IS IT LUMENS OR LIGHT?????

[jojajico]

hey there guys, this is my first grow and i am using 4 foot flourecent lights. my grow area is about 4 sq ft. and i am trying to abide by the princple of 3000 lumens per sq ft. ok my question.... if i am getting 3000 lumens per sqft and im getting the right light spectrum (6500K) will i get comprable results to a HID light? it seems that this would be the case sine im getting the desired lumens and the spectrum.

 

[pinecone]

if i am getting 3000 lumens per sqft and im getting the right light spectrum (6500K) will i get comprable results to a HID light? it seems that this would be the case sine im getting the desired lumens and the spectrum.

How many lumens per ft^2 do you get with say a 600w HPS in a typical application? I'm curiouse as to the basis of the 3000 lumens thing.

Pinecone

 

[Roddick2005]

The 4 foot tubes spread the light out so much that you wont get very much penetration into the canopy. I am on my first grow also but I dont think floros even come close to the intensity of a HID System. Instead of using the tubes you might think about using compact floros from like from walmart they are alot smaller and keep the light concentrated in a smaller area. thats what i started my grow with before moving to a 400 watt MH then to a 400 watt HPS for flowering.

As far as the 600 watt hps system goes it should cover an area of about 12-16 square feet pretty well. Thats assuming about 50 watts of light per square foot.

Anyways I like compact floros a lot but the intensity of even a 400 watt HPS way out does the CFL's.

 

[trumie04]

My 400w HPS puts out about 50,000 lumens if I read the bulb correctly.

 

[Roddick2005]

yeah i have the 400 watt hps growlux and it puts out 58,000

 

[jojajico]

The 4 foot tubes spread the light out so much that you wont get very much penetration into the canopy. I am on my first grow also but I dont think floros even come close to the intensity of a HID System. Instead of using the tubes you might think about using compact floros from like from walmart they are alot smaller and keep the light concentrated in a smaller area. thats what i started my grow with before moving to a 400 watt MH then to a 400 watt HPS for flowering.

As far as the 600 watt hps system goes it should cover an area of about 12-16 square feet pretty well. Thats assuming about 50 watts of light per square foot.

Anyways I like compact floros a lot but the intensity of even a 400 watt HPS way out does the CFL's.

so the cfl would be better than the 4 foot. like put one over each of my ten plants or something so not as much light is lost?

 

[Roddick2005]

yeah and you can even get these really cheap reflectors from wal-mart. Go to there lighting section and they have these work lamp reflectors with socket and stuff. they are only like 6 bukcs and the 42 watt CFL's are like 9 so thats only 15 bucks.

I am not sure you want to put ten of those in there because thats going to be 420 watts so you might as well just get a 250 watt HPS and save some money.

I would just get like 5 or 6 of them and some of those reflectors. See how that works and then get a 250 or 400 watt HPS if needed.

 

[jojajico]

yeah and you can even get these really cheap reflectors from wal-mart. Go to there lighting section and they have these work lamp reflectors with socket and stuff. they are only like 6 bukcs and the 42 watt CFL's are like 9 so thats only 15 bucks.

I am not sure you want to put ten of those in there because thats going to be 420 watts so you might as well just get a 250 watt HPS and save some money.

I would just get like 5 or 6 of them and some of those reflectors. See how that works and then get a 250 or 400 watt HPS if needed.

thanks for the input this is my first grow and the key is cheap. i just want a little bud to smoke on the weekends so it ok if i dont get the best yeilds as long as it good quality.

 

[leroymmj]

Well, if you are already vegging under the tubes that is fine, start saving for one or two of those 250 watt hps security lights they sell at hardware stores for flowering. You can take them apart and just hang the bulbs and reflector and have the ballast wired to a couple feet away or use it as.

 

[leroymmj]

The tubes and/or compact flo's are great for vegging but in flower it pays for the intensity of hps or even mh light. Makes for bigger, tighter buds with more trichromes. Flo's will make bud, just more fluffy and possibly not quite as potent. The thing is is that you are doing it. Get that first grow under your belt and you are golden.

 

[Guest]

so just do a scrog under the length of the tubes...im doing that right now..got my plant just shooting even with the lights...just started it today..got to represent that fluoros do work if u knwo how to use them right....i mena what did they use before hids were made???

 

[Guest]

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