Best light for seedlings ?

[belv]

hey guys

 

Don't no much so would appreciate the help.

 

Today i picked up a mini greenhouse/propagation box because i already have sum seedlings growing out of rockwool that are about 6cm high and look like they are tall, thin and stretching and the leafs look small i am pretty sure this is because they under my crap bedroom fluorescent lamp witch dosent produce enought heat or what not.

 

I have a 400w hps son t agro but i am short on space at the moment till the room i am gonna use is available and wanna start off some small plants (seeds ant a prob), I probably have about 1 meter give or take and i don't think this is enough space for the propagation box and the hps without the seedlings/seeds stuffing up or getting burned.

1. Can i start seeds and seedlings with a 400w hps and how far away should the light be away from the top of the propagation box

2. I have herd that 130 wat cfls are good for seeds and seedlings and have seen some on ebay in all types 2700k,6400k and 14000k ultra blue, should i use a cfl to start them off till they like 10cm then put em under the 400w?

3. Whats the best growing media to start them off potting mix, rockwoll or coco ?

 

hears the link to the cfls i soar on ebay:

1. 130w 14000k veg ultra blue

2. Sola NRG Compact Fluorescent 200W 8U Full-Spectrum Daylight (6400K)

 

please let us know as i am keen on getting into this full time as iv had enough of street shit, i like to learn from the best and u guys seem to know what use are talking about so please give us some advice

 

thanks

 

keep smokin

[need4weed3]

plain old batten fluros 35w x2

will be fine

lights need to be about 10cm from top of seedlings

your 400 hps will be a bit strong atm

photos would help

[jimbojones5678]

I disagree, I'm from the school of putting seedlings under the HID as soon as possible

 

Your 400w lamp will illuminate an area of 1m x 1m and I would start with the bulb at around the 80cm mark and slowly drop it.

 

A good way to test if the lamp is too close is to hold the back of your hand at seedling height - if it gets uncomfortably warm then it is too close.

 

Of course you can use the fluros if you want, just make sure they are as close as possible to the seedlings - fluro light is weak and won't penetrate very far

 

Lotsa Luck,

 

Jimbo

[belv]

thanks guys for the responses

So use reckon 2 130w cfls would be alright for sprouting and starting em off and what type would u say to use 2700k,6400k or 14000k , when would uses say they would be strong enough to put the 400w on em ? and one more thing should i feed them a veg nutrient yet like at 1/4th strength when they like 1-5 cm and just coming out of the rockwool ?

 

thanks

[smokinjoe]

I'm with Jimbo. Watch the heat and light distance and you'll be fine. I prefer MH to HPS for Veg but HPS will get you excellent results if the budget doesn't allow for it.

[belv]

so what u reckon even for getting the seeds out of the ground or growing them to like 2 inches a hps 400w would be better than some cfls up close ? and also should i be giving them 1/4 th nutrient at this stage when they just sprouting and coming through the rockwool

 

thanks

[smokinjoe]

so what u reckon even for getting the seeds out of the ground or growing them to like 2 inches a hps 400w would be better than some cfls up close ? and also should i be giving them 1/4 th nutrient at this stage when they just sprouting and coming through the rockwool

 

thanks

 

The only thing I would be giving them at that stage of growth is a low strength root stimulant.

[belv]

i just watched this movie called i grow chronic and he uses 2 4 foot fluorescents one cool white and one warm white and he got his seedlings and clones pretty big, would use recommend them or just stick to the 400w from seeds because wouldn't the seedlings stretch to get to the 400w because it would have to be so far away due to it being hot ?

 

thanks

[ilegalalien]

hi i'm a newbie myself , done a bit of indoors stuff years ago . Still have my old 400 hps but now want to go gorilla this summer , anyhoo i needed a light for seedlings that i could put in my drobe without heat\ safety issues something compact and easy. not sold on cfl's. looked around the local centag and j r turk store and settled on a 150 watt cmh shop light[recessed wall flooder type] from centag. its compact , enclosed bulb, little radiant heat with good spectrum. suits my purpose! its made by Nelson industries and its pretty much the standard now for retail "wall flooding"so you could well pick one up cheaper than the 140 bucks i paid happy trails.

[Frazz]

i would put seedlings under 400w now with a gentle fan playing air acrross the top of babies ... no nutrient till 2nd set of serrated leaves ... pot them up now to within 1-2cm of the 1st set of rounded coly leaves, thereby covering the stretched stem ... .

and Bob 's ya uncle