Cfl wattage

frostythesnowthug

Well-Known Member
Thats easy..
You want as many CFLs of the highest wattage you can find...
Tyically 42w Daylight 6500k rated bulbs for veg.
and
42w warm white 2700k for flowering...for the best results, you want as many warm white cfls as you can fit in there whilst flowering..or you're likely to get light fluffy buds that have little or no density.

If your local store doesnt sell 42w cfls, you can always order from a lighting supplier online, or poss go with the 26w bulbs they sell at wally world... they will work just fine. just not as well as the 42watters.
 

WoldofWeedcraft

Well-Known Member
Does anyone know of any stores where you can buy these lights? I'm growing with the aerogarden, and I'm trying to decide what i'm going to supplement with. I saw someone on here that was using CFLs from walmart (i guess just the highest wattage), but i dunno if you can get the right spectrum for veg and flowering in a store like that or if i need to buy a grow light CFL from somewhere.
 

upinchronic1

Well-Known Member
Wall marts highest wattage offered is 26 watts,

fucking cheap too, i think i paid 5 bucks for a 2 pack. I made a fixture of 312 watts of 2700k, flowering fixture, and i paid 30$ ( and 4 others for vegg so 40 bucks$ totall), which is enough light or lumens to flower about four plants, which is what im growing.
 

upinchronic1

Well-Known Member
damn, i wish my wallys did. Id have been all over that for sure. i wanted the 85 watters, but to expensive,,20 bucks. "fook"-GK that.
 

WoldofWeedcraft

Well-Known Member
I just remember seeing some "grow" light CFLs on a gardening supply web store, but they charged a lot more than CFLs at wal mart or home cheapo...just didn't know if those "grow" lights made a difference or if it's the same.
 

frostythesnowthug

Well-Known Member
regular cfls are damned close in their spectrum range to the supposed "grow CFLs"
the only real diff is that the grow bulbs are like 125/200w or something..the way i see it is the grow bulbs cost some in the region of 8-10 times more than cfls... i'd rather shell out 30-40 bucks on 10-15 regular cfls than the same $$ on 1 or 2 grow bulbs....
I'm a cheap MF, and i want as much light available to every inch of the plants possible.
and
10-15 cfls give off a shitload more light than a coupla grow bulbs..so as far as bang for your buck..theyre a winner.
 

Garden Knowm

The Love Doctor
regular cfls are damned close in their spectrum range to the supposed "grow CFLs"
the only real diff is that the grow bulbs are like 125/200w or something..the way i see it is the grow bulbs cost some in the region of 8-10 times more than cfls... i'd rather shell out 30-40 bucks on 10-15 regular cfls than the same $$ on 1 or 2 grow bulbs....
I'm a cheap MF, and i want as much light available to every inch of the plants possible.
and
10-15 cfls give off a shitload more light than a coupla grow bulbs..so as far as bang for your buck..theyre a winner.
i'd love to REP you for this.. but I am out of reps for today!!!

iloveyou

although having high powered expensive FLUORESCENTS and CFLs is FUN and if you got the money.... use it :)
 

moon47usaco

Well-Known Member
I prefer 26w from wallfart... More lumen for your money...

One 42 watt is around $10... About 2600 initial lumens...

I got a box of 6 26w bulbs (hidden around the corner with other misc. hardware) foe $13... Thats about 1600 initial lumens a bulb X 6 bulbs... 9600 initial lumens for 13$ or 2600 initial lumens for $10 you be the judge... =]

If you cant find the 6 packs they have good priced 26w 3 packs with the other lights... If you find a good package deal of 42w grab em cuz i have yet to find one...
 

Garden Knowm

The Love Doctor
I prefer 26w from wallfart... More lumen for your money...

One 42 watt is around $10... About 2600 initial lumens...

I got a box of 6 26w bulbs (hidden around the corner with other misc. hardware) foe $13... Thats about 1600 initial lumens a bulb X 6 bulbs... 9600 initial lumens for 13$ or 2600 initial lumens for $10 you be the judge... =]

If you cant find the 6 packs they have good priced 26w 3 packs with the other lights... If you find a good package deal of 42w grab em cuz i have yet to find one...
hey moon... you're right... those 42 watt bulbs are hard to find a good deal on.. last year, the home depot near my home had a 50% subsidy from pg&e on the big bulbs.. it was a great deal.. but i have not seen any for less than $8.44 since then

NOW, I am not sure how this works.. BUT i am pretty sure that LUMENS can not be added UP... 2 - 1300 lumen light bulbs do not add up to 2600 lumens... I am pretty sure it does not work like that..

just like 2 - 400 watt HPS bulbs do not have the penetration of 1 - 600 watt LIGHT bulb.. yes, the 2 - 400 watt bulbs may be able to grow more bud over a greater area.. BUT the 600 watt HPS will produce BIGGER buds in the area it lights UP..

the same goes for larger CFLs.. that is why i always recommend at least the 43 watt bulbs...

iloveyou
 

wbd

Well-Known Member
regular cfls are damned close in their spectrum range to the supposed "grow CFLs"
the only real diff is that the grow bulbs are like 125/200w or something..the way i see it is the grow bulbs cost some in the region of 8-10 times more than cfls... i'd rather shell out 30-40 bucks on 10-15 regular cfls than the same $$ on 1 or 2 grow bulbs....
I'm a cheap MF, and i want as much light available to every inch of the plants possible.
and
10-15 cfls give off a shitload more light than a coupla grow bulbs..so as far as bang for your buck..theyre a winner.
I couldn't agree more. I bought this: Factory Lawn and Garden: Hydrofarm FLC0125D Fluorescent Grow Light System (FLCO125D)
early in my first grow, I still use it today. It came with a 125W day bulb and I purchased for this grow the 125W 2700k bulb. Around $200 total for all of that. With as much space as the damn hood takes up, I could hang 8 42W CFL's in the same space. Do the math... 336W in the same space I have only 125W, and at even $15 a bulb that's still only $120 for the lights (not including sockets / adapters / hangers / fixture / reflection). It would still be about $200 or maybe even less, but for waaay more watts.

42's are definitely the way to go.
 

upinchronic1

Well-Known Member
hey moon... you're right... those 42 watt bulbs are hard to find a good deal on.. last year, the home depot near my home had a 50% subsidy from pg&e on the big bulbs.. it was a great deal.. but i have not seen any for less than $8.44 since then

NOW, I am not sure how this works.. BUT i am pretty sure that LUMENS can not be added UP... 2 - 1300 lumen light bulbs do not add up to 2600 lumens... I am pretty sure it does not work like that..

just like 2 - 400 watt HPS bulbs do not have the penetration of 1 - 600 watt LIGHT bulb.. yes, the 2 - 400 watt bulbs may be able to grow more bud over a greater area.. BUT the 600 watt HPS will produce BIGGER buds in the area it lights UP..

the same goes for larger CFLs.. that is why i always recommend at least the 43 watt bulbs...

iloveyou
Good info, i always heard lumens added up but i always had a suspicion it didnt work that way. Im going to try to avoid the 26 watters from now on. :peace:
 

six8

Well-Known Member
so then how do additional cfls work when it comes to lumens....if you cant add them up(lumes), how does more=better grow.is it just the additional watts??
 
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