Yield differnece between cfl's and hps

D

djh

Member
i am new to growing but have been doing a lot of research so i dont end up wasting money, i found a 125w cfl grow light on ebay with blue and red spectrum bulbs, people have said it will be ideal but then other people say buy a hps because i will gain more of a yield.

What is the difference in yield between CFL and HPS - 125w area on 1 plant?

thanks
 
Roseman

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
djh said:
i am new to growing but have been doing a lot of research so i dont end up wasting money, i found a 125w cfl grow light on ebay with blue and red spectrum bulbs, people have said it will be ideal but then other people say buy a hps because i will gain more of a yield.

What is the difference in yield between CFL and HPS - 125w area on 1 plant?

thanks
Click to expand...
If you compare same wattage, For example 4 105 watt CFLs= 420 watts. If compared to a HPS 150 watts, then yu can easily see the CFLs will do better. But if equal or even just close wattage, then any HID light, or HPS will give more and bigger buds faster.

You also have to compare COSTS, and consider the HEAT. You can grow with CFLS and not vent the heat cause there is such little heat. With HID lights, you got to VENT and COOL.

In the new Skunk Magazine there was a question in the "Ask Ed" section that just made my night last night when reading it...
The question was...

Tiny Grow Space

I intend to grow a single cannabis plant in a space 1' x 2'. What light would you recommend? I was think of using four 30-watt compact fluorescent lamps. Will this be enough? Cost isn't an issue but I am deterred from getting a high pressure sodium [light] because of the amount of heat the bulb produces.
Barry, Internet

As you mentioned, you have several lighting systems to choose from, including compact fluorescents and high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps. Among HPS lamps you have a choice between a single 100-watt lamp which uses a total of about 120-watts and emits about 8,800 lumens(73 lumens per watt) or a 150-watt lamp, which uses about 180 watts and emits almost double that-15,800 lumens (87 lumens per watt).

A 42-watt compact fluorescent (CFL) emits about 2700 lumens(64 lumens per watt). Four CFLs use 168 watts and emit 10,800 lumens. Other size CFLs have a similar efficiency.

However, that is only part of the story. Plants use mostly red and blue light. Yellow and green light is of little use to them, so light that is emitted in these spectrums is wasted energy. Most of the light emitted by HPS lamps is in the yellow spectrum. Only a small amount of the emitted light is is in the orange or red spectrums, which plants use efficiently. Warm white fluorescents (2700 Kelvin) emit a greater portion in the red and orange sectors.
Although fluorescents produce only about 75% of the light per watt that the HPS does, the amount of light usable by the plant is equal or probably higher with the fluorescents. You may wish to experiment to see if adding a single cool white CFL to replace one warm white results in shorter, stouter stems and more vigorous growth. The reasoning is that warm whites don't emit much blue light, which the plants use for photosynthesis and to regulate their growth. The cool white bulb supplies the blue light.

My call for your unit would be to use several (three to five) CFLs with a total input of between 120-160 watts. Although the 150 watt HPS is a bit more efficient that the CFLs in total output, watt for watt the fluorescents provide as much useful light as the HPS lamp. Heat is another consideration. The HPS runs much hotter and emits more heat than the fluoescents.

Make sure to use reflective material around the garden so that any light escaping the garden is reflected back to the plants. Any light that doesn't get to the plant leaves is wasted.
 
danrasta

danrasta

Well-Known Member
A hps will def yield alot more and your plants will grow quicker! but the hps also has alot heat so you need a good fan for air circulation!
 
D

djh

Member
thanks for quick replies ive been browsing grasscity forums and it takes ages for people to reply, then i stumbled across rollitup and it rules

as i still live with my parents i will be growing this at a friends house so probs best if i stick with the cfl option due to heat and burning the plants

this is the light i found on ebay whats your thoughts

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Envirolite-125w-6400k-2700k-Growlamp-Reflector-Kit_W0QQitemZ260295500878QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN?hash=item260295500878&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=|301:1|293:1|294:30
 
danrasta

danrasta

Well-Known Member
Yea djh my friend has a 2 of those envirolites 150 watts one in each spec he got them cheap enough so make sure you look around for the best deal! good look growing
 
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