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Dollar store flouros?

Discussion in 'First Time Marijuana Growers' started by 100WattWarlock, Jul 26, 2006.

  1. #1 100WattWarlock, Jul 26, 2006
    I found 40 watt compact flouros that go for 1.15 each, but I'm not sure of the quality. Will they do?
     
  2. #2 kayakbubbler, Jul 26, 2006
    If they're cool white bulbs, they'll do.
     
  3. #3 DCrist721, Jul 26, 2006
    They should be fine for seedling and veg growth, but you might want to look into a HPS light for flowering, although you will still get results using just the flouros. I think 3 lights per plant should be fine, but don't qoute me. And remember, the more light the better, as long as its not affecting your temperatures too adversely.
     
  4. #4 100WattWarlock, Jul 26, 2006
    I will probably invest in a hps for red spectrum light during the flowering stage, of course!. Now that I have my bulbs, what do I use as a reflector and ballast?
     
  5. #5 kayakbubbler, Jul 26, 2006
    For cfl's you won't need a ballast, just sockets. As far as reflectors, walmart has some some cheap ($5 i think) metal reflectors with clamps. You can also use mylar on the walls.
     
  6. #6 100WattWarlock, Jul 28, 2006
    Ok, I got two different flouro brands, one of each. Before I go out and get more, I need help differentiating the two because there slightly diffrent. The red packaged bulb says it gives 150w light, but is a 30w bulb. The blue packaged one is a 40w bulb, and it says cool day light. Anyone?
     
  7. #7 KamelRedLight, Jul 28, 2006
    Look for the color temperature. Daylight should be something high like 6500k, and it should be used for vegging. The other is probly a soft white, 2700k, which works well for flowering, since it's close to an HPS spectrum.
     
  8. #8 100WattWarlock, Jul 28, 2006

    You mean theres flouro types that work well for flowering???
     
  9. #9 KamelRedLight, Jul 29, 2006
    Yessir! It's all about the spectrum and how much red or blue light is present. Soft/warm white and bulbs with lower color temps have more red, which plants use more in flowering. Daylight bulbs with high color temps have more blue, which plants need more in veg. I had a soft white CFL on my plant during her veg cycle, and it helped I guess, but when I changed it with a daylight bulb, within an hour she perked up and took off! It's like using MH and HPS lights. Metal halide bulbs have a high color temp and lots of blue in their spectrum, so we use em for vegging. HPS has a low color temp and lots of red, so it's the best for flowering. Those lights are just more intense.
     
  10. #10 100WattWarlock, Aug 5, 2006
    Minor bad news. I recently started my first grow after germinating 3 out of 5 seeds. One of the light bulbs popped it's insides and went up in a smelly burnt smoke right before I rushed to turn it off. I am not sure wether it was the actual bulbs itself that were garbage, the humidity of the soil going in contact with the lamp (I was using lamps from create-a-lamp kits and just hanging them by the cords from spring tention rods), or the ballast of the cfl's slightly touching each other caused overheating.

    These flouros were actually $1.56 each, not 1.15, but they are still cheap looking with nothing but 40w and 120v printed on the ballast. I'm assuming it's these ghetto brand bulbs that caused it, but I could be wrong. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

    Anyway, I'm going to get back on the horse and try again as soon as I ask a few more questions. :)
     
  11. #11 100WattWarlock, Aug 6, 2006
    Noone wants to help me with this fluoro problem??
     
  12. #12 Maryjoowanna, Aug 6, 2006
    Get some new ones and try again. From our point of view (sitting at a computer nowhere near you and never seeing your grow room) we can't really help ya much.

    But I'd say get a new bulb and if it happens again. Try something else.
     
  13. #13 Pooflingaz69, Aug 8, 2006
    You really can't complain because at a dollar a bulb, you can afford to replace em. I gotta go check out the dollar store!
     

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