Newbie Vegging Question

bah

bah

Active Member
Hey I'm new around here, but for security's sake, let's skip the welcoming get-to-know-me party. :) And it's my first grow, in a small closet (about 2x6x10)

kk so I got fourteen one-week old plants, ranging from a couple that are barely an inch to some that are 3 or 4 inches. I started off with a fluorescent tube way too high.

Anyway is 12,800 lumens enough? I'm running four 23W cfl's for a total of 6,400, and might be running out to buy four more because the lighting seems a little subprime. I also know I will need a lot more later

I know 2-3k per square foot is advised, and I definitely have that much, (18"X18" for 2.25 sqft) but that could just be because my plants are too close together. I know I'll need more soon since they can't be that close together for long.

I also don't want to post pics for paranoia's sake. :)

Thanks!
 
well, for securities sake, I'm invisible right now (s-s-shhh!). figure on 50-75w perplant. 2000 lumens per square foot is aboutright. what you need is to get the light as close as you can. do the hand test. put your hand on plant top, adjust your light or plant so it's warm but not intolerable. flouros-1-2" off plant top, cfls' 6=10" off top, Hid's-10+" off top. these measurements may be adjusted closer if you use a fan. aslong as you don't do anything stupidlike using your real name or posting addresses or phone numbers, you are ok. we all post pics, here, it's easier if you do then we can actually see wehat your plant is doing or not doing. Hopefully given time you will relax a tad, and post. if not well we'll try to help ya' anyways
 
Thanks! I know about the hand test, and it's warm, but nowhere near hot.

Though... as for lumens/sqft I'm a little above where I need to be, so that's good, but I definitely don't have 50 watts per plant. I barely have 100 watts going in there, so that's less than 10 each.

I have a surge protector hanging and 2 lights coming out at about 60 degree angles, a few inches apart. So it kind of looks like a bow legged animal with lit hooves haha. With this setup, the plants are all 5-10 inches away from the cfl's. That's another reason I wanted to buy more... so I can spread them out more on another power strip and reduce this range.

So for now, are these 4 cfl's enough? I forgot mention I also have the 15 watt fluorescent tube I started with in there.
 
scrap the 15w tube It's just a nightlight. you'd need about a 40w for any good to come of it your lumens is ok, forget about wattage, it's either or, not both. make sure you have a fan on them it's needed to strengthen those stems
 
Sorry to double post and bump, but I'm a little anxious here.

Here are pics... don't make fun of the ultimate in ghetto rigging. I don't even have string. In pic 2, I'm a little worried about the coloration of the one on right, and a little confused about the angle of 2 of the leave on the one on the left. I turned off the cfl's to take the second picture.

A few of the leaves have turned from a healthy green to this in the last few hours of having up the cfl's. Too close?

Edit - I can't believe I forgot to get the fan earlier today.
Edit 2 - Whew, you can't see I'm holding it up with rubber bands and binder rings. :P
Edit 3 I need to think about what I want to say before editing again -
How much longer do you think the cfl's will be good for? Before I need to buy more?
 

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clear cups = bad! plant roots hate light and will not grow correctly because they are sitting in clear cups. more lights get a fan so lights can be closer, too
 
Alright! I was following the growing guide when I used those clear cups. I have holes in the bottoms of them, and I guess sitting in beer cups as I call them, will let me observe drainage. Enough dirt? When should I upgrade?
 
then the roots should be filling up the bottom of the cup (since you started with clear, this is even easier for you) then you can transplant into larger containers (1 gallon size works now.) you can keep them on a 24/0 or a 18/6 vegging light pattern. no nutes or fertz for now. give em about 2-3 weeks at first with just water. after that start at 1/4 strength for 1 watering every three, then increase your dosage to 1/2 for one watering out of three, then 3/4...you get the idea.

for right now, only water every 3-4 days! Do not overwater, an all-too common mistake
 
Sorry for running off suddenly. My room mate wanted to go eat and I since my door is never locked (for long...lol) I didn't want him getting suspicious. I also couldn't buy the stuff, because he'd be like "Wtf do you need those for?" when we ran to Walmart for snacks. So I'm without a fan and extra lights for a while.

Anyway I leave these puppies running 24 hours. When should I up the lighting? I guess that'd be when I switch to larger pots, since they'd be further apart, but when can I expect that to be, assuming nothing goes horribly wrong? I know you can't give me exact times, but a rough range would be nice. :) This was the third time I rotated them in the last 5 hours, since they all keep leaning in, so I guess I should do it soon, just to spread out the source.
 
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