So i'm currently doing a small indoor grow with 18 CFL's at a total of 270w. I have them mounted on a beam of wood above my plants all facing downwards. So far using this method my plants are loving it and always give me dense, good looking buds. My question is should i rather buy 2x 250w 6400k (veg) + 2x 250w 2700k (flower) which is a total of 1000w of CFLs over having many smaller CFLs like i have now? The reason why im asking is i see there is a pro and con on both sides. The pro on using the 250's is that obviously you getting a more powerful light. However the con is that there is less light's covering the plants. Since there are only going to be 4 lights for 2 plants and before i had 18 CFLs for 2 plants. Each plant got covered very well. EDIT Or do you think its better to grow 1 plant under "The Mars II 400 LED Grow Light"
Or go buy a 600 watt HPS and do it right. I'll never go back. It'll easily cover a 4x4 and give good yields. If you get a dimmable ballast, you can even run it at half power for the start of veg to save some $$.
Will see they are expensive... I'm thinking of buying a 1m x 1m x 1.8m grow tent (40x40x70) would a 400w HPS/HM be better than 1000W CFLs?
Ive grown only with cfls. Have yielded about 2 oz per plant with one 105watt cfl 3x 15 watt cfls and one 50watt full spectrum l.e.d. A hps set up is the dream though. Can grow fat buds with that.
Or get both. Have a veg room dedicated for clones with cfls. Then xfer to processing tent for flowering period. Mmm a dream. Would cost in power. Although over a year 2 maybe 3 grows might be possible. At plants maximum potential depending on genetics medium care etc
Thats allot of stretch. Maybe in your next grow try keep the plant short and the lights closer. All the buds at the bottom arnt getting allot of light compared to the top bud
Thanks. Have lowerded the l.e.d. so its Par range covers the lower part. Thats the benefit of using cfls and l.e.ds they dont heat up and you can get them right up close to the forming flowers. Next time i would like to try using one high powered light with correct nutrients. Good air flow added c02 and would probably grow one with tipping method and scrog the other.
My first grow ever (just got my MMJ card), I yielded 9 ounces from 2 plants in a 48"x48"x90" tent with 600 watt HPS in DWC. The tent cost me all of $30 US, as I built it from panda film and a snowmobile crate.
Trust me, this tent isn't cheap in any way. The thing is just amazing. The structure that holds up the panda film isn't as important as having the panda film. Good reflectivity matters. Strength to hold up lights, fans, etc, etc, matters. How much you spent on it doesn't.
I'll get pictures. Mine's light proof, solid, much larger for the price, reflective due to panda film. I've been thinking of a DIY how-to on it anyway.
Working on it. Editing images, then going to write up the how-to. I'll post a link here when I'm done.