Ok so I'm sure there will be some hater's to come in this thread and talk shit. It will not be tolerated, this is for those of use who choose to use CFL's over HPS and why... I've argued with many that CFL's put out more usable light for plants but get crap and told I'm stupid and if thats true than why are people still using HPS for flowering??? The reason I think is this, most people just follow what everyone else uses and since SO many people have used HPS for SO long thats all most new users have ever heard about. For that reason that is what the go for IMO and they believe that HPS is the best for flowering cuz of people like George Cervantes saying to get a 250w or 150w HPS over some CFL's when they ask questions about them in High Times 
My best friend is one of these folk, he doesn't want to believe things I learn from these forums cuz it comes from regular people who could have NO clue about growing. He was saying if George Cervantes or other respected well known growers like Ed Rosenthal says it than he trusts it other than that he finds it skepticle...... Well boy do I have something to show him!!!! The last few High Times have disappointed me since I started growing especially regarding the use of CFL's cuz George always 90% of the time recommends HPS!!!! In the new Skunk there was a question in the "Ask Ed" section that just made my night last night when reading it...
The question was...
Tiny Grow Space
I intend to grow a single cannabis plant in a space 1' x 2'. What light would you recommend? I was think of using four 30-watt compact fluorescent lamps. Will this be enough? Cost isn't an issue but I am deterred from getting a high pressure sodium [light] because of the amount of heat the bulb produces.
Barry, Internet
As you mentioned, you have several lighting systems to choose from, including compact fluorescents and high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps. Among HPS lamps you have a choice between a single 100-watt lamp which uses a total of about 120-watts and emits about 8,800 lumens(73 lumens per watt) or a 150-watt lamp, which uses about 180 watts and emits almost double that-15,800 lumens (87 lumens per watt).
A 42-watt compact fluorescent (CFL) emits about 2700 lumens(64 lumens per watt). Four CFLs use 168 watts and emit 10,800 lumens. Other size CFLs have a similar efficiency.
However, that is only part of the story. Plants use mostly red and blue light. Yellow and green light is of little use to them, so light that is emitted in these spectrums is wasted energy. Most of the light emitted by HPS lamps is in the yellow spectrum. Only a small amount of the emitted light is is in the orange or red spectrums, which plants use efficiently. Warm white fluorescents (2700 Kelvin) emit a greater portion in the red and orange sectors.
Although fluorescents produce only about 75% of the light per watt that the HPS does, the amount of light usable by the plant is equal or probably higher with the fluorescents. You may wish to experiment to see if adding a single cool white CFL to replace one warm white results in shorter, stouter stems and more vigorous growth. The reasoning is that warm whites don't emit much blue light, which the plants use for photosynthesis and to regulate their growth. The cool white bulb supplies the blue light.
My call for your unit would be to use several (three to five) CFLs with a total input of between 120-160 watts. Although the 150 watt HPS is a bit more efficient that the CFLs in total output, watt for watt the fluorescents provide as much useful light as the HPS lamp. Heat is another consideration. The HPS runs much hotter and emits more heat than the fluoescents.
Make sure to use reflective material around the garden so that any light escaping the garden is reflected back to the plants. Any light that doesn't get to the plant leaves is wasted.
Larger size HPS lamps are more efficient light producers an their output cannot be matched by fluorescents.
I was so happy with that answer I had to post it here for us micro growers and growettes. When I read the question last night I said to myself " he better not tell this person to go with HID's in that space like I've seen George Cervantes do.... Also I was going to leave that last little part about the larger HPS being more efficient but I'm no hater and I would also point out this is for MICRO GROWING!! I'm not saying HPS isn't better in bigger grows but when it comes to micro growing in cabs from 1 - 5.5 square feet CFLs are the best way to go. I also believe that the bud produced with fluorescents is better quality since it is more closer to real sunlight and we all know the best cannabis is grown under the sun at least that's mine and Franco from Green House Seeds opinion.... Ok now feel free to talk about this but lets try and leave the negative comments out of here....
My best friend is one of these folk, he doesn't want to believe things I learn from these forums cuz it comes from regular people who could have NO clue about growing. He was saying if George Cervantes or other respected well known growers like Ed Rosenthal says it than he trusts it other than that he finds it skepticle...... Well boy do I have something to show him!!!! The last few High Times have disappointed me since I started growing especially regarding the use of CFL's cuz George always 90% of the time recommends HPS!!!! In the new Skunk there was a question in the "Ask Ed" section that just made my night last night when reading it...The question was...
Tiny Grow Space
I intend to grow a single cannabis plant in a space 1' x 2'. What light would you recommend? I was think of using four 30-watt compact fluorescent lamps. Will this be enough? Cost isn't an issue but I am deterred from getting a high pressure sodium [light] because of the amount of heat the bulb produces.
Barry, Internet
As you mentioned, you have several lighting systems to choose from, including compact fluorescents and high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps. Among HPS lamps you have a choice between a single 100-watt lamp which uses a total of about 120-watts and emits about 8,800 lumens(73 lumens per watt) or a 150-watt lamp, which uses about 180 watts and emits almost double that-15,800 lumens (87 lumens per watt).
A 42-watt compact fluorescent (CFL) emits about 2700 lumens(64 lumens per watt). Four CFLs use 168 watts and emit 10,800 lumens. Other size CFLs have a similar efficiency.
However, that is only part of the story. Plants use mostly red and blue light. Yellow and green light is of little use to them, so light that is emitted in these spectrums is wasted energy. Most of the light emitted by HPS lamps is in the yellow spectrum. Only a small amount of the emitted light is is in the orange or red spectrums, which plants use efficiently. Warm white fluorescents (2700 Kelvin) emit a greater portion in the red and orange sectors.
Although fluorescents produce only about 75% of the light per watt that the HPS does, the amount of light usable by the plant is equal or probably higher with the fluorescents. You may wish to experiment to see if adding a single cool white CFL to replace one warm white results in shorter, stouter stems and more vigorous growth. The reasoning is that warm whites don't emit much blue light, which the plants use for photosynthesis and to regulate their growth. The cool white bulb supplies the blue light.
My call for your unit would be to use several (three to five) CFLs with a total input of between 120-160 watts. Although the 150 watt HPS is a bit more efficient that the CFLs in total output, watt for watt the fluorescents provide as much useful light as the HPS lamp. Heat is another consideration. The HPS runs much hotter and emits more heat than the fluoescents.
Make sure to use reflective material around the garden so that any light escaping the garden is reflected back to the plants. Any light that doesn't get to the plant leaves is wasted.
Larger size HPS lamps are more efficient light producers an their output cannot be matched by fluorescents.
I was so happy with that answer I had to post it here for us micro growers and growettes. When I read the question last night I said to myself " he better not tell this person to go with HID's in that space like I've seen George Cervantes do.... Also I was going to leave that last little part about the larger HPS being more efficient but I'm no hater and I would also point out this is for MICRO GROWING!! I'm not saying HPS isn't better in bigger grows but when it comes to micro growing in cabs from 1 - 5.5 square feet CFLs are the best way to go. I also believe that the bud produced with fluorescents is better quality since it is more closer to real sunlight and we all know the best cannabis is grown under the sun at least that's mine and Franco from Green House Seeds opinion.... Ok now feel free to talk about this but lets try and leave the negative comments out of here....
