After doing much research I am starting to buy supplies for my first grow. I'm planning to grow 3-4 plants with 400 watt hps for flower and 400 watt mh for veg. I was also thinking of adding about 80watts of cfl as side lighting. Would it be a bad idea to use different light types? also is this enough light for about 6 sq feet with the number of plants? When all the lights are installed how can I ventilate the system? is a simple fan enough?
Mixing HPS and CFL
- Thread starter hewy1109
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Hosebomber
New Member
You have given too few details to answer all of you questions. Yes, 400 watts is enough for a 8 square foot area. So it will be fine for your 6 square foot area. Side lighting is never a bad thing. If you are going to use CLFs for side lighting use a very cool spectrum to offset the hps. As for heat and removal of heat, there are a lot of factors. How much bigger than the grow area is your room? How much height do you have? whats the normal ambient temperature in the room? What do you have access to from your room? Every grow room is different, you have to be very precise when asking specific questions about them.
Fuzzy Duck
Well-Known Member
If using sided lighting in the flower phase cfls of 6400k/6500k blue spectrum are quite good when along side a HPS 
T5's will also work well of the same kelvin.
On a side note T5 tubes are more effecient than cfl's as T5 light quality/intensity does not degrade as much as cfl's over time/life span of bulb !
T5 also have a longer lifespan in total hours of use over cfl's & due to better effeciency are a worth while investment.
( this will all varie over brand names & no name brands )
T5's will also work well of the same kelvin.
On a side note T5 tubes are more effecient than cfl's as T5 light quality/intensity does not degrade as much as cfl's over time/life span of bulb !
T5 also have a longer lifespan in total hours of use over cfl's & due to better effeciency are a worth while investment.
( this will all varie over brand names & no name brands )
Fuzzy Duck
Well-Known Member
I forgot to mention ventilation...
Plants require constant air exchange in both peroids of light on & off to help maintain temps & humidity levels !
Most of us get away with an extraction inline fan based at the top of the grow area as warm air rise's & thats what you want to remove... a passive vent based at the bottom of the grow area to draw in the new fresh air wll help also in the exchange of air
MH for some reason give of more heat you may notice temps over 30c plus tho when compared to a HPS of same wattage.
T5/cfl in the blue spectrum 6500k range can be used for vegging/seedling /clone growth also & may get away with a couple hundred less watts with suitable results.
Plants require constant air exchange in both peroids of light on & off to help maintain temps & humidity levels !
Most of us get away with an extraction inline fan based at the top of the grow area as warm air rise's & thats what you want to remove... a passive vent based at the bottom of the grow area to draw in the new fresh air wll help also in the exchange of air
MH for some reason give of more heat you may notice temps over 30c plus tho when compared to a HPS of same wattage.
T5/cfl in the blue spectrum 6500k range can be used for vegging/seedling /clone growth also & may get away with a couple hundred less watts with suitable results.
- Thread starter
- #5
sorry for being vague, what I should've mentioned before is my grow space will be a tent 3' x 2' x 60". the average room temp is around 70F, There's one window available but I was wondering if there was a way to ventilate without the use of windows? the room that the grow tent is in is about 15' x 12'x 7'
- Thread starter
- #6
I forgot to mention ventilation...
Plants require constant air exchange in both peroids of light on & off to help maintain temps & humidity levels !
Most of us get away with an extraction inline fan based at the top of the grow area as warm air rise's & thats what you want to remove... a passive vent based at the bottom of the grow area to draw in the new fresh air wll help also in the exchange of air
MH for some reason give of more heat you may notice temps over 30c plus tho when compared to a HPS of same wattage.
T5/cfl in the blue spectrum 6500k range can be used for vegging/seedling /clone growth also & may get away with a couple hundred less watts with suitable results.
the kind of answer I was looking for.
