First grow

[MrTooHigh]

This is why I wanted to just use CFLs they're ready and don't require much electical skills. HIDs need all kinds of rigging just to make it work, never mind ideal growing conditions(exhaust, temp, Rh, etc.)

 

[MR1]

You are going to have to use the fixture that the bulb came out of or try and find a 175w external MH ballast for that light. I don't know if they exist.

 

[MR1]

How big is your closet and what is the temp in the room,that 60 to 65 sounds nice for intake air to cool your space.

 

[MrTooHigh]

Thanks, well I guess I'll just spend the $30 on the 100w MH. I don't have the light it came with anymore. Is the 1000w different I'll link the page http://gro-kart.com/bulbs.html?gclid=CJ35kfOki74CFeMSOgodq24AhQ

 

[MrTooHigh]

1000w not 100

 

[MR1]

Need to know size of grow space and temp of the room you have the closet in since that is where you will be getting your intake air to cool your grow space.

 

[MR1]

Here is a video that might explain ballasts.[ame="http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OrQGjj1WP0&list=PLU7kTTChjkYMjMRmUmR1Qp7JjDpF7R387"]http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OrQGjj1WP0&list=PLU7kTTChjkYMjMRmUmR1Qp7JjDpF7R387[/ame]

 

[MrTooHigh]

You have to spend more on the ballast than the bulb itself, idk. Any good CFLs grow guides. Eventually I want an hid setup but for now, its just for personal use and people have had good success with CFLs when done right. Can someone link me a guide for cfl growing? I don't need a huge harvest anywayd . I'll only have 3, maybe 4 plants at a time. Only looking for a few ounces from each.( when I get real seeds) for now like an oz or 2 per plant

 

[MrTooHigh]

My space is 64"h 20"d 48"w

 

[MR1]

Yes it takes some money to get started but it is worth it in the long run. You won't get an oz or two with cfl's. I was going to do a T5 grow just for fun but I came to my senses and stayed with the HID. I think another lighting option for you is led lighting, inexpensive low heat all in one unit. No ballasts to buy, led's last for years. What is your budget.

 

[MrTooHigh]

Right now my plants are on a TV tray under my fluros. I posted a pic of my temp yesterday. It doesn't change much during light period. Rh went up to 50% tho

 

[MR1]

Did you change your pots yet? that is the first thing you have to do, the containers need drainage holes. You cannot continue untill you do that.

 

[MR1]

MrTooHigh, if you isist on using cfl's use ones with 2800k for flower and 6500k for veg. Keep your temps below 80, 75 is good average, 50 % humidity is ok. Keep the humidity down when you are in flower and keep a fan blowing for air circulation.

 

[MR1]

How much money do you have to play with?

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Thanks Hemp goddess, I checked last night an my lights are the old, inefficient t12s. Is there any way to practice growing without wasting time, or should I just wait, it just sucks cuz I've already gotten the plants this far, just to pull them out. Plus if I learn to grow CFLs won't HIDs be easier to use since I'll probably only need 1 about 400w. What about the extreme amount of heat they produce my attic is colder right now but if I get an mh for vegging and an HPS for budding/flowering will it warm up my grow area enough( its about 60-65f) What about ventilation can I just use a dual exhaust fan that can exchange old and new air at the same time?

You still have some real misconceptions about CFLs and HPS lighting. You might have missed this in my post--lumen for lumen CFLs will run hotter than HPS. You are not going to be able to run inadequate light and get anything. So, this means that you are still going to need 3000 lumens per sq ft for vegging. Like I mentioned if you have a space 4 x 2, that is 8 sq ft and requires 24,000 lumens. Just that small space is going to require 15 23W (1600 lumen) CFLs using 345W--you will need more for flowering. Now imagine the heat that many lights are going to produce in that little space, plus the money for sockets, reflectors, cords.

Attics present a whole lot of problems in the summer. You are not going to be able to grow in the attic unless you can bring air conditioned air into your space. Attics can and do get extremely hot, hot like 120-130 degrees. I am going to try and discourage you from attempting to grow in the attic.

Have company....more later. Oh, how much money do you have to spend on this project? This will help us try to figure out how to make this work for you.

 

[Locked]

Oh if only it was as easy as putting them under a couple cfls. It's not though. I agree with THG, I think you have some misconceptions and high expectations. I tried growing in my attic once, once was enough. To tough unless it's the dead of Winter.

 

[MrTooHigh]

Sorry its taken so long to get back to you guys. I have little to no experience growing, I don't disagree that I have misconceptions, I'm just a beginner. Tomorrows pay day so I'll let you know what I've got to work with first thing I'm getting is pots. Also don't LEDs produce less lumens than CFLs for the same wattage? Or is it more. Are there special grow LEDs that produce more lmn per w

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

We are here to help you learn. There really is quite a large learning curve to this growing stuff. And this is the beginning.

LEDs are in kind of a different class of lights over the HIDs and fluoros. I don't know a whole lot about them (they are still a little above my price range). LEDs got bad rep from the start partially because overzealous salespersons made impossible claims that could not be achieved. For example, a 90W UFO will not take the place of a 400W HPS. We have a grower here that is very successful with LEDs. He designed his own lights and had them custom made to his specifications. He has some phenomenal results. However his lighting system is way out of my reach. Good LEDs are still a little costy, although they are getting better.

Pots and soil are a good choice for your next purchase. Depending on what you end up with, you may have to amend it. You will be able to add things a little at a time for a bit. You will be okay with lower light for a little bit. You will want to keep the bulbs as close as you can to the tops of the plants without burning them. This will discourage stretch until you are able to get more/better lighting, which will be your next major concern. Try to find a space you can use that is not attic space. I have a vegging space (2 x 4) in a closet in my bedroom. My flowering closet (3 x 6.5) was originally 2 3x 3 closets. I made it into 1 closet accessible from my master bathroom only. The attic is going to present problems that I do not believe that you will be abler to overcome as the weather gets warmer. A tent is another option if you have a small space to put one.

 

[MrTooHigh]

Is this a good buy? hxxp://m.ebay.com/itm?itemId=190925153951

 

[MrTooHigh]

OK so today I have $100 to spend, what should I be getting with that? Pots lights and plant food?