

Id rather tell you how to surround the plants with all the bulbs. Use them all and more if you can afford it. Bigger also, if you can afford it. I got a 42watt 3,300 Lumen CFL from home depot for $9.97. I used 5 in a dresser grow for flowering--- <a href="First Time Grow - CFLs">My first CFL grow</a> ----------- They made a diffrent in my grow as soon as i switched from the same 27 watt daylights. A SIGNIFICANT diffrence. Figure with the math, 6 60 watt CFLs with 900 lumens a piece (900 x 6=?), is rougly 5,400 lumens. 2 42 watt CFLs, using 2 sockets, with less heat, as opposed to 6, is 1,200 more lumens. Make a reflector out of anything you can manage. Mount the lights horizontally parallel inside the hood, with the hood angling straight down at your plants. Its better than just sticking lights around or above your plants. Have a method and hold to it. If youre missing something, im sure someone will point it out in your grow journal. Good luck!

 

[zolar]

you should be aware that there are differing colors of bulbs
tech term is color temperature day light ~= 5500- 6000
% K.
warm white 3000 K or so
cool white usually between 4500 - 5500

metal halide light is blue spectrum closer to daylight
high pressure sodium is red/yellow closer to autumn day light color temp

ther is a difference in how plants react to color temp bluer light usually gives shorter p[lants redder light works better in flowering a lot of folks doing CFLs mix bulb colors

if you shop online try [topbulb.com] they have higher wattage CFLs like 85 watt 6000 lumen? i think 12-20 bucks per both blue and red color temps 5 of them is about equal to a 400 watt metal halide with less heat but also less penetration but in a small cabinet they should work fine [ remember inverse square about light distance and intensity distance doubles then intensity is 1/4 what it was ...]

 

[wants_togrow]

i got the daylight cfl 9,000 lumens .,.. thats the biggest that i could find. im looking to add more lights to it, as soon as i can think of a way to surround the plant that is in my budget right now.

 

[dbahsee]

I jsut bought four 60w daylight cfl's item says solar light, and I currently have 4 seedlings that Im plannin on growin in a rubbermaid grow box i made. I just wasnt sure if I bought the right lights and how to actually use them and for how long , the seedlings i have are like a week and a half old and they are just at an inch in height.
I am wondering how long would i go with these lights and what type would i switch to after a certain point ?

 

[grovsey]

hi guys sorry I'm new to all this I'm at start of. week2 now on veg and looking to add some cfls to the flower part what colour shoudl I get and and I best running as many lights as possible?

 

[Teddy Edwards]

Hi grovsey

This is a 7 year old thread, so you may not get an answer. You're best off posting your query in FAQs or in Grow Lighting.

Good luck.