Anyone recommend a lighting setup for around $20?

Newbiez

Newbiez

Well-Known Member
Basically, I went to my 3 different hardware stores looking for those CFL to AAC adapters and couldn't find any so I ended up buying expensive soil with the nute levels on the package as well as $100 worth of nutes and now I'm left $20 for lights.

I was wondering if anyone can suggest a simple setup for lights for a 2 plant grow (in a closet), even normal lamp holders are $18 and the splitters don't exist here either apparently.

I'd really prefer to use CFL's due to their low heat but could I possibly use an Incandescent bulb for the first 2 weeks until my next pay and I'll order a hooded grow light then?

(Australian Dollar prices would be great)
 
ryan1918

ryan1918

Well-Known Member
Try craigs list for something used id look for a mh setup you can use the light in flower and veg then add a hps light if you want to
 
Newbiez

Newbiez

Well-Known Member
ryan1918 said:
Try craigs list for something used id look for a mh setup you can use the light in flower and veg then add a hps light if you want to
Click to expand...
Australia doesn't have craigs list :(

The only reason i'm not aiming towards HPS/MH is because I can't really add any major ventilation into the room to get rid of the heat.
 
Organique04

Organique04

Well-Known Member
Just buy four 23 watt cfl (100 incandescent watt equivalent)5000K (bright white light, not soft yellow 2700K). A four pack of those bulbs is around $20. When you get your check buy a couple of those fixtures you can screw a cfl into with the metal reflectors, and clamps. Later buy another four 23 watt cfl's but get the soft white 2700K and use them to flower :-)
 
mnmobbin

mnmobbin

Well-Known Member
I would of spent the $100 on lights and 20 in cheap soil and nutes. Even with cfl's and light sockets $20 is a hard budget to stay under.

Just seen the part where you will order a better light when you get paid. Id prob just wait until then unless you have seeds sprouted already.
 
Mister Black

Mister Black

Active Member
Newbiez said:
Basically, I went to my 3 different hardware stores looking for those CFL to AAC adapters and couldn't find any so I ended up buying expensive soil with the nute levels on the package as well as $100 worth of nutes and now I'm left $20 for lights.

I was wondering if anyone can suggest a simple setup for lights for a 2 plant grow (in a closet), even normal lamp holders are $18 and the splitters don't exist here either apparently.

I'd really prefer to use CFL's due to their low heat but could I possibly use an Incandescent bulb for the first 2 weeks until my next pay and I'll order a hooded grow light then?

(Australian Dollar prices would be great)
Click to expand...
My advice. Shop around and take a calculator. Take a look at the number of Lumens on the package and divide by the price. This will give you a 'Lumens per $ figure for each bulb you see. I'm not in AUS but have found in my case that CFL bulbs around the 15w-26w range (real wattage) deliver the most lumens per dollar. However as you plan ahead remember more bulbs means more work and fiddling around. I like using a mix of 23w, 26w, 45w and 65w (real wattage). Check it out for yourself.
For veg remember you can mix 6500k with 2700k at a ratio of 2:1 or greater in favor of the 6500k bulbs. This will save money. At flower the ratio should be 3:1 or greater in favor of the 2700k bulbs.

Good luck with your grow and let us know how it goes.

ps - growing with incandescents is not a good idea.
 
Newbiez

Newbiez

Well-Known Member
I Finally found the CFL to AAC Adapters on Ebay :D Decided I'm not going to buy a grow hood, instead I'm going to build my own so it extends the full length of the closet :D

I Figured CFL to AAC Adapters at $3 ea is cheaper then buying multiple lamp holders, and I'v got a piece of polished Aluminium (Or might be stainless steel) that is 3-4mm thick that I could bend and add some anchor points for the grow hood then just tie the powerboards in using some wire or string for the grow hood.

What do you guys think would work better, 2 Powerboards with 3 CFL to AAC adapters on ea for the top and 4 power boards with 2 CFL Adapters on ea to go along the sides of the closet or Just 4 Powerboards in a home made polished Aluminium 4mm thick sheet metal hood with 3 CFL's on ea board? (Note I have mylar ready to go in the sides, I believe it's 90% Reflective mylar but it has to be better then my previous idea of Aluminium foil)

Also picked up 2 wall mounted 20CM fans for $10 off my mate, Wonder what he used them for, hmm.
 
Newbiez

Newbiez

Well-Known Member
Newbiez said:
I Finally found the CFL to AAC Adapters on Ebay :D Decided I'm not going to buy a grow hood, instead I'm going to build my own so it extends the full length of the closet :D

I Figured CFL to AAC Adapters at $3 ea is cheaper then buying multiple lamp holders, and I'v got a piece of polished Aluminium (Or might be stainless steel) that is 3-4mm thick that I could bend and add some anchor points for the grow hood then just tie the powerboards in using some wire or string for the grow hood.

What do you guys think would work better, 2 Powerboards with 3 CFL to AAC adapters on ea for the top and 4 power boards with 2 CFL Adapters on ea to go along the sides of the closet or Just 4 Powerboards in a home made polished Aluminium 4mm thick sheet metal hood with 3 CFL's on ea board? (Note I have mylar ready to go in the sides, I believe it's 90% Reflective mylar but it has to be better then my previous idea of Aluminium foil)

Also picked up 2 wall mounted 20CM fans for $10 off my mate, Wonder what he used them for, hmm.
Click to expand...
Edit:

Ok, I have a completely new plan for my grow set up.

I'm going to use my built in closet for Cloning and Vegging since it doesn't have great Airflow and no venting options I'm just going to put a 20CM fan in there then I'm going to build a 3ft x 3ft x 6.5ft (LxWxH) cupboard behind my bathroom door for flowering, Since I have an option for venting air here I'll probably end up going with something like a 250W HID lamp, 250W should be enough for this right, I mean since it's not a huge area? also would I be kidding myself trying to get 4 plants into that area?

Would T5 lights be suitable for lighting clones?

Right now my theory is Take 1 clone from ea plant right before I rotate them into the flowering area, that way I should have some well developed clones to go into vegging ea time I rotate the vegging plants into flower.
 
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