cfl question?

[mokepot]

ok i was wondering say you have a plant that is about 2 feet tall, and you are wanting to use a cfl to flower it, will that cfl be effective in penetrating the plant far enough? i mean i have heard that a cfl is only good until the plant is like a foot tall, or does that depend on what size the cfl is? so say i hung a 105w cfl over one plant would that penetrate the whole plant well, or would it only be effective for the top part of the plant? or would you have to position lights on the sides and lower parts of the plant as well to make it develop fully? basically i just want to know will this one light be good for the whole plant, or would i still need to put lights on the sides and lower parts of the plant as well? also would 2 42w cfls alone be enough to flower 1 plant or would i need more on the sides and lower part of the plant as welll? also how long does it normally take for a plant to bust out hairs all over under a cfl? like i know under a hps its like a few weeks. thanks for any help...

[senior_ganj]

Originally Posted by mokepot

ok i was wondering say you have a plant that is about 2 feet tall, and you are wanting to use a cfl to flower it, will that cfl be effective in penetrating the plant far enough? i mean i have heard that a cfl is only good until the plant is like a foot tall, or does that depend on what size the cfl is? so say i hung a 105w cfl over one plant would that penetrate the whole plant well, or would it only be effective for the top part of the plant? or would you have to position lights on the sides and lower parts of the plant as well to make it develop fully? basically i just want to know will this one light be good for the whole plant, or would i still need to put lights on the sides and lower parts of the plant as well? also would 2 42w cfls alone be enough to flower 1 plant or would i need more on the sides and lower part of the plant as welll? also how long does it normally take for a plant to bust out hairs all over under a cfl? like i know under a hps its like a few weeks. thanks for any help...

Lets see, lets see.

one cfl is most likely not enough. Personall I'd have 4 or 5 23w CFL's on a 2 footer. As for the 42 w CFL's and the 105 w CFL make sure thats the acutal output of the light not just the equivalence to normal bulbs. Spread them out because CFL's do shit for penetration.

The buds will most likely be very airy and not dense whatsoever.

It'll most likely start throwing out hairs anywhere from 1 week to 3 weeks. Earlier if its a male. uhm... did i miss anything?

good luck

[aznbeaver]

Have the strongest CFL on top and smaller CFLs on the sides and your plant should be fine...

[mokepot]

hey thanks for the replys...and yes i'm certain they are the correct light output so would like 2 42w cfls over the top of the plant be enough to penetrate the whole plant, or the same for a 105w? or would i still need lights for the sides and bottom part as well? would these lights alone without side lighting be enough, or would they only develop buds on the top of the plant? thanks for any help...

[senior_ganj]

Originally Posted by mokepot

hey thanks for the replys...and yes i'm certain they are the correct light output so would like 2 42w cfls over the top of the plant be enough to penetrate the whole plant, or the same for a 105w? or would i still need lights for the sides and bottom part as well? would these lights alone without side lighting be enough, or would they only develop buds on the top of the plant? thanks for any help...

They will develop buds all over, but everything besides for the top cola and maybe some up close to the top will be tiny.

CFL's have terrible light penetration. You can get a 3 pack of 23 watters for like 5 bucks. Stick those on the side and you should have much better buds.

[mokepot]

ok so if i have a big light on top and few around the sides will all the buds still be airy and not dense? or was you meaning that they would be that way if i only used lights on the top?

[KamelRedLight]

Wherever you get intense light, you're buds will be nice n fat, given your genetics call for it. For a 2 foot plant, 2 42w would work but it'd be on the low side. Maybe the 2 42w bulbs on opposite sides of the top shining down, and a couple small ones at the bottom to get where the 42ws don't reach. Or if you really can only use the 2 42w, you could probly get away with one on one side of the top, and on the opposite side further down put the other one. Whatever works to try to light as many of the bud sites as you can. Figure anything farther than 6" from the light won't reach it's potential. As for the big 105, I'd still put a couple at the bottom, even if they're only 26w.