Tutorial to Growing with Cfl's

So I re-potted my lilttle plant into its final container. I also adjust my lights. Now she has room to stretch her legs. Within an hour of doing this, I noticed the leaves opening a little (could of just been high too) I will post pics once I take them. Oh, how do I do the whole giving people rep+? I'm sure I figure it out by reading, but I'm high. You understand right?.?. TIA for the input.

Thanks for this thread.

So I understand Color Temperature rating conversion to soft white, cool white etc and which phase to use which.

But what about wattage? Which wattage do I need to use? Does that matter? I have 2 120W soft white cfls. I also have some 90W cfl spotlights, and some 60W bulbs. I have a bunch that I picked up at a home show for 10 bux a box of a bunch of cfl lights.

How many watts do I need and how does wattage relate to growth. I read something about wattage years ago when I grew with a 2 short fl bulbs, the desk lamp ones. Kept the light 2 inches from the plants and it worked great. I think they were warm/soft lights. I scrogged the plant and kept the lights close and it worked well.

But I am trying to figure out why I need to consider wattage?

Originally Posted by Easeedoesit420

So I re-potted my lilttle plant into its final container. I also adjust my lights. Now she has room to stretch her legs. Within an hour of doing this, I noticed the leaves opening a little (could of just been high too) I will post pics once I take them. Oh, how do I do the whole giving people rep+? I'm sure I figure it out by reading, but I'm high. You understand right?.?. TIA for the input.

She'll just LOVE all the extra room lol....wait till she flowers...you can almost SEE them getting fatter by the hour.

To give someone rep you click on the star next to where it says journal this post
Can't wait to see some new pics!

Originally Posted by Mark Marley

Thanks for this thread.

So I understand Color Temperature rating conversion to soft white, cool white etc and which phase to use which.

But what about wattage? Which wattage do I need to use? Does that matter? I have 2 120W soft white cfls. I also have some 90W cfl spotlights, and some 60W bulbs. I have a bunch that I picked up at a home show for 10 bux a box of a bunch of cfl lights.

How many watts do I need and how does wattage relate to growth. I read something about wattage years ago when I grew with a 2 short fl bulbs, the desk lamp ones. Kept the light 2 inches from the plants and it worked great. I think they were warm/soft lights. I scrogged the plant and kept the lights close and it worked well.

But I am trying to figure out why I need to consider wattage?

I grew 3 plants with a 300 watt cfl,200 watt & 9 100 watt. They did pretty good. I may have had a little much for 3 plants but all those bulbs were just over 20,000 lumins and my new HPS/MH is 70,000 to 90,000 depending on which bulb you use.

Does anyone know how many lumins you need?

Just an update: My little one is starting to take off. From what I've been told, (and i don't believe everything I hear) she will grow taller when she's ready. So i patiently wait. Otherwise everything looks good to me. What do you think? Suggestions, and comments welcomed. TIA

IMG_0599.jpgIMG_0602.jpgIMG_0607.jpgIMG_0612.jpgIMG_0614.jpg

The first 2 pics are day 14 of vegetation. Last 3 are day 15.

Originally Posted by mackey

I grew 3 plants with a 300 watt cfl,200 watt & 9 100 watt. They did pretty good. I may have had a little much for 3 plants but all those bulbs were just over 20,000 lumins and my new HPS/MH is 70,000 to 90,000 depending on which bulb you use.

Does anyone know how many lumins you need?

Yes, this was actually my question: How many lumens are necessary?

I found this watts to lumens calculator: but I am unsure how many lumens are necessary for which phase, veg/flowering and how close to plant lower/higher lumens need to be, and how many lumens are needed to grow good bud.

Also, I stated the cfl watt ratings of my cfls incorrectly. They are actually 32W not 120W (that's the incand equiv).

So, I have 2 32W soft white cfl. The lumens calculator tells me that I will get 60 lumens per watt, 1920 lumens per lamp, and 3840 lumens with both lamps. Can I grow to maturity with just 3840 lumens? How close to plant should I keep these lights? 2 inches?

I realize this is no way ideal lighting. This is just a down and dirty pc stealth 2nd attempt b/c I stumbled across a lone seed the other day. I grew a plant about 8 years ago to maturity with 2 short florescents from those desk study lamps. Harvested early and my curing process was poor imo, otherwise I grew nice looking, crystallized trichomed, hairy buds in a scrogged wooden crate lined with aluminum foil.

Anhoo, any help will be appreciated for this 2nd and more better attempt.

Originally Posted by Mark Marley

Yes, this was actually my question: How many lumens are necessary?

I found this watts to lumens calculator: but I am unsure how many lumens are necessary for which phase, veg/flowering and how close to plant lower/higher lumens need to be, and how many lumens are needed to grow good bud.

Also, I stated the cfl watt ratings of my cfls incorrectly. They are actually 32W not 120W (that's the incand equiv).

So, I have 2 32W soft white cfl. The lumens calculator tells me that I will get 60 lumens per watt, 1920 lumens per lamp, and 3840 lumens with both lamps. Can I grow to maturity with just 3840 lumens? How close to plant should I keep these lights? 2 inches?

I realize this is no way ideal lighting. This is just a down and dirty pc stealth 2nd attempt b/c I stumbled across a lone seed the other day. I grew a plant about 8 years ago to maturity with 2 short florescents from those desk study lamps. Harvested early and my curing process was poor imo, otherwise I grew nice looking, crystallized trichomed, hairy buds in a scrogged wooden crate lined with aluminum foil.

Anhoo, any help will be appreciated for this 2nd and more better attempt.

Lumens aren't really that good of a measure to base a grow off of, with CFL most people will tell you 100w (of CFL) per plant.

You say soft white, not sure what the K rating of those are. You want a mixture of daylight equivalent blue lighting (5500K and up) and warm lighting (2700k or lower(not sure if they make lower). More daylight cfl's during veg, and more warm lighting during flowering. if you're only using 2 lights you'll want to do either 2 daylights for veg, 2 for flower, or add a 3rd light and have 2/1 split (this is your best option).

2 inches away at all times is best for cfl's otherwise you'll lose your lumens to the surrounding area.

Hope I helped!

so your saying if i got a bulb that says =200w i got the wrong one?