your cheapest setup

whats the cheapest setup uve made with CFLs?

post how much it cost in total, what u bought an where u bought it from an pics if u have them.


only asking because im on a tight budget and was wondering what other ppl got up 2. ive realised my bulbs are 23 quid each, so its abit more expensive than i planned.

when i first set up my CFL grow i did it for $0 outlay of cash just using stuff i had laying around... course, i already had the CFL bulbs too

since then, i am up to about US$300 total outlay on 4 crops...

i cant see a 100 or 150 watt HPS costing more than the price you quoted for CFL bulbs... the HPS and the ballast would cost about the same as 2 CFL's and give much nicer results.

dont get me wrong, the CFL's work, just nowhere near as nice as HPS (talking from experience, i have used HID before)... and now that i have 17 CFL's going the cost savings is shot and the amount of work messing with them far out weighs HID lighting.

Mate, at £23 a CFL you might want to consider saving for a HPS/MH. Do you have the space? Only £65 or so for a cheap 250W ballast

My setup is a cheap as they come for a 400w self watered (groan) system. Say £90 for a cheap ballast and hood, 2 bulbs at £10 each, Nutes £25 grow and bloom, £10 boost, £20 2 blower fans, £20+ clone gel various things like thermomiter etc.

Plus I dont mind watering myself with only 6 plants or so, any more and it becomes a chore. Plus it makes me keep more of an eye on my babies

So under £200 for the absolute basics to sustain life! Bearing in mind you'll need or already have alot of that anyway.

Im sure there's more bit's and bobs that have cost money like chains and fittings etc but you could scrounge or improvise that on a budget.

Good luck with the grow mate

Nah, ive already decided on CFL's. space is kind of an issue.

anyway, i dont have anything yet. so its gonna cost me AT LEAST...

1x125watt 6400k lamp + e40 plug = £33
1x125watt 2700k lamp + e40 plug = £33 (cheapest ive found)
seeds = £20

so thats about 90quid already. not mentioning pots, nutes, water and anything else i need. but for now im thinking of just buying

2x125watt 6400k and a pack of seeds. at least i can get them vegging, id have to wait another month till pay day to get the 2700k flowering lights. suppose i could do it like that.

what would u guys suggest i start off with?

ill have my lights and seeds. sure i can find small plant pots or something like that as well. any other essentials i need?

if the space is small how will you vent it because even give off some heat in small spaces

thats all sorted. computer fan and old phone charger for the intake and exhaust. plus i will have to get like a 5" fan or something on them but thats not hard to get.

yeh sounds like you know what your doing
all i can say now is happy growing my friend and post pics and info so we can see how your babies get on

i said the same thing about space... then i kept adding CFL's because i needed more and more and now i am realizing that a couple 150 watt HPS will be a lot easier to deal with

good luck though!

i still need to order my stuff yet. just making a list and looking through noob forums to see if theres any essential ive missed.

i was kinda thinking the same about the CFLs but hard luck, ill have to make do with them for now.

also, no1 has answered my topic question lol...... or anything else ive missed ppl can help with?

I know SOME members here think cfls totally suck b ut I have to strongly disagree. It is the experience of the grower who makes it work.

Home depot. 4 x 4 foot cfl light ballast

get 2 daylight bulbs and 2 GROWLUX (brndname)

you will have 2 bluish bulbs and 2 reddish ones. It does an excellent job. Just keep the light as close as possible even if it means the plants grow into them.

i answered, i just didnt show pics

get a pH meter... a good one. the cheap ones blow.

oh the light is about $48 and the bulbs I am not sure. Phone and ask. Plus the great thing about home depot is the return policy.

good luck

i dont think they suck... i just know HPS is better

this is the problem im having, i live in the UK and nothing comes closes to ur home depots and lowes stores. only thing they sell is 100watt bulbs. our stores are no way near as big, as in range compared to american stores. so really im quite limited unless i order off the net. but thanks for the input.

but have you ever tried an MH?

bfq said:

i dont think they suck... i just know HPS is better

Click to expand...

oh yes, MH has its place too! in the veg room or next to a larger HPS in the flower room

i miss my old lights!

No also in the flower cycle but I have to agree that the dual lighting system with both is the BEST. I just couldn't afford one of those

bfq said:

oh yes, MH has its place too! in the veg room or next to a larger HPS in the flower room

i miss my old lights!

Click to expand...

yeah, there are all sorts of specific and individual types of MH and HPS bulbs.... and truth is, all of em and CFLs work.... some better than others.... and sometimes the answers on which is best changes dramatically with the rest of the environment.... so, i sure am not one of those CFL bashing people... i use them and probably will continue to use them in some shape or form for quite some time...

i just know i was thinking they would be cheaper and easier than a "real" setup... 200 watt HID isnt really any more money than 200 watt CFL... and it is a lot more work to get good results with the CFLs.

in a truly "best" situation we would all be able to grow these in greenhouses and not worry about getting slammed in a cell for it.... ah well