I was planning on getting these.. Philips - Mini Twister Daylight Compact Fluorescent Bulb - 23 Watt, 4 Pack - 234229 - Home Depot Canada ....Like 3 packs of them for 4 plants (So 276w), and for the veg stage, since they're daylights, but then I read the lumens and they're 1600....why is that? Are they still okay? Thanks
You should check out jzchillin's lighting thread "Introduction To Lighting", you'll probably find all the answers you're looking for in there.
I don't understand your question. That is the lumen output of the bulb, that's why That may be enough light for the first part of vegging, but you will want more than that if you veg for more than 3-4 weeks and you certainly will need more bulbs (and different spectrum bulbs) for flowering. With CFLs target at least 100w per plant and don't use bulbs below about 23 actual watts.
I read before that you could just add the wattage? With 100w for the first plant, and 50w extra every added one (I want 4, so 250ws at least), and 12 14w's are 280w? You can't do that? And yeah I understand the lumens thing, but I thought daylight CFLs were supposed to be 6500k? (And yes I know I need softwhite CFLs for flowering, I plan on getting the same amount, but softwhites).
That's about right. 23-26 Watts usually deliver that amount of lumens. That isn't enough for 4 plants though...CFL's deliver small amounts light so you'll need alot. Last year I was running 21 - 26 Watters on 3 plants. So..... You wont need that many during Veg. but come flowering time, the girls need all the light you can provide.
6500k is the color temperature of the light, or simply the color or spectrum of the light (6500k = blue spectrum good for veg, 2700k = red spectrum good for flowering). Lumens is an attempt to measure the intensity of the light output (regardless of spectrum). That rule of thumb you are referring to was originally developed for HID lighting, before CFLs were widely available. HIDs are about twice as efficient as CFLs (meaning they output about twice the lumens for the same wattage), so you are short-changing yourself if you apply that rule of thumb to CFLs.
Wait what? haha, sorry, but you're saying I need 23watts? Well how many of them. I can't substitute 20 14watts, instead of 12 23watts?
Different Brands of CFL's use different watts. I had some GE that were 26 W and some Bright Effects that used 23 W The fact is that they always put out in between 1600-1800 lumens. It's up to you how many watts you want to run. The more the merrier, unless you go HPS!
Just use 3-4 26 Watters for each plant during the Veg stage. Be creative and spread em around Come Flowering time if you choose to stay w/ smaller watts, you'll need more 26 Watt bulbs, so 6-8 26 Watters total for each plant in Flower. OR you can buy 4 42 Watt bulbs to replace the 4 26 Watters that were used during Veg. This site sells a variety of CFL's Light bulbs, Rope Lights, Halogen and Fluorescent bulb - 1000-Bulbs - The Light Bulb Superstore Either way you choose will put out a small decent harvest.