Things to Know About Lighting

swampy13

Active Member
I just want to try a couple of plants to start with can I buy lights or bulbs that will bee good enough to start from Home depot or lowes....etc....
 

nobustincaps

Well-Known Member
stupidest question ever, do you think it would be possible to grow with a candle? or some sort of a flame that isnt that big ball of fire in the sky?
im just wandering.:confused:
 

Wikidbchofthewst

Well-Known Member
Well, whether or not it would be POSSIBLE I have no idea, can't find any info on the net about it.

But I can tell you it would be very IMPRACTICLE. A candle typically produces 13 lumens. You never want to use less than 2500 lumens, even for one plant. So you'd need what...nearly 200 candles just to reach the MINIMUM amount of light needed to grow ONE plant? I mean, and that's bare minimum. The more light, the better.

Another big problem with that would be that it would be a SERIOUS fire hazard. Sometimes the LIGHTS can be a fire hazard, could you imagine growing with an open flame? You would never be able to safely leave your grow alone. You wouldn't be able to have a fan going because it'd blow out the flame.

lol, so yeah, if you really think it through, nothing about the idea makes much sense.
 

Enigma

Well-Known Member
I would do the same if I had a stealthy way to hide the filter on the outside of the OP.
As is, the fan is doing the job and temps are stable at around 75-80F
I know all the air being pushed into the other side of the basement is fresh and clean
and there is no dust being pulled into my fan housing. One thing about the canfan I bought.
The seam around the middle of the unit where the two halves meet isn't sealed very well.
I used some duct tape and put a band around the seam. It pushes a LOT more air now than before.

I'm going to test and see what happens when I get this Vortex fan setup.. the commercial veggie growers I've spoken with have given me this advice:

"Always pull through a filter, never push."
 

TheElkTreeFunk

Well-Known Member
Yup yup...I'm a general contractor...they are in fact all over large construction sites.

HOWEVER I HIGHLY DISCOURAGE STEALING FROM CONSTRUCTION SITES...IT'S DARK, THERE'S NO ONE AROUND...THEIVES THAT ARE CAUGHT ARE GENERALLY DEALT WITH SEVERLY WHEN CAUGHT IN DARK PLACES WITH NO WITNESSES.

BESIDES IT'S JUST FAWKING WRONG TO STEAL AND ALMOST AS WRONG TO CONDONE OR SUGGEST IT. BAD FORM MY FRIEND, BAD FORM!!!!!!

and on a more personal note...thanks, it's people like you that cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars a year replacing crap I find stolen, you know we can't work when you steal our stuff?!!?!?! Oh and those lights, that's called EGRESS LIGHTING, it's sole purpose is so we don't trip and kill ourselves at 5am when the fawking sun isn't even up yet. And when it's not in place OSHA comes and shuts down our job site because we are then in violation of federally mandated construction safety laws!!! Makes me sick when I have to be woken up by my Foreman because someone stole from our job site!!!!

YOU WANNA GROW POT FINE...DON'T STEAL FROM HARDWORKING PEOPLE TO DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree bro, Don't steal!!!
 

Stoned4life

Active Member
Any Info on LED Lighting. I started a small hydro garden ( 5 gallon container / 5 plants ) using LED lights ( Total 80 Watts / 2 red 1 blue light) on 4/15 plants are @ 6" and to me seem to be growing nicely ( roots are in resevoir) any reccommendations on flowering. Im a bit nervous that as the plants grow they will not receive ample light. Room is completely covered in mylar.
 

A Good Keen Man

Active Member
Any Info on LED Lighting. I started a small hydro garden ( 5 gallon container / 5 plants ) using LED lights ( Total 80 Watts / 2 red 1 blue light) on 4/15 plants are @ 6" and to me seem to be growing nicely ( roots are in resevoir) any reccommendations on flowering. Im a bit nervous that as the plants grow they will not receive ample light. Room is completely covered in mylar.
Hi there, this note is just to say that I'm very interesed in hearing how you (or anyone else for that matter) get on with the LED setup. Is the 80 Watts the actual electrical drain or an eqiv to, say CFL light output. Personally, I think that LED will be the way to go if all works out. Best of luck. PLEASE keep us informed.
 

ganjagoddess

Well-Known Member
How much light is needed?
The minimum amount of light required by marijuana plants is around 3000 lumens per square foot. However, it's not 100% accurate, since although you may have a 10,000 lumen light, the amount of light that reaches the plant varies with the distance between the light and plants, and reflectivity of the grow box. The ideal amount is somewhere around 7000-10,000 lumens/sqft, and as long as the plants do not burn, as much light can be used as you want.
(*note, the sun produces about 10,000 lumens/sqft, on a sunny summer day).

Determining lumens for your grow area:
Determine the square footage of your area (example in a 4 foot by 4 foot area, there is 16 square feet)
If you have a 1000 watt High Pressure Sodium, that produces (approx.) 107,000 lumens.
Divide this by 16 (your square footage) 107,000 / 16 = 6687 lumens per square foot.
So just divide the total amount of Lumens, by the total amount of Sq ft, and thats your lumens per square foot.
:leaf:
HPS light = 150,000 lumens.

at two feet above a 4X4 growing area.

at one foot from light 75,000 lumens

at two feet 37,500 lumens/4x4

2343LUMENS per square foot. probally only 2000 or less on the edges..

Now you see just how innefficient even 1000 watt HPS lights are compared to the suns mighty beat down of over 10,000LUMENS on any given surface...

Sorry but the two paragraphs up above contradicted themselves...

I had to clarify how light works...
 

nbc06c

Active Member
I have would like to know if a 500wt light is ok for 3 plants in an open room when they're about 4 feet under the light.
 

drmpst56

Active Member
I have a very important question. I bought some 45 watt (equivalent to 150 watt) CFL's, each 2900 Lumens for $8. But, at Home Depot they have a pack of 2) 23 watt (equivalent to 100 watt) 1600 lumens each for only $1.88. I figured if i can buy the 2) 1600 lumens (3200 lumens total) for $1.88. it would save me a shitload of money. Would it be better or as well to have a bunch of 23 watt bulbs then a few 45 watt (2900 lumens). If the 23 watt bulbs are enough to penetrate the plants, I could afford to buy alot of them rather then a few 45 watt bulbs. I bought 2 boxes today total of 6400 lumens for only $4. Would buying these 23 watt bulbs be more efficent then the 45 watt bulbs?

2) 45 Watt = 5,800 lumens = $16
4) 23 Watt = 6,400 lumens = $4
 
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