First time grow

Ok guys so I'm just finishing the growth stage in my AG and I picked up a 70w HPS with 6800 lumens to help with the flowering (small personal grow). I'm planning on setting the AG hood to one side to assist in photosynthesis with my 4 42w CFLs on the other side, and the HPS helping to provide those lovely buds I've heard so much about.

I know 70w isn't much but there are only three plants, I got the HPS for free, and if things work out I'm looking to upgrade.

My major question is should I continue with the CFLs once I install the HPS? Its my first successful grow and I'm more than interested in all the knowledge you all possess. Any other input would be great


Pic included are my babies, but its when they weren't doing so well (all problems have since been corrected)

70w isnt even worth the money. Return the light. even for only 3 plants I wouldn't go lower then 150w for an HPS.

And yes you can continue with CFLs as well. The more light and the more spectrum the better. I personally like to have an HPS on top and CFLs around the plant for side and under growth. But do what works for you.

like i said i got the hps for free. i thought worst case it'll help out more than what i already got ya know til i can get something with some more umph

If you in SW Pennsylvania, you're real close to HTG. If I were you, I'd take a drive over there and see what sort of deals Tony can put together for you. You'll probably be surprised at how much you can get for your money with him, especially on lighting. Like Courage pointed out, a 70w HPS isn't worth the materials it's made out of. Even for a small, personal grow like you have, you should be looking to use at least 150w HPS. A HID system beats CFLs everytime. They just don't have the penetrating power of an HPS. In my opinion, CFLs and tubes are best used for starting seeds and clones, and for use as supplemental side lighting. There are certainly plenty of people who use CFLs as their primary light source, and most of them get pretty decent results, but since this is a small grow for yourself, you should be focusing on growing the highest quality possible. And to do that, you need a HID system. I always say, anything worth doing is worth doing right. Don't half-ass your setup because cutting corners just hurts you in the end.

Once again if I'm happy with the results of this throw together on the cheap grow - including factors like power consumption, odor, and price (as I'm still in college and don't have the cash for any more upgrades not including a few more CFLs) - I'm going to save up and do it right. I was given the hps at no charge.

Thanks for the info about HTG, I've seen signs but never heard much else about it until I joined up here. I travel up that area a lot and didn't even know it was that close.



Would it be better to buy a ton more CFLs and ditch the 70w? I was under the impression that any more light in that spectrum would help out, even if its not a huge advantage to CFL (more CFLs would be added as well).

If I were in your situation, I would use the 70w HPS in addition to as many CFLs as you can afford. The more light you are able to provide, the better. And if you've already got the 70w HPS, you might as well make use of it. As long as you have a relatively small growing area, you should get pretty decent results with what you've got. Keep in mind that the HPS is going to give off a lot more heat than you are used to with the CFLs so you may need to take measures to reduce the temperature in your grow area. You want to keep your "lights-on" temp between 70°F-80°F, and your "lights-off" temp between 65°F-75°F. If you allow your temps to stay higher than 80°F, growth will slow down. Two things you should buy right away that are very inexpensive - a combo thermometer/hygrometer, and a pH test kit. The thermometer/hygrometer will cost you about $15 and will give you an accurate measurement of both your temperature and humidity. The pH test kit will cost you between $5-$10. Both can be purchased at HTG, if you can make your way up there. Or, any decent garden supply shop. You may also be able to find them at WalMart or HomeDepot, but I'm not 100% sure of that. It's very important that you have the capability to monitor your temps and humidity to ensure an ideal growth environment. And, especially if you are using tap water, the pH test kit is critical. You want to adjust your water to a pH of between 6.3-6.5. If your water is out of this range, your plants will not be able to properly absorb nutrients leading to deficiencies and other problems. With these two simple tools you will be able to stay on top of the most common plant problems and have a much better experience. Let me know if you have any more questions or need any further help. Good luck brotha

Thanks a lot for all the help. I'm going to head out next pay and pick up everything. Once things get started in earnest I'll post more pics