Hi all, need a little wisdom here if y’all can accommodate. I am a complete noob, so please be kind
Ok, so is there a difference between CFL’s that are labeled soft white vs ones which are labeled daylight deluxe? They are identical in wattage. Is one better than the other, and should one be used during veg and maybe the other used in flower?
I have a 9sqft grow room rigged with a 400watt light system (MH/HPS) I am finding it very difficult to take my mh bulbs up to 100% due to the heat they are giving off. I have the room vented with a central AC duct, exhaust fan and floor fan are running constantly … there is just not much more I can do to cool off the room. I tried it at 75% and the temps were hitting 89-90 degrees f. So I am thinking of supplementing the 50% MH bulb with some CFL’s but unsure if soft whites are adequate or if it even makes a difference.
I think the soft white are typically closer to warm white and produce more red, are typically better for flowering stage. The daylight should colder and better for veg.
Do they have color temp #? I’m guessing the daylight should say somewhere around 5000k, abd the soft white probably closer to 3000k.
To be completely honest, that 400 may not even do too bad by itself dimmed. I don’t have a lot of experience with the hid stuff. But the girls don’t require a ton of light to veg.
You will however want to get your temp situation squared away before you move to flowering. If I understand correctly, you are supplying the tent with fresh air from an a/c duct, and then exhausting the tent with an inline type of fan? What size fan is the exhaust and how many cfm is it rated for?
I’ve been running hot since they went in a tent, at least hotter than they call optimal for growing and my plants are doing fine. You saw the pics @rodri59 but that is also why I hadn’t switched the tent over to flowering. Got the stuff to make a AC fan for my tent now that @Majiktoker gave info about and need to get it put together, was going to do it this AM but then discovered the dried leaves I had pulled off of a couple of plants last week and smoked them, LOL, wasn’t worth diddly squat the rest of the day!! My 2 autos, automatically switched and now I have confirmed that my 2 gold leaf are starting to flower, even at 14/10 with the lights. The bag seed stuff is not flowering though and I really need to get the tent closed up. Gotta get that ac fan built tomorrow AM for sure!
Generally 82-84 with a hotter spot sitting at the open end of the HPS fixture. Kept 12 inch fan running constantly, 304 CFM exhaust fan too, and a good size passive vent. Drops to 75 when light not on. When I totally closed up the tent to test temps they went up to 90-92. Tried placing 2 liter bottle ice blocks around still not helping much. The only good thing for me is that I am not having a humidity issue with the heat. I figure with this AC fan I am making it should drop the temps about 4-5 degrees when the lights are on, also have LEDs coming but had to buy 2 to replace the 600 watt HPS so figure I am going to end up with almost as much heat production as the HPS. Oh and I was never able to use my MH bulb as it arrived and burned out in 6 hours. It was eventually replaced by the seller but by that time my WW were getting close to going into flowering so I just left the HPS in. I think MH puts out more heat than the HPS but maybe not
My old horticulturist, partner in crime, suggested use one of each. As she has grown in greenhouses for decades (until the fire from garage lit up the greenhouse) I’m following her advice once I get my closet ready for winter.
Hum I wish I could get the temps down to 82-84, that’s what they run when the light is at 50% lol. 75% brings them up another 5 degrees and thinking if I went to 100% like I would be up near 95 degrees. In any case like @dbrn32 said I will need to get this sorted at least by the time flowering time rolls around ugh.
@SmoknGranny one of each? Like one soft white and one of the brighter daylight ones? Hum now there is a thought maybe I should try that. at this point I don’t know wwhat I am gonna do :sigh:
Spectral mixing is a good thing, buy adding the red in veg will cause the plant to stretch a bit. Since you’re under the mh, probably not much. But if you were using cfl alone the warmer color temps can cause a lot of stretch.
@rodri59@SmoknGranny Correct info. If you look at my CFL’s youll see I have 2 of each spectrum. They run pretty cool so I think that would be a good way to deal with your heat issues. I have heat issues too but its cause I live in the desert and I have a small tent but my tent has hit 92 more then I would’ve liked but these weeds are tough and pull through just fine.
CFL’s in above post. I grow LED now!
Where did you get the four way? Ceramic? Would a two way with 2-100watts work on single plant? I’m always listening, reading and learning And nice ladies
@SmoknGranny I saw someone post this particular light fixture in the last couple of weeks ago as available on Etsy, maybe it was BudBuddy, can’t remember for sure
Thanks for the input @BudBuddy! that helps and I think that CFL’s might be the way to go if and when I need additional lumens. Right now they are barely coming out of seedling stage, so I have a little time to play with.
Your in the desert?! Where abouts if you don’t mind me asking (I am a desert rat who has found herself in redneck mountain country and I will tell you what, I MISS my desert)
And nice ladies 
