I have had 3 successful grows yielding around 4 zips each, using cfls and tube florescent bulbs. I use mostly 2700k with a couple 6500k for a nice mix about 350 watts total. It is well worth the time and a lot easier on the power bill. HPS will give a way better yield but it complicates things in a small area.
Brag brag brag. I only have a 2 x 2 x 2ft box, try putting an hps in that. I have spent 30 bucks on my current box, (granted I did have most of the stuff lying around) 200 watts mixed cfl's , 2 big buddha cheese clones, organic soil plus amendments etc... Basically any amount of bud is worth it for that, but I can pull about 2ozs using a screen. GROWING SHOULD BE FUN, not work. O and just so it is even, I've grown 8 and a half ozs with a 400 watt hps, 3 plants. Sometimes people don't have the room, everybody just has to be better than everyone else in here it's crazy.
CFL's are great for growing if you know how to use them. Their only problem is penetration, which is very low, so you need to get them close to the plant for optimal light uptake. If you SCROG your grow, or supercrop, and get a nice even canopy with CFL's closely above you'll do just as well as an HPS, but you need to put in the effort to do so. I'll be doing a SCROG/microgrow with CFL's soon and I'll journal that. Should be a fun experience.
[quote name='"zah310"'] Brag brag brag. I only have a 2 x 2 x 2ft box, try putting an hps in that. I have spent 30 bucks on my current box, (granted I did have most of the stuff lying around) 200 watts mixed cfl's , 2 big buddha cheese clones, organic soil plus amendments etc... Basically any amount of bud is worth it for that, but I can pull about 2ozs using a screen. GROWING SHOULD BE FUN, not work. O and just so it is even, I've grown 8 and a half ozs with a 400 watt hps, 3 plants. Sometimes people don't have the room, everybody just has to be better than everyone else in here it's crazy.[/quote] Well since I pulled about 40 lb on my outdoor grow my indoor is just for fun. 18 pants in 100 gal smart pots. Now that is work.
[quote name='"esrplaya"']^ Jesus Christ....[/quote] No, Christ smoked up 5,000 people with a single ounce. Or something like that.
2oz off 1 plant in a 2x2 area with 5-6 40W 2700k CLFs. pretty dense even for CFLs, obviously not comparable with HPS but it was worth it and I was very pleased for my first grow experience. To me the downfall of CFLs were the time it requires to always adjust them since they have to be very close to the plants (within 2 inches throughout the grow) And at 10$ a light + 2.50$ per Y splitter and 2,50$ per plugable sockets and 3$ per extension cords it wasn't a very cheap lighting solutions for the amount of light it gives. so 6x10$ + 3x2.5$ + 6x2.5$ + 3x3$ = 100$ (taxe incl). for this price I should've went with 250W HPS or something but heat was a big issue for me so CFL was the way to go. I am now a proud owner of a 200W solarflare LED light. Can't wait to see my next harvests
[quote name='"yomandude"']2oz off 1 plant in a 2x2 area with 5-6 40W 2700k CLFs. pretty dense even for CFLs, obviously not comparable with HPS but it was worth it and I was very pleased for my first grow experience. To me the downfall of CFLs were the time it requires to always adjust them since they have to be very close to the plants (within 2 inches throughout the grow) And at 10$ a light + 2.50$ per Y splitter and 2,50$ per plugable sockets and 3$ per extension cords it wasn't a very cheap lighting solutions for the amount of light it gives. so 6x10$ + 3x2.5$ + 6x2.5$ + 3x3$ = 100$ (taxe incl). for this price I should've went with 250W HPS or something but heat was a big issue for me so CFL was the way to go. I am now a proud owner of a 200W solarflare LED light. Can't wait to see my next harvests [/quote] Yeah bro keep updating me on that 200 watt LED light man.. How many plants do u got that under?
I'll probably harvest my 1st cfl grow the end of Dec. running 3-60w and 15-23w (all 27k) in flower room and 10-23w (65k) in veg room. Link below. Good luck man. Burn One.
My cfls work fine as long as you have enough of them and the right nutes they flourish when there is a problem its usually the person not the plant
I just harvested my 2 indies today using cfls for veg and flower...of course i don't know the yield yet but i was pleased for my first grow. You can check the details in my journal (link below). Burn One.
Yeah me too. Sub my journal and i'll post an update when the dry/cure is done. I also have a sativa that i'm gonna harvest in the next 2-3 wks....
I'm growing with CFLs and I'm out harvest a nice yield! I've got like 50 of em on hand but am using 30 at the moment. From all I've read tho guys it's about keeping the plant short. The key to a good CFL harvest seems to be LSTing. I'm using a mixed spectrum of bulbs right now, and am obsessively rotating so I know they're getting the mixed spectrum benefit! You gotta get a lot of light to the stems of the plants! There's a book you all should check out if you haven't called Buds For Less. The author uses 6 42w CFLs and harvest just under half pound from three plants, growing in miracle grow.. I'm out to challenge his numbers! But in the end I know a nice yield is possible for any of us, because it's been accomplish already. IMO the only drawback seems to be the light intensity of the CFLs. Having to move them all the time should be cool since most of us are probably start at our plants for minutes on in while bud tending lol. I know I do! I think that also enables total control of the lights ya know? Also I'm using 30 at the moment without a very noticeable increase in temperature, and I've only got an oscillating fan cooling them. But we'll see about these CFLs one way or another. For me it'll be February-ish! Check out my journal if ur interested in seeding how I've got them all hooked up Sent from my iPad using GC Forum #FineSmoking
One grow of one bagseed plant with cfl's. 200 watts growing to 350 watts total as she flowered. Harvested 2 oz. dry. Grew in MG Organic with no drama. Monitored PH, amended with molasses / spirulina / powdered dark cocoa tea every other or third watering. Followed proper curing instructions after harvest, was very pleased with results.