HID vs Cfl

[HeadHunter]

Hey guys I am looking for some advice I have just built a grow cupboard cause I am sick of paying $300+ for an ounce and I am torn as to which kind of lights would be best. The dimensions are approx 1800x1200x500 so its a decent size but its situated in a tin garage that gets up to 35 constantly so heat is a major issue (cant put it anywhere else though) I will be growing in coco and perlite to start with a view to getting a top fed DWC come winter time. Can anyone tell me how much heat a 400w HID would throw? I am considering Cfls as well as i have heard they are much cooler. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

P.S the seeds I have got are critical mass by mr nice and lsd by barneys farm any first hand knowlege of these strains would be great too

[Pleb Scrubber]

The 400W HID will grow your plants quicker and juicier than CFLs... but

 

A 400W HID is going to throw plenty of heat out. You would need a cooltube for it too.

But if your going to grow in a hot tin shed I would just downgrade to CFLs, otherwise the heat will just be too hard to control.

 

Your going to have to plan your cooling carefully... maybe insulate the cupboard, get some decent fans, duct cooler air in from outside...

[HeadHunter]

Cheers Pleb

The plan is to put duct/drain holes in the floor maybe 4 of them and suck in air from near the floor or even outside where it is bushy and a little cooler. Unfortunatly I cannot insulate it because I just plastered and painted the interior

Also I am planning to have at least 4 plants how many cfls do ya reckon they would need?

[Pleb Scrubber]

question on your dimensions... is 1800 the height? usually height goes last

 

The more lights you add, the happier your plants will be, but I would say 4 x 130W CFLS off the top of my head.

 

I would make them height adjustable, because your going to want to get them nice and close to your plants and move them up as your plants grow.

 

You want to get the proper grow light CFLs, not just a random compact fluro for lighting your house. Good thing is they are nice and cool and dont need a ballast to run.

 

There are different spectrums of CFL depending on what part of the grow cycle your at. Some are better for veg and some better for flowering stage...

 

[geeunit]

Generally around the 6400k mark are best for veg where as for flowering you'll want something around 2700k.

 

Best of luck.

[Dingo-2008]

Hi Headhunter, stick with the HPS or you will be very disapointed with your grow,i use the 130,CFL,14000k for clones an mother plant it has more blue in it than the normal CFL veg globe,draw air from outside your shed if you can buy air/con ducting an get a cool tube,the main problem is to keep the roots of the plants cool insulate the water res with air/cell insulation or something about the same,your plants will handle the heat as long as you keep the roots cool, i grow in temps that reach 45c to 48c with out a problem you must have good air flow ,use good powerful fans to remove the hot air from the room, 1 to suck air in to your room an 1 to remove the hot air,some thing like 300lps fans an if they move to much air just get a fan speed controler to slow the fans down a bit then you can fine tune your room temp,best of luck with your grow.

[HeadHunter]

Hey guys

Thanks for the advice. Pleb, the dimensions are 1200 wide by 500 deep by 1800 high its an old converted wardrobe. If I do go the HID it will prob be a 400w digital ballast cool tube with a 6' exhaust or inline fan and since the cab is as damn near air/light proof as I can get hope that it creates a vacume like effect drawing the cooler air through the bottom holes.

A mate lent me a book not long ago about growing and in the begining it says something along the lines of "to some people growing is just a hobby or necesity but to others it will become an obsession like cars to a petrol head" I know what he meant

[everest]

hot tin shed ? ha , go make it tuff

 

i'd just plan your grows for winter , you could easily set it up right to grow solid for the colder 3 months or so . i'd run 2 400's and have at least 8 plants , i would use the entire shed .. big intakes of fresh air 250\300mm a big circulating fan and at least one 250 mm extracter fan .

 

in a nut shell ... 2 lights , 4 fans 8 plants ..

 

into it

 

ev

[Pleb Scrubber]

winter would make it easier...

 

But thats like telling a petrol head not to drive his car for 6 months...

[HeadHunter]

You are onto it Pleb I am addicted now no waiting for winter Must. Grow. Ganja. Now.

Everest, mate I cant convert the whole shed as its only a rental prop and its too big (about the size of a one car garage) and has a whole heap of shit in it as well but Dingo was saying that the major consideration is keeping the roots cool as I am planning to grow in coco to start do you reckon it would help insulating the pots? I really want to get a decent mother or 2 established before I even consider a top fed DWC.