Anyone achieve dense buds from CFLs

Im running 650w of T8s and CFLs, i just recently bought an HPS (still in mail) but thats another story. Has anyone achieved dense nugs from their CFLs? Because i cant seem to do it, hence the HiD purchase. But if anyone has, please tell me how many watts your running, and how you did it.

I ran 750 watts in a 2x2. 24 23 watt bulbs in a little hood the resr down as side lighting
Got some nice dense chunky buds. Strain has alot to do with it as im sure you know. One of my favorites is a longer flowering garlicy sour berry chemdog. Real nice buds and trimming is cake. Sometimes ill purposely light bleach, that strain in particular responds well. Great bud. I really like cfl, its a shame they arent more efficient or i would choose them over hps. But dont think it isnt possible. It is..

Like @qwizoking said it really is strain dependent. What strains have you tried @ebcrew ? I've had my share of airy fluffy buds on one plant and dense chunky ones on another! Another factor is how you treat them, if they're neglected and suffer large amounts of stress they will often produce wispy buds. I've noticed that heat stress can very quickly mess up a good yield.


These are from my current grow with 678w cfl on 3 plants and to be honest I've grown just as chunky and dense if not chunkier with 200w on one plant.

They really start filling out on the 8th and 9th week of flower (indica), so a too early harvest can also be why some say they can't produce large buds. I've made the mistake myself, like most growers, getting scissor-happy way too early!

I use a 4' 4 bulb t5 fixture, and a 90w led UFO for supplemental light. I just rotate them every day. I also have a CFL bulb I use for supplemental light. I get tight buds every time. I think temp management is important along with proper care in the way of nutes and water.

It is doable with cfl's, but it is a pain in the ass. Having to keep those lights close to the plant while it is growing inches a day can be a challenge. If you can control the heat of an HPS, you will be much happier with your results. That said. I love CFL's for short veg cycles/cloning/seedlings. I just re-positioned lighting in my veg cabinet. Has 2 80 watt cfl's and 4 28 watt cfls

mooster said:

Like @qwizoking said it really is strain dependent. What strains have you tried @ebcrew ? I've had my share of airy fluffy buds on one plant and dense chunky ones on another! Another factor is how you treat them, if they're neglected and suffer large amounts of stress they will often produce wispy buds. I've noticed that heat stress can very quickly mess up a good yield.

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These are from my current grow with 678w cfl on 3 plants and to be honest I've grown just as chunky and dense if not chunkier with 200w on one plant.

They really start filling out on the 8th and 9th week of flower (indica), so a too early harvest can also be why some say they can't produce large buds. I've made the mistake myself, like most growers, getting scissor-happy way too early!

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Ive grown a bunch, and their not super "airy", but their not as dense as some of the commercially grown bud. Just a few ive grown off the top of my head.. Northern Lights, PDXA, Special Kush, Jack Herer, Dark devil, widow x big bud, ak, blueberry... theres more i just cant think right now.. heres some pics of my harvests.



Just a few i was able to dig up.. Not bad bud at all.. just not as dense as im looking for.

Im also growing with cfl, im using 8 23 watt bulbs in week 5 of flowering and my buds are rock hard! 1st pic one of my mid plant corner buds 2nd is the top of my main cola.

my starter, clone, Short Veg box. Those are 5 gallon buckets raised about 2 inches. So a total of maybe a max of 9 inches of growing space in those buckets.

Commercial bud is also compressed slightly...

Butive gotten perfect dense chunky nugs, just saying

Cfl suck duck dont be the other guy get digital ballast 1000 watt with raptor hiod lumeteck ballast I promise u ur crop wont die as fast as the cfl crop u tried growing yes when u get fluffly stuff my grandpa grow its dead

Im laugh my ass off when ur house catches on fire because u couldnt drop 200 bucks on clone setup hehe

past times said:

my starter, clone, Short Veg box. Those are 5 gallon buckets raised about 2 inches. So a total of maybe a max ofView attachment 3469810 View attachment 3469809 9 inches of growing space in those buckets.

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Shredder5kallday said:

Im laugh my ass off when ur house catches on fire because u couldnt drop 200 bucks on clone setup hehe

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Had that box for about 7 years....and no fires. It is not on that often. Just occasional starts and early veg. Then to my 2x3x6 test. Only grow for myself so I don't need a huge set-up...but, thanks for your concern dick. Not much on DIY are you? You pay someone to change your light bulbs too?

My last grow...I made a journal (links in my signature), this pic is of Afghan Skunk. I'm doing another Skunk grow/journal now...here's the link if anyone's interested.

https://www.rollitup.org/t/seed-to-harvest-350-watt-cfl-w-feminized-skunk-my-5th-grow-log-journal.875843/page-4#post-11806888

past times said:

Had that box for about 7 years....and no fires. It is not on that often. Just occasional starts and early veg. Then to my 2x3x6 test. Only grow for myself so I don't need a huge set-up...but, thanks for your concern dick. Not much on DIY are you? You pay someone to change your light bulbs too?

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Cfl are good for veg only there the 98 octane gas u put into ur buckets u want ride big u got to get better gas for ur plants tell me u honestly got a decent pull from cfls

Shredder5kallday said:

Cfl are good for veg only there the 98 octane gas u put into ur buckets u want ride big u got to get better gas for ur plants tell me u honestly got a decent pull from cfls

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I got 3.1 ounces off this plant with 300 watts from CFLs...its Afghan Skunk. Only my 4th grow ever though, so I can definitely do better.

Yeah man them are nice wish mine were that nice the top cola has a nice chunk but not sure exactly how many weeks mine still got they are just bagseed but are getting frosty using cfl to well nice plants bro

Shredder5kallday said:

Cfl are good for veg only there the 98 octane gas u put into ur buckets u want ride big u got to get better gas for ur plants tell me u honestly got a decent pull from cfls

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I use a 600 watt HPS for my final duder. If you read my post's you would know I only start things and clone in this little box. But i have flowered with CFL's. I also said earlier you can get good yields with CFL's, as proved by some of these other folks, but easier with the HPS. Don't worry about my yields. I have plenty of smoke

past times said:

I use a 600 watt HPS for my final duder. If you read my post's you would know I only start things and clone in this little box. But i have flowered with CFL's. I also said earlier you can get good yields with CFL's, as proved by some of these other folks, but easier with the HPS. Don't worry about my yields. I have plenty of smoke

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Cfls dont have the same kind depth that mh or hps sorry its a scientific fact I wonder how many cfls u had under those plants what was ur yield for that crop ph and how many plants

bhandari1 said:

I got 3.1 ounces off this plant with 300 watts from CFLs...its Afghan Skunk. Only my 4th grow ever though, so I can definitely do better.

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I bet if used a 600 u got couple ounces

chuckie86 said:

Yeah man them are nice wish mine were that nice the top cola has a nice chunk but not sure exactly how many weeks mine still got they are just bagseed but are getting frosty using cfl to well nice plants bro

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Dont ecourage them