How to get huge, dense, sticky buds using CFLs - ONLY!
- Thread starter robnarley1111
- Start date
Mashpotato Johnson
Member
With CFL I would have 300 as a bare minimum, but yes, HID guys generally use the 50W/SF rule, so with cfl's I would follow that as a MINIMUM guideline and I would be hooding that mother like crazy!! But thats just me. I wanted to know if the rest of you where following that guide or what.
I like this. I am running higher than the 50W/SF myself (@ 66.5W/SF) I plan on adding more still. I would be higher but some of my cfl's died for some reason while I was changing the set up. They seem to be very sensitive and fickle things. POS bulbs.
In my sig grow you'll see my light current set up @ the bottom of the first page. It is a little different in that the 125W long bulb is standing vertically & centred w/ all the pots around it, which uses it's 360' light most efficiently and helps me lower the other lights much closer.... fuck it Im going to go take a picture and post it.
in the mean time here is the pic of the light set up and hood I made, which I think is boss. How it was made is also in my sig grow thread.
Mashpotato Johnson
Member
Here are the CFL's positioned over the plants. Not the best pic but you get the idea. There is also LED that is not pictured off to the side at a "safe" distance.
Mashpotato Johnson
Member
x2. having a cluster fuck under the hood aint doing you a favour if the light can't get out.
I think I might have to give that beer can thing a try. just a partial hood so the light isn't travelling that inch and a half up, up before refraction.
DCobeen
Well-Known Member
sweet i like that vertical light
Mashpotato Johnson
Member
I dont. I thought Id just hang that thing in betwixt all the plants as they where getting taller to help add "filler" light, but I think the money would have been best spent elsewhere. Now it's going to be in the way of the dual 600W LED's I plan to switch too. Or just not at all... maybe it'll be a clone/seed light... i don't know. it was a good idea at the time, but in hindsight I would do it different.
Threefingerlid
Member
I'm running about 88 watts a square foot in my micro grow flowering space using cfls and a 150 watt Hps security light ( cheap!) This setup allows me to scrog a couple of sativas at the back and to grow 5-6 mostly indica girls up front. Great fun and gives me way more than I really need. Nice problem to have. Cfls are so useful!
DCobeen
Well-Known Member
Okay does that need a digital ballast?
DCobeen
Well-Known Member
im still trying to figure out to either use beer cans to make reflectors or a hood. and i am gonna add a reptile light into the mix for uvb. i also contacted terpinator and asked for a sample so i can test it and then recommend it if it works like they say it does. i dont need huge nugs just quality nugs.Lol...I was saying the same thing...."I'll use my cfls till I get a hid"...that was almost 3 yrs ago..the cfls have treated me right,im just growing for myself,I get results good enough for me.peace
Medical User
Well-Known Member
nice pics bud. CFL is a great way to go
yesum
Well-Known Member
You will do far better with a beer can than a homemade reflector unless the reflector is shaped like a little more than half a beer can or v shape, and the bulbs are horizontal and close to it. The clamp reflectors work great but you need them to cover the ends of the bulbs, so a large one. Y splitter and 2 to 4 bulbs per clamp is best. The limit in size for a bulb in beer can mode is 27 watts or so as they get too big to fit after going to say 40 watts.
I have used uvb bulbs and can tell you the best is Reptisun 10.0 in the cfl type. Around 23 watts I think. Keep the plant 3 inches away from the light and no further than 1 foot or you are wasting your time. I turned the plants now and then to even things out on the far side of the plant I checked this with a uvb meter so am certain of this. Cost $200 in case you wondered.
The most light is from the side so place the uvb hanging vertical down within a circle of plants to capture all the light. I had to move mine up and down cause the vertical on that thing is 5 inches max and most plants are taller than that. Still undecided if it helped but turn that thing off before you go looking in your grow area. That thing is not healthy for the eyes.
Medical User
Well-Known Member
Iw ould say that even though there may or may not be some over kill. this persons BUDS speak for them selves. if they grew that way i would not suggest changing a damn thing. Kudos
DCobeen
Well-Known Member
okay this is what i just did. in the middle of the 4 26 watt 1800 lumen bubls is mylar cone attacked to middle of light fixture so it will bounce all light at plants from under the lights.
i have 2 - 12 watt led quad spectrum. 2 - 18 watt 3000k led. 2-26 watt 6500k. 2-26 watt 2700k. all together they put out about 11000 lumen. i will add another light on each side later as they get bigger then ill be around 16000 lumen. ill keep adding as they grow to achieve 24k lumen for the 4 plants in a 2' x 3' area.
peace and love
i have 2 - 12 watt led quad spectrum. 2 - 18 watt 3000k led. 2-26 watt 6500k. 2-26 watt 2700k. all together they put out about 11000 lumen. i will add another light on each side later as they get bigger then ill be around 16000 lumen. ill keep adding as they grow to achieve 24k lumen for the 4 plants in a 2' x 3' area.
peace and love
luckybleu
Well-Known Member
the sun at the equator is at 10,000 lumens per sq ft not 100k ,I grow with cfl's because I have to ,I have yeilded over 200 grams using 420 true watts of cfl. I like your hood vented directly out the top this is something I may incorporate.If your getting .5 grams per watt with cfls your there not much more you could ask for,or expect if anybody is getting more than.5 grams per watt with cfls I'd love to hear about it from you.OH MY ..... Your plants are really porny.... so hot...
Please i beg you, provide me with some more information about these hottiesStrain, Wattage for the big buds?, time flowering vegging... god, thats hot
Also, to the threadstarter. I have a question!
If 100.000Lumens/Sqare feet is our goal... how come no one has ever used that? I mean.. it is close to impossible to achieve with todays bulbs. 100.000 lumens shining on a single plant would be 1. waste of energy 2. you would have to use liquid nitrogen to keep that plant and the whole house from burning down.
People are using about 4000 - 20 000 lumens per plant and they come out fine. 4000 was a guy i saw Scrogging in his servercase with 3 CFLs 23W.
Im just saying, i find it wierd because to me your numbers doesnt sound very realistic even though they might be correct. Also, the setup you say is correct seems really wrong. Im not a smartass and im a much newer grower then you but wouldnt the light be shining only onto the other bulbs and much would be lost? overheating the other bulbs instead of shining all of its light onto plant & Mylar.
Please, explain to me why that setup is best, as im currently trying to find a good setup to use
Also, i am going to use about 7000 lumes to flower my plant. People say that is enough, why do you say it isnt?
2x23w 2.500k and 3x23w 6.500k
I just want some additional reasoning as you're the first person claiming the lumens need to be this high. That i've seen atleast!
Btw TS, you got some fine ass budporn going on there aswellHappy tokes to u
MerryJizzRain
Member
Hey there,
I have a question about the lights in your boxes, the way they are shown in IMAG3612.jpg. Are the bulbs touching each other? I was warned about putting CFL bulbs in contact with one another to avoid any chance of shattering them ... any experience with that? Also, after viewing you post I think I should move all my bulbs up to the USB bar (hope the second pic is clear enough to illustrate my set-up). Do you agree? Currently I have 4 x 42Watt [3:1 - 6500K:2700K] and 2X 23watt [1:1]. I'm having trouble with heat, so I will get a fan to put in the top of my box, also as per your posts suggestion. Where I live I have been unable to find Mylar or Poly (panda) plastic at the building supply stores, so am waiting for an online order.
And one final desperate newb-sauce question.... Do you think my lights are too close to the plants or too high? My little lady was growing super squat, she is an indica dominant Blue Lights strain, I raised the lights about 1.5 inches two days ago to the height shown in the first pi, hgoping to induce some stretch.
First times are the worst times, but your pics provide a lot of good info and inspiration, Thanks!
I have a question about the lights in your boxes, the way they are shown in IMAG3612.jpg. Are the bulbs touching each other? I was warned about putting CFL bulbs in contact with one another to avoid any chance of shattering them ... any experience with that? Also, after viewing you post I think I should move all my bulbs up to the USB bar (hope the second pic is clear enough to illustrate my set-up). Do you agree? Currently I have 4 x 42Watt [3:1 - 6500K:2700K] and 2X 23watt [1:1]. I'm having trouble with heat, so I will get a fan to put in the top of my box, also as per your posts suggestion. Where I live I have been unable to find Mylar or Poly (panda) plastic at the building supply stores, so am waiting for an online order.
And one final desperate newb-sauce question.... Do you think my lights are too close to the plants or too high? My little lady was growing super squat, she is an indica dominant Blue Lights strain, I raised the lights about 1.5 inches two days ago to the height shown in the first pi, hgoping to induce some stretch.
First times are the worst times, but your pics provide a lot of good info and inspiration, Thanks!
DCobeen
Well-Known Member
you want that short so keep the cfl 2-3 inches from plant. you know you will grow buds with cfl just not as dense or potent right? i use cfl for veg area and for side lighting in flower but i dont expect allot from them. you should also be on 12/12 for lights i would consider getting a kessil led red/magento or a 180 watt led ufo and laying/lst your plant on its side. like this
this will give you more tops and keep it shorter.
this will give you more tops and keep it shorter.