Need help on which light to get

Hi guys, doing my first grow soon. I just need to decide on the light. I’m growing in a small space of 35.5x35.5x73.5 inches. I’m on a budget so I was thinking CFL for now. Just wanted to know if you guys have any recommendations and also I wanted to know how many watts that I needed. thanks in advance!

Cfls would work in that space, use probably 4 for bulbs each bulb being 100w, or find 3 250w for bulbs, the more light the better. Here are some light spectrum charts to help you out for when you ready keep in mind for vegitative you wanna use 5500 Kelvin bulbs they usually work for flowering as well, but usually recommended to use 2700 Kelvin bulbs as they put off more red and orange spectrum which the plant needs during flowering.



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Thanks for these charts. I was wondering if you could recommend any cfl light fixtures for me? I’m only going to grown two plants for now until I get the hang of things.

Regular desk lamps work, and reptile light fixtures work really well for those bulbs, your probably be looking at 15-45$ depending on what kind you want (honestly your be fine just getting a $15 fixture) and again regular desk lamp fixtures will work, reptile fixtures are great cause you can Hang them and save space and we will be here for ya if you need the help

okay awesome man thanks! one last question: should I get the 2700k bulbs and then switch them to the 5500k bulbs when they reach the right stage, or just stick with one type the whole time?

No, you use 5500 Kelvin bulbs first and you can remain to use them all the way through out flower, but as soon as you see white hairs in my opinion I’d get the 2700 Kelvin bulbs. Again another refresher, in vegitative you wanna have more of a blue spectrum as blue light promotes vegitative growth, and red/orange spectrum is used for flowering stage. Do keep in mind growing indoors you are mother nature it’s self. 5500 Kelvin bulbs=sunlight, red/orange spectrum is emitted through a 2700 Kelvin bulb which you can also get it cfl bulbs, or hps bulbs is another option but a set up for a hps/mh bulb would run any where from 150-300$ on Amazon you can find them for 150-170$ but as you said your on a budget so cfls are your best bet

Simply said blue light spectrum=vegitative growth, red/orange light spectrum=flower

Alright thanks, this has been really helpful.

Your welcome again that’s what I’m here for my friend as well as everyone else here on the forum

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Quick question, please.
I’m building a grow area.

Is 44 inch x 40 inch x 84 inch, in my cellar, too small an enclosure for a 600 watt mh/hps light?

I don’t t want it too small, definitely not too big…2 or 3 plants.
Auto ww unless OG kush fem arrive soon.

Thanks Majiktoker

I would do a 400watt hps/mh in a 44inch x 40 inch x 84 inch space, you don’t want it getting to hot in there plus need place to put fan for ventilation preferably one in the top and one in the floor of the grow room, especially if you have no Windows for airflow, in a cellur your gunna need the ventilation cause of humidity, and when a hps mh bulb are in a space like that It will heat up and hold moisture molecules in the air until night time when they get shut off, as in cooler air the moisture molecules drop from the air and if need be after that if you need another bulb or 2 get 2 cfl bulbs 100 watts each, (again that’s if you absolutely need to) because most photosynthesis and chlorophyll are built in a plant around 629 nm-750 nm
Blue spectrum is 629-649nm if I’m not mistaken but here is a chart nm is (nanometers) just in case you didn’t know and that could be equivalent to a 400watt hps or 400watt metal halide also if you use a reflective Mylar around all angles of room that will inntensify light without raising temperatures


Also here is another chart

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I run a 600w in my 48x48x84. If you want to go HID lighting i would highly suggest an air cooled hood, put the ballast outside the room, and make sure it is a dimmable ballast meaning you could drop it to 400w if needed.

Lol he’s got 8" less than you so the lighting will be a big difference lol

If it fits it will work :smile: He wouldn’t be suffering from lack of light at least lol. My hood is only roughly 20" by 30"

Just stay away from Philips incandescent plant bulbs :sweat: 150w and below

No I don’t use Phillips bulbs or incandescent bulbs

Daylight and warm white very simple these are the 2 spectrums cool white is almost useless
CFL bulbs for reg house hold use come in warm white cool white and daylight

I know about light spectrum buddy

I use mainly mh and hps bulbs also halogen and daylight bulbs that’s it, I avoid incandescent bulbs, fluorescent bulbs (cool white, and any other then specified plant lights) and any thing that is “cool white” or flood lights cause they use to much heat and electricity also hard to cook down my buddy used one until I bury out and when ibfirst started used one for about 4 days and didn’t use it again

I am commenting on the main question of the post which was which CFL should I use don’t take it personal that I am answering the main question with a simple answer. I use HID mh hps but the posters question has very simple answer and we confuse people with the science it’s useful info don’t get me wrong but too much info can confuse the topic.
The answer was a general comment not directed or intended to undermine anyone it is after all a forum so people aren’t always speaking directly at you or me relax don’t take shit so personal :slight_smile:

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