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BustedParaphernalia

BustedParaphernalia

Well-Known Member
New grower here. Recently decided that the closet in my new room would be great for growing bud in so I thought I'd give it a shot!

So I just need some advice on how to set up in my closet. I've been scouring this forum for many, many hours but I still can't come to a solid conclusion on how to work out a lighting situation for about 4 or 5 plants. I've been looking at CFLs for primary grow lights (I'm on a tight budget, don't really want to spend more than a couple hundred at MOST), but every time I check out a new post I go back to reconsidering HID lights instead (or both?).

What do you guys think I should go with? I'm mainly confused on exactly where I can get all these parts, since I can't just buy bulbs and tape them to a wall and expect them to start glowing... I need sockets and reflectors, right? Is there any way to get a combination of the two? Any recommended websites?

Should I get 6 or so CFLs with reflectors/sockets and a MH bulb for up top? If so, what color temperatures for the CFLs and for the MH?

I've been searching for my answers for hours and I'm still really confused, so specific advice would be great if you guys could spare the time
 
But HPS gives off the wrong spectrum for vegetative growth, right? I'd understand getting one for flowering and using something else to veg. Say I got CFL bulbs for vegging and an HPS for flowering, is it even worth running the HPS during veg if the plants aren't using that spectrum?

Is there any way I could do this well with only CFL? Say, run 6 or so 60-80W 6400K CFL bulbs for veg and then swap out half of them for 3200K for flowering? Or maybe run those 6 6400K CFLs and get an HPS for flowering?

I'm also confused as to exactly how I set up one of these systems. Could you show me a link for what it is I need to buy? As I said, I need to screw the bulb into something, right? Is there something cheap that would hold the bulb? And if I get an MH or HPS do I absolutely need a ballast or can I go cheap and not use one?

From my reading I'm pretty sure only using a HPS from seed to finish isn't the best idea, but of course I'm a noob so I guess I could be wrong.
 
Supz Busted. I've read somewhere that some peepz are actually using HPS bulbs through the whole grow. Some swear it works better, but others dont. I went with the 400w Sun System 2. Got it off amazon for around $180. Came with the ballast, the reflector, cord, etc. You could rock CFLz if you want to, but I paid $15 a piece for a 40W bulb. You'd need AT LEAST 100W per plant or so if that gives you any idea. Not saying it couldnt work...but my motto is "You get out of it what you put into it". Do some research and find out what would work best for you. You also have to consider ventilation and nutez and things of that nature. PH/PPM meters are a definate. All that adds up. Once you have it tho, its pretty much smooth sailing. Holla
 
well hps/ mh is all good i believe both can take plants all though there life, because its not like hps lights don't have any blue light its just very little same with the red/yellow light for mh, but these lights are so intence it only matters if your trying to grow large amounts of plants or your trying to grow incredibly amazing plants, if this is a first grow i suggest cfl, there is even a guy here who grew a very large plant and all he used was one cfl, also if budget is an issue mh/ hps will not only cost 100+ for the light alone but you have to make the air circulation awesome especially in a small area like that, so at the end you will end up needing over 400.
 
Bravo for giving growing a shot!

The lighting advice you are getting here is solid. If you are looking to grow 4 sq. ft. or greater, HID is the way to go. If you get a cheap magnetic (not-electronic) HPS ballast, you can put in a Ceramic Metal Halide bulb (CMH). It offers the best spectrum for both vegging and flowering.

I would also say that you need to consider ventilation up front, which might cost you more than the light. Nothing can be more frustrating than purchasing the lights, seeds, medium, etc. just to have the plants cook to death. Will you be able to keep the door open? If not, where will you get the air from and vent it to?

The reason you should consider ventilation up front, is that you may want to get a Cool Tube reflector if temps are a problem. The Cool Tube connects to your ventilation system.
 
So you think that HPS would work fine from start to finish? Would there be noticeable improvement if I got the MH/HPS switchable version of what you recommended, and used MH for veg and HPS for flower? Or do you think I'd be best for my money with just that all-in-one system with only HPS?
 
Hey Nitegazer and mugan, didn't notice your posts before responding to Mineralz. You guys are awesome for lending your expertise.

So since budget is a concern, do you think CFL is a better way to go because I wouldn't have to worry as much about ventilation? And if so, what kind of system should I get?
 
mugan said:
well hps/ mh is all good i believe both can take plants all though there life, because its not like hps lights don't have any blue light its just very little same with the red/yellow light for mh, but these lights are so intence it only matters if your trying to grow large amounts of plants or your trying to grow incredibly amazing plants, if this is a first grow i suggest cfl, there is even a guy here who grew a very large plant and all he used was one cfl, also if budget is an issue mh/ hps will not only cost 100+ for the light alone but you have to make the air circulation awesome especially in a small area like that, so at the end you will end up needing over 400.
Click to expand...


Hey I like your avatar !
 
BustedParaphernalia said:
Hey Nitegazer and mugan, didn't notice your posts before responding to Mineralz. You guys are awesome for lending your expertise.

So since budget is a concern, do you think CFL is a better way to go because I wouldn't have to worry as much about ventilation? And if so, what kind of system should I get?
Click to expand...
in truth am not a pro or vet at growing indoors, but i have seen great things happen with cfl , just get something over 80 w for each spectrum 2700k and 6500 and if u got a little extra go for a high wat full spectrum that you can use in both veg and flower i think the color temp is 5000, this will keep your box cooler and you can just ferment sugar water for some extra co2,
 
Okay, lets say I got 4 +80W 6500K and 4 +80W 2700K. How should I hook them up? Should I buy reflectors? Where do I get these and how do they get set up?

If I got something like THIS, how do I hook that up? Do I get a reflector that has a socket to hold it?

This is what I'm most confused about.
 
Hps will take you through the WHOLE GROW.. but lets say you really dont like the way the HPS bulb works in veg... you have many options.. LOTS of the 400 watt ballast are switchable to use MH also.. and if thats not the case and its a HPS only... they also sell conversion bulbs.. that are reasonably priced.. they are MH bulbs that will run in a HPS system. So either way if you get a magnetic 400 watt kit.. you willl have a nice little light setup for that space.. after that focus on temperatures and keeping them down..the HID's create alot of heat.. so a decent fan is in order...

ps .. if you live in a populated area .. Craigslist is also a good place to find used lighting and grow equipment for cheap!
 
well depend where you buy them, if you go say to wall mart you will need to do some wiring and you also need to make sure the circuit that your using has a a high enough amp rating not to blow the breaker, if you get them from a site that sells specifically for indoor gardens they will have packages that come with reflectors, don't forget you don't need reflectors you can hang the light and have all the surface area of the light facing the plants, as for reflection you can get mylar i herd its the best for reflecting light, you can prolly get this from wall mart to as for the amps to figure out how many amps your using just do this (volts x amps= watts) so for me my country uses 240 v i have 3 85 wat cfls and there on a 5 amp breaker, so i would do 240 x 5 = 1200 w so my lights use 255 watts so on that breaker there is still 1155 usable wats before the breaker trips
 
ahh i found the pic, this plant was grown under a single CFL the grower is on this forum he is a growing guru or something i don't remember what his name is but his avatar is a lepracon, but he is prolly very good at growing but you can just get tips from here as you grow
 
I'm still a bit confused. Does anyone have a link to what I'd need to hook up some CFL bulbs so I have some idea what to buy? Does the same socket work for all CFL bulbs, even high output bulbs? How many bulbs will I need? I noticed you said you have 3 85W CFLs, is that enough for a 4-5 plant grow?

Also I have no idea what a breaker is, how do I figure out what kind I need?
 
sorry i really can't help you there am in kenya and all my lights come from a warehouse, i worked as a contractor for a while so i know my way around electricity so i just did mine my self i even build my reflectors out of an old cardboard box :( cuz cfls are not that hot it worked fine, if you need to learn how to ghetto rig cfls just go to home deport they will help you out just say your trying to hook it up in a tool shed or something , and for the reflectors just google it
 
alotaball said:
Hps will take you through the WHOLE GROW.. but lets say you really dont like the way the HPS bulb works in veg... you have many options.. LOTS of the 400 watt ballast are switchable to use MH also.. and if thats not the case and its a HPS only... they also sell conversion bulbs.. that are reasonably priced.. they are MH bulbs that will run in a HPS system. So either way if you get a magnetic 400 watt kit.. you willl have a nice little light setup for that space.. after that focus on temperatures and keeping them down..the HID's create alot of heat.. so a decent fan is in order...

ps .. if you live in a populated area .. Craigslist is also a good place to find used lighting and grow equipment for cheap!
Click to expand...

This is good advice and probably a lot less exspensive and cleaner set up in the long run. They even have bulbs that are sodium and haloid in the same bulb. Digital ballast are great. so are CFLs
 
Thanks all for your great advice. I think I've finally figured out how I'm going to do this. I think I'm going to get one of these and plug in a 200W fluorescent bulb to that and hang it down, and somehow get some smaller +80W CFL bulbs and sockets for those. I guess I can use old cardboard boxes and make reflectors like you suggested.

I'll go take a walk to the hardware store in town and see what I can find.

Any other input/advice is definitely appreciated, but I think I'm going to stick with CFL for now and worry about HID once I have more room and money.
 
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