First CFL/fluorescent Grow NEED ADVICE

This is my first indoor grow. I used miracle organic soil mixed with about 10-5% perlite. I have 5 24" grow light fluorescent bulbs and 1 23 watt cfl. Should i use more bright white instead of grow fluorescents for the vegatative stage? Give me any advice you think possible. Thanks

hey good to see another fluorcent grower. i use 30 26watt (daytime) fluorcents to flower my girls and i use 6 26watts (cool white) to veg. i would throw a few more in for your flower. i havent used the light bars so i dont know how much lumas those put off. go to your local wally world and you can get a box of 6 for 5 to 6 dollars. but the more lightsyou put in the better. i know i wish that i would of used more for my veg but im happy with how she is doing with the six that i have in there. i will be posting pictures here in a little and then you can see what i got with the lighting that i am using. good luck with your grow.

Use every lamp you can. ...... always.

Thanks. What about nutrients im using a 10-15-10 right now.

burton13order said:

Thanks. What about nutrients im using a 10-15-10 right now.

Click to expand...

Also new myself... but I have been doing a great deal of research and most people say to have a fert high in N for veg (20-5-5) and one stronger in P&K for flowering (5-15-15). N is Nitrogen, P is phosphorus and K is for Potassium. I am trying to do my entire "experimental" grow on stuff that I can buy at either Home Depot or Lowes and I am using all CFL's... as soon as I transplant my seedlings I will start posting pics.

The height of the tubes is going to make your plant stretch towards it. You'll get lanky, scrawny looking plants in the end. I know it's hard to adjust the heights of your lights, but you'll want it around 1-2 inches from the leaves. Use dental floss (regular, cheap stuff) as wire to hang them if you need to (it usually holds.. very strong)

Cool&Warm combo for veg.

also i am doing a 24 on for veg is that good or should i go with a 18/6

24/0 is fine. lowwer your tubes to an inch above the plants then raise it has they grow. im using t12s duel 40 watts and a 20 watt four foot t5 tube. they work great. put a fan on your seedlings on low to strenghten the stem.

thanks i just raised the platform the plants were on now they are about an inch tor two away. I wil post more pictures soon.

burton13order said:

thanks i just raised the platform the plants were on now they are about an inch tor two away. I wil post more pictures soon.

Click to expand...

have you heard of, or do you know about "topping" to keep the plants short and bushy?

i belive that the 24/0 is good to start from seed and to get your plant started. i then switch over to the 18/6. i think that the 6 hours of rest really makes a diffrents. i know people that do both ways. it is your choice. but i really think it helps out to have that 6 hours to rest.

thats how i feel about is really 24/0 for germ 18/6 veg 12/12 flower

thats good to hear. i have got the best plant i can get doing it that way i feel.

Hey if you want to get a few bigger lights in there look at ace hardware or HyVee of all places. I just found 45 watt cfls at HyVee last night. I've been to Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Ace Hardware. All three of those places carried nothing bigger than a 42 watt or smaller. I have two 42 Watts and three 23 Watt daytime cfls. I'll be going back to HyVee in the next few days to add at least two more of the 45 Watts. Looks good so far man. Keep it up!

btw, this thread has inspired me to switch to 6/18 lighting. I've been giving them 24 but rest seems like a good idea.

right on. i really belive that you see a diffrents in your plant with that 6 hours of rest. how many lumas does that 45 watt have???

[quote="let it burn";2136143]right on. i really belive that you see a diffrents in your plant with that 6 hours of rest. how many lumas does that 45 watt have???[/quote]


Good question. I'll post as soon as I go buy a few as I didn't even think to look. I know the 42 watts are 2700 lumens.

thanks please let me know more when you find out.

a better fert for vegin is a 20-20-20 but they are lookin alright

First time grower with CFLs here as well. Hope we'll have good luck.