Supplemental Lighting To Cfls Needed

[medmanmike]

Looking for suggestions for supplementing my current light set up. Background: 3'x3'x6' grow room-under a stairwell w/sloped ceiling, with full environmental control. Lighting consists of a 32" x 14" hooded fixture with 12 standard sockets filled with 12, 26w (100w equivalent/1200w total) CFLs (a set for veg, a set for flower). For the last grow - 7 plants in 5 gal pots SCROGGed, I average just over 1 oz/plant (2nd grow so I'm still learning). I did have a significant Scale infestation, which undoubtedly impacted the output. I also supplemented with two reflector lamps, each with 2 26w CFLs during flowering.

 

Short of scrapping the CFLs altogether, I'm looking for a suggestion to supplement what I have. Keep in mind that I do not have the ceiling space for an additional fixture, i.e. HPS, unless I was to reposition the cfl fixture crosswise to the space.

 

My hope would be that I could add a different type bulb to the current fixture, i.e. LED or a CFL with a different Kelvin rating or a different light spectrum, such as Far Red.

 

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[pic book]

under a stairwell i have run hps with a fan sweeping away the heat, like a cyclone.

[Willy]

sorry , but my suggestion is get new lights.. 400w hps/mh.. problem solved.. just vent out the heat...

[t-pain]

can do it with cfl. have you seen the light fixture splitters?

can pop 2 lights in the socket of one?

 

 

also 26W cfl? time to upgrade your cfl!

you can buy 125W cfl. plus the splitters which, if you buy all the bulbs, will seriously increase your light output.

http://www.amazon.com/Apollo-Horticulture-Compact-Fluorescent-Growing/dp/B00HG1IH4M

 

yeah $25 per bulb. you might want to get them at a grow store, as shipping can damage them sometimes. naughty mail carriers.

 

just make sure your sockets can handle the power haha

 

 

CFL grows are possible, easy, no need to vent etc.

but like everyone here says, once you go hps/mh you wont go back.

and it seems like hps/mh bulbs have dropped in price. i guess legalization will do that to production costs?

Edited October 31, 2014 by t-pain

[medmanmike]

Thank for the advice - kinda figured it would go in the direction of hps/mh.  

 

t-pain, I do use the splitters.  The fixture actually has six sockets with the splitters installed, hence the 12 light, 1200w output.  Ditto for the two reflector dome lights.

 

Didn't realize there were 125W CFLs at 6400 lumens.  That's nearly 4 times the lumens my bulb produce!  

 

Thanks again.

[Habenero]

 

just make sure your sockets can handle the power haha

 

 

 

Was gonna add that but see you got it covered.

 

It's important because a standard unfinished basement style ceramic fixture can't handle that much wattage and you'd cook your wiring.  But just check the rating listed on the fixture since we don't know what you have.