Flurescent Lighting

[Innsomniac]

I have been lookin into indoor growing with flurescents rather than High pressure sodium bulbs as it would greatly reduce the power needed to have an indoor set up.. I was just wondering if anyone else had experimented with this teqhnique and if it is realistic. Any Information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Innsom

[Dust]

Hi insomniac, i have seen only one bud grown under onlycfl and it was last month ine the bud of the month contest, i have had the same thinking some time ago. But finally i stayed on hps cause in the end to have potencialy the same yeild with fluorescent i would have need lots of it.

it can be done for sure, it's just that you won't have buds as compact dense, and big as with hpw, unless you can afford a big amount of fluorescent of course ^^ but then you won't have much economy done ^^

I'll be following the answers to see what is said, it would be cool if someone tried it

Good luck

[lamsbread]

Hey Innsomniac

First time i grew auto's (Lowryder) it was under CFL's,

My last grow here was under nearly all CFL's with the addition of one 70wHPS

link -

For veg i used 3x36W Daylight,umbrella/trumpet (so called because of thier shape)CFL's.

For Flowering i used 4x20W warm white cfl's, plus a 70W HPS which i had hanging round.

As flowering progresssed i added more CFL's i guess in total i had 130W CFL's plus the HPS equalling 200W (rough guess).

I scrogged the grow,CFL's have a short throw,ie don't push light far at a good intensity.

Scrogging kept a level top, and this really suits CFL, my lights were almost touching the top of my plants.

Unless the CFL's were touching the plant there was no prblems.

When it comes to buying them,buy as cheaply as possible, look out for two for one deals and don't buy in the first store you come to.

Take time to look on line you can find some great deals.

I produced some nice bud.

When i can afford to i will buy me an LED, but for now i'm back too CFL's and HPS, I Will start a new grow journal soon.

I leave you with some links, The "marijuana buds for less" is a great read - down load via torrent - if you like it, you can buy it on Amazon. The "Roseman Tutorial" is also worth while reading and is here on forums.

Marijuana Buds for Less: Grow 8 oz. of Bud for Less Than $100 BY SEEMORE BUDS - http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/4325874

Roseman CFL tutorial -

Good luck

Peace

Lams

[Dust]

nice man, didn't realize your grow was almost full cfl, but still an hps came in the end, so once again not 100% cfl ^^

How much did you yeilded on that grow?

[Flail]

This can be done.. but chances are to be quite honest, like Lams did your going to keep having to add bulbs.

florescent bulbs have a limited light density compared to MH or HPS, so they need to be within 4 or 5 inches and only cover about 4 or 5 inches.

so growing anything but a small auto would be difficult. as you would be having to add bulbs weekly to get the plant to mature

[bluesteel]

as dust rightfully said...ud need a shitload to cover a big grow space.

the problem with cfls are the fact that u gotta get them so close to the plant....i work around that by training the plant to grow horizontally but i grow in a very small room lol.....in a big grow space u gotta go with HPS for its intensity.

it can be done for sure, it's just that you won't have buds as compact dense, and big as with hpw, unless you can afford a big amount of fluorescent of course ^^ but then you won't have much economy done ^^

wont have compact buds?? u sir are insulting the cfl community ...that cfl bud in the best bud contest was rock solid...i could have cut it into a cube and played dice with it

[Flail]

.that cfl bud in the best bud contest was rock solid...i could have cut it into a cube and played dice with it

ahahahahahahahah

[Innsomniac]

Thanks for all the info guys going to look into it a bit more. as my first indoor grow i probably wont be doing anything too big probs only 5 plants or so

[Dust]

lololol bluesteel no offense, very good buds can be done with cfl, but a beginner growing with cfl will probably not make same nugget as you

And with the light penetration the tops will be dense but less under the tops no? less than with hps i mean ^^

[bluesteel]

lol thanks Dust but i think im getting more credit than i deserve....i am a beginner wrt indoor growing..that was my first ever indoor grow

density n size are 2 different things ....yes cfls produce dense nugs even under the tops but they arent as big as HPS.

small space+cfl+c02 = Win

5 plants is a nice number to grow under cfls but ull need to lst/scrog to get the maximum out of them....honestly to produce alot of buds with cfls u gonna need to have alot of smaller/shorter plants as compared to the HPS.

some measurements of your grow space would help us to recommend something that suits ur garden.

[Dust]

i remember your grow now that you say Co2 ^^

[nirvana76]

Hello. I have learn much more things in this comunity, and i have copy more ideas from the growers that are much more expert than me.

I have buy the last summer, for the very hot temperature, an a NEON KIT , for the Vegging stage.

There was 2 options:

1 Neon kit composed from reflector, 2 neon blue light of 55w every one, in total 11000 lumens.

With this i can grow thw plants at 5 cm form the light.

Is 60 cm x 20, you can grow the plants from seeds for 3 weeks and after start the flowering time under the HPS, when the little plants are about 20/25 cm.

After the neon stage you can send the plants under the MH light blue lamp for other time , if you whant grow for much more time, but if you whant grow for example 10 plants in S.O.G. is not necessary use also the MH light.

The Neon is perfect because you can give the plants near the light, and they grow + strong, tall but with much more branches and internodes, than the MH light that you need to keep the plants at a distance of at least 40 cm from the light, the little plants grow very long and thin with few internodes. In my experience i have tried to make 2 rows of 5 pots of 10 cm x 10 cm under the neon for 2 weks, so after an other week under the MH light when the plants were already stiffened and then switch to HPS in flower and i was fine.

I have copied this from so many guys here on this site and i was fine.

[Bam-Bhole]

You are in my shoes with starting out. Everyone was a beginner some time ago. Ordering 3,4 or 5 times stuff you need, but did not realize in time is not the most economic method.

So best check for a complete set. Forget CFL and ESL for a moment and concentrate on what you really need and that is at least 250 Watt HPS or MH. These sets give you a nice basic.

For growing seeds and clones you can use any DAYLIGHT lamp a NEON lamp or most ESL's or you get a T.NEON set like the one above - that is THE BEST solution no doubt, plus you can use it for the Veg phase, too and save a lot on energy costs.

Get a greenhouse, best one with a heated mat - works wonders !

But make sure the preferences are covered.

Space - grow tent or Dark Room is an easy + solid environment add strong lights with a ballast and a good reflektor plus a Ventilation and Filtering Kit.

That is what you really need.

Of course growing seedlings is just as important and comes first.

If you can afford it look for sets. If you already got a grow room look for

Light and ventilation sets.

Don't save on soil + get a good feeding.

GUANO Kalong is also a must for good tasting herbs.

Expect to spend at least 4 to 5 hundred Euro for a basic set with all you need. 5 good plants will pay off your investment plus you can use it for another 5 10 or 20 plants and pay only the energy costs.

HTH

[Bam-Bhole]

I was not responding to YORK . His set-up is top notch and well organizerd, the plants are in perfect shape.

My reply was aimed at Insomniac who wants to begin indoor growing with "maybe 5 plants", which is exactly where I was 6 weeks or so back in time.

I wanted to keep it low budget, but plants don't care for budgets..lol

I set up a small grow space ,ordered 6 seeds 3 AB + 3 Jacks and then started ordering what I thought was needed - first order around 85 Euros - when it arrived I realized that this did not help me start growing anything since I forgot the ballast for the 400 watt DUAL MH..lol

So I ordered that and some more gear for another 125 a week later....and just today I placed the third order for another 105..

And I still need ventilation and an Air Cool or cool tube reflektor, since my grow room is very low. I will double it in height for the flowering stage - so i have to invest another 200 to 250 Euros .. Now it is too late for a set. I would love to have a Silver L tent or a Darkroom + a Propagator. Makes growing more easy !

OTH

if you are clever and talented with tools + know what you are doing and have the space where stealth is not a major issue you can grow on low budget, No doubt. seen enough good examples - an old fridge or a cupboard speakers etc.

A grow room is a serious investment and needs proper planning.

Some sets help you save some money and make sure you got what you need. It is easy to forget an E 40 lamp connector for example - that can set you back from using your gear for 4 or 5 days - unless there is a local grow shop.

[nirvana76]

If you go tosee on the siteof GreenHouse,Growvaiofreviews,there'PUKETTEwho testsCHEESE,and makesvegetative growthunderwhite lightneonlined,120cmlongby 36wattseach one.,And afterisa Seaof Varde.

Try togoto real,him after30 daysof neongoesto floweringunder theHPS,anddoes a nice job.

One of 11000 lumens and the second of 22000 lumens.

This is the 2 kit that there is here in Rome, but i have see that Jango, with respect for him, in his tester sedds have used a similar Neon.

[nirvana76]

Yes, it is true!!

The first summer, without the neon, Ihada billof 450eurosfor three months, not onlyfor thegrow room, even for the home,butalways so!

Then, I think that you spend time in the vegetative phase, so that you do go the lights.

In flowering, 12 hours a day you can fit into it.

Now, for example, trhree plants are in the garden for the vegging, now we have 15 degree in the night and 20/24 in the day.

This is the cheese and the Magic Bud of the last year..........I think that it was in the month of May. 2011

[nirvana76]

but I have a question on the reflector Cooltube.

If I take the Cooltube attached with two tubes, one that cools, and the other that expels the hot air of the lamp, however, 'I have also putanother tube to circulate the air in the grow room.

How many do I need injectors and extractors?

How many outputs do I need?

Thank you, Simone.

[nirvana76]

BAM-BOLE, this is for example, my first veg. grow of 2 Jack Critical under the Neon 110 watt 11000 lumens, if i remember this was the 20 days of VEG., in the month very cold, with only an a Ven little, Vent of 12 w. for the PC.

After 20 days of Veg stage under the neon, i have spend little money of current, and the plants you can see that are not much more hight, but with more internodes.

The first 4 are J.C., the last 2 are Afgan Kush at 20 days veg.

With 20 Cheese or Ex. Cheese , the next time i want to grow for 21 days under the Neon but much more large, 60 x 40 cm with 4 tube of 55 w, and after give the plants in the flowering stage as a Sea of Green under 600 w hps in 1 meter square.

I think that it is a very nice growth! Nice grass for smoke and big grams of grass in a less time.

Hello guys, good night from Italy.

Simon.

P.S. Milan-Barcellona 0-0 !!!! Whe want the revenge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ahahahhahhahah............

[nirvana76]

Ok, well I'll explain. I have a normal reflector, a fan, an extractor and an injector.

If I had a rriflettore Cooltube, I have two air vents that cool the lamp and take the hot air out of the tent, then I should have another puller to change the air in the grow room.

In total, how many outputs ebtrate should I have?

[Bam-Bhole]

Well, this topic is of interest for me as well.

So far I have a PC fan blowing in fresh air, a clip fan to move the air inside the grow room AND since today an Axial fan connected to an alu - snake that sucks out the hot air and smell of ganje and blows it into an ACF filter standing outside of the grow room. I hang the fan over the 2 most smelly plants ( JACK & WW ) and it works wonders , lie a good vacuum cleaner ..lol

In case the plants get higher and i need a Cool Tube or AIR Cool I think of just blowing a PC fan or Axial fan through the tube - my fan/ventilation is not strong enough to work as a cool tube cooler AND as odor killer -..

[Flail]

carbon filter -> flexible tubing -> one end of cool tube -> flexible tubing -> exhaust fan..(out of tent )

this creates negative pressure in your grow tent, so if there are any openings it will naturally put air thru.

when using a carbon filter with your exhaust fan, remember to make sure that the total power of the inlet fan

is less then half of your exhaust fan. (carbon filters effect the power of the fan, doesn't cut it in half)

but you don't want to make positive pressure in your grow area (heat builds up faster) the heat will disapate slightly faster in

a negative pressure area as the air is always moving and not sitting and getting warmed by the lamp

so it really depends on how strong your output fan is weather you will need an inlet fan or not. (this is space dependant also)

[bozoph]

they have a new type of t5 that is even stronger then the t5ho (54w 4'bulb). it is called t5 vho and is 96w a 4' bulb

http://grosite.net/html/products/kushmaster.html

at the bottom

[Flail]

damn bozo those look slick!

[David Harritz]

Well it is a bit hard the decide which one is better i do have experience with the fluorescent light and they are quite long lasting but heard from the people having experience that hps is better than all. So depends on you.

[kidd420]

what can i fit under this light im gonna order it in the morning its for veg only probably

http://www.ebay.com/itm/REFLECTOR-LOTUS-COMBO-PUTS-OUT-15-000-LUMEN-200-WATT-CFL-GROW-BULB-LIGHT-/330627270931?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cfaebc913