Fluorescent Bulbs

I'm trying to get started with clones and seedlings, it is a small space of about 1 foot by 3. I plan on using cfl's so it doesn't cost as much to operate. Any suggestions on watts and and many bulbs i would need for the space?

CFL's go upto 105w before you need a mogul base. They usually don't sell anything over 24w at hardware stores (but they label 100w equiv all over the front of the package). A couple 85 or 105w CFL's will be more than enough to keep your plants happy in that area and they can be picked up for about $20 a pop at a gardening store. If you're going with the standard hardware store CFL's, get a Y splitter so you can plug two cfl's into a socket and shoot for about 8 of the 24w bulbs. Cool white for veg and warm white for flower. Hope that helps!

Oh and remember just get as many as you can. If you can't fit it ideally, get a start and upgrade as you grow...

So if it says 24 watts it is really equivalent to 100 watts or is this bullshit? If the 24 watt cfl is indeed equivalent to 100w, i should get 4 to 6. They should all be hanging downward at the top of the plant or should i make a box of lights, placing them all around the plants? Thanks!

24 watts of CFL is really equivelent to 100 watts of incandescent is what they are saying.

u sure i got 20 watt cfls saying there equivelent to 100 watt incandesent and 40 eqivelent to 200 watt

I guess it would be equivalent to incandesent yes, how many watts would i need total? About 4 or 6 cfl's that are each equivalent to 100 watts. Thanks