Compact SOG with CFL's
- Thread starter DrBudGreengenes
- Start date
I have a two square foot space (17" x 17") and I light it with six 42w (150w equiv.) 2700k CFLs. My cabs design was based on taking copious notes on the Doc's threads and on Thundurkel's threads, and RedGreenery's threads and a few others as well.
If you're new to growing and want to get it 'right'.... My best recommendation is to spend a whole day reading up about what different people are doing with lighting.... spend a day or more on ventilation... spend a day or more on soil/medium/hydro... etc. If you are specifically interested in CFL growing, I recommend reading this thread from first post to last, and also the other people I mentioned. Don't skip around. Read every page. You can learn a tremendous amount of information this way.
Every time you read something which seems to make sense to you, copy and paste it into a notepad file and label it. For instance, I have a (huge, at this point) notepad file with headings like "Lighting", "Nutes", "Soil", "Cloning", "Misc", etc. and I add any new 'gems' i find to the appropriate heading.
I've gone through two cycles now in my self-designed/built box (follow my design and build your own for less than $500) and I'm just waiting on my new pots to arrive so that I can begin to transfer my clones into the new containers to FINALLY get started on my perp cycle. (My first two runs were of 13 and 14 plants flowering in the 2.01 sq ft flowering chamber. My perp run will have as many as 32 plants in the same chamber, but should be able to support this number because not all of them will be reaching for the sky at once.
As far as the guy who was saying that without rooting hormones it'll take forever for your plants to root, I can tell you that I simply cut my current series of clones off of plants that I was harvesting (at the END of the flowering cycle, 9.5 weeks into 12/12!) and then did another 45 degree cut under water and then put them into a DIY bubble cloner that I made for about $12 bucks. No rooting compound or gel, just 2 drops of superthrive per gallon of water in the reservoir. (My bubble cloner can't hold a whole gallon, but I added the superthrive to a gallon of water and then used that water to fill the res.) About a week and a half later, roots growing out of little pieces of popcorn on a short stem. And the plants that I harvested them from went back into reveg and are already showing new vegetative growth!
It can be as simple or as complicated as you wanna make it.
If you're new to growing and want to get it 'right'.... My best recommendation is to spend a whole day reading up about what different people are doing with lighting.... spend a day or more on ventilation... spend a day or more on soil/medium/hydro... etc. If you are specifically interested in CFL growing, I recommend reading this thread from first post to last, and also the other people I mentioned. Don't skip around. Read every page. You can learn a tremendous amount of information this way.
Every time you read something which seems to make sense to you, copy and paste it into a notepad file and label it. For instance, I have a (huge, at this point) notepad file with headings like "Lighting", "Nutes", "Soil", "Cloning", "Misc", etc. and I add any new 'gems' i find to the appropriate heading.
I've gone through two cycles now in my self-designed/built box (follow my design and build your own for less than $500) and I'm just waiting on my new pots to arrive so that I can begin to transfer my clones into the new containers to FINALLY get started on my perp cycle. (My first two runs were of 13 and 14 plants flowering in the 2.01 sq ft flowering chamber. My perp run will have as many as 32 plants in the same chamber, but should be able to support this number because not all of them will be reaching for the sky at once.
As far as the guy who was saying that without rooting hormones it'll take forever for your plants to root, I can tell you that I simply cut my current series of clones off of plants that I was harvesting (at the END of the flowering cycle, 9.5 weeks into 12/12!) and then did another 45 degree cut under water and then put them into a DIY bubble cloner that I made for about $12 bucks. No rooting compound or gel, just 2 drops of superthrive per gallon of water in the reservoir. (My bubble cloner can't hold a whole gallon, but I added the superthrive to a gallon of water and then used that water to fill the res.) About a week and a half later, roots growing out of little pieces of popcorn on a short stem. And the plants that I harvested them from went back into reveg and are already showing new vegetative growth!
It can be as simple or as complicated as you wanna make it.
Wow I'm stoked my threads helped you build that awesome grow cab you have going Anti seems like it was yesterday I was drooling over DrBuds grows and now I'm mentioned along with him and RedGreenery who was another big name around here when I started.. I'll update my stuff tonight and let everybody know whats been going on in my micro grow but look out cuz Thundurkel has gone HID!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh I know DrBud can you believe it? haha I had to give a 400w HPS over a 3x3 area a try you know? Anyhow keep a eye out for my DR80 400w grow
TheSodaJerk
New member
Hey Doc you speak the gospel. Ive been trying to get a set up running. I just got my 42w CFLs (mine are 2600K but I dont anticipate too much problem), sockets and wiring. The one part im stuck on is exhaust. I dont have a huge budget. I have a cab sized 30in(L)x15in(W)x22in(H) Im hoping it will work out, im only gonna put 12 girls in the for the first couple runs, might upgrade later when I get any problems ironed out.
Can anyone recommend me how much air I should be moving and any fan recommendations would be great. Im trying to make it as stealth as possible, right now its gonna look almost exactly like the stock 20y.o RCa TV set it started its life as.
any help would be appreciated! Thanks everyone for this thread and making me realize rooms arent the only way to grow
Can anyone recommend me how much air I should be moving and any fan recommendations would be great. Im trying to make it as stealth as possible, right now its gonna look almost exactly like the stock 20y.o RCa TV set it started its life as.
any help would be appreciated! Thanks everyone for this thread and making me realize rooms arent the only way to grow
Well SodaJerk I'll help ya out a lil bit here, I've found at my local Electronics shop these AC Axial Fans that are 4" and push out 110cfm!!! Plus they only cost around $20 each I have 2 of them taking care of my flower cab and it's perfect! ! of them is intake and the other is exhaust keeping my temps at 80 and I have 6 42w bulbs in there so check Radio Shack or something like that and make sure the fan is AC not DC that way you just hook a lamp cord up to it not a powerpack of some kind I also belive AC Fans are more sturdy in my experience coming with a solid metal frame instead of plastic pc fans...
TheSodaJerk
New member
Is that all the airflow I should need? I originally thought PC fans might work but didnt think they would move enough air to keep it cool. Ive found several PC fans and Im not really deterred by the DC power issue as Ive got plenty of wall warts to spare and could rig one up to power my fans. Have you noticed the plastic case being a problem? Ive never had a PC fan fail on me and it seems like a cab would be less punishment than my old PC that used to put out air at 120*+
No plastic is no problem really I guess I just like these heavy duty fuckers I got haha but yea I mean my 2 AC Axial fans together move 220cfm total and for 2.5sqft that's fine at least it has been for me and I don't have my cab sealed up right either cuz I've seen guys get by with a lot less than what I have...
kweb1989
Member
Quick Question about lights
... i understand that 2700k is best too flower. I see that most people are using the 42watt cfls. I asume you can find them at home depot. However, i do not have a home depot near my home, only Lowes. I was unable to find 42 watt single bulbs but i have seen 23watt bulbs. Thurkel for example uses 6 42 watters. Would i have to use 12 23watters? lol sounded funny. Also if i did need 12 how would i arrange this to work? put them really really tight together? or some on cab ceiling? or even staggard (expl dots = bulbs>> " ∙.∙.∙.∙.∙" and so on..would i get more lumans with 23's over 42s? lol.... i need to make this just right, pay check to paycheck life..
extremely hard for extra cash. THANKS In advance for the Advise... esepecially since i havent had any meds in months since i moved to a new state and know litterally nobodystanky bud
Member
how do you keep them lookin so healthy in those little containers? I tried doing some in 1 gallon containers and after a month the container was filled with roots and the plant was yellowing bad. It didnt recover until I put it into a bigger container.
I'd say it's the watering method. Completely submerge the root/dirt mass till bubbles stop floating to the surface then remove and let drain well.
Well Kweb you'll be happy to know Wal Mart is where I got ALL my lights haha the 23 watt lights in my smaller flower chamber cuz they go on sale for 92 cents a bulb!!! But the 42w 2700K Soft White or Warm White I believe it is are only $8 a bulb but if you go to Rite Aid they are $12 a bulb and at Ace Hardware in my area they want a whopping $16 per 42w bulb!!! So yea Wal Mart should be the spot for you to find everything you'll need pretty much except the sockets known as "Cleats" that you hardmount to the walls and wire yourself. I got mine at Ace Hardware incase you wondered I've also seen them at Lowes too... They cost like $4 a piece and then a lamp cord runs you $3-$6
42w outputs 2700 lumens
23w outputs 1600 lumens
IMO, if you are looking for penetration, ie your plants are going to get close to around 20" tall, then you should go with the 42w. If your plants are going to stay shorter, ie scrog or just short cab height, then you should go with two 23w.
LoKey
Member
But here is a question, we all know what penetration refers to but coming from a volume vs light output a standard 23w bulb puts out roughly 180lm/cuin where as a 42w bulb puts out around 120lm/cuin all based on the amount of volume the bulb actually takes up, now it would be more accurate to calculate it all based on actual bulb surface area but not really worth getting into as were thinking of the bulb as a single point of light and that point being the size that the bulb spiral takes up.
so with concerns with light penetration the 23w is actually the brighter source (which is obvious just by looking at the two when both are plugged in) when talking about about a watt/light output ratio, so in effect the 23watt bulb should have more light penetration because its starting off as a brighter source.
But where it gets all confused is that your using 42watts of light output vs 23watt, so if you can fit 2 23watt bulbs in roughly the same area as the 42watt then you would get more light output/throw(penetration) as the source will be brighter for the same area.
but saying all that its just easier to fit in say 5-10 42watts bulbs into a small sized cab to get enough light output for your plants to grow than it is to fit in 10-20 23watt bulbs and thats is where the advantage of the 42watt bulbs are.
but if you have time on your hands it is more cost effective to go the 23watt route, with bulbs coming out to be roughly $2-4 a bulb vs $10-12 for a 42watt and light sockets just over a $1 each.
or i could just be out to lunch but thats my thought on it
xgreenthumbx
Member
i have a 15x18x36 box and was going with the 42's but after thinking about it i think 10 23 watters rather then 6 42 watters would be a little better.do you agree?thanks
B
Bottled Cat
First off I would like to say hello to ICMag as this is my first post! Been checking out this thread for awhile now, thought I would ask the Doc or anyone who can answer me a question or two 
I am starting a grow based off of the Docs, so some help would be great!!
How often do you water?
Do you add nutes to the water each time you water?
Should I mix 6500k CFLs and the 2700k during flowering? Or just stick with 2700k? (I am only vegging till they are 2 inches or so)
Thank you!!
I am starting a grow based off of the Docs, so some help would be great!!How often do you water?
Do you add nutes to the water each time you water?
Should I mix 6500k CFLs and the 2700k during flowering? Or just stick with 2700k? (I am only vegging till they are 2 inches or so)
Thank you!!
Ol¸Dirty Janez!
Member
update!
Yes Bottled Cat you water everyday or every other day depending on how well your soil holds water and yes you feed with each watering... I already did a DrBud method thread about a year and a half ago it's in my sig you should be able to find any answer you need in there...
B
Bottled Cat
<3 thank you so much!
