CFL Sunlight? - GreenPassion.org - Dedicated to Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation and Education

SirBudAlot · #1 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 01:00 PM

Hello,, im just sitting here stoned so if i go on im sorry

I was just wondering.. Sunlight what colour is that in a CFL, red 2700K?
If so how come plants Veg outdoors really well?
but when people grow indoors they get blue spectrum lights?
why not veg with red spectrum,,

but I think the red spectrum in lights make the plants strech thou dont they?? i think ive answered myself lol.

-SBA.

JohnnyBoy928 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 01:09 PM

Plants photosynthesize nutrients for growth using a green substance in their cells called chlorophyll. Most types of chlorophyll can use the blue spectrum of light more efficiently than the red and far red spectrums of light. More of the blue end causes the cells to be elongated, changing the growth pattern of the overall plant to a more compact size with the nodes closer together. This maximizes the space used and light available for each leaf in the growing area.

The spectrum of light is measured by the Kelvin temperature rating of its relative whiteness compared to sunlight. For artificial lighting, a lower rating around 2700K, is in the orange and red spectrum and looks like an orange-colored streetlight. The blue spectrum is about 4200K and up. White or daylight, which is the most like natural light, is about 6700K. Newer technologies allow for the farther blue spectrum of 10,000K, often called ultra daylight, up to 20,000K to replicate light underwater for marine macro algae and algae in corals.

Although the blue spectrum is very influential in the vegetative stage, the red spectrum is also important. Some types of chlorophyll respond better to the red end. Tropical and foliage plants primarily need to be visually appealing for display, and some produce flowers all year. A balanced daylight spectrum light, that is slightly high in blue, but still visually white to humans, is used to get a good mix and to render the colors true to what they would be under natural sunlight.

Some people have there flouro T5s set up with every other light a red spectrum light... so if its a 8 bulb system they do 4 blue and four red... and this is for vegging...
This is just what I researched b4... I have no true evidence with CFL how they grow either way since I don't use them... I did previously when I first started and they were good for vegging... A lot of people say that with flowering they will produce airy and small buds... but I myself have no frame of reference to be honest...

Just trying to offer ya some kind of input to go on.. lol

SirBudAlot · #3 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoy928

Plants photosynthesize nutrients for growth using a green substance in their cells called chlorophyll. Most types of chlorophyll can use the blue spectrum of light more efficiently than the red and far red spectrums of light. More of the blue end causes the cells to be elongated, changing the growth pattern of the overall plant to a more compact size with the nodes closer together. This maximizes the space used and light available for each leaf in the growing area.

The spectrum of light is measured by the Kelvin temperature rating of its relative whiteness compared to sunlight. For artificial lighting, a lower rating around 2700K, is in the orange and red spectrum and looks like an orange-colored streetlight. The blue spectrum is about 4200K and up. White or daylight, which is the most like natural light, is about 6700K. Newer technologies allow for the farther blue spectrum of 10,000K, often called ultra daylight, up to 20,000K to replicate light underwater for marine macro algae and algae in corals.

Although the blue spectrum is very influential in the vegetative stage, the red spectrum is also important. Some types of chlorophyll respond better to the red end. Tropical and foliage plants primarily need to be visually appealing for display, and some produce flowers all year. A balanced daylight spectrum light, that is slightly high in blue, but still visually white to humans, is used to get a good mix and to render the colors true to what they would be under natural sunlight.

Some people have there flouro T5s set up with every other light a red spectrum light... so if its a 8 bulb system they do 4 blue and four red... and this is for vegging...
This is just what I researched b4... I have no true evidence with CFL how they grow either way since I don't use them... I did previously when I first started and they were good for vegging... A lot of people say that with flowering they will produce airy and small buds... but I myself have no frame of reference to be honest...

Just trying to offer ya some kind of input to go on.. lol

Wow! Thanks for that man... Really appreciated

Im stoned again lol

-SBA

ghostwolf · #4 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoy928

Plants photosynthesize nutrients for growth using a green substance in their cells called chlorophyll. Most types of chlorophyll can use the blue spectrum of light more efficiently than the red and far red spectrums of light. More of the blue end causes the cells to be elongated, changing the growth pattern of the overall plant to a more compact size with the nodes closer together. This maximizes the space used and light available for each leaf in the growing area.

The spectrum of light is measured by the Kelvin temperature rating of its relative whiteness compared to sunlight. For artificial lighting, a lower rating around 2700K, is in the orange and red spectrum and looks like an orange-colored streetlight. The blue spectrum is about 4200K and up. White or daylight, which is the most like natural light, is about 6700K. Newer technologies allow for the farther blue spectrum of 10,000K, often called ultra daylight, up to 20,000K to replicate light underwater for marine macro algae and algae in corals.

Although the blue spectrum is very influential in the vegetative stage, the red spectrum is also important. Some types of chlorophyll respond better to the red end. Tropical and foliage plants primarily need to be visually appealing for display, and some produce flowers all year. A balanced daylight spectrum light, that is slightly high in blue, but still visually white to humans, is used to get a good mix and to render the colors true to what they would be under natural sunlight.

Some people have there flouro T5s set up with every other light a red spectrum light... so if its a 8 bulb system they do 4 blue and four red... and this is for vegging...
This is just what I researched b4... I have no true evidence with CFL how they grow either way since I don't use them... I did previously when I first started and they were good for vegging... A lot of people say that with flowering they will produce airy and small buds... but I myself have no frame of reference to be honest...

Just trying to offer ya some kind of input to go on.. lol

Thanks for the info on CFL's

serial_killer · #5 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoy928

This is just what I researched b4... I have no true evidence with CFL how they grow either way since I don't use them... I did previously when I first started and they were good for vegging... A lot of people say that with flowering they will produce airy and small buds... but I myself have no frame of reference to be honest...

Does anyone have more info on this? I have just finished building what I consider a really nice, 6 bulb CFL lamp with a hood, but now I'm concerned, I dont want that to happen. I am already thinking I am going to add in 2 more sockets so I can have 8 total bulbs- 6 would be blue spectrum and 2 red during veg. Would the reverse also be good during flowering, 6 red and 2 blue, or is the small amount of blue light during flowering not as productive (or worse counter productive) than the red light during veg?

I am growing a clone of a plant that was grown under a 400W HPS so I will have something to compare to.

jangel · #6 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 04:07 PM

You will be fine just adding a couple of the opposite spectrum. Take a look through this from and see what you can find. There are several posts on this.

Welcome to GreenPassion! Please drop by the introduction forum and let us all welcome you to the site.

Peace

JointGirl · #7 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 05:03 PM

The best solution is to have BOTH Spectrum's available during both light cycles. If at all possible. Have more blue during veg, and more red during flower.

The next best solution would be to have blue during veg (like MH)
and Red during flower (hps).

Ive never flowered before under cfls'. I have however vegged under both 600 watt MH, and under 6-23watt 6500K CFL's. I must say, the babies vegged out under the CFLS' look BETTER than the ones under MH. I think its because the plants can stay so close to the lights? The cfl vegged plants are SOOO MUCH BUSHIER, way tighter nodes! The plants under 600 had to stay further away from the light causing them to stretch way more than the plants in my cfl box. My solution is to veg under cfl's until they outgrow my box, switch em to 600watt MH for just 1 week, then switch to HPS to flower. MY PLANTS ARE LOVING IT! It also saves me 4 weeks of NOT running the big lights 18 hours. Now I only had to run the big light for 1 week at 18 hours, b4 she switched to 12. So, you really cant beat vegging under the cfl's as far as plant production and cost! Just make sure you have ENOUGH cfl's to light your box with the recommended amount of lumen's per square foot. I run 6-23 watts in a 20"X18"X10" Box.

JointGirl