T5's and CFL's. Seeds from bag of "kinda"

erbium · #1 07-06-2008, 12:01 AM

I am gonna copy and paste most of this from another thread I started. I am going to use 600w HPS but kinda want to see how these turn out for science's sake.

I think T5's with supplemental CFL's is a pretty good option and maybe the best if I wanted to do straight SoG with small clones. If I kept going with the T5's I would buy another wrack of em and only do small clones after I found a few good strain's mother plants. If heat is a problem they are a good way to go.

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My first run in over a decade but had years and years of practice before my break .

I had started 4 and ended up with 2 chicks . I had and still have intentions of a 600HPS but had to buy a lawnmower as well as brakes and rotors for my car . I only want to go to the grow store once and want to have enough for everything including the proper exhaust so I decided to use my veg lights to see how it went . I have a 6 tube T5 and an assortment of larger CFL's .

I decided while this was a small run to try some cheaper foods and medium . The medium is about 35% MG Organic , 50% Pro-Mix , and the rest worm castings . I fed them MG all purpose , tomato , and bloom alternating the first 2 during veg . I will switch to something with less N here soon as I am now 2 weeks in and want to cut back on the green growth . I am using molasses , brown corn syrup , epsom salts and super thrive every few waterings . I am using yeast and sugar for CO2 . I will use an organic food for the end of the cycle .

I intended at first to just use things available at a Walmart Supercenter (the ones with grocery store) but I wanted a bit more intensity with lights and the CFL's available there aren't as bright as the ones I can get at my local electronic supply . I will be using the 6 tube T5 for mamas and veg so I figured I might as well use it now . Purchased that with tubes and the cord I had to connect for like $185 total .

Even the seeds are from a bag of "kinda" that I got in the Walmart parking lot .

Anyways , it seems plants will grow well with readily available products .

These are 2 weeks into flowering in 3 gallon pots . I think I would of been happier with 5 gallon .

Edit - I just added the T5 a week ago

erbium · #2 07-06-2008, 12:16 AM

Here ya go - a week later .

The cut leaves and the bit of burning is a result of me testing the proximity of different shape and wattage CFL's and burning . I got enough info and have suspended the tests . Don't want to do anymore damage to the gals .

These are from the same bag but look like they are an unstable hybrid . So , here's hoping they smoke a lot different but both well -

erbium · #3 07-06-2008, 12:23 AM

If anyone is thinking about T5's for a shelf system , has too much heat for an HPS , or not a lot of hight to work with I would give em a shot .

I strongly suggest this CFL as it is a better wattage , has a wider face fpr better light distribution and it gets nowhere near as hot os the tighter corkscrew variety.

FE-US-55W 5000K Daylight Photography Compact Fluorescent Lamp

Blue spectrum enhanced HPS's are still king of the mountain if you aren't limited by heat or space IMO. That being said , it looks like you can get some decent buds anywhere there is a Home Depot or Walmart. Don't let the naysayers hold you back if all you can get is MG and flo's.

erbium · #4 07-07-2008, 07:05 PM

No comments? Not even someone telling me how other fertilizers and soil mix would make it better? No offerings of first children? Handjobs?

erbium · #5 07-18-2008, 09:47 PM

I couldn't take the T5's and the CFL's anymore . Still using some CFL for suplimental. These just went under the HPS right when the pictures were taken.Movin the ones from veg in when they wake again. You can see some burned from CFL's hitting the foliage when I had about 300w of em on the side.

T5's are great for smaller plants but I needed side lights everywhere and was just too many cords and I think was actually hotter. Will know for sure tomorrow.

These are from the same bag. You can tell the one just went in and had not been topped or bent but did have some lower limbs cut for clones. Pretty cool to get this many phenotypes from one bag - has been 4 but some were males. Lets hope they all smoke well.

Thinking of hitting the fat leafy one with more N since it is showing no sign of ending. Bitch has a lot of leaves.

The first one is the youngest but is a bit hard to see with the other behind it.

Edit - glad I looked at these pics - it let me know the back right light was off!

I just ordered a bunch of organic bloom ferts. I have NP using MG during veg and part of bud but I just can't bring myself to finish with em. I grow all my food organically so I was having problems justifying smoking chems. Even when I grew hydro for production we had organic for personal.

erbium · #6 07-18-2008, 09:57 PM

I forgot to add these are 39 days in.

blueberry kid · #7 07-20-2008, 05:37 PM

they look great man