Going Away for 10 days - HPS to CFL?

Silvio Dante

Silvio Dante

Active Member
Good Morning Ladies & Gentlemen,

I am faced with the question of going away for around 10 days and it is out of the question to leave my dodgy 600w HPS all alone with 4 flowering Jamacian Pearls.

By the time I go away they should be starting week 3 of flower and past post of their stretching, but the question is:

What kind of effect do you think, in your opinion, swapping to a 250W CFL will have on the overall yield and general health of the plant? I am on a low rent setup with no automatic watering so it is my intention to swell them up good and proper before I go (possibly with an additional 2L bottle each pinholed into the coco for some extra drip whilst I am away).

I don't think 10 days under a CFL is going to have a massive difference to the flowering personally... curious for input :)

Sil
 
SchmoeJoe

SchmoeJoe

Well-Known Member
Silvio Dante said:
Good Morning Ladies & Gentlemen,

I am faced with the question of going away for around 10 days and it is out of the question to leave my dodgy 600w HPS all alone with 4 flowering Jamacian Pearls.

By the time I go away they should be starting week 3 of flower and past post of their stretching, but the question is:

What kind of effect do you think, in your opinion, swapping to a 250W CFL will have on the overall yield and general health of the plant? I am on a low rent setup with no automatic watering so it is my intention to swell them up good and proper before I go (possibly with an additional 2L bottle each pinholed into the coco for some extra drip whilst I am away).

I don't think 10 days under a CFL is going to have a massive difference to the flowering personally... curious for input :)

Sil
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With such underpowered lighting I would expect some ridiculous stretching and a high likelihood of hermaphrodites.
 
SchmoeJoe

SchmoeJoe

Well-Known Member
Silvio Dante said:
Ow sheeeeeeeeet
Click to expand...
The stretching would just mean that whatever development the buds get in that time would be extremely loose and fluffy. How the would affect the total outcome would really depend on a few too many variables to guess at. Mostly to do with the particulars about how your spot plants develope through the different stages. At week three the plants overall stretch is done but then the frame of each individual bud is set so you could get some pretty serious flarf from it.

Low light, especially during flowering, is a common hermaphrodite trigger. Without specific experience it's anybody's guess if your particular plant would be prone to it.
 
Silvio Dante

Silvio Dante

Active Member
Fair enough, the last time I went away for 10 days they were still vegging (and a different strain) and I banged them under the CFL with no issues at all. All of my concerns centre around the fact budding will be underway.

My answer is to increase general airflow and keep heat on the lower side so they won't dry out so quick, drench them before I go and give each one another 2L drip-feed bottle. I am confident that will just about see them through that by the time I come back, there may be some drooping but nothing sinister.
 
Lordhooha

Lordhooha

Well-Known Member
Silvio Dante said:
Good Morning Ladies & Gentlemen,

I am faced with the question of going away for around 10 days and it is out of the question to leave my dodgy 600w HPS all alone with 4 flowering Jamacian Pearls.

By the time I go away they should be starting week 3 of flower and past post of their stretching, but the question is:

What kind of effect do you think, in your opinion, swapping to a 250W CFL will have on the overall yield and general health of the plant? I am on a low rent setup with no automatic watering so it is my intention to swell them up good and proper before I go (possibly with an additional 2L bottle each pinholed into the coco for some extra drip whilst I am away).

I don't think 10 days under a CFL is going to have a massive difference to the flowering personally... curious for input :)

Sil
Click to expand...
If it’s dodgy I’m assuming it’s got issues. I’d say switch or you might come back to you home still smoking.
 
Kingrow1

Kingrow1

Well-Known Member
If your hps is dodgy save for a new one, as long as set right they are not a fire risk or error prone, always worth an upgrade to cmh if your flush and fancy some new tech.

Ive run the 250w cfl envirolites, if your plants are short this badboy will do you proud (depending on make cause rhe cheaper ones arent as good as the old envirolites imo).

10 days no water on coco, somthings not right with your cycle but if you think your good then im sure it will be ok.

Most of us refuse to holiday or have plans during flowering unless automated or we have a trusty friend who can water once or twice.

Good luck :-)
 
bezalom

bezalom

Well-Known Member
a 250 watt CFL is one big hot CFL....have used 205 watt with mogul socket before and with a decent reflector (I made mine) should be fine for 10 days...I'd get two and throw a few shop lights at em (stand em on end for side lighting)...always nice to have some backup lights.

worst will happen is some stretching with beginnings of airbud but easily corrected once you switch the HPS back on....I'd also give em an extra hour of light on the timer to help offset stretching/lower par....depending upon strain (sometimes I want some stretch)
 
Kingrow1

Kingrow1

Well-Known Member
bezalom said:
a 250 watt CFL is one big hot CFL....have used 205 watt with mogul socket before and with a decent reflector (I made mine) should be fine for 10 days...I'd get two and throw a few shop lights at em (stand em on end for side lighting)...always nice to have some backup lights.

worst will happen is some stretching with beginnings of airbud but easily corrected once you switch the HPS back on....I'd also give em an extra hour of light on the timer to help offset stretching/lower par....depending upon strain (sometimes I want some stretch)
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Ive owned the range, 125w 200w 250w and all in seperate red and blue, they are not that hot in honesty but the ballast is in the most inefficient place possible.

Envirolites were the best as the got the decent phosphor, some just looked a bit dim, id ditch everything for envirolites in a flash, cant fault them even though they are poor design all round :-)
 
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