10 Autoflowers, how many CFLs?

davethepothead

davethepothead

Well-Known Member
Okay guys, this is just a question. So don't start going all crazy on me and don't start talking about HPS, LED & whatever other nonsense you can imagine to spit out. After a conversation while dabbing I wondered if you had a closet and wanted to grow 10 autos just to have 10 different strains to :joint:. Around how many CFLs would you think you'd use? And this is for personal nonprofit smoking lol I don't even have a place to grow 10 plants.
 
Sand4x105

Sand4x105

Well-Known Member
CFL Rule [I'm not joking]
As many as will fit inside your grow space....
As many as possible....
As long as the temp stays under 82-84 f....
GOOD Luck...
 
M

mrblu

Well-Known Member
id do atlest 6 lights for each plant though on a surge protector mixed spectrum of course and rotate them alot growing with the bulb horizontal around the plants in the middle of the closet lol
 
M

mg1529

Member
You need enough to surround the plants from all sides and from above. CFL's are great for getting light to the sides of the plant but kinda suck when trying to shine light down from above the plant. You can make a good set up with CFLs though. I use 55w and 42w bulbs. I currently have my closet set up with 2 photo plants with 7 cfls (3x55w with work hoods hanging above and 4x42w bulbs on clamps surrounding the plants) and i have a tent with 3 autoflowers with 8 42w cfls surrounding the plants and T5 over them. Have good circulation and keep the bulbs super close to the leaves. CFL's are totally underrated though :eyesmoke:
 
tekdc911

tekdc911

Well-Known Member
>.< ok ok i know you said not to throw HPS out there

BUT!!!
ok so the 68w cfl's i use are roughly $20 usd a piece it takes 8 for it to be worth my time to grow out 6 auto's and thats still fluffy buds no density
400w apollo HPS and cool tube is like $120 usd and a 6" fan and ducting might run you another $50

so roughly the same price


but here's the kicker well i guess it would be lack of kick
CFL's lose there bang / kick / intensity after just a few months and suffer a massive lumen drop
well when my HPS gets weak i only have to buy a bulb which i can get for around 20 bucks for a cheap one or around 70 for the one im using now
but if i was running cfl's like i was for years i would have to replace them all at $20 a piece
 
B

buyerReed

Member
tekdc911 said:
>.< ok ok i know you said not to throw HPS out there

BUT!!!
ok so the 68w cfl's i use are roughly $20 usd a piece it takes 8 for it to be worth my time to grow out 6 auto's and thats still fluffy buds no density
400w apollo HPS and cool tube is like $120 usd and a 6" fan and ducting might run you another $50

so roughly the same price


but here's the kicker well i guess it would be lack of kick
CFL's lose there bang / kick / intensity after just a few months and suffer a massive lumen drop
well when my HPS gets weak i only have to buy a bulb which i can get for around 20 bucks for a cheap one or around 70 for the one im using now
but if i was running cfl's like i was for years i would have to replace them all at $20 a piece
Click to expand...
your cfls lose your intensity because you got a to high of a wattage bulb which produces to much heat for a cfl there for decrease lumens. 23 wattage bulbs are best and ideal.
 
Nuikala

Nuikala

Well-Known Member
more than its worth, i grew with cfl for my first grow, it ended up costing way more in the end and twice a day u are moving the lights around, trying to cool the giant wall of hot air (yes they run cooler INDIVIDUALLY but alot hotter when u add them all together), they lose lumens very fast and burn out all the time. I broke like 10 by accident. Glass all over. Trying to fashion reflectors and all that. Save yourself the time and money and get a digital HID setup, they are very cheap on ebay and work awesome, get the cool tube reflector and keeping it cool is a breeze lol . 10 autoflowers, depending on the strain, 400w-600w HID is lots. If your growing 10 Mazar or Think Different or similar you may want more light than that.
If you do go with CFL use the 23-26 watt ones. they are, by far, the most efficient cfl. those big ones are a waste of money. Lumens per watt is much less. LED is still way too expensive. Plus who want to look at plants growing under purple light :-(
peace
 
OrangeHaze

OrangeHaze

Well-Known Member
Nuikala said:
more than its worth, i grew with cfl for my first grow, it ended up costing way more in the end and twice a day u are moving the lights around, trying to cool the giant wall of hot air (yes they run cooler INDIVIDUALLY but alot hotter when u add them all together), they lose lumens very fast and burn out all the time. I broke like 10 by accident. Glass all over. Trying to fashion reflectors and all that. Save yourself the time and money and get a digital HID setup, they are very cheap on ebay and work awesome, get the cool tube reflector and keeping it cool is a breeze lol . 10 autoflowers, depending on the strain, 400w-600w HID is lots. If your growing 10 Mazar or Think Different or similar you may want more light than that.
If you do go with CFL use the 23-26 watt ones. they are, by far, the most efficient cfl. those big ones are a waste of money. Lumens per watt is much less. LED is still way too expensive. Plus who want to look at plants growing under purple light :-(
peace
Click to expand...
Right, because all LEDs are purple!
 
bluesdad

bluesdad

Well-Known Member
Depending on what strain auto u choose,I've seen guys pull 7-10 gr. off autos under 3-4 23 watters.not much i know but we are speaking hypothetically..
 
Budget Buds

Budget Buds

Well-Known Member
50 watts per square foot is usually the rule, I get away with 44.5 of hps though with no ill effects, Make sure you put the lights as close to the plants as possible too. Good luck:)
 
tekdc911

tekdc911

Well-Known Member
bluesdad said:
Depending on what strain auto u choose,I've seen guys pull 7-10 gr. off autos under 3-4 23 watters.not much i know but we are speaking hypothetically..
Click to expand...
i pull oz's with 2 68w ge 2700k
lst'd to a flat canopy in a 3 gal soil/soilless blend
just tossin that out there :bigjoint:
 
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