hey everyone, my plants are all growing very very slow, and i started thinking could this be because of the type of light i have?? i am using some 4 ft. shop light fluro's, but they are soft white is this what they should be for the veg. stage?? thanks

Added by: MisterIto Last edited by: MisterIto Viewed: 439 times Rated by 23 users: 7.63/10Fluorescent or metal halide lighting is best for clones and seedlings. Metal halides are recommended for vegetative growth due to their enhanced blue spectrum which encourages bushier, more compact growth. High pressure sodium lights are better suited for flowering, but either can be used for the entire cycle with favorable results.

Durotest Aquatinic 7500K bulbs are my choice for cloning, seedling and mother plant lighting, for which they keep growth sturdy and compact. I switch to SunMaster Cool Deluxe metal halide during the early vegetative stage through the stretching phase of early flowering to keep the plant compact. I finish off the plant cycle with Hortilux high pressure sodium lighting. They are extremely bright and efficient with superior dispersion.

The color of a light source entails a complicated relationship of different factors, that are important in determining the right light source for your garden. The advantage of Metal Halide lamps is that they provide high-quality, crisp white light in a variety of different color temperatures that meet the needs of many different users.

Correlated Color Temperature(CCT)

The first factor in choosing a color of lamp is to determine whether you need a warm or cool light source. The CCT, expressed in Kelvin degrees, relates to actual thermal temperature. If you've ever seen a piece of metal being heated, you know that as the metal gets hotter, it's color changes. The CCT rating of HID and flourescent light sources indicate how warm or cool the light source is. For instance a lamp with a CCT of 2700 Kelvin is considered warm; with a CCT of 4200 Kelvin is considered neutral; and one of 6000 Kelvin is considered cool.


Spectral Energy Distribution

When you look at a light source, you perceive seeing a single color, but you are actually seeing thousands of hues. The combinations of different wavelengths of light make up the color we see. The relative intensity of the various wavelengths are used to determine a light source's Color Rendering Index(CRI).


Color Rendering Index(CRI)

The CRI is an indication of a lamps ability to show individual colors relative to a standard. This value is determined from a comparison of the lamp's spectral distribution compared to a black body at the same color temperature. Light sources, such as metal halide lamps, are rated with a CCT; however, CCT does not provide any information on the quality of the color. For this, a CRI is also necessary. In general, the higher the CRI rating of a lamp, the better the different colors will show.


5K - 7K Kelvin: Strong Blue Light
Promotes bushy growth. Ideal for rapid growth phase of plants.
Greatly enhances all-around plant growth when used with super
high output, high pressure sodium or 3K warm metal halide lamps.

4.2K - 4200 Kelvin: Cool white Flourescents
Can be used as supplimental blue lighting when used with a 3K
source.

4K - 4000 Kelvin: Neutral Metal Halide
Best single source for plant growth, producing shorter, bushier
growth than 3700 Kelvin and color rendition. Used in general
plant lighting.

3.7K - 3700 Kelvin: Softer Metal Halide(coated)
This coated lamp is used in general plant lighting and for more
rapid growth than 4000 Kelvin produces.

3K - 3200 Kelvin: Warm Metal Halide
Highest photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) value of all HID
lighting for all phases of plant growth. PAR watts account for the
nutritional value of light and are a direct measure of the light
energy available for photosythesis.

2.7K - 2700 Kelvin: High Pressure Sodium Lamps
Redder color mix, used for propagation, blooming, supplemental
greenhouse lighting.

Fluro's Suck For Light Distribution It Spreads It Over A Wide Area Opposed To Say A Cfl Which Focuses It's Light In More Of Beam Or Whatever You Want To Say So The Light Penetrates Better Than A Fluro!!

Just My Opinion

^^^Mogie, i dont really understand

o sorry bout that lol i started writing that after i saw the first half of that post

well after all that i still dont understand lol, i do know that CFLs are better, but i guess what im trying to ask is could the soft white fluros be the reason why my plants are growing so slowly??

depends how close are they what strain of plant good soil? temps nutes?

And it's rubbish.