I've got a 2 x 55w fluoro and I need to get another for my prop tent.

What's the main diffs between my existing setup (110w fluoro) and say a 125w CFL? Is it really just an extra 15w or is there anything different about the spectra? Which do I go for? CFL or dual 55w?

I have the dual 55w Cannatronics bright wing. It's very good for seedlings and mothers. I havent any experience with the cfl either but i'm interested too.

In a nut shell mate the PL 55w are CFL

CFL = compact fluorescent lamp

old fluoros were about an inch fat, and some were about an inch and a half

they made the compact fluorescent just smaller diameter!

T8 is old type 8/8 an inch fat = 1 inch

T12 is 12/8 inch fat = 1.5 inch

T5 (CFL) are 5/8 of an inch fat

Hope that helps, get the PL 865 55W they are the best I have used

EM2

Thanks for the help - apart from the 15w difference, which is better for vegging? Sounds like no difference...just the shape??!

you got it, the Pl 55W lamps are popular and only 4 pound each for replacements, great for seeds and cuts

Thanks a mill for the help. I'm kind of tempted to go with the newer 125w, just because it'll give options to move up to 200w/250w in the future if I wanted to...plus it's MOAR LIGHT (ok, only 15w, but more is more!)

I use fluro tubes instead of twist/curves found in most modern cfl's. This gives a nice, even field of light as opposed to a point source. With 4 foot, dual tube fixtures (I have 4 hanging) I can also get some very nice adjustment factor in my canopy height.

Hmmm..that's a great point.....more even light spread. Dammit dude - you're confusing my braincell!!!

everyone seems very entranced by "new lighting gear". Old school fluro tubes work well and are cheap to buy, set up and operate. The funny thing is that I use as much power as a HID lamp or high powered cfl, but again these are point sources. And you have to hang them so low as to reduce coverage.

I like my tubes. Yet inme flower room I have 600W HPS with lumatek e-ballasts and light rails. Pretty high tech. Check me diary if you want to see loads of pictures. You can ask me questions in that topic as well.

Good Luck!

Thanks very much for all the input. I plumped for a 2x 55w setup with brightwing dimpled reflector. Having seen the Powerplant CFL reflector in the flesh it's a really big chunky fat thing and I'm guessing there's a massive light hot spot with weird dropoff....

Right..i'm off to set this badboy up.... thanks muchly again

Anyone using those new T5 high output tubes yet? They seem pretty nice, saw them at my local shop in a prop room display. There are a few about, some called sunblasters, some called T5HO and others. I like the idea of daisy chaining a few together - should be cheaper than a brightwing I reckon at £20 each and they're supposed to be higher light output (not sure I believe that bit). Also they are long and skinny (look just like a diddy fluoro tube) so nowhere near as much space needed as for an envirolight or similar.