Just started my seedling out a few days ago and it is currently sitting under a 42w 6500k CFL. I have a 150w HPS light that I had planned to use once it was big enough to handle it. But would maybe 3 more of those 42w 6500k CFLs be better for the veg then the 150w HPS? Or maybe use the 150w hps and have a few 6500k CFLs aswell?
I'd stick with the hps and maybe 1 42w if you want to keep stretching down or you can LST instead to keep it short. The hps is more efficient and the light intensity will help you. But I also would wait till it was a decent size or you will just be wasting a lot of light. Is your seed femmed? Might want to consider planting 1 or 2 more if not.
Yea, I was thinking putting the CFL with the HPS would help limit stretch. How many leaf sets until I start the HPS you think? I'm doing a DWC Bubblebucket and was planning on FIM or Topping it a few times. And yes, bought feminized seeds.
Put 2 CFLS over them now (I'm guessing that's close to 6000 lumens) or 1 and a lower wattage if handy. You want about 3k lumens (the low side) to 5k lumens per square foot. Growth starts to slow after 5k lumens per sq ft. Once they grow out of that move them under the 150w. No reason to waste electricity right . As far as size wise I'm not sure the light penatration is only so good with cfl's. maybe a good healthy 6-8 inch plant? I put my seeds and rooted clones under the HID immediately myself. It wouldn't hurt putting it under it now just would be a little overkill (as long as heat was ok).
I will at least wait till I start to see the roots out of the net pot. I actually started a plant the other week, put HPS on when I transfered to the BB. But I let the water level get too low after only a few days and it dried up over-night. The light was working well and it was clearly the water level that was the problem, but I think that if I had it under a CFL it wouldn't have dried up that quick and I would have had a chance to save it.
Haha well that's something you have to be able to control sometime.... Don't know what else to tell you other then prepare for that hps cause you are gonna need it..