What lights and sizes should I use? ( I want to use CFLs)

Chris Hume

Chris Hume

Member
This is my second grow and I used 3 250watt daylight spectrum CFLs last time and the girls looked good and healthy but the buds were kind of small and spread out. And I was always under the impression that the biggest and brightest was the best but reading some forums a lot of ppl are using small weak CFLs and like 30 of them lol! What should I do?? My medium is fox farm forest ocean soil with a little extra pearlite added. I'm going to be using a tent on this go around. I have a ballast with a 400w hps or mh not too sure which one but I'm afraid to use it because I do want to accidentally burn the house down lol! Any help would be great and appreciated
 
BobCajun

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
How big is the area? Should use soft whites rather than daylights, but if you already have them I guess they'll do. Just that they're quite blue and you want more of a reddish light for flowering. Daylight is okay for veg stage though. The buds being spread out may just be the strain or could be too much heat and/or humidity. For light sizes, the 250s should work okay as long as they're not too close. It's not a very efficient light source though. HPS or LED is better. Not the little LED bulbs they sell for home use, ones like at least 50 to 100 watts.
 
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Tim Fox

Tim Fox

Well-Known Member
Chris Hume said:
This is my second grow and I used 3 250watt daylight spectrum CFLs last time and the girls looked good and healthy but the buds were kind of small and spread out. And I was always under the impression that the biggest and brightest was the best but reading some forums a lot of ppl are using small weak CFLs and like 30 of them lol! What should I do?? My medium is fox farm forest ocean soil with a little extra pearlite added. I'm going to be using a tent on this go around. I have a ballast with a 400w hps or mh not too sure which one but I'm afraid to use it because I do want to accidentally burn the house down lol! Any help would be great and appreciated
Click to expand...
Dude fire up the 400 watt
 
Tim Fox

Tim Fox

Well-Known Member
Chris Hume said:
This is what I'm working with, it was 208v converted to 120v. It does work I tested it! Is it hps or MH can anyone tell? The bulb itself is like 12" long!
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typically those ballast will run on both 220 and 110 voltage, glad its working
looks like MH to me
 
Gary Goodson

Gary Goodson

Well-Known Member
I looked it up, it is indeed a MH light!

I zoomed in and it says replace the lamp with m135m155 so I googled it and boom 400 watt mh


So go ahead and turn that bad boy on and start using it
 
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Gary Goodson

Gary Goodson

Well-Known Member
Chris Hume said:
Ok thx Gary you awesome I'll throw some pics once I take them. I'm growing "Pure Kush" by VIP Seeds.
Ever heard of them?
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Sorry for the late reply, I got shit faced yesterday:hump: I've heard of VIP seeds, but I haven't grown any of their stuff.

We love pics around here so yea, post em up
 
Gary Goodson

Gary Goodson

Well-Known Member
Herbies is my fav these days. I even had a package snatched by those bastards at customs and Herbies sent a replacement out immediately:clap:
 
innerG

innerG

Well-Known Member
Chris Hume said:
Ok even as a seedling?? Sorry for all the questions, it's just I always used cfls never tried hid before
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Yeah, start with 18-24" and work your way closer if you want too.

Don't shock your plants putting them too close all at once.

If you can remove that metal cage sitting over the bulb you might as well, it will block some light
 
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