Hey guys, I'm designing my grow box and have gotten so confused in the information regarding lighting that I need to ask you for some help. My grow box will be approximately 3'X1.75'X1.75' (Height x depth x width) as of it is supposed to be stealth in my closet. I am only planning on growing one plant at a time in a scrog method. What type of light (CFL, Metal Halide ect) should I use for this box and how many watt's? Thanks!
one plant. EASY MODE SCROG. CFLS!!!! make sure you get enough!!! thats step one! 2nd step. you need to pick yourself up about 4-5 100w DAYLIGHT CFLS. they have a light temp of 5000k which is veg lighting. its blue on the spectrum. you also need some 23w CFL's with a temp of 2700k. (it says this on the box) this is a more reddish light and is also a tad bit smaller than the DAYLIGHTs. If this isnt making sense post somethin. but thats a pretty solid intro, you should look here. Lighting - Grasscity.com Forums Your box is a good size. Just remember that you will probably be best off going 18/6 for vegging them to build a solid structure. then switching them too 12/12 once you have a good structural support going. they will double to triple during flowering. so u need to time this perfect.
For about $70.00 plus a few dollars shipping you can be the owner of a Brand New 150 Watt HID HPS (16,000 Lums) that can take you thru both the Veg and Flowering Cycles and only need a small 6" table fan for cooling and air circulation. The watts used is no more then a 150 watt incandescent light bulb. The 150 Watts placed 12 inches above the plant will still get just over 5000 lums to the plants canopy Sun System HPS 150w Grow Light [SS150H] : Urban Sunshine, Organic and Hydroponic Gardening IMO HID produces the best Now for the HID hates to chime in with their 2 cents
That too^^^ I bought a 150w HPS light for 70 bucks. It is a good investment. Check out my indoor grow journal. My space is 2x1.5x5 (lenght,depth,heighth) so just taller and a bit longer. check out what i did for a 2 plant grow. maybe it will help.. maybe it wont. But hey atleast i tried. But 70 bucks and your set for a one plant grow with that 150w HPS/MH
In the link you added the light has the Ballast in the hood. So if the lights in a cab, in a closet, wouldn't he have heat issues without intake and exhaust? I'm shopping for one now too, so I'm not hating on hid's.lol
In the post I made it also says that if you use a small 6" fan for cooling and air circulation I have a 100 Watt MH that looks just like the 150 and I use a fan for air circulation and cooling
I hear ya, Justme, I did see that about the fan. I have a cab with like 6 cfl's I run one 135 cfm centrifugal exhaust and on 45 cfm exhaust fan and one 85 cfm intake fan. The exhaust fans are vented into the attic. I still have it hit 91 when the door to the room that the closet has the cab in.lol! If I can run a 150 hps (when it get here)and pull most of my cfl's out and it run cooler than I'm going to be one happy MF. What your telling me is killer!
You will be quite happy with the 150 and if you want to use the cfl's as aux lighting you can. Standing air will raise temp fast in a small space but a slight breeze will take a long time to change the whole rooms ambiant temp
thanks for the help, i think CFLs are simply too much, it seems like a hassel having to set up so many lights. I'm leaning more towards the 150 watt HID justmeagain posted, but need to time the shipping correctly so my dad isn't home when the box shows up HAHA I appreciate how fast you all responded and the good advice you've given!