seedlings stretching?

[SneakIT]

Hello, I'm very new to growing, especially indoors. I had some seeds collected from good joints, and I decided to give them a try, before I find myself with money for good seeds. I germinated some of them, and they started well, about 4 - 5 days ago. I decided 1 18W CFL would be enough for the first week or two, but I bought the cheapest bulb, and it's 2700K. Now my seedlings are about 5cm tall and they grow very good steams, but they grow taller and taller, with almost 1cm/day, and leafs almost don't grow. Now, I got a cardboard box, dressed it entirely with aluminum foil inside, and put the bulb less than 2cm from them where is about 26C, and hopefully they should slow down. But I don't have money for another lamp setup at least in the next few days, up to week.
What can I do, I think leaving them on the sun at day, and at light at night, is it good idea? Also should I switch from 24/0 to 18/6, I don't have timer because I planed 24/0 and it might be bad idea. I can plant them outdoor if this don't work, but most probably someone will find them, so I want to avoid this, what do you think I should do?

 

[sensimilla86]

i prefer 18/6 but thats just me i think that you could put them in the window then under your light i ve herd of people doing it with outdoor plants they want to veg longer or even ones they want to flower sooner by covering them up so i dont see why you could not use the sun during the day and transfer to your light eventually you will have to get a timer relying on yourself to get the light at the same exact time everyday could cause some problems like herming if you forget or cant make it home

 

[hogbud]

2700K is a red bulb, red = stretch

for veg you should be using mostly blue (6500K) bulbs and the 23 watt cfl's are the best bang

 

[Born Again Vegan]

Hey dude I use a T5 for seedling stage, best light ive found for stopping the stretch early on, and pretty inexpensive.
In the mean time don't panic too much when you repot you can always bury the stem.

 

[SneakIT]

2700K is a red bulb, red = stretch

for veg you should be using mostly blue (6500K) bulbs and the 23 watt cfl's are the best bang

It's warm daylight actually, but can I use it in combination with 6500K or should I remove it until flowering, after I get more lights?

I was thinking about one 43W I saw, I think 20W CFLs won't be too efficient after time, and will need many sockets and cables that cost more than the lights, for 100x100cm I red I need 400W, that's 20X20W..

 

[weedenhanced]

Hello, I'm very new to growing, especially indoors. I had some seeds collected from good joints, and I decided to give them a try, before I find myself with money for good seeds. I germinated some of them, and they started well, about 4 - 5 days ago. I decided 1 18W CFL would be enough for the first week or two, but I bought the cheapest bulb, and it's 2700K. Now my seedlings are about 5cm tall and they grow very good steams, but they grow taller and taller, with almost 1cm/day, and leafs almost don't grow. Now, I got a cardboard box, dressed it entirely with aluminum foil inside, and put the bulb less than 2cm from them where is about 26C, and hopefully they should slow down. But I don't have money for another lamp setup at least in the next few days, up to week.
What can I do, I think leaving them on the sun at day, and at light at night, is it good idea? Also should I switch from 24/0 to 18/6, I don't have timer because I planed 24/0 and it might be bad idea. I can plant them outdoor if this don't work, but most probably someone will find them, so I want to avoid this, what do you think I should do?

Get a mh bulb they will grow hard then

 

[SneakIT]

Got one 20W 6400K CFL. Should I use both lights (20W 6400K + 18W 2700K) or just the white one, what's better?

 

[4Life2style0]

Got one 20W 6400K CFL. Should I use both lights (20W 6400K + 18W 2700K) or just the white one, what's better?

Hey man, I'm still new but IMO I would stick with just the white for now as she is so young . Maybe you could get more white and then throw that 2700k in there but if you put then both in now, your color ratio will be about 50/50 starting off and that's not really what you want. I may be wrong I guess and if I am someone will guide us to a better answer.

Cover as much as the new stretchy stem with more soil to promote more root growth, as well as to make her stronger. This is normal.

 

[FlashBabylon]

They are both really low wattage bulbs, I would personally have both on them. I had my seedlings under a 250W metal halide from the first set of serrated leaves (ie first ones after cotyledons). The light was about 30" away from them. They did not burn. They grew much quicker and stopped stretching (I had them under a warm white CFL like you for the first two days).

They are ready for proper light now. Get both on it. Then go and get some more CFLs or buy a HID

 

[FlashBabylon]

Get a mh bulb they will grow hard then

What he said ^.

 

[weedenhanced]

What he said ^.

2 and a half weeks old grow under mh from the start dimmed to 200w for first 5 days then on 440w the rest u be the judge

 

[SneakIT]

2 and a half weeks old grow under mh from the start dimmed to 200w for first 5 days then on 440w the rest u be the judgeView attachment 3164517

Beautiful, but I can't afford this, the MH are maybe not that expensive, but the electricity...
I can afford max 400 - 500 W light and I need about 100g weed in 3-4 months in order to smoke some and get money for real grow from few friends, as they say, there is no free lunch

Also I notice the 6400K is producing more heat, though nearly same W, but I'll try, thank you all guys for the advices..

 

[scarecrow77]

If your going with cfls buy the 125watt6500k for veg and the 250watt 2700k for flowering ...there not bad bulbs at all...keep them about 5inches from the canopy...the 2bulbs with reflecters 200euros...

 

[scarecrow77]

I grew great plants with them ...buy them you won't be dissapointed ...they leave off very very little heat you can hold the bulbs without getting burnt...i now use hps m/ h ..

 

[SneakIT]

I got my hands on 4x20W 6400K CFLs more, just have to find a way to wire them, 5x20W should be enough for now, I hope. Will consider getting HPs and a fan maybe...

PS. sorry if I'm stretching this thread too much, it's always dummy to say just saying, but just saying

 

[FlashBabylon]

Don't apologize Good to update your thread with your thoughts and decisions.

5x 20W is certainly better than a single 20W, but there downsides to using lots of CFLs.

They do not have the penetration through the canopy that a HID (high intensity discharge) bulb has.

Also, as I understand it, even the "correct" spectrum CFL bulb does not have anywhere near the spectrum of light that a HID bulb will put out.

In my early days of planning a grow I was obsessed with keeping this or that cost down, keeping heat down, keeping electricity costs down, but it comes down to this - grow with slightly substandard kit and you will yield a small amount of not-very-good marijuana. If you are going to the expense and effort of growing, you might as well get a massive bag of prime buds to smoke.

Yeah, it costs money. Yeah, there will be heat issues - there will be heat issues with 5x20w CFL bulbs.

My suggestion given your circumstances is to veg under those CFLs you have, add more if you can, and save up for an HPS for flowering, which will be several weeks away yet.