Not that I am set in my ways... that is just what I was told... keep the CFL's 3-4 inches from the tops. I do however welcome any other advice as I don't have much money to spend on the grow... I don't have a microscope yet, or a therm. In fact the closet is a temporary fix. I am planing to build a box. I am going to be scouting local construction sites for scrap pieces of lumber and what not.

Also if you don't want to comment positively about my grow, then you don't have to be reading this stuff... if you do or are curious about it just subscribe as I will try to keep everyone updated at lease once a week.

Your "temporary" box looks similar to mine. I used 1 sheet of plywood to build a cabinet, and even had lowes cut the pieces to the size i wanted ( kinda sad as im a carpenter, but i was lazy and didnt feel like busting out the saws ), and it was only $7. 1 sheet was good for a 30" x 18" x 63" ( L x W x H ). don't take lumber from a jobsite, what you think might be scrap, could very likely be a template or needed piece. besides its easier to build a box from new wood and its cleaner than wood found on the jobsite. many woods are treated and can contain tons of bacteria, mold and fungi.

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Check out my CFL Grow http://www.rollitup.org/cfl-growing/...g-bagseed.html

I will keep that in mind. I have an idea for my lights... I want to put it on a pole that I can roll, that way it raises and I won't have to keep retying the rope.

Man you do need to get them closer they are way to stretched or atleast bury more and you need to get 6500k in there as are feeding more on the 2700k that may be one reason you have stretching then at the same time you have a 12/12 going alreasy as that will stretch them should try 24/7 for atleast a week or to get some good veg going looks good other than that would like to see the way they grow in them cups as that is not the easiest grow and get some white in that box to paint as you are on a budget good luck and happy growing

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Yeah, that is my plan for the next grow. I plan on having more lights, a bigger box, and painted flat white inside. I am also saving up to buy a 400w HPS.

as for them that you have now then take atleast half the advice i gave you as im a diehard cfl growe and you say hps and your in a closet man you better invest in some ventilation your startin to talk about some money now as you said you were on a budget

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yup on a budget, Ventilation I have, just the lighting I don't.

small link chains and a hook work much better and are easier than tieing a string off to raise and lower your lights. for a 400w hps youre gonna need at least a 240cfm inline blower to be efficient in a cabinet.... remember that ventilation is to cool the air, not so much the material inside the cabinet. you can put a fan over a hot coal and cool the air coming off the coal but the coal is still gonna be hot to the touch and around it. in my opinion youre better off using cfls in a cabinet than hps. the radiant heat from the hood itself is gonna keep a good size cabinet around 85 degrees, so you'll most likely need a cool air intake to accomodate.

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Good point