[GUMBALL69]

Hi All,

Im basically getting a bit confused with the lighting for my grow tent. Its a GL80 GROW TENT 80x80x160cm

I currently have 4 plants under a 200w Red Spectrum CFL with a reflector. They are growing nicely but maybe not as nice as they could be?

Basically need some advice as to how much lighting I would need. And what is recommended per plant. If its better to have on a reflector or 2 have lights hanging down. Obviously using a reflector it makes it awkward being able to hang other lights down.

Basically need some major advice so please hit me with it!

cheeers

[pcman123]

Nothing to be confused about mate the plants will do better with hid lighting or more cfl - more light =more bud as long as you have every thing else in proportion extraction etc.

This post has been edited by pcman123: 08 May 2012 - 01:09 AM

[SickLeaf]

If you have that size tent i would go for hid to cover it. A 250w would easily fit in but a 400w would be perfect. I would use a 400w mh/hps in a parabolic reflector, cant get much better for your tent i would think.

Its quite a big area to cover with two 200w cfl's. Cfl's light intensity drops off very quickly, thats why you need them a few inches max from your plants. It will be ok directly under the bulbs but the drop off to the sides of an 80cm tent will leave the outer perimeter under lit.


SickLeaf.

[GUMBALL69]

SickLeaf, on 08 May 2012 - 01:16 AM, said:

If you have that size tent i would go for hid to cover it. A 250w would easily fit in but a 400w would be perfect. I would use a 400w mh/hps in a parabolic reflector, cant get much better for your tent i would think.

Its quite a big area to cover with two 200w cfl's. Cfl's light intensity drops off very quickly, thats why you need them a few inches max from your plants. It will be ok directly under the bulbs but the drop off to the sides of an 80cm tent will leave the outer perimeter under lit.


SickLeaf.

i think i will stick to CFL as i worry about heat issues etc. The 4 plants are directly below the reflector and all light is on them respite some of the edges of the tent dont get as much. I was wondering would it be better to hang a 200w red cfl and a 200w blue cfl dangly down or is it better to have them in reflector?

I currently have my red in a reflector but i would like to purchase another cfl but dont know how i would fit it in comfortable so it was in a position to benefit all plants

[SickLeaf]

can you get two reflectors in side by side? So you have half red, half blue then either swap the bulbs over each day/every other day or just switch the plants positions.

I wouldnt worry about hid heat in that tent if you have the right size extractor fan. You wouldnt regret it and after a few days set up you would be wondering why all the fuss about hid heat.

[Lobo]

I tell ya what gumball if your'e thinking of adding a second CFL then the combined heat would probably be greater than a single 250w HID. They put put out surprisingly little heat. And if you're thinking of running 400w of CFL then a 400w HID makes much more economic sense.

HID's quite simply put out far more light energy (PAR watts or lumens, whatever you like to use) than CFL's. There is a ratio of yield to energy used to grow the bud. It's an economic balance. You want the most for the energy consumed.

What size extraction fan do you have?

I have found a parabolic reflector that would fit in that size tent perfectly if you look in the lighting forum.