Color vs watts question

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by blueblue48, Mar 31, 2012.

  1. question!
    I have two 42W in my speaker, 2700k. the only 5k lights i have are 27W. which would be more productive, more light of the wrong spectrum or alot less light of the right spectrum? mind you i only have two sockets in there

     
  2. #2 toastybiz, Mar 31, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 31, 2012
    Who told you you need 5k lights? 2700k is just fine for flower. Either way you don't have enough light though. CFLs and sockets are cheap, get what you need.
     
  3. Blue: the 5,000K or 6,000K lamps are commonly called blue 'grow lights' and they're used mostly for vegging along with a high nitrogen diet. The lights are usually on for 16 hours a day.

    When you want to induce flowering change to the 2,700K red/flowering lamps, reduce the light timed duration to 12/12 and change your nutes to a high potassium and phosphorus diet and it'll happen.

    I do't mean to be insulting but if you're asking questions like that you'd better read Cervants's, "MARIJUANA HORTICULTURE."
     
  4. <hates when people reinvent the wheel. i grow lol.. and i know what colors go to the stage. like the title says, colorVSwatts.



    im just going to use the 42s, 2700k for the reveg im doin. i cant find 42w other than 2700's.
     
  5. my Lst. was pretty healthy, good smoke too :smoke:
     

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  6. Then you know that 6500k is the ideal blue spectrum for veg and 2700k is the ideal red spectrum for flower. :cool:
     
  7. which would lead me to ask, if i only have two sockets which is better for a vegging plant, 2 42w 2700 or 2 27 watt 5k lol... i give up grasscity. goin back to riu.
     
  8. If you want help you need to provide specifics and not stick to misinformation or inaccurate assumptions. You didn't tell us the lumens of the bulbs you are dealing with (watts is just a measure of the consumption of electricity -- hair dryers and microwave ovens use watts too). You didn't tell us how many bulbs of each. You didn't even tell us what kind of bulbs, though I assume CFL. Two is the number of sockets, that's about all the detail you've provided. How many plants? Flower or veg? How far along? How big an area?

    Maybe there are mind readers answering questions on other sites, but not here. I don't log on to bash people, I like to help people and answer questions, many other like-minded growers on here in that respect, but you gotta meet us halfway.
     
  9. Toastybiz: they seem to be coming out of the wood work this time of year and they want 1,000 pages of information condensed down to a fifty page cliff notes for their convenience. Here's what I'm recommending for him. What do you think?
    Blueblue48:I wish that there was an easier way, but if you’re as new to this as I think you are and serious about growing I suggest you do the following:
    1. Read: SeeMoreBud’s book, “MARIJUANA BUDS FOR LESS GROW 8 OZ. OF BUDS FOR LESS THAN $100.”
    2. Read: Jorge Cervantes’s book, “MARIJUANA HORTICULTURE THE INDOOR/OUTDOOR MEDICAL GROWER’S BIBLE.”
    3. Read: Ed Rosenthal’s, “MARIJUANA GROWER’S HANDBOOK.”
    4. You’ll want to read: Mc Carthy’s book, “GROWING MARIJUANA.”
    5. You’ll also want to subscribe to, “HIGH TIMES,” magazine. Each issue is chocked full of useful information. .” All these resources are very well written, well illustrated and packed with information that will answer most of your questions before you know to ask them. This will save you and your plants a lot of anxiety. I hope this helps. Hank
    Toastybiz: your comments please. Hank
     
  10. #10 Cuzin Red, Apr 5, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 5, 2012

    In response to the original question, particularly when it comes to CFLs, more lumens (attributable to higher wattage over Kelvin color range) will deliver better results vegging or flowering wise. In the case of 42w CFLs, I'd even go to the 55 watter's. As long as the color spectrum is reasonably balanced, go for the highest lumen output possible across the board. Even with HIDs, the actual difference in bud yield with HPS over MH is not as great as some assume. It's the massive lumen output vastly more than the color difference that creates those potent, tasty and copious harvests.

    Edit: Source: MGG by Mel Frank & Ed Rosenthal, 1990 Revised Edition, pg. 78

    "Flourescent Tubes
    Several lighting manufacturers make tubes (gro-tubes) that produce much of their light in the critical red and blue bands...
    Theoretically, these tubes should work better for growing plants than standard lighting tubes. However, some standard or regular flourescent tubes used for lighting actually work better for growing plants than more expensive natural-spectrum tubes and gro-tubes specifically manufactured for plant growth. The reason is regular flourescents produce more light (lumens), and overall lumen output is more important for growth rate than a specific light spectrum. To compensate for their spectrums, use them in combinations of one, "blue" flourescent to each one or two, "red" flourescents...
    The best combinations are either Warm White or Soft White (red) tubes used with either Cool White or Daylight (blue) tubes. These four tube types are common, much cheaper, and when used in combination, will give you a better return than any of the more expensive gro-tubes or natural-spectrum tubes..."
     
  11. Hank, I definitely agree that more reading is in order for anyone asking about the basics. The only thing I disagree with is the newbie's desire to have it condensed to 50 pages. More like one page, or one paragraph. Actually just one word.

    Not saying that is the case with the OP in this thread, but I still have a hard time advising on his question without relevant details.
     

  12. We live in the day and age of instant anything...smart phones, 24 hour news cycles and McDonalds dollar meny. Im a Executive Chef and people are amazed at what I cooked...all I did was put short ribs in a pan with root veggies broth and some fresh herbs a monkey could do it yet if its not pre packaged, or frozen somehow its impossible to do lol.
     

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