Multiple fluorescent lights

[Lyra]

I've read, and read, and read, and I want to thank all of you for this amazing information.

I've finally made an account because I was hoping for a little input on my lighting situation.

I went to home depot and made this really awesome frame with some PVC pipe. I've attached two grow lights from walmart across the top of it. Here's the information



Lights of America 24" Fluorescent Grow Light Fixture:

Quick on/off switch
5' plug-in cord set
75W of incandescent equivalent output using only 17W of energy
Save 78 percent on your utility bills
Color: 4200K
Lumens: 1093
Dimensions: 2.5"W x 2"D x 28"H
Life: 10,000 hours

I'm planning on getting 8 more (I already have 2) and attaching them to the PVC frame so each plant (I have 2 plants, one crimea blue and one morning glory) is surrounded by light.

The way I have it set up is that each plant will get lights added as they grow so there will be one light on top, and one on each side for a total of 5 lights shinning on each plant. They don't get hot at all. One of my 'babies' was stretching and so I moved the light so it's actually touching her and she's fine.

By the time I change them over to flowering all of the lights will be added. Once I change over to flowering I'm thinking of getting 2 more regular bulbs with as many lumens as I can find (I was just at home depot and one flood light actually put out close to 2K.)

I'm not sure if the details of my soil and nutes matter, but I'm using organic MG (I know it sucks but I went to LITERALLY every garden center within 25 miles of here and that was the best of the worst)

I just ordered the 3 system nute package from blue planet and it'll be here in about 4 days. (YAY!) Right now they're 5 days old and already in 3 gallon pots because the morning glory started to stretch really bad even though the light was only an inch away. I would think it's the lighting but my crimea blue didn't do that so it must be genetics. Anyway it stretched and fell over so I had to transplant it 2 days ago and I buried a few inches of the stem and it's doing much better. It's driving me nuts though, now I have to wait for the root system to establish itself and I'm seeing no vertical growth! I know it's growing, and it'll do what it'll do, but for a newbie it's frustrating lol

Anyway, I was really hoping for some opinions on my light set up. Do you think it'll be sufficient for veg and flowering?
You guys are the best and I respect your opinions. I don't want to throw away the 100 + dollars I'll be spending on the rest of these supplies if it's not going to give me the results I want. I'm really poor. Like below poverty poor even though I work myself half to death. This is a hobby for me and I'm literally putting ALL of my 'free spending' money into it, which isn't much at all. I'm going to be accumulating these lights as the grow progresses so your input is really important to me.

Thanks so much! <3

 

[Lyra]

come on guys, I know your not short on opinions! Help a newb out?

 

[Icemud]

Be patient grasshopper! lol In 10 minutes I went to the Growers forum under lighting and answered all of the questions you asked..did you check out the lighting section?

If you read up on lighting, you would notice that a 4200k bulb is the wrong color temperature for growing... 6500K for veg, 2700K for flower and a 2:1 red to blue for best results... CFL bulbs if your going small is the way to go... the light you posted above is not very bright (lumen output) for the size of the fixture... CFL's will work the best for you and you can add more as needed and position them correctly.

What are Compact Fluorescents and How Can I use them for Growing?

Basic info on fluorescent lighting

My advice...If ya don't want to spend $$ on the wrong things... do the research first and then if you can't find the info anywhere else, then ask... Your already buying bulbs that won't give you your best results... your 2 posts were 11 hours apart from each other, and it took me a mere 10 minutes to find those links... we do like to help new growers, but not do the work for ya

 

[K-Frat]

I can tell you those lights of america work great for vegging but you will need something else for flower. As icemud said you are going to want to not spend a bunch of money on the wrong lights. When it comes time to flower you are going to realise that you will simply not get the results you wanted/hoped for. For the amount of money you spend on two lights of america fixtures you can purchase a small cfl setup. Y adapters cfl bulbs which will give you the right spectrum you need for the same amount of money. Even more so eight of those lights are going to run you around $80+ if your looking at spending that much you might as well throw in another $50.00 and purchase a 150w HPS kit for flowering. I would do some more research my friend before making a simply mistake and just throwing your hard earned money away

 

[Icemud]

I just read my post and I hope I didn't come off too abrasive

CFL's I have seen produce some very nice looking nugs, and the best thing, there cheap to get, and more can be added when needed very easily

I have actually been curious about those LED white spotlights... They look pretty bright, and they have 3 different color ratings, all full spectrum

 

[Lyra]

No, you didn't come off as too abrasive. I think I need to do a little beginner's research offsite. The one thing I have a hard time understanding is lighting. I'm trying REALLY hard to read as much as I can, but it seems whenever I get to info on lighting my eyes just kind of glide over it. I'm reading it but not understanding ANY of it. I figure I'm good at other stuff so I try not to put myself down about it, but sometimes it just sucks when you try so hard and NOTHING is clicking for you. I'll get there, I just need to read some lighting 101. As a matter of fact up until your post I was under the impression that my lights WERE CLF's. I couldn't figure out what the C in front of FL meant for the life of me! Well now I know, and I appreciate it.

I promise I'm not here to be spoon fed. I might need that occasional light bulb above my head moment from ya tho. I guess some of the fun in this will be pushing myself not only to learn new things, but obtain information I otherwise would just pass off as above my threshold for knowledge.

Thank you for your help. That was your one freebie tho, next time ya bite my head off I'll bite back

 

[K-Frat]

cfl=Compact flourecent bulb the main two things you want to concern yourself with are watts and Kelvins. Flood lights will work but you will have a heating issue if you use those. HD I noticed doesn't have a very great selection of supplies you should try to get to a men@rds
there lighting selection is way better. I also am using BPN and I am very impressed with them so far. Here are a couple pics of the girls I got that were grown under those lights of america lights from sprout until about 6 weeks

 

[Lyra]

Your girls are beautiful, thanks for sharing! I can't wait for mine to get that big. I'm excited with everything right now. My girls have teeny tiny little leaves that are going to be their second set of 'real' leaves and I keep telling them how proud I am of them lol

I've decided to go with and HPS set. I'm just trying to figure out if a cool tube reflector is better than a cool hood reflector. I think I'm going to go with the cool tube, from my understanding that's the one that actually keeps it cool, while the cool hood is just a plain old hood. I found a set for 155 dollars so over the next few weeks I'll be skimming a little off the grocery money. And hopefully my dead beat tenant will give me SOMETHING this month. I'll give you all some invaluable advice. NEVER become a land lord. I'm lucky to get 60 bucks a month and some work in trade. I went to go pick up the rent last month and he wasn't home. By chance I stopped at the gas station on the corner and there he was sitting at one of those little tables scratching off close to 20 5 dollar lotto tickets with 6 packs of smokes. Man did I go off on him. So I'm thinking I might actually get some cash this month!!

Anyway I'm off to look through the sponsors and see if I can find something close to what I'm wanting for around the same price.

 

[Icemud]

Its a little off topic but have you ever seen the TV show called "worlds worst tenants" ? check it out, maybe you could hire them to rid your deadbeat tenants its actually a pretty entertaining show about some real wackjob tenants

Awesome that your going with a HPS!!! definitely you will be very happy also, check craigslist for used equipment...i've bought a ton of growing stuff there for 1/2 the cost of new equip, and if your in an area like cali where a lot of people grow, there should be tons of options for you to choose from again sorry about my 1st post I must have been in a bad mood

 

[K-Frat]

damn icemud you beat me to it I was going to mention CL lol. Found my 150w setup for $40.00. Unbeatable price!

 

[spring2012]

Lyra,
Welcome! I know it can be frustrating asking for help. Keep researching the threads. This site has all you need. I too was very confused with lighting. I am doing a 4 plant auto fem grow using CFL's and T8's. Why you ask? Budget!! I already had the fixtures and most of the bulbs. Listen to these guys they know their stuff. When its all said and done you will find the money could have been spent on better lighting. Most pros will tell you not use T8's but T5 fixtures are expensive. I'm still adding in my CFL's probably Sun. Don't get thrown from the different types of lights. Do the research. The answers are here.

Good luck. I am a newbie as well but am willing to help in any way. Just ask.

 

[Lyra]

Thanks! I actually got an MH and HPS light set up. I got everything for under 200 bucks and my plants are loving it. I'm not sure how much better my understanding of lighting is, but I DO know my girls are freakin' loving the 600 watt MH bulb. I'm pretty sure if I had stayed with the fluorescents I would have spent at least the 200 if not more.

Oh and Icemud, nope never seen it. After what these a holes are putting me through tho, I don't think I'd have the stomach for it lol

 

[WizHigh]

this was a great read and very helpful. hard hat microscope and garden gloves when you research on this site, i love it