I need your help with this lighting!

[snorlax1175]

Okay so im torn between either going to 2 t5s 6500k 75 watts for my 2 plants or going to 2 150watt 6500k cfls for my 2 plants?? which is better and also what should i use for the flowering stage!? they are currently under 2 60 watt cfls and they dont seem to be growing that fast.

 

[luckiestman13]

Save your money and get a 400w HPS.


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[dick23rk]

Hey snorlax and welcome to 420 Mag!

If you are already running cfl's with your plants your could always go with the 2 x 150w cfl bulbs to add in. This will certainly be a good upgrade along side the current 60w bulbs, especially if you can find or make a reflector for them. This may not make your plants grow faster though, there are tons of different variables that can make a plant grow slower than normal. If you could provide some more information about the plants (how old they are, strain, nutes?) grow style, medium and your grow space it would really help us understand and give you a better answer. Pictures are always a great help as well so we can really see what the plants look like.

 

[formerly]

Use as much light as you can afford. The T5s and the cfls if you can.
Don't be shy about mick the lower kelvin lights in the mix either. Imo full spectrum is better.

 

[Bud Good]

Okay so im torn between either going to 2 t5s 6500k 75 watts for my 2 plants or going to 2 150watt 6500k cfls for my 2 plants?? which is better and also what should i use for the flowering stage!? they are currently under 2 60 watt cfls and they dont seem to be growing that fast.

If you already have that T5 fixture, I would go with 100w equivalent CFL. Regular T5 aren't that great, and I've seen better grows from CFL than regular T5. If you need to buy one still, go with a 4 bulb T5HO, they're 54 watts each for a total of 216 watts.

I have also read that going over 100w equivalent CFL starts getting less efficient because they have to be further away because of the heat, and fluorescent lights need to be close for maximum energy transfer.

For veg, all 6500k seems to be fine, a mix of lower color temps seems to be good. For flower, you want quite a bit of ~2700k.

CFLs also give most of their light from the sides, not the end, so make sure they're facing the correct way.