WHY MEDICAL GROWERS SHOULD NOT USE CFL's

If you are growing because you have a health ailment. DO NOT GROW WITH CFL's!!!

I urge all medical growers to watch the following video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upmLJM2VTlM

And if you think this dude's talking shit, theirs a ton of information on the web you can read for yourself.

God only knows how the cannabis community hasn't picked up on this already, but if you a growing for medical reasons i see no logical reason why you would use something that could potentially devastate your health if broken when their are better alternatives. And its not just that, even when the bulbs are on they can cause migraines and disturbed sleep patterns due to emitting to much radiation, if it affects humans how do you think this build up of radiation will affect your plants health over a prolonged period of time?

If you are a medical grower and care for the enviroment, you should switch to HPS! And take your cfl's to a WASTE RECYCLING PLANT.

(NOTE TO MODS: I THINK ITS YOUR DUTY TO MAKE A PINNED TOPIC IN THE CFL GROW FORUM WARNING MEDICAL GROWERS ABOUT THIS).

HPS lamps have mercury in them as well (both vapor and powder) and some other toxic stuff... if you are worried about the health risks of broken bulbs. Just FYI.

... and the sun causes cancer, nothing is really perfect.

I grow my medical weed in a 18 inch by 2 ft space in my closet..

I grow under roughly 300 actual watt CFL


I LOVE it..

I've done outdoor and indoor, off and on for almost 40 years now (and man o man did I screw up much more than I didn't over the years.. anything I know about growing cannabis is a byproduct of having to fix something I screwed up).

I've done HPS and MH and had the best results for fast growing indoors using a combination.

Back in the 'day' we used to confiscate ol street lights (well not me of course.. but others).. and If I remember right they grew great but they are mercury vapor lights which means they are incredibly inefficient.. you have to have a LOT of light to grow a little flower..

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Anyway.. I LOVE my CFL.. I have it down to a science.. 2 and a half plants in (it was 2, but the last dixie cup grow was incredible) and 2 and a half ready to replace them.. continually.. yielding me about 2.3-3 oz's dried and cured every 2.5-3 months.. for me it is PERFEFECT..

Costs me roughly 7 dollars in electricity a month.. and medical patients usually agree that when you are sick and everyone has their hands out, FREE (or inexpensive) is a very good price.


In other words, I continually have 1 ounce a month (which ironically is what my state allows to have in possession) of as high of quality stuff as I feel like growing.. and an insurance policy of a closet full of extra on the way.. it is a very good feeling.

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I love love love love love CFL's and I myself have helped 90 yr old women set up small cfl veg gardens on their kitchen table..

CFL is really really inexpensive to get your feet wet in the hobby .. and like I say, when you are really sick, this usually means you are really broke.. for me, CFL was the perfect prescription. I'd recommend them to anyone who is SERIOUS about keeping their needs filled, in the least expensive way to get up and running. Even if you go to HID's I would suggest doing a grow or two under CFL because they are very forgiving and you can learn lessons like 'hey, these burn your skin' and 'wow, I almost fried my crop' that HID's factor in, AFTER you get the basic plant end.. they are very unintimidating to work with.



Just my thoughts.. from a medical user..

Nice thread, Maxwell I like your advice, I too am growing under CFL's over 500 watts actually, but this is only because at the time I cannot go hps, I really want to upgrade to a 600 or two. Unfortunately not everybody has the means or the are to grow with an HID light so CFL's make a great alternative to learn and grow in small spaces. I will not contradict this information and it is something everyone should read, but I think that growers should take time to absorb every amount of information possible to achieve optimum success, at the same time, I'm high as hell from some awesome CFL bud and will continue with it until I am able to upgrade; to each his own though, just grow on!

Cdubya..

The idea of a few 600's is fun for a bit.. (for me once it starts becoming work and impersonal it is no longer any fun)

But I only grow for myself.. I have a hard time keeping it under an ounce a month and find myself doing things to retard growth rather than inhibit it.

As I don't even have any friends in this area I know to even give it to.. well.. Like I say, my cfl's are meeting my personal needs stunningly.


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I just don't want some medical user to come along and get the idea it is bad to use CFL.. when it 'might' be their best lighting medium if they are considering a grow.