I am wondering if using CFL's is really worth the cost and effort?
I currently have 3 65watt bulbs above my plants and another board lined with 8 23watt cfl bulbs. as a side light.

I have calculated the 3 65watt bulbs output over 10,500 lumen's within a 2 square foot area. The additional lights give supplemental light along the side of the plants. I am able to rotate the plants so each side receives some supplemental light every fourth day.

Now, as I calculate this, my plants are only receiving beneficial light 2 feet into the canopy. Does this mean I should only allow my plants to veg to a size of one foot high before changing over to flowering stage ?

Does this restrict my eventual harvest and would I be better served by investing in HID lights so I could grow 4 to 6 foot plants with the increased buds ?

I'm really confused on this point.
I realize I can grow one or two plants under these lights but, am I wasting my time and money considering it takes the same amount of time ?

if you want my honest opinion....if you only got 2x2 to grow in... invest in a 250 or 400 watt switchable ballast...its wa easier to adjust one light over the grow instead of a dream catcher of cfls and wiring... a 250watt would push a single plantin thast easy... the 400 even better but youd have to increase venting to curb heat issues....if your worried about the electricity then veg with your cfls and flower hith hps....the hieght you wanna veg to depnds on the hight of your growsapce, rule of thumb is plants will double to triple in size during flower.

Well, I want a steady supply of buds like those in your avatar picture !
Are those possible with CFL's ?

I have a closet that has an 8 foot ceiling so, I could go about 6 feet from the floor to the top of the plant.
I would hate to spend all that time only to get a half ounce of usable buds, when I could spend the same time and get 3-4 ounces of usable buds.

Now, where can I find the least expensive HID light ?
There are so many companies out there.

Would one of these work ?



400-watt MH Construction Light
Lamp Output: 32400 lumens
Lamp Color Rendition: 70 CRI
Everyday Low Price $72.90

yes on of those would work.. but id spend the dough on a clear horticultural bulb.....

if yout looking to get ozs per plant hid is your easiest and bet... its alot of work to gow monster plants with cfls....the people who do it are a hardcore bunch, i tip my hat to em..

my avitar pic was taken from my last grow... 3000 watts of mixed mh and hps....but you could get two plants to bud better with a 400 watt if you dialed in your room right....and your nutes..... at 8 feet tall you could easliy veg 2 plants for 8 weeks....then flower em and have monsters....what strain ya using?


http://htgsupply.com/growlights.asp?...=155&typeID=55

your better off spending the extra to get the right gear if you can afford it.....htg has the best prices ive found....and no im not paid to say that..lol

i bought all my equipment there...very good service, and excellent post purchase help as well.... they gave me a new bakllast because mine was gonna be gone a month to be repaired....damn cool in my book

I used cfl's if you wanna check out my journal (link in my sign.)

I used 6 bulbs in 2 sockets using splitters (3 on each socket in a triangle form)

screwed those to a piece of wood attached some metal hooks and hung it upside down by chains to raise and lower. It was my first grow so i ended up with 1 girl in the end. but I got nearly an ounce from her and she was close to 3 feet tall.

I'm sure you could expect just as good a result if not better using your own system, especially with all the great help around here!

all in all though like kpin said if you have the money to go with a more simple but way more efficient hps or halide system go for it. The kit itself will last forever you just have to replace the bulbs every so often. Cfl's aren't cheap themselves and can add up in price over a few grows.

Yeah, I'm on a real low budget (SSDI) so I need to keep the cost down.
Luckily my electricity is combined with my rent and my landlord knows I am growing.
A friend sent me some White Widow cross, I've never grown it so I don't know what to expect.
I have a separate stand alone closet (5 feet high x 3 feet wide x 2 feet deep that I plan on vegging in then using the closet for flowering.
My first grow with these CFL's ended up going all Hermie on me.

That MH light is the least expensive set up I've found.
The only thing I don't know is if I could use a Sodium conversion bulb in the fixture.

exactly....a 400 would give ya room to expand...realistically with some work you could flower up to 6 decent size(6 weeks of veg mayeb 8) under the 400...but by then your have outgrown your cfl vegroom....i do all my stuff in one room... veg...sexing if from seed, then the flip(flower)... last run i had 20 females in flower....i yeilded only 14 ounces... but it was my first grow, aND I RAN A LONG FLOWERING SATIVA....i only vegged it 2 months, but i got almost an oz per plant with 24' to 32 incha tall females at harvest....id of yeilded WAY more if i vegged longer, but i was impatient

btw.. white widow if its pure is a pretty short and stalky plant,, doesnt branch out much either if you dont top it.. and id leave em if i were you..., seems you got 8 feet of hieght

im so baked i cant even see straight....i gotta hit the bed... but ill help ya all i can man.. just ask.....i got your back bro.