Needing some light help! [With pic!

MrSnowMan

Member
I'm honestly disturbed by the amount of light needed by these things. I understand why they need so much light especially with CFL's, which are the only thing I can use, but damn! it's still a lot of light! So basically I'm trying to figure out a way to get about 1/4-1/2 pound yield, period. I have this much space...


IT'S ABOUT 5.5' by 2'

I can ONLY use CFL's. My plan is to get 10x 20w sunlight spec (5000k or so) and line em up in 2 rows of 5 to provide light for 2 plants... plus I'm going to use that 4' 2x 40w full spec floro tube to light the bottoms of the plant by facing it up....

ANY suggestions or comments will be LOVED! Tenderly loved....
 

d1zl3

Active Member
5000k wont do anything, just for show. U need 6500k/daylight(blueish light) for vegging, and 2300k-2800k/softwhite(yellowish) for flowering. Why dont u get a hps/mh? It probly wont get that hot, dunno never tried
 

MrSnowMan

Member
i also see miracle grow, that probly wont help much:P
Umm I think you got the light temps confused, and it's 5000-5500k I forgot, but 5500k is natural sunlight spectrum so I don't know about just for show... and they've been growing my babies so far but yea, also, the MG is just a nute I plan to use much later MAYBE, seeing as how I have pre nuted organic soil. Still having problems with that but yea. And, I can't use MH or HID or anything like that because I don't have a way to cool it, no vent potential, except out the door a bit with a fan, which is what I do now, but yea, basically CFL's are my only option, no matter how much I want HPS lights :(

Thanks for the input!
 

tactownryder

Active Member
well im growing 2 plants under 6 100 watt equevelant cfls and its plenty light, if there not growing good under all those its probly a problem with something else.
 

d1zl3

Active Member
Umm I think you got the light temps confused, and it's 5000-5500k I forgot, but 5500k is natural sunlight spectrum so I don't know about just for show... and they've been growing my babies so far but yea, also, the MG is just a nute I plan to use much later MAYBE, seeing as how I have pre nuted organic soil. Still having problems with that but yea. And, I can't use MH or HID or anything like that because I don't have a way to cool it, no vent potential, except out the door a bit with a fan, which is what I do now, but yea, basically CFL's are my only option, no matter how much I want HPS lights :(

Thanks for the input!
we're both sorta right :P https://www.rollitup.org/general-marijuana-growing/6631-color-temperature.html
 

tactownryder

Active Member
i grew plants under 4100k for about a month, seemed to work just fine. not the greatest but it worked. 5000k - 6500k works great
 
also, the MG is just a nute I plan to use much later MAYBE, seeing as how I have pre nuted organic soil. Still having problems with that but yea. And, I can't use MH or HID or anything like that because I don't have a way to cool it, no vent potential, except out the door a bit with a fan, which is what I do now, but yea, basically CFL's are my only option, no matter how much I want HPS lights
First of all, ANY SOIL that is going to sustain a plant like Cannabis is going to need nutrients, Soils thar have "Organic, Natural" nutrients aren't going to provide enough for your plants to go more than a week or two. After that, most of the nutrients will slowly be released as organic materials are broken down. Anyways, you NEED to supplement with something else.

Second of all you need one of two things right now. Bigger lights (i.e. HPS or MH lighting), or More of the same lights you currently have. I recommend since you say HID's are out of the question you purchase more lamps than you currently have, you will need close in the area wich you intend to grow in with mylar, just fix to to a wall and surround your plants with them. The mylar will reflect what little light you do have, just be sure to keep a fan circulating the air because it can still get hot.

I am not sure of the number of bulbs you will need so someone else will have to answer this, but investing in some T5's to supplement your current lights might make your quest for a 1/4 - 1/2 pound a bit easier. Hope this helps-
 

MrSnowMan

Member
First of all, ANY SOIL that is going to sustain a plant like Cannabis is going to need nutrients, Soils thar have "Organic, Natural" nutrients aren't going to provide enough for your plants to go more than a week or two. After that, most of the nutrients will slowly be released as organic materials are broken down. Anyways, you NEED to supplement with something else.

Second of all you need one of two things right now. Bigger lights (i.e. HPS or MH lighting), or More of the same lights you currently have. I recommend since you say HID's are out of the question you purchase more lamps than you currently have, you will need close in the area wich you intend to grow in with mylar, just fix to to a wall and surround your plants with them. The mylar will reflect what little light you do have, just be sure to keep a fan circulating the air because it can still get hot.

I am not sure of the number of bulbs you will need so someone else will have to answer this, but investing in some T5's to supplement your current lights might make your quest for a 1/4 - 1/2 pound a bit easier. Hope this helps-
This does help, a lot! So let me tell you about my plant

X--------X Y
XPLANTX Y
X--------X Y
XPLANTX Y
X--------X Y

X= 20w sunlight spec CFL (the ones I have in the reflectors)
Y = 2x 4' 40w full spec floro tube facing upward from below the plants

Total : 280watts

I plan to use this until flowering, then try to get another 10 of those 20w CFL's to make a total of 480watts during flowering. Each bulb produces about 1100 lumens each.

EXAMPLE

X--X--X--X Y
X-PLANT-X Y
X--X--X--X Y
X--X--X--X Y
X-PLANT-X Y
X--X--X--X Y

Total : 480watts

So, do you think this amount of light would be enough for 2 plants to produce 1/4-1/2 pound? I KNOW it has a lot to do with the strain and stuff as well, which I am not sure of, but I'm just trying to get some opinions.

I'M OPEN TO ALL SUGGESTIONS ABOUT ARRANGEMENT OF MY LIGHTS! If anyone has any better ideas or tips that worked for them!

Thanks again!
 
well since your growing 2 plants, under CFL's and i'm assuming this is your first grow? you will be lucky to get a 1/4 lbs. Considering that you need to keep your plants small so that the lights you have can do the job, I would flower once they are no more and 5"-7" tall. I recommend that you top your plants to promote it to spread out a bit or weave them into a SCROG. If you can accomplish this successfully than you may get 1 - 2 oz's per plant. Hopefully. Assuming everything goes right on your first grow.
 
Top