i am wondering if it would be ok to use cfls and tube fouros throughout the whole flowering process. any info would be great. i dont have the cash for a hps or something.
To grow effectively with fluorescent's, think small. These lights are better suited for starting seedlings, rooting clones and small plants, maintaining moms for cloning purposes, and providing sidelight for the undergrowth.
to answer your question; yes it is possible but hardly worth it. you might get 1/4 oz. per plant and the weed would be low quality and loose buds. but if you do decide to do it, go with cfls and lots of them. the more the better
Let's just say...yea. Compact Fluorescent Light Discussion - CANNABIS.COM Message Boards - Quality Marijuana and Hemp Information
ate I wouldn't brag that isn't a yield that I would want to brag about. It is simple if you scrimp on light you get a smaller yield.
You could always go to an electrical wholesaler and purchase 4' 36w Double un-diffused fluro's and whack in a few Gro-Lux tubes? about $22 for light, $6 tubes. Relativly cheap. You would want at least 6-8 lights which (inc wiring and plug top) would set you back around $150-$200. I saw recently a 400W HPS light inc ballast, plug etc inc Shade and a 400W MH bulb for $295. I live in Australia and i dont know what an Oz is worth over there but generally its @ $350. Your innital outlay will soon pay for itself. If you stick with just a few fluro's expect to be dissapointed and dishartened, although you could smoke what you grow inc kiff and save money on good bud for your own light. Give a bloke a cone and you stone him for a day, teach a man to grow and he will be high forever and a day!
im growing right now with only cfls and im in vegetation, if is is really neccesary im sure i could get some cash for a bit better of a light for flowering, what was the bud like?
dude im in the exact same situation! sept i have a clone how many cfls should i use? i have a fat 46 wt one and a normal one (the kind that is supposed to replace incandesants) thanks 420
imo opinion there is no reason you cant get a 'decent' yield with fluoros and cfls. will a good gardener get more from hps than cfls? maybe, depends on the gardener, though usually the answer is yes. if you browse the forums, some great gardeners have done some great cfls and gotten comprable yields. you just need to make sure the lumens are there. if you have a SHIT TON of lights, and the proper spectrums, you could potentially do something great. iam using a 4ft 6tube T5 fixture that puts out about 25k lumens total. during flowering, ill be haning 4-5 150W (not 150W equivs) cfls for additional lumens/red spectrum/light penetration. as far as i can tell, i should be able to get 2 or maybe even 3 plants to yield well under these conditions (about 40sq ft, lightproofed).
Very nice thread but heres a question cfls the soft white cool blues tell me cause i cant tell IF home depot or lowes has red and blue spect. How do i identify these bulbs?
having troubles reading and understanding what your asking here... but I think I have an idea of what your needing to know. Here's what you need to get once you go to Lowes or home depot. For your veg. cycle: You will need to get a bulb that has a spectrum temp of at least 5000k (which will be the "daylight" spectrum color.. or "bluish" color spectrum) For your flowering cycle: You will need to get the bulbs that have a spectrum temp of around 2000 to 2700k (which will have a more reddish/orange-ish spectrum or color output) The reason you should use the different spectrums during veg and flowering cycles.. is because once you put your plant into flowering.. under the flowering spectrum bulbs.. the plant will actually react to the different spectrum of light.. thus triggering the flowering phase. Then again.. some people just use "dual spectrum" type bulbs which have both spectrums.. for both flowering and veg cycles. Then again!! some people (i've seen it done) will even use the same bulbs that they used for veg.. for flowering cycles. I myself.. go by the book though.. and use the different spectrums.. because if you don't.. it has the potential to cause your plant(s) problems in the long run. Hope this helped. If not.. (and this goes for all the noob growers..) Go and read the RIU.org FAQ. Most of the questions your needing answers too.. are in the FAQ. If you can't find your answer in the FAQ.. then by all means come on in and ask. Good luck. -peace.
if you cant identify the bulbs go to lowes, it tells you what k rating on the package 2700k (soft white) for clones, starting seeds, flowering and 6500k (daylight) for veg. mix em up and they will love it.
Suer u can, all depending on what size u need. I just got a 150w hps bulb at HD for $21. and a replcement ballast kit for $54., I've seen the kits on line for as cheap as $47. Make a little metal box to put it in, the kit is small enough to mount the bulb on the outer side, a reflector and your done. I had the same problem u did, and after a little rechearch this is what i came up with. look it up on u tube how to build a hps light box. Oh yeah all the hps bulbs there were the same price, from 100w to 400w. Hope It helped. cya
