CFL's and what ones to buy

I want to build, and am in the process of making a small area in a closet to grow. I am rather low on cash and want to make an inexpensive set up. I Heard that Cfl's are cheap and are good cuz they dont give off heat, I would look to invest in some cfl's but i do not know of which cfl's to use. They have the warm white, and full spectrum and all that and it just confuses me. I did want to get like a 4-5 light set up as cost wont be too bad as i am going to buy from 1000bulbs.com where they have relatively cheap prices.

SO... I would like to know what type of cfl would be best for veg and what type would be best for flower. Im looking to get the most lumens I can get out of it for the cheapest and looking to grow as much as possible from 3-4 plants.

If anyone can give me some suggestions i would appreciate it thanks muchStoner

Daylight CFL's are for vegging, and Soft White CFL's are for flowering. Home Depot has a nice 63 watt/300 equivilent soft white CFL bulb for about $15. Then get the 10" reflector with clamp.

They do give off heat.. Just not as much.. Also they don't put out the same lumens. But If your restricted by cash flow, the are about your only option..
Get the highest wattage you can find/afford. 6500k for veg 2700k for flower.. Just get half and half, or get 4 - 5 6500k's for veg, and then get 4 - 5 2700k for veg.

If you have the entire closet to work with, I would look in to getting a 400w HPS magnetic ballast. They are cheep all day long in craigslist. I see them going for $30 - $40.. Sometimes already wired with mougal and a reflector.. If you spend $15 per CFL, And you want an optimal set up of 5 6500k for veg and 5 2700k for flower, you're looking at $150.. Even if you mix them up, 3 6500k's and 2 2700k's. You're still looking at $75 for just the bulbs, then you have to get the reflectors and sockets/splitters.. You may be better off finding a used magnetic ballast..

I in no way suggest CFL's are even in the same class as a HID light. But I put out these with just the (3) lights you see here. and (3) 43 watt daylights. At a cost of about $75, spread out over 2 months. You only need 1-2 Daylights when you first start the seedlings or clones. Now that I got a new 600 watt HPS, I use these CFL's for cloneing and vegging.
But if you can get an Air cooled Digital Light, then you would be in the major league.

Lord Dangly Bits said:

I in no way suggest CFL's are even in the same class as a HID light. But I put out these with just the (3) lights you see here. and (3) 43 watt daylights. At a cost of about $75, spread out over 2 months. You only need 1-2 Daylights when you first start the seedlings or clones. Now that I got a new 600 watt HPS, I use these CFL's for cloneing and vegging.
But if you can get an Air cooled Digital Light, then you would be in the major league.
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Hey man! that's pretty good for CFL's.. Props!

Oh BTW, you live on Ganymede? That's cool, I live on Titan..

Tym said:

If you have the entire closet to work with, I would look in to getting a 400w HPS magnetic ballast. They are cheep all day long in craigslist. I see them going for $30 - $40.. Sometimes already wired with mougal and a reflector.. If you spend $15 per CFL, And you want an optimal set up of 5 6500k for veg and 5 2700k for flower, you're looking at $150.. Even if you mix them up, 3 6500k's and 2 2700k's. You're still looking at $75 for just the bulbs, then you have to get the reflectors and sockets/splitters.. You may be better off finding a used magnetic ballast..

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I agree. CFLs might be better for you right now and it's completely your choice, but you also have to think about everything else you need when using CFLs besides the bulbs. After you buy all the fixtures, cords, splitters, power strips, etc, it can get expensive fast. Plus, even something small like 100 true watts of CFLs can get pretty damn hot. So depending on what your grow space looks like, you might end up having to spend a few bucks on ventilation anyway even without running a hps lamp.

Craigslist and ebay are both good places to start, but if you can't find anything or are looking to buy new, check out www.htgsupply.com
They have brand new 250w and 400w hps systems (magnetic ballast) starting at like $120. I never tore it apart and checked it out, but I own one of their 250w systems and it appears to be a quality product. Their digital systems are like $185 and can run both MH and HPS bulbs. Check them out. I don't work for them or anything but I've done a lot of looking and they have some of the best deals around.

If you decide to go the CFL route, check out wal mart. Last time I was there I noticed they are carrying some of the higher watt CFLs now and are a little cheaper than home depot.

Well thing is, I do want to get an hid, i had previously bought a $400 watt and through shit times ended up losing it to some shitty "friend", but right now what my setup is like, I have a dehumidifier and humidifier, also a small double window fan for ventilation, also an air purifier, I can get the seeds anytime I just want to have the biggest yield i can get which means having good lights through out.

Where could i get a HID and Ballast? Does home depot have them? or do you have to get them on the internet like craigslist, htgsupply.com etc?

The only thing is i only wanna spend like $80 and thats pushing it lol im so short on cash but this will def help lol sorry i am so high

And right now im also in the process of deciding on a seed, what would be a good genetic strain that has High Yield, yet high thc/cbd, and not SUPER stinky? I heard master kush is not too stinky and produces pretty good yield

stoner4201 said:

The only thing is i only wanna spend like $80 and thats pushing it lol im so short on cash but this will def help lol sorry i am so high

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well for $80 theres a 150w sun system. cant get better than that.

http://www.aghydroponics.com/product-p/litencsys-900490.htm

Tym said:

Oh BTW, you live on Ganymede? That's cool, I live on Titan..

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Wow, I didn't realize Vancover was on Titan. Canada is freaking huge Ay!!

LOL

stoner4201 said:

And right now im also in the process of deciding on a seed, what would be a good genetic strain that has High Yield, yet high thc/cbd, and not SUPER stinky? I heard master kush is not too stinky and produces pretty good yield

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get White widow or Northern lights bro. and get a 125 W Cfl blue or red spectrum (your choice, blue is for veg red is for bloom, but they both work during both stages) plus a reflector and a couple of small CFL's from home depot or whatever you call it. good to go. that runs up to about 100 bucks or less with all included ( if america aint more exspensive than europe)

i got a 125 W blue spectrum CFL with reflector, easy rolls and three 20 W small CFl's for the whole growing process
a tablefan to thicken the stem, lower the temp and give some airflow
tapwater for vegg and Orchids nutes for bloom.
a 1.5 gallon (5 liters) pot with drainage holes.
a closet with A4 papers as interior
thats it. thats all. the whole deal cost me about 100 bucks.

Thanks Stinkmeaner, I think im gonna try to get 6 lights total, 2 125watt(1 blue, 1 red), and then get 4 43 watt(all blue), and have that for most of the veg process and then when come to flower i should have some more money and i'll buy 4 43 watt red's

Why not kick in just a little more money and get you a nice T-5 Light mixs spectrum

you could just go to home depot and get an hps flood light and remote ballast it.sometimes you can find them real cheap if you shop around.

What is a t-5 light mix spectrum?

Hey Stinkmeaner how much did you yield off of that system? Im trying to yield as much as i can. with the space provided i can grow possibly 4 plants.

I want to consider an HID and HPS system but i wouldnt just get a hps alone, If i did get a HID thats what i'd use for vegging and the HPS is what i'd use for flower. Atleast thats what i was taught to do.

I actually decided against a HID and all the others that i have posted. I will be buying 8 13watt cfl's. Factors for choosing these are that its the most effiecient of the cfl's i have seen/read about(69 lumens/watt[900 total/light])and 2700k for veg and 6500k for flower