How To Set Up Cfl Grow Lights

CFL lights are the "Tom Prowl" of grow lights: ubiquitous, efficient and perfect for short spaces (up to 4'). Another Tom Cruise-like attribute is that they are considered the ideal candidate to take upwardly the "Mission Impossible" of growing in confined spaces.

In the quondam days growing marijuana nether fluorescent (CFL) grow lights was pretty useless every bit they had low output for a large size. However, the new CFL (compact fluorescent lights) grow lights that between them encompass the full visible low-cal spectrum have made them a viable alternative.

But what exactly are CFLs?

Every bit you probably know by surfing the internet and this website, in that location are many unlike lite types. HID (HPS, MH), LED etc., are competing for a identify in your grow room and every one of them has an ace upwardly its sleeve. CFL stands for (Compact Fluorescent Low-cal). Chances are that you have already come beyond a forum debate that outlines the pros and cons of each lighting blazon. We too are going to attempt a comparison betwixt the different lighting options, but for now, allow's just focus exclusively on the CFLs.

CFL Pros and Cons

Pros

• They tin be plant anywhere: CFLs are obtainable in every hardware and grocery store (WalMart, Sears etc.). There are besides huge offers to be found on Amazon and Alibaba;
• Cheap as chips;
• Ideal solution for your makeshift PC tower grow box, cupboards and similarly bars spaces;
• They run at considerably libation temperatures than traditional light fixtures. That makes them considerably safer due to lower fire run a risk;
• Their chiller temperatures also hateful that they exercise not need too much external cooling to stay at normal levels.

Cons

• Not particularly strong. HID light fixtures are considerably more powerful, so consider these if you are later on bigger grows;
• Unsuitable for larger grows.

Similar everything else in marijuana growing, it all comes down to your personal needs and preferences. There is no 1 stopping you lot from installing an HPS lamp in a 2'x2'x4' closet (good luck with that!), but this is the consensus among growers from all over the world.

People who should go for CFLs

• People who want to grow a constitute or two for personal utilise;
• People who have turned their obsolete PC tower or their grandma'southward commode into a abound room;
• People who desire to endeavor growing a establish but don't desire to spend much.

On the other hand, if you are looking for massive yields and a more automatic growing setup, steer clear of CFLs. The rule of thumb here is that when yous need something more than 250W of power, you are amend off with some other type of light. We have a whole department for you to choose what suits your needs best!

A little scrap of science

There are a lot of variables to consider when choosing grow lights. Grow light science can confuse you a little bit at get-go, but after a while, you should know what you are looking for. If you want to learn more about the scientific jargon, information technology is strongly suggested yous practice then by visiting our relevant page. If you believe that you are fairly knowledgeable about the facts below, you tin can skip this part and go directly to the shopping listing. The balance of you, have a deep breath and follow u.s. to the exciting earth of lighting science.

Wattage and the Kelvin Scale

Your objective when ownership CFLs should be to purchase the wattage (W) that is the highest possible for your grow area. Usually, more than wattage means more power, which in turn means more light, and thus, more than food for your plants. If yous want to determine the suitability of the lights, you lot volition want to besides check the lumens (lm) to empathize their output. Generally, each constitute should be covered by around 10,000 lumens. And so if a standard CFL seedling gives off 2,500 lumens, you'd demand 4 or more than of those, until you achieve the desirable levels. CFLs come in 15, 26, 42, 65, 68, 85 and 105W versions, although larger models do be. A 42W CFL lamp (the best you can apply for marijuana growing) emits about 2700 lumens. Four 42W CFLs use 168W and emit x,800 lumens. More powerful CFL lamps maintain a like Watt/lumens ratio, so yous become the picture. You can easily bank check the lumens of your light by using this handy calculator here. It is generally advised to keep using CFLs until yous reach 250W of power. Anything more than than that is overkill and you lot should probably consider switching to a more powerful light. Recall, CFLs are more suitable for small-scale operations. But that's not all; this is where the Kelvin scale comes to play. For those who skipped our lighting tutorial (shame!), this scale is used to measure out the "color temperature" or "frequency" that is emitted by light bulbs. Marijuana plants love red and blue light, so you lot are basically looking for bulbs that are as shut to that as possible. Interestingly plenty, HPS lamps emit light that is more often than not in the yellow spectrum (meaning that most of information technology goes to waste product). And this is where the CFLs smooth (pun intended): although they are much weaker than HPS lights, the amount of usable light they emit is higher than theirs. Every bit nosotros take repeatedly written in this website, different growth stages require different light spectrums. Check the package for the Kelvin spectrum indicated and choose appropriately. CFLs come in 2700K, 3000K, 4100K, 5100K, and 6500K models. Bulbs on the lower side of the Kelvin scale, like the 2700K, are more suitable for the later stages of plant growth, while 6500K ones are better for vegging. If you lot use the in-betwixt spectrums, then you become a nice and balanced result by modifying the residuum of your bulbs accordingly. Every indoor growing light always is designed to mimic the sunlight. In nature, the sun produces different rays in the spring and summertime (blue, vegging) and different rays in the fall (red, flowering). The dominicus also produces green, and orange rays, but cannabis plants do not use them.

• Warm white bulbs offering the scarlet-yellow spectrum of light, which is ideal for the flowering phase.
• Cool white bulbs produce more blueish spectrum light and are good for the vegetative state.

Vegetative Stage - 5000K / 6500K

Bulbs that are more blue are chosen "Absurd white" or "Daylight" colored and are listed with a Kelvin of 5000K / 6500K. These "high kelvin" bulbs are optimal for vegetative growth when your plants naturally need more than sunlight.

Flowering Phase - 2700K

Bulbs with a more than yellow/ruby-red tint are listed as "soft white" colored with a Kelvin of 2700K. These "low kelvin" bulbs are optimal for the flowering stage when your plant thinks that winter is coming.

Some Smashing CFL Models

Here are some of our favorite CFL models and their specs. Although there is no reason to be overly picky with your bulbs when growing with CFLs, these fixtures are platonic to get you started.

Agrobrite T5 4' 4-Tube Fixture - EnviroGro

This model comes 2 sizes: two' (23" x thirteen.5" x 3") and iv' (48.5" x 15.5" x 4.2") and five patterns (ii, 4, 6, 8, 12 tubes), offering you a wide range of customization.

Specs

• High efficiency specular aluminum for maximum reflectivity;
• Tin can be hanged in three ways: overhead, vertical or horizontal;
• 10' grounded power cord;
• Includes four fluorescent 6400K, T5 tubes, that make this fixture ideal for the flowering phase of your plants;
• 5-year Ballast Warranty, 1 Twelvemonth on fabric and workmanship.

Apollo Horticulture five-Pack of two' T5 Bulbs - 2700k and 6400k

These tubes come up in both 2700K (bloom) and 6400K models (growth), so y'all tin can pick whichever suits your needs, according to your plants' stage of development.

Specs

• Package Includes 5x T5 Light Bulbs of 24W Each;
• Size: 23.5" x 4.vi" x 2.6"
• Colour Temperature - 2700 Thousand;
• Lumen - 2,200lm;
• Dimensions: Length - 22.12" / Diameter - .62".

Dayspot 26W, 6400K Seedling - Hydrofarm

This CFL spiral seedling provides you lot with all the light you demand, while at the same fourth dimension reducing energy costs.

Specs

• 26W – 6400K bulb, equivalent to a 130W incandescent lamp;
• Lumens: 1600lm;
• Lifetime: ten.000 hours;
• Size: 6 x 2.v x 2.5".

Sun Blaster 26W, 2700K Bulb – Futurity Harvest

The SunBlaster 26W CFL light bulb was designed with growers in listen. They will fit in about any lite fixture and they their output is equivalent to that of a 100W incandescent light bulb. The 2700K spectrum, means that they are a perfect option for the later stage of plant growth.

Specs

• 26W – 2700K bulb, equivalent to a 100W incandescent lamp;
• Lumens: 1700lm;
• Lifetime: ten.000 hours;
• Size: two x 1.2 ten 0.3".

How to Use CFLs for Cannabis Growing

If you nonetheless believe that CFLs are what you need, and so nosotros are assuming that you have a express infinite to work with. Therefore, the following tutorial volition be focused on growing a single establish. In reality, this is a short tutorial on growing small with CFLs, only there are some useful lessons along the mode. If you are completely new to growing, you lot are advised to carefully read our in-depth tutorials and visit our forums. This volition solve 90% of your questions. Go on, we'll be waiting.

The Nuts

Back already? Bold yous have done your homework (or at least accept grown -basically any- plant before), yous know that houseplants need three things in order to survive, in this order: light, water, and nutrients. Marijuana plants become through 3 major stages of evolution that are universally acknowledged among cannabis growers: seeding, vegging, and flowering. All these transitional phases are adamant past singled-out patterns in the lighting wheel . In reality, in that location are many transitional periods that are also important, simply these three should be your main focal indicate (at to the lowest degree for now). Y'all can notice more on marijuana grow phases here. Cannabis plants have no pre-determined sex. Therefore, you should brand sure that the conditions you provide promote the development of female plants (the ones who provide you with smokable buds). More than on that hither.

Reflective Material

In social club to make the maximum utilize of the light from your CFLs and reduce light leaks, y'all will need to cover your grow infinite with a cogitating material. These volition distribute the lighting more evenly beyond your plant, ensuring that no corner volition be left in the nighttime. Even the best of grow lights can not penetrate the whole of the constitute on its ain, so some reflection is needed. Mainly, you lot'll exist looking at these options:

• Foylon

Pros: Durable, like shooting fish in a barrel to maintain, xc-95% reflection

• Mylar

Pros: Popular, cheaper, 92-97% reflection (2mm version)

• Matte white paint

Pros: Cheap, tin be found anywhere, lxxx% reflection

• Panda plastic

Pros: Easy to clean, perfect brusk-term solution, 80% reflection

• Orca Grow Films

Pros: Mold resistant, easy to clean, expensive, 95% reflection All of these options are readily available online or at dwelling house improvement stores. However, consider opting for the piece of cake solution, which definitely a grow tent. It comes equally pre-built setup and it will be already insulated and coated with reflective material. If yous are impatient or non quite the handyman, check out the offers by Dealzer and Superlcoset. Grow tents are versatile, cheap (contrary to grow boxes) and they have been designed with growing in mind.

Supplies

Here is where things get interesting. Assuming you desire to grow just one plant, yous need at least 150W of CFL power. Although yous tin can play around with the lighting, the optimal CFL system would be 2x40W 5000K-6000K bulbs + 2x40W 2700K bulbs. Y'all are welcome to experiment, just this is the foolproof approach!

Things to have into account

• CFLs' light penetration is poor, so, many smaller CFLs are more than effective than a few large CFLs. Their light tin can be spread more easily (although you should cover your grow space with cogitating textile beforehand). 4 x 40W CFLs (160W) volition get bigger yields than ane 10 200W CFL.
• CFL bulbs under 40W are usually a waste of money. On the opposite, 40W+ CFLs are ideal for pocket-sized scale growing (up to 250W).
• At this calibration, ability is more important than Ideally, you'll want to combine the 2 (and frankly, that is non likewise hard to do). Getting more juice should be your top priority. Still, learning one or 2 things about spectrum forth the way tin can't hurt, and so nosotros will aggrandize upon this subject in the following parts.

Gear up

We started this commodity by stating that CFLs are the masters of growing in confined spaces. So, hither is a list of grow rooms that CFL bulbs would thrive in.

• Closet/Drawer

Any quondam piece of furniture will do if you take the patience and skill to turn it into an adequate grow room. But exist sure to properly insulate it. More than info and how-to's here.

• PC Tower

As the era of belfry PCs is drawing to a close, it would exist wise to discover a new use for your erstwhile friend, with whom you spent hours of playing Quake 3. CFLs make great sources of light for a modified PC tower (more info on how to turn one into a grow room hither).

• Grow Tent

Cheap, flexible and reliable, grow tents are by far the easiest solution if you are looking for a portable grow room. Bank check out our friends at Dealzer and SuperCloset for some really cool models! Merely be sure to stay around the ii'x4' range if you want to start small.

Seedling

• Germinate your seeds and establish them, or merely plant your clones;
• At this stage, your plants should follow an 18/6 lite cycle (that means 18 hours of low-cal, followed by 6 hours of darkness). You lot probably do not desire to exercise that yourself then get a timer for your CFLs;
• Water your plants adequately (DON'T water them too much) and watch them reach the vegging stage.
• Pro Tip: CFLs are awesome for the start weeks of life of a grow, especially seedlings. Regardless of their setup, many experienced growers prefer to use CFL in the beginning few weeks, so that they can reap the maximum rewards of CFLs.

Vegging

This is where things get-go to get serious. Your plant is basically just a babe at this point, and then care for it like 1! At this signal, the plants need more daylight and therefore require "Cool white" or "Daylight" colored bulbs, that run at 5000-6500K.

• Water it regularly (do non DROWN it);
• Adapt your CFLs and so they are within iv" of plants (try not to burn them though). The dominion is: if information technology's too hot for your hand, it's also hot for your plant!
• Give nutrients (but not likewise many of them);
• Railroad train your plants to use equally much space as possible. You can detect extensive tutorials here;
• Over again: don't overwater or overfeed your plants;
• Don't panic! – near constitute problems are easy to gear up.

Remember that plants are growing speedily at this stage, so requite them a bit of leeway then they don't grow directly into the lamps. A good all-round solution is to train them. Non only exercise you lot reduce the gamble of your plant crashing on your light bulbs, merely you will as well dramatically increase your yield. Grooming is a big function of a successful grow and information technology nosotros have covered information technology extensively hither at HTG. Hither is a list of all the training articles we have presented on this website

• Bending Parts of the Establish
  • Low-Stress Grooming
  • Super Cropping
  • Monster Cropping
  • Screen of Green (SCROG)
  • NFT Nutrient Film Technique
• Pruning of the Plant
  • Topping/FIM
• Other
  • Ocean of Light-green

Tips for efficient CFL vegging in a nutshell

• Plant Grooming;
• Conform CFLs Regularly (daily if possible);
• Continue CFLs Close - 4" away from the top of your plants should practice it (remember the hand/found theorem!). Endeavour to manage your space so that all parts of the plant are within 8-ten" of a CFL bulb;
• No part of your establish deserves to be in the shadows. Be sure that calorie-free is distributed as;
• Endeavour non to move your establish effectually a lot;
• More Watts=More Calorie-free=Better Results.

Flowering

When you switch your light schedule from 18/half dozen to 12/12, your establish volition enter the flowering stage, responding to the fewer hours of daylight. This effectively tells your found that information technology is fourth dimension to reproduce considering information technology'south going to dice soon. At this point, you should run a check so you can brand sure that absolutely no calorie-free enters your abound room during the nighttime period. Not fifty-fifty tiny blimps from electric devices. At this point your plants require bulbs with a more xanthous/red tint. These are oftentimes called "soft white" and are colored with a Kelvin of 2700K. These "low kelvin" bulbs are all-time suited for the flowering stage, since your plant is getting ready to blossom earlier winter comes. Tips for efficient CFL flowering in a nutshell

• Requite your buds all the light you can – CFLs tin can work wonders at this point. Just go along them equally close to your buds as possible (without burning them) and lookout man your plant yield like crazy;
• Continue the temperature at adequate levels – If you read our tutorials, you lot probably know that temperature command is ane of the cornerstones of proper growing. Yet, the flowering stage requires a flake more attention. Be a little more careful and, if possible, take a small fan blow gently on peak of them.
• Training is over – This is not the right fourth dimension to railroad train your plants. Generally, you lot should do that in the vegetative period.

When your plants' buds fully develop, then it's fourth dimension for harvest. Lighting has nothing to practise with harvesting, so for that, you can follow our in-depth guide! Just exist patient and cure your buds properly! Tip: If budget is not a problem for you, think virtually installing an MH lamp in the concluding week of budding. Many growers believe that it can amend the quality of the bud.

CFL Compared to Other Light Types

CFL v HID Lights (HPS, MH)

Equally we've seen in a higher place, CFLs are more suited to small growing rooms, and then if y'all don't have a lot of space, there is no question. CFLs will practise the trick, equally long equally you readjust them every now so. HIDs are more powerful and generally crave less tinkering.

CFL v HID in a nutshell

• In both cases, yous will need some kind of ventilation for your grow room. It is worth mentioning, even so, that fluorescent lights volition make exercise with a simple 70CFM fan;
• HIDs are more powerful but take upwards more space, so they are not every bit versatile as CFLs;
• Although they are not as hot as HIDs, CFLs are not designed for gardening, meaning that they might cause unexpected problems;
• Many growers use them in conjunction to amend their results.

CFL v LED Lights

LEDs are the latest "information technology-affair" in growing technology. We accept a whole section dedicated to the LEDs pros and cons here in HTG. Let's encounter how they fare against CFL lights.

CFL 5 LED Lights in a Nutshell

• LEDs are a newer slice of technology. As such, they are more efficient and they tend to become improve yields for the same amount of electricity;
• LEDs do not require constant re-aligning similar CFL bulbs;
• HPS lights run blazingly hot. CFLs runs moderately warm. A good quality LED with congenital-in heat sinks, volition run libation even than that;
• LEDs need quite a lot of overhead infinite, and so CFLs still remain a better option for shorter grow rooms. LED abound lights must be kept at 12-18" above the tops of plants. CFLs tin can make do with 4";
• LEDs volition final most 8 times more than CFLs (that amounts to l,000 hours of use) before they need replacement.

When it comes to lighting at that place is no "best" option. Every instance is unique and you should determine based on your needs and not marketing hype. From a purely technological standpoint, even so, LEDs are considerably more advanced (and expensive). If you want more information on the subject, you can bank check out our commodity nearly lights.

Shopping List and Costs

The higher up simulation was run with just ane constitute in mind. Nosotros wouldn't advise adding more than ii in the same infinite if growing with CFL. Below, y'all will find a shopping list of everything you'll demand for a basic CFL abound.

• CFL Grow Lights (obviously);
• A grow room/infinite (2'x2'x4' and above);
• Electrical timer;
• Proper Cogitating Material (for your grow space);
• A growing medium of your choice;
• Proper nutrients;
• pH Examination Kit.

Mostly, 150W of CFLs (a default start) will yield you more or less 30 grams, or a piddling over 1oz. per plant. Calculation more lights volition help (up to a point!), but information technology is ultimately a matter of strain selection. Setup costs may vary co-ordinate to your location and suppliers. Here is a detailed breakdown of the bulb costs:

• 40W CFLs for vegging (daylight) $35
• 42W CFLs for flowering (soft white) $45
• Sockets, Reflectors & Adapters $45

Electricity costs may vary across states, only on average it is about $0.30/kWh. If you lot are growing merely ane plant with an average of 150W, then your monthly electricity costs (for the lights ONLY) should be around $25 (if nosotros assume that the lamps will be on for an boilerplate of 18h/day). That's most $0.80 per day! It is worth mentioning that $0.30 is considerably more than boilerplate than the regular electricity costs in the USA. Chances are that electricity will cost much lower than that!

Source: https://howtogrowmarijuana.com/compact-fluorescent-cfl-grow-lights/

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