How many CFL lights do I need?

swak one

swak one

Active Member
How many CFL lights would i need and what wattage for a small indoor grow of 1 or 2 plants? I dnt mean for them to get incredibly big as im trying to be stealthy. Im also a student so my electricity bill is an issue so naturally i cant got for any HPS/MH lights like id like to because i have to keep my costs down. Any information is appreciated! Thanks for taking the time and happy rolling :eyesmoke:
 
T

token2004

Active Member
swak one said:
How many CFL lights would i need and what wattage for a small indoor grow of 1 or 2 plants? I dnt mean for them to get incredibly big as im trying to be stealthy. Im also a student so my electricity bill is an issue so naturally i cant got for any HPS/MH lights like id like to because i have to keep my costs down. Any information is appreciated! Thanks for taking the time and happy rolling :eyesmoke:
Click to expand...
for one or two plants I would suggest somewhere between 150-200 watts. make sure you look at the actual wattage and not the eqivilent wattage. And try and use 5600k bulbs or 'daylight' bulbs during veg.
 
newbienewb

newbienewb

Member
Dude

Do some surfin here and chk everyones grow in the CFL section. Theres is so many, and of all differnt types and configs.

For your two plant grow, try a 4 bulb 23W CFL's (6500 for veggin, 2700 for flowerin)
if it'll fit. I had those only runnin for the last 10 days and there was growth, but I've upped it since.
and dont worry bout cost cosumption with CFL's , your not doing a grow room, just a stealth grow.bongsmilie
 
Jerry Garcia

Jerry Garcia

Well-Known Member
26w cfls are the most efficient. 42w are less efficient, but you can use less of them (but they are more expensive). For vegging you want daylight spectrum (6500k) and for flower you want warm white (2700k).

I use 26w for vegging. I also combine 3 socket y-splitters to create a 4-bulb fixture that I hang over my plants. I use a plug-to-socket adapter on the end of an extension cord into which I screw my fixture. Cheap, easy and effective.

For just one or two plants, you could probably use 2 42w per plant or 4 26w per plant. I like using multiple 26w bulbs because you can arrange them around the plant to provide more even lighting from more angles.

If $$$ is an issue, stick with the 26w. You can get a 4-pack from a hardware store for around $12. 42w single pack bulbs start at like $8.

As far as electrical usage...4-26w bulbs = 104 watts...slightly more than a 100w incandescent bulb...remember when we used those things?
 
F

Freshbud304

Member
Jerry Garcia said:
26w cfls are the most efficient. 42w are less efficient, but you can use less of them (but they are more expensive). For vegging you want daylight spectrum (6500k) and for flower you want warm white (2700k).

I use 26w for vegging. I also combine 3 socket y-splitters to create a 4-bulb fixture that I hang over my plants. I use a plug-to-socket adapter on the end of an extension cord into which I screw my fixture. Cheap, easy and effective.

For just one or two plants, you could probably use 2 42w per plant or 4 26w per plant. I like using multiple 26w bulbs because you can arrange them around the plant to provide more even lighting from more angles.

If $$$ is an issue, stick with the 26w. You can get a 4-pack from a hardware store for around $12. 42w single pack bulbs start at like $8.

As far as electrical usage...4-26w bulbs = 104 watts...slightly more than a 100w incandescent bulb...remember when we used those things?
Click to expand...
Id use his info to the best..In my opinion id pik up one 42watt for the top and get the 26 watts and spread em on the sides for optimal light on all edges
 
CdZc

CdZc

Member
I am working on 2 new plants I just started and I have 5 23W CFL's, I though my electric bill would be a problem but it didn't make much of a difference.
 
MRsteverson

MRsteverson

Well-Known Member
skunkman98536 said:
fuk it!! go with a 250whps lol
Click to expand...
he wants to go stealth... u want least 3000 lumins per foot square... and u want to position the bulbs horizontally.. most of the cfls energy comes from the side of the spiral... and yeah.. 2700k for flower and 6500k for veg... u want to surround your plant in cfls.. try to get them all about an half inch or more depending on watt wattage u use.. i use 27 watter because the do the most lumins per watt ive seen...1750 lumins per bulb.. so if u had two over a square foot u would have minimum growth.. but if you go four or more the nugs are gonna be alot denser and yield more...
 
scrapdizle

scrapdizle

Active Member
I used 4x42 watt 2700k CFL's for 4 weeks veg, then i started flowering and added 3 more 42watters.. I never tried the daytime bulbs for veg, but my plants in just 4 weeks veg where twice as big as most cfl grows i seen at 4 weeks.. Im not sold on using 2 diff types of bulbs, u dont see the sun switching with another sun for different seasons do you? like i said this is just my opinion and im on my first grow so u should prolly ignore this entire post. but the proof lies in the pots in this case.

check out my grow with cfl's
https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/274992-first-grow-cfls-stealth.html
 
tropicalcannabispatient

tropicalcannabispatient

Well-Known Member
Hi guys I have one plant under 2 of the Wal-Mart flourescent grow lights those ones that say 75 watts but really uses 17 watts plus 4 2700k cfls for flowering its that enough? Any help will be highly appreciated! !!
 
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