Is 3000 lumens enough for 8 seedlings?

Sunny Bakes

Sunny Bakes

Member
They have not sprouted yet. All I have done was put them 1/4 inch under soil and watered them, and sprayed the top with water. They have already sprouted their tail. The lights are about 6 inches above the top of the soil. They are fluorescents. Is 3000 lumens enough for these seedlings to sprout or should I add more light?
 
Toolage 87

Toolage 87

Well-Known Member
Lumes isn't 100% important. the Kalvin rating ( Light temp colour) is also important. What is the side of your grow space and is it a veg and flowering area where your growing your seeds out and flowering them in the same space?
 
Toolage 87

Toolage 87

Well-Known Member
If you have the money dump your 30w CFLs and buy 35w MH and HPS bulbs and ballasts. They'll do a better job. If you cool tube them you can have them about 6 to 8 inches maybe less from the top of your plants with out burning them because your using a fan to pull the heat away from the lights
 
Sunny Bakes

Sunny Bakes

Member
I'm probably bit going to buy anything else for a while. So will the lights that I have now be enough? That's my only question
 
U

ULMResearch

Active Member
I pop my seedlings under 4x 23W 6500K CFLs. I think I could do 8. You can squeeze 8 solo cups in a small area under 2 sq feet for sure, and 100watts of cfl is plenty for that.

But I guess that's about 6400 total lumens really, at 1600 each. So idk if I would try 8 with half that. Maybe for 2 days max.
 
Marlboro47

Marlboro47

Well-Known Member
3000Lumens sounds like your only using 2 bulbs am I right?
Two fluorescent lights will only be enough until your plants are about 10 inches to 1 foot. (1foot is really pushing it)
If your waiting for that paycheck, try topping or fimming or lsting to make it stay really low. In this case the lower the better, bring your lights within leaf length distance close.
 
Hoenhiem

Hoenhiem

Active Member
yes is the answer to your question, it will be enough to get them to sprout. but you will need to add more to veg fully. add as many cfl's as you can and flood the entire area. just make sure you have fans. cfl's can make a compact grow space very hot. 8 plants? yr gonna want as many as you can fit
 
U

ULMResearch

Active Member
You can veg with an HPS. It may be a little stretchier but you can veg and flower with both bulbs. Switching may be ideal but not completely necessary.
 
Hoenhiem

Hoenhiem

Active Member
Sunny Bakes said:
I have used hps for veg and flower. works for me
Click to expand...
alot of ppl use this method as HPS's can be used for veg but MH have more of the spectrum vegetative plans like best. its also easier not to have to switch bulbs, maybe even ballasts mid grow so hps all the way is not a bad idea if switching or the money is not right for you. NOW. i know what stopped me from getting an HID in the beginning was the money. so if money is an issue you can do a very good CFL grow from veg to bloom and still have some good product to harvest.
 
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