so im exactly 8 days into my growth since burrying. i have four plants. only three have sprouted. each plant has a 100w cfl on them. I bought the litte fixtures that are shaped like bells and i was wondering how do hps lamps work. ive stayed away because i dont really understand all the different lights. ive done alot of research on here and also other sites. so far my kids look great. i was wondering what do i need a ballast for. a friend of mine told me it would b ideal. ive also seen alot of those setups with the classroom lights, the tubes. i really like those and i wanted to invest in them. and i was also wondering would it b bad for me to have hid lights and cfl's. i just want to kno in detail a good bit of my lighting choices. thanx..help please and also i was wondering what i kind of nutes should i start feeding them. I kno i dont need to start until 18-21 days. ive heard alot about fox farm products but unfortunately the only products available to me would be miracle gro, scotts, botanica, jack pot amongst others i have never heard of.
Buy online. It's the easiest way to go. Here's a nice website htgsupply.com You can buy nutes and lighting systems.
Depending on the size of your grow area and number of plants, you can choose between CFLs, floro tubes, or HPS/MH. For most beginners, CFLs are the best bet, they are fairly cheap, put out decent light and stay relatively cool. Standard floro tubes will work, but it takes a lot of tubes and is not ideal for a small space. T-5 floro tubes are smaller, more powerful, and would be a good choice but higher priced. HPS or MH require a ballast and are generally higher powered (250-1000w). These are higher priced yet, put out much more heat and aren't really made for a small space. They do however give you the most bang for your buck. For a starter, I would suggest CFLs or T-5s. Basically, just plug in and go. Check out Kamel's CFL thread at the start of this forum. As far as your nute question, anything will work if given in proper amounts. The key is to not over-fertilize.
double check the wattage on your cfls. Im willing to bet their not 100 watts each, probably 26 actual watts
A ballast regulates electricity flow and is required for certain types of lighting. Fluoros need a ballast -- those CFLs you are using have a ballast built in (it's in the thick white area at the base). HPS and MH lighting also needs a ballast. These kinds of lighting are very efficient (lots of light per watt of electricity) and have strong light intensity.