The BubbleHead Gang

Hey MC! My closet has an ac vent but when ac is not on it gets hot quick. Are yields a little smaller or growing (budding) times slower?

I know, i'm really new here and a new grower but what am i missing... do i have to refresh the page to see new replies or what?

Premo42 said:

so you guys think the cfl's work as well as anything or at least comparable to hid's? I have the cfl now but planed on getting hps for flowering. Would you say they are as good or just better on the energy bill and reduction of heat?

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Watts are watts. So 400 of a HPS will cost the same as 400 CFL's. This thread has both types of bulbs being used. Both get excellent results. The CFL's are cooler running for sure. There are give and takes on both lights. Just gotta figure out what your growing environment can take. Can you exhaust heat fairly easy? I have both lights myself. Veg gets CFL's, but flowering gets the HPS,CFL combo.

What kinda limitations do you have? Space, venting, money.

Right on. Just curius if you or anyone thought they were just as good.

all hail chief bubblhead!

It will be a gradual climb to getting everything perfect. I was suprised to see the success of cfl being used through flowering and some of you using so many of them. I bought a sh (stealth hydro) system and before it got here i had made 3 myself. But it was a great jump start since i could not find all the supplies at first in my area. Was going to use 30 gallon tubs adn decided that would be much more hassle. I'm going to have 2 10 gallon with 6 cups each in veg side and 2-3 18 gal tubs with 4 cups for flowering. I have irrigation spliters like the one sh sells and a homeade spliter that will work well. Still in early stages and already made some mistakes but thats what its about.
Was also pleasantly suprised to see the success of using the sh system the whole way through after seeing some complain about its size.

How often should I be adjusting my PH levels... I'm moving away from the Aerogarden Nutes with this Grow and using the Flora Series and this will be my first time working with monitoring my PH / PPM levels. I'm using tap water, I don't know the exact impurity levels (ie chlorine etc..) but I know its not that high, just from taste (i live in the country, sort of). I checked the PH level of my water and it's about 7.5, give or take. I just introduced the Nutes and have been trying to monitor my PH levels, I believe I read somewhere about fluctuations the first 4-5 days and then it's suppose to settle down a bit. Also I'm using Spa time Ph down/up, I read that these where Ok to use as well. Any advice will be much appreciated thanks. Hopefully one day I'll be able to join the gang as well, after Certification that is, Thanks in Advance....

Which system will you be growing in. As a general rule anything between 5.5 and 6.5 is desirable for hydroponics. You will want to get that PH down but you have to do it slowly as to not shock the plant. It's a little hard to say the exact dosage but I would try 1ml ( 1/5th tsp.) of ph down per gallon of water.

I do have bouncy ph on res changes but the trick is not to overreact. Think of it as coming in for a soft landing.

Hey guys! I found a neat calculator/spreadsheet for GH Flora series. You can adjust the res size and weeks in different growth stages and ml to ounce conversion. It also lists the ppm readings at the different stages.

It has a Flora Nova calculator also and that stuff is too hot for CFL grows or at least that the general concensus. Play with this if you use GH nutes.

http://www.genhydro.com/calculator/index.html

Damn. I think I know why I've been having ph problems, and also my roots are turning shit brown.....my freaking water temp is getting bad.

Does anyone know if those Ice Probes take up alot of room in the tank, and are they fairly easy to set-up?

I'm freezing some water bottle's right now...

I guess it really is that important...plants are doing well though, but I suspect they will do even better when I get the res temp down.

from what ive read the ice probes dont work worth a shit.

Hey Mongo - I've got an ice probe. Mine lowered my water temp by about 4 degrees. I really believe it would lower it a couple of more if I would have mounted it lower on my tank. Right now, as soon as I'm a gallon low on water, the ice probe starts to stick out of the water. It's going to cost you between $108-$119. They don't take up any room. The probe that actuall sticks in the tank is about 4 inches long.

Roseman said:

at least let the Chief know we might be away for a while

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Im still around but i dont have my camera. I will have it later today and will be posting pics. My northern lights should be done this weekend!!! Its been a rough couple weeks!

ok i'm planning on ordering the SH bubbleponics setup *ya ya easier to build blah blah lol), anyways I'm looking to get some CFL's. I've been shopping around and SH seems to have a couple nice systems including the 415 watt & the Dual Spectrum II kit.

I already have 2 new wave T5's that I am going to transfer from my mother plant to the bubbleponics system (for the sides), but I just wanted to get some bubblehead opinion on what I could have on the top that would give out some good juice.


-Separte Dual Spectrums?
-1 single CFL reflector? (like the 415w below)
-A combination of the 2?
-Or just another, bigger T5?

don't know which direction I want to go

some links...http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/product.php?xProd=42&xSec=40
http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/product.php?xProd=196&xSec=40
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/customkititems.asp?kc=HLIFT5SB48&eq=


Thanks Guys

i4204lyfe8424 said:

ok i'm planning on ordering the SH bubbleponics setup *ya ya easier to build blah blah lol), anyways I'm looking to get some CFL's. I've been shopping around and SH seems to have a couple nice systems including the 415 watt & the Dual Spectrum II kit.

I already have 2 new wave T5's that I am going to transfer from my mother plant to the bubbleponics system (for the sides), but I just wanted to get some bubblehead opinion on what I could have on the top that would give out some good juice.


-Separte Dual Spectrums?
-1 single CFL reflector? (like the 415w below)
-A combination of the 2?
-Or just another, bigger T5?

don't know which direction I want to go

some links...http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/product.php?xProd=42&xSec=40
http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/product.php?xProd=196&xSec=40
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/customkititems.asp?kc=HLIFT5SB48&eq=


Thanks Guys

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The best LUMEN jice comes from HID lighting..if you dont have heat probs and can control the heat.I use 400w. HID.MH-HPS..Keeps em lower too..But if you cant..then flouros of cfl's are the way to go for you..you just need a bunch of em

Yea heat is the problem so I'm wandering which CFL setup would go better with the 2 - 2 bulb 4' T5's that I have for the sides... If I just had a bunch of smaller Dual Spectrum CFL kits, if I got the 1 single 415 watt fixture. Or if I should just stay with T5's and get a nice 4' 8 bulber for the top...

i4204lyfe8424 said:

Yea heat is the problem so I'm wandering which CFL setup would work better, If I just had a bunch of little ones, if I got the 1 single 415 watt fixture. Or if I should just stay with T5's and get a nice 4' 8 bulber for the top...

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That 415 w. fixture gets hot as hell too..ive heard..so i would get sum cfls with the T5

or just keep the 2 t5's for the top and look for something else for the sides..my mind is racing! lol. naw i just gotta get this done by cloning time.

edit - answered already thanks

i4204lyfe8424 said:

edit - answered already thanks

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How many plants you growing and in what system?