I am in a smaller place now and want to try a CFL grow. I was going to use supplemental cfl side lighting at 60 or 80 watts but was unsure what to use overhead. Anyone with experience? I am lookin at either a multi bulb t5 units High Tech Garden Supply
or a multi spectrum cfl array SH Hydroponics, Inc. > Multi Spectrum 315 Watt CFL Light Bank
this will be a flowering box 4'x3'x5'
thanks

i would avoid the expensive hydro store lighting systems and build your own with components readily available. check out this guys thread:

CFL question.

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personally from those two i would choose the t5 bulbs from HTG. they take up less space and are relatively cheap to buy new bulbs and exchange (that way you can have 3+1 for veg and bloom you can change out). the t5 setup is only about 3 inches thick, giving your plants more room to grow. both have low heat and work well, but with the space and lower price.....i vote t5. also if you ever want to upgrade your grow and put a more powerful CFL or HPS/MH light on top, the t5s can be put along a wall for side-lighting. :-D

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yeah, what DieAbetic said, lol.

the T5 is the way to go and for all the reasons DieAbetic said.

also, that multi-spectrum CFL light is a rip-off and could be built for a
fraction of what they are charging. ...plus, it'd run way hotter than you
might imagine.

if you decide to go with CFL's, the less expensive option, i'd recommend a
multi-bulb bathroom vanity fixture with Y splitters to double the number of
bulbs. ...then use 23 or 26 watt bulbs in a mix of warm and cool bulbs for
a balanced spectrum of light. ...the advantage to this over those high wattage
bulbs is that you have more points of light spread more evenly over your
canopy and the heat is also more evenly distributed so easier to deal with.

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I have (2) six bulb vanity bars with y's. I just got (2) T5HO six bulb. I hung the T5 on chains and I mounted the bars on the wall.