I'm growing 8 plants in a closet that is about 2''x5''. I have 1 50watt hps above the plants with a ghetto ass reflector I made and 4 23watt cfl on the walls lighting the sides. Two of the cfl's are 6500k and two are 5500k. I know this is not ideal, but it's within my budget. My question is how bad off am I ? I just want dense, pretty ass buds, covered in thc. What do you guys think? Here is a pic(it was taken before i was done getting everything right but you get the idea)
Get a cheap 400watt switchable ballast and light kit from Discount-hydro.com. Around $200. It will produce tighter buds than the 50 and cfls will. Then you can use your 50 for side lighting. THe buds will not be very compact, and the THC production is kind of a sunblock for your plant, so imagine how much sunscreen you need on a sunny day on earth... Now imagine the sunscreen you would need if you were say 40000 miles closer to the sun. 40000 represents the average amount of lumens provided by a 400 watt light. As the 50watt represents earths distance from the sun. Maybe I am really high. but that sounds good to me.
Cool, thanks for the help man. Do you think the bigger light will cause me to need more ventalation? All I do now is sit an oscilating fan in the doorway of the closet with the door open.
Quite possible you will. But if you are able to rpop the door open and need no stealth, it will be fine like that.