Kamel's CFL Guide

[herbsmith]

Good thread yeah. I started off growing with CFLs only. First grow, I vegged under 1x125w 2700k and 1X125w 6400k envirolite then bloomed under 1X125w 2700k and 1x200w 2700k. All the stuff about 'air buds' when using these lights is a myth IMO. If you keep the bulb at around 50mm to 75mm from the top of the plant, the buds stay nice and tight. I don't know the exact dry weight of my harvests cos I was growing so I had a plant to crop every 4 weeks or so and don't really need any hammers. I didn't run out of herb. Eventually I bought a HID for flowering because I sorted out a bigger space for my grows. If it wasn't for the CFLs, however, I wouldn't have bothered trying to grow in the space I had available to me at the time. Also, I didn't know if growing would be for me so I didn't want to be spending forunes on loads of equipment that, when I was starting out, I didn't know how to use properly. The CFL growing gave me the experience and confidence I needed to become a half way competent grower.

Don't listen to the knockers of these lights, they are good bits of kit!

Herbsmith

[SkunkApe]

Originally Posted by GreenDazed42

So, I made a setup similar to this, that will grow about six plants. I plan on getting a 600 watt HPS for when I flower, but I'm going to veg with CFL in the mean time. I plan on getting these bulbs; they're 105 watts (500 watt incandescent equivalent). Would it be smart to have one bulb for each plant, or could I get away with three down the middle? If I get six bulbs, that comes to $137 not including shipping. I might as well be getting a 600 watt HPS already for that much!

EDIT: I just realized they're over 11 inches long! I intended to have them hanging vertically, but now maybe I'll have to make a hood and hang them horizontally...

Check out the CFL light fixture in the link below.
http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/pr...FRJdxwodknU1Tw
I'm gonna but the 'flowering configuration' (two 105 watt 3000k's and one 105 watt 5000k) as soon as I get the $. This light configuration should work fine for both veg and flower. Seems easier than trying to string together a bunch of 23 watt wally world lights. I'm no electrician and don't want to chance making my own rig and setting fire to my apartment just to save a few bucks. Besides, as long as the CFL's are supposed to last, it's an investment at only $200 bucks.

This website even has some bad ass looking bubble systems to go with the CFL fixture.

[KamelRedLight]

Hi everybody! Wow I can't believe how huge this thread got. Glad to see everyone still believes in CFL's. Who knows when I'll grow again, but I'll be hangin around here again, helpin with what I can. I missed this place...

[SmknVTEC]

Dude Kamel where you been man?
Welcome back.

[KamelRedLight]

Well since I can't grow anymore it kinda pissed me off to be on here cuz it reminded me how much fun it was. But hey, it's not like I have much better to do. I've actually started hanging around a Camaro forum, learning to fix mine up the same way I learned to grow. I swear, if there's anything I ever want to learn to do, all I have to do is find a forum dedicated to it. The internet is a wonderful place.

Happy to be back though, and I gotta say tremendously honored to have so many people getting their start from my little guide. Good thing you're still here Vtec to answer their questions!

[vinthelad]

hey, i was just wondering why on the sticky for do's and dont's it says CFLs can grow the plants but need a lot more wattage. I just ordered dual spectrum setup 65 from stealth hydroponics. i really dont want to get busted by cops and want to keep wattage as minimal as possible. will i get into trouble with these lights. once i use them i will start to turn off tv, computer, xbox, etc to even out. so whos right, this sticky or the dos and donts? are cfls the way to go?

also what are common ways ppl get caught growing indoors so i can avoid them. thanks!

[SmknVTEC]

Originally Posted by KamelRedLight

Well since I can't grow anymore it kinda pissed me off to be on here cuz it reminded me how much fun it was. But hey, it's not like I have much better to do. I've actually started hanging around a Camaro forum, learning to fix mine up the same way I learned to grow. I swear, if there's anything I ever want to learn to do, all I have to do is find a forum dedicated to it. The internet is a wonderful place.

Happy to be back though, and I gotta say tremendously honored to have so many people getting their start from my little guide. Good thing you're still here Vtec to answer their questions!

Oh OK, no more growing, gottcha. Camaro club is cool. I am part of a Honda and NSX club and used to be on a Ferrari club that shut down [not that I can afford one of those though.]
Welcome back nonetheless. Your thread kicks ass and I have kinda adopted it and answer questions when no one else does.

Originally Posted by vinthelad

hey, i was just wondering why on the sticky for do's and dont's it says CFLs can grow the plants but need a lot more wattage. I just ordered dual spectrum setup 65 from stealth hydroponics. i really dont want to get busted by cops and want to keep wattage as minimal as possible. will i get into trouble with these lights. once i use them i will start to turn off tv, computer, xbox, etc to even out. so whos right, this sticky or the dos and donts? are cfls the way to go?

also what are common ways ppl get caught growing indoors so i can avoid them. thanks!

I will have to check that sticky to see what you mean. I don't think you are going to tip off the cops, in the US, with anything less than 1000 watts. Doing what you are doing by turning off things is a great idea. CFL'S IMO are the way to grow if one has space/heat/electricity issues. Otherwise, HID is the way to grow if one wants to get big weight. Of course having HID lights and half gallon pots won't yield big so; the two most influential things in getting big yields, INDOORS, is pot size and lumens [unless using LED than lumens don't mean shit.]

[vinthelad]

Originally Posted by SmknVTEC

I will have to check that sticky to see what you mean. I don't think you are going to tip off the cops, in the US, with anything less than 1000 watts. Doing what you are doing by turning off things is a great idea. CFL'S IMO are the way to grow if one has space/heat/electricity issues. Otherwise, HID is the way to grow if one wants to get big weight. Of course having HID lights and half gallon pots won't yield big so; the two most influential things in getting big yields, INDOORS, is pot size and lumens [unless using LED than lumens don't mean shit.]

Appreciate your help man. Yea im not looking for big yields. Purely personal so i wont have to spend 50 bux for every 2 grams i want. I think investing in CFLs and building a hydropoincs system and seeds will eventually pay itself overtime. plus u feel the satisfaction that its grown by urself and nothing else was put in that u might get addicted too. but yea im really hoping these CFLs are enough for my 1 MAYBE 2 plants. u think i can do 2 plants?

[SmknVTEC]

How many watts are the lights and how many of them? Sorry I don't know the terminology/names for all the systems out there so give me the specs and I will tell you if it will work or not.

[vinthelad]

Originally Posted by SmknVTEC

How many watts are the lights and how many of them? Sorry I don't know the terminology/names for all the systems out there so give me the specs and I will tell you if it will work or not.

lol i meant i wasnt going to deal or anything (cuz not taking a chance on getting caught or w.e) but thanks for editing if it sent out the wrong idea.

im pretty sure the wattage is 65w for each bulb.gets almost 7000 lumens. couldnt find those fixtures at our store near my house and thot id just get these since they come with bulbs as well.

but heres a linky

http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/pr...13e1b79ec8a621

hope i can grow atleast 1 if not 2 plants

[SmknVTEC]

Yes those will grow one to two small to medium sized plants.

[vinthelad]

hey, i actually have 2 attics and in the other one i am planning on it just being a veg room for 1 female plant to be vegged throughout the year while the other attic is for flowering and vegging clones only that come from the mother plant.

my question is what type of CFL bulb should i get to keep it in veg stage (the mother) year round and its gotta be running atleast 18 hours correct? like how many watts and its daylight right? its only going to be 1 mother female plant, year round veg

the mother will be ground in a pot with just soil and watered llike once a week. not much nutes are need in veg stage right? especially if its only in veg year round? should i LST the mother veg to make better stems and branches to pick off nicer clones or anything?

ill be going to walmart, home depot, or lowes soon to get some supplies so try to check if its on their sites or any suggestions.


thanks, this sites AWSOME

[SmknVTEC]

Glad you like the site, it is one of the best cannibis boards on the web. I don't want to toot my own horn but, the site is so good because us mods keep the shit run tight. I was on another grow forum and an otherwise good site was ruined by flaming in every thread which the mods were sleeping on.

Anyway, to keep a mother in veg really does not require a lot of light. Yes the daylight bulb is 6500 k or 5500k and should be left on for 24/7 or 18/6.

You could use 2 27 watt CFL's for that and it would be cool.

I don't know about LST on a mom. It is used when height is an issue but it is also good for artificial lights because it keeps the canoppy at an even height which is good for lumen drop off with distance. The choice on that is yours.

I am worried about you growing in an attic. Attics are very difficult to keep temps in check. Hopefully your attic has a good exhaust fan or three.

Yes moms being used for clones don't need much nutes.

[vinthelad]

Originally Posted by SmknVTEC

Anyway, to keep a mother in veg really does not require a lot of light. Yes the daylight bulb is 6500 k or 5500k and should be left on for 24/7 or 18/6.

You could use 2 27 watt CFL's for that and it would be cool.

I don't know about LST on a mom. It is used when height is an issue but it is also good for artificial lights because it keeps the canoppy at an even height which is good for lumen drop off with distance. The choice on that is yours.

I am worried about you growing in an attic. Attics are very difficult to keep temps in check. Hopefully your attic has a good exhaust fan or three.

Yes moms being used for clones don't need much nutes.

hey thanks for helpin me out, yea i am worried about the attic as well. but it is slanted (from the roof) so the higher sides are in the middle and on the lower sides there are tiny holes that are going to the outside. (at the very bottom, lil vent holes im guessing) I am definantly planning on buying some PC fans (bigger ones) and connecting them to some dryer hose and placing the dryer hose right on the tiny vent holes that go to the outside. i think 3 or 4 of these should be good enough. then a couple little fans circulating on the plants themselves.

so overview:
for the vegging mother,2 CFLs, a pot, and some water
for flowering room, CFL light kit dual spectrum 65, hydroponics system with foil tape all over it so no light will go inside., and very small amounts of nutes.

for the flowering room i may add a couple extra lower watt CFLs on the sides and stuff when the plants get a lot bigger.

this should be a good setup for some decent yields year round every season right? just for myself so i dont have to spend so much getting from a friend.

[bird_d69]

Hey Guys/Gals. If I want to flower 8 clones in 2L soda bottles (drbudgreens style). How many much light should I target on a simple SOG setup. Or how much / plant for good budding. I can do the math after that.


Thanks.