CFL setup for different stages of growth

**poppinsmokey** · 01-04-2008, 06:23 PM

This is my first post. What a great sight with tons of info! I plan on starting a small grow in a little over a week. I decided on CFLs because of space and heat limitations. Here are the lights I have on hand right now:

6 23 watt Cool White 2700K CFLs
2 27 watt Daylight 5500K CFLs
4 Compact Fluorescent - 42 Watt - Full Spectrum 6500K
2 Compact Fluorescent - 42 Watt - Warm White 2700K
1 Compact Fluorescent - 42 Watt - Cool White 2800K
1 42 watt 2 CFL - Cool White 2700K
2 Feit Electric 40-Watt Compact Fluorescent Bulb 2700K

This is my first grow. I have everything neccessary for a small grow space. I have all the equipment for over-plant lighting and side lighting fixtures. I have a few questions because I have found some conflicting information regarding the proper lights to use during different stages of growth.

1. What would be the ideal lights to use for seedlings?

2. What would be the ideal lights to use for a relatively brief veg, (trying for short and bushy b/c limited penetration of CFL and height restriction in space)?

3. What would be the ideal lights to use throughout flowering?

Thanks in advance

**TheGardenMan** · 01-04-2008, 06:35 PM

if your using cfls (the ones you named) use them all for all of the stages. seedlings, flowering, and vegg. You best bet is to start off on a lighting schedule of 24 hrs a day, than a few weeks before you start flowering them id recommend switching to a lighting schedule of 18/6 than when you start flowering of course you'd use a schedule of 12/12 i hope this helps you out man good luck with your grow...oh what strain are you using anyways?

**poppinsmokey** · 01-04-2008, 07:51 PM

I'm growing feminized PPP. Thanks for your response GardenMan, much appreciated. I'll be posting a journal once I get started.

So mix the 6500K and 2700K during all stages? I've read conflicting information. If you've read Buds for Less by SeeMoreBuds a.k.a. Garden Knowm, that is the general setup I'm using, but I have an assload of lights as you can see from my laundry list.

I was just wondering what others' experiences / knowledge is with different spectrums of CFLs (cool, soft, warm, daylight - it's a little difficult to make heads or tails of all the different names that are used by the manufacturer). As of now my plan is to mix all spectrums into my set up during all stages. Although I've read that 6500K is best for veg and 2700K is best for flower. Any other suggestions are highly appreciated.

**Dr G.Thumb** · 01-04-2008, 08:12 PM

Trial and error will honestly work best as you cannot expect to get perfect results the first time out. Some people believe strictly 6500K for veg and 2700K for veg while others think a more balanced spectrum is better. I would also imagine depending on the strain they may responsed better to certian spectrums vs others but I personally stay away from 3000K or 3500K bulbs since they emit more green waves throughout the spectrum vs blue or red.

**TheGardenMan** · 01-04-2008, 09:17 PM

not a problem thats what im here for.

**poppinsmokey** · 01-04-2008, 09:48 PM

G Thumb I hadn't heard that about the 3000K and 3500K lights. That is very good information to know. Unless I find something concrete that says I should do differently, I will be doing predominantly 6500K during veg (probably 3/4 of lights), and mostly 2700K during flowering (maybe 3/5 of lights). Of course I'm open to suggestions!

**dnlfacundo** · 01-20-2008, 09:28 PM

so is it best mixing half and half to get the best results because im about to go to home depot tommorrow.

**TLeom** · 08-17-2008, 08:37 AM

If he wants yo buy cfl bulbs just to flower what should he buy?

**yamban** · 08-17-2008, 08:36 PM

I'm growing one plant. Has to be small due to space. Heres the setup i'm gonna use. Nice and simple. I'm Just looking to experiment. So I'd image if you want more weed, switch to like 4 6500K for VEG and 4 2700K and 1-2 6500K for budding.

Veg
2 x 42W 6500K

Flower
2 x 42W 2700K
1 x 42W 6500K

**Dr.Chronic** · 08-18-2008, 08:55 AM

Kelvin is a measure of temperature, as in 5000K or 2700K (this is the emitter temperature, not the actual temperature of the bulb itself), and it refers to the color of the bulb; 5000K being a blue light spectrum, and the 2700K being a red spectrum. Plants like a predominately blue spectrum during their vegetative growth and like red spectrum light during flowering. Together the 5100K and 2700K provide a dual, or complete spectrum, suitable for all plants during all phases of growth.
Hope that helps you poppinsmokey