Question about CFL lighting for a newb.

[Dannermc]

Hello good folks,
This is my first post but I hope it'll be my introduction to this lovely world. This is also my first grow, and I'm doing a stealth grow inside a Marshall amplifier of 3x Low Ryder with CFL's. For those curious I already have an intake fan and all of the electrics are set up inside the amp, but before I begin I just have one question.

A lot of you may be familiar with the "Plug and grow" E40 light fixture, the problem for me was that it was E40, so I got a Goliath to a smaller Edison converter, and then put a Edison to B22 converter on it, and now have my B22 plugged into it (http://www.philips.co.nz/c/energy-saving-light-bulbs/tornado-24w-100w-b22-warm-white-871829113815000/prd/)

Here is a picture of how its looking:

I'm quite happy to plug and go now, but I'm a little worried, I'm using the warm white (Lowryder autoflower skip veg state) and the output of light is really really strong. I'm just wondering if using the light fitting intended for an E40 CFL on a B22 CFL is too much, if the bulb will overheat, if there could be electrical faulting or if this is potential for a fire. Can anyone help me here? I'm really just being cautious because I think it makes sense to be cautious in a situation like this, and don't want to rush into this.

Cheers and thanks for reading

 

[brinze]

Well the first thing to do would let it run for a 12 hour run checking up on it every hour or so, making sure there's no extra hot temperatures. And if not it should be good. I play music myself and am guessing the amp won't have 'amp'le' room in it. So autoflowers a good choice. And you also might need to do LST (low stress training) on it so it doesn't climbto high. I'm on my very FIRST grow too!
good luck! And upload pics!

 

[Slipon]

Im no electrician, but I don't think there would be a problem, you just convert the fitting, the voltages is the same (120/230) so I see no problem


remember rule no 1 with any fluorescent light, KEEP em close, they only provide good strong light for flowering at 2-10 inch distance depending on Watt so as already suggested, some light LST would work nicely with CFLs (and also a small stealth grow like yours)

 

[Dannermc]

Sweeeet, thank you big style dudes. Yeah Brinze, it's not a cab or nothing, just an old Marshall marshall mg100dfx I had no use for anymore! Cheers Slipon, I'm really stoked about this. I plan on putting up a little journal, I was nervous at first but the community seems hell rad.

 

[Slipon]

well its a start, and a cheap way to have a bit of fun and learn, later on when you might catch the grow bug and want more you can always use the small cap as a seedling/veg cap to start new once wile you flower in the tent under the 400W HPS cool tube or LED panel

best of luck

 

[Dannermc]

Thanks Slipon man, I really do think I'll catch the bug. All of my family before were farmers, and I've never grown anything in my life, but here we go, I thought it was too beautiful a thing not to. My dad even told me what soils I should use yesterday haha.

 

[Slipon]

kool, remember, its weed, its know how to grow, don't make it more complicated then it need to be, let it do its thing, its know how, just make sure to provide as close to optimal conditions for em as possible (Etc. 74-78F and a RH on 40-60% with good air flow/circulation and make sure that soil have good drainages, biggest problems newbies in soil experience is over watering (in other words, lack of oxygen in the medium/root zone) keep it light and airy with stuff like perlite and clay pellets, coco fibers aso and let em dry out in between waterings, weed don't like to stand in a constant wet/moist soil, and it can also lead to a acid environment (PH under 6) witch will lock out most nutrients/mico`s the plant need to thrive) and when you water do so until you see some run off from all the nice big drain holes in the bottom of your nice big pots (maybe 1-2 gallon for autos depending on your space)

 

[Dannermc]

To clear up I mean farmers, not weed farmers haha! But I did ask my dad inconspicuously, referring to Nitrogen. Thanks a lot man, that's some really really good advice, I wouldn't have known that otherwise

 

[Slipon]

p.s.

can I ask you, how many Watt (actually watt) of CFLs do you have to cover how much space/plant`s ?


View attachment 2938755

 

[Slipon]

yep, in general there is 3 kind of main nutrients, NPK beside them and different levels at different stages your plants will also need some micros/trace elements like Magnesium, calcium, iron,copper, zink, Bor, sulfate aso

here is a nice place to look up stuff

http://www.420magazine.com/forums/frequently-asked-questions/83112-how-grow-cannabis-everything-you-need-know.html


EDIT: with Auto`s (short life) a good soil to start with would go a long way, I wouldn't get any high level nitrogen fertilizer for auto`s, maybe only a small bottle of some 13/14 P/K for the late stage`s (middle of its life from week 4-5 to the end, if you have some rich soil to start with)

 

[Dannermc]

26 actual watts, 110 watt equivalent but I know that's absolute shit, and I have 4x of those, so 4x 23 watts in a 1'x3' space (1 foot deep, 3 feet wide). I plan to just space them out evenly. The entire thing is covered with Mylar inside, and I'm going to be ajusting the bulbs as time goes to be beside the plants as best as I can, rather than above. 4 bulbs means getting a bulb at either side of every plant. I also have a reflector for the roof of the box.

What would you suggest potting them in first? a Nitorgen and Pot Ash soil, then when they move into flowering go into a pot ash potassium soil or just boosting the potassium levels?

 

[perspextoe]

26 actual watts, 110 watt equivalent but I know that's absolute shit, and I have 4x of those, so 4x 23 watts in a 1'x3' space (1 foot deep, 3 feet wide). I plan to just space them out evenly. The entire thing is covered with Mylar inside, and I'm going to be ajusting the bulbs as time goes to be beside the plants as best as I can, rather than above. 4 bulbs means getting a bulb at either side of every plant. I also have a reflector for the roof of the box.

What would you suggest potting them in first? a Nitorgen and Pot Ash soil, then when they move into flowering go into a pot ash potassium soil or just boosting the potassium levels?

Nice man,

In that space those lights will do the trick nicely, see how ya go with temps and adjust accordingly,

Cant help ya on your soil mix, as you know Im noob too… and I just went and got some special mix from the hydro outlet…

that gold label special mix is really good thou… didn't need anything added until the 4th week….