Specific CFL or alternative bulb recs?

Hey guys!

I'm using a 65W (300W equiv) CFL full spectrum bulb right now, with a reflector. The low wattage and heat is perfect for my setting and needs. I simply cannot support a setup with metal halide or mercury vapor lamps and such. I don't have enough space to do it both safely and discretely.

This bulb puts out well over 3K lumen. But a chart I recently found said I really should be up past 15K lumen if I want good dense beefy growth. My plant is sparse. Not weak, but not bushy or beefy, and research here and elsewhere seems to indicate it's an issue with not enough light.

I'd like to stick with the CFL full spectrum model, for the reasons I've already given, if at all possible. But, is there a way to get into more lumens without having like four of these suckers? Do they make higher wattage CFLs than 65W? Is there another option that doesn't get hot, but provides adequate lumens? I'd like to avoid buying $150 in lighting stuff if I can (that's what three more FS-CFLs and brooder reflectors would cost me), I'm on a REAL tight budget right now.

Something that fit a standard mogul mount would be prime, but I'm willing to be a tad bit flexible.


Oh yeah, I should mention this is for just one plant. I don't consume enough to really need to grow more than one, nor do I have the space.

Thanks in advance!

you can find 100w envirolite cfl bulbs, don't know if they will fiti n your reflector or not, but you can get ok results with one of those. otherwise you may have to go buy some 42 watters from the hardware store and place them all around.

russ0r said:

you can find 100w envirolite cfl bulbs, don't know if they will fiti n your reflector or not, but you can get ok results with one of those. otherwise you may have to go buy some 42 watters from the hardware store and place them all around.

Click to expand...

Envirolite don't produce 100w bulbs, it's either 125w or 200w. Envirolites fit in an E40 edison screw socket - the same socket MH and HPS bulbs use.

I've got 2 125w cfls made by sunleaves, they don't fit in a standard socket though. They make a 200, but it's double the price for not nearly double the lumens.

noobiedoobie1974 said:

Something that fit a standard mogul mount would be prime, but I'm willing to be a tad bit flexible.

Oh yeah, I should mention this is for just one plant. I don't consume enough to really need to grow more than one, nor do I have the space.

Click to expand...

You better pray and hope your one plant turns out female then huh? Because if it doesn't you're stuffed. That's why people grow 2-3 plants in the hope of getting one female, although there's no guarantee 1 plant will be female any more than 1 out of three will be - they could all turn out male - that's the way luck goes.

Regarding light your best solution is to buy 2 125w Envirolites and 1 E40 Edison screw lampholder and make up your own reflector for it. Two envirolites - 1 blue and 1 red, blue for vegetative growth and red for flowering. They're about 35-40 bucks each plus about 10 bucks for the holder. That should give you pretty reasonable results for up to 3 or 4 plants at minimum running cost - the 125w Envirolite only inputs about 75w of electricity, which is cheaper to run than a 100w incandescent!

In my opinion that's the MINIMUM you can get away with to produce satisfactory results and if you opt to continue with your smaller cfls you'll get disappointing results.

heh, and i was planning on moving to a 25w cfl lighting system =/