First time setup. let me know if it looks ok.

first off this is my first post here so hello everybody, i love the community, ive conducted a lot of my research here for this and i have learned a tremendous amount so id like to thank everybody for that. with that being said id like to know if my setup looks alright. Germinated 2 days ago, roots were about 1/4" and i planted them root down with the seed about 3/8" under soil. watered lightly (misted with a spray bottle) right now its just three 2700k 42 watt cfl's (its all they had at both wal-mart and home depot). im using aluminum foil for reflective material (temporarily untill i can get a roll of mylar) i plan on adding some splitters and some more 42 watt cfl's to the light fixture probably some 6500k's to mix the spectrum (i know they are better for veg anyway). im using the fox farm ocean soil mixed with about 20% perlite. i think im going to be ordering some BMO nutes (im up for organic suggestion on this) but i understand i wont need them for about a month because the fox farm stuff is packed with nutes. Its an awkward closet so its hard to get in there and take pics this is the best i could do. also its an unknown strain..i got them from my friend who claims they are feminized white widow, and he got them from his uncle who supposedly grows them....but you know how that goes. anyway. let me think what you think any input or constructive critisism appreciated, thanks!

Yup looks good, you wanna move them lights up when they're about sprouting their second set or you'll stunt them, 12 inches is good for your power

is that just for seedlings? ive read in a lot of different places that cfls should only be kept 1-3" away from the foliage..pretty much as close as you can get without burning.

StealthySteve said:

is that just for seedlings? ive read in a lot of different places that cfls should only be kept 1-3" away from the foliage..pretty much as close as you can get without burning.

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yup just for seedlings

cool.. im pretty excited... ill post more as they grow im hoping for some big healthy ladies! By the way i wanted to throw a special thanks to Garden Knowm for his book "buds for less". I definitely stole his brilliant light fixture idea... clamp lights just werent going to work out for me at $12 a pop.

Best of luck mate.

Setup looks great! Somewhat similar to my very first grow, I had only CFL's too! But further down the road, I noticed that the sides and bottom of the plant weren't getting enough light so I added some T5 lighting into the mix and also a UFO LED 90 watt on top of the plant, did this until harvest and got about 7 ounces dried off one plant! Remember to add more perlite when you transplant! Really makes a difference and try not to over nute! (i went 3 weeks with a really dried out over nuted plant until I learned how to flush)

GOOD LUCK and Happy Growing!

No clue wht the other guy is talking about . You want cfl as close as possible at all times that goes for any light

fir3dragon said:

No clue wht the other guy is talking about . You want cfl as close as possible at all times that goes for any light

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nope I disagree, you wouldn't put a 300w Plasma that close for example, high powered LED's can bleach and burn if too close, `1000W Sodium? lol do some reading mate before making wild statements like that.

about the side lighting i figured i could just get some more cfls a some supplimental side lighting if they started to get to thick/tall i understand they are just more efficient then the t5's. please correct me if im wrong though... and i looked at some led's but they are just so damn expensive and half of them seem to be cheap rippoff lights that dont do anything..decided to just stay away.

roguetrooper said:

nope I disagree, you wouldn't put a 300w Plasma that close for example, high powered LED's can bleach and burn if too close, `1000W Sodium? lol do some reading mate before making wild statements like that.

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Obvisoly you would want to keep them close as possible without burning.....


too far means more stretch which I don't want idk about you

StealthySteve said:

about the side lighting i figured i could just get some more cfls a some supplimental side lighting if they started to get to thick/tall i understand they are just more efficient then the t5's. please correct me if im wrong though... and i looked at some led's but they are just so damn expensive and half of them seem to be cheap rippoff lights that dont do anything..decided to just stay away.

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Yeah I don't blame ya mate, but look at this pic for example, this light is under $300, 270W ---results speak for themselves.....

StealthySteve said:

about the side lighting i figured i could just get some more cfls a some supplimental side lighting if they started to get to thick/tall i understand they are just more efficient then the t5's. please correct me if im wrong though... and i looked at some led's but they are just so damn expensive and half of them seem to be cheap rippoff lights that dont do anything..decided to just stay away.

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If you have space I would get a 3x3 tent with either 4-600 hps led I agree is expensive

wow those are some pretty impressive pics of the potential of those LED's...ill probably switch when they are a little bit older tech and better understood i guess...(and more affordable)... $300 is not bad though.. just too mysterious for me

My cheese clones (3rd Generation) at 6 weeks flowering with lights switched off, I mega pinched them back during vegging to see if I get a crown of even buds getting the light,

i dont have space for a tent as im in the city with no yard.... and i rent my apartment so i can go pokin holes through the wall... unfortunetly mh and hps lights are just out of the question..i would not be able to properly ventilate.

looking good rogue... i can only hope for results like that. my fingers are crossed

StealthySteve said:

wow those are some pretty impressive pics of the potential of those LED's...ill probably switch when they are a little bit older tech and better understood i guess...(and more affordable)... $300 is not bad though.. just too mysterious for me

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Oh they will get cheaper my friend, they already have come down in price due to these new modular series coming out. I had the first generation one, whats in the pics, my journal has the next gerneraton X3 optics and more LED's, more power for smaller area, plus im getting the new 6 pod 300W mixed array LED's to test, they land hopefully tomorrow! Well excited, will replace the modular with this one to see if my cheeses finish earlier. Keep watching!

will do im going to be keeping a close eye on the LED tech as im definitely interested in it for when i decided to upgrade my operation.

Hps or not, I still suggest a tent