# cfl an metal halide?



## team ris (Feb 26, 2009)

Hi everyone. I have 6 150w metal halide shop lights, if i add a 130w cool white cfl would this increase the light spectrum? how would this be for flowering? The mh lights are almost spotlights would this be good or bad?


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## cadlakmike1 (Feb 26, 2009)

How large is your grow area that you are using all these bulbs in?


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## team ris (Feb 26, 2009)

its 2.3mx1.6x1.8m high. its a enclosed trailer under the lockup carport, hopefully solves the smell in the house.


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## cadlakmike1 (Feb 26, 2009)

Now you're gonna make me do math! Don't you know that even though just about every other country in the world uses the metric system we in America don't! (just razzing you)

I think I'm done with all the math and conversions. I did some rounding and you have just over 12 square feet. You also have about 6000 lumens per square foot which is really good. Your MH's should be just fine without anything added for veg. Once the plants are past seedling stage you're really not going to hurt it giving too much light so if you wanted to add more light you could, but it is definitely not necessary.

The spectrum of that cfl would be better for flower then veg. How hot do all those ballasts and bulbs get? how are you getting rid of the heat? Can you post pics of the things that you have? When you say it is like a spotlight do you mean it centers the beam of light and doesn't really spread? Pics would really help.


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## Pothead420 (Feb 26, 2009)

team ris said:
			
		

> Hi everyone. I have 6 150w metal halide shop lights, if i add a 130w cool white cfl would this increase the light spectrum? how would this be for flowering? The mh lights are almost spotlights would this be good or bad?


you have 900w of MH thats not much in that size area it probably works out better because there split up and not just a single bulb.
adding CFL's will increase your spectrum and lumen's. you can flower under them but most people like to flower with a HPS. if you could get 2-600w HPS setups or even 400w setups and add them in with your MH lighting you should be able to pull off a nice crop:hubba:


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## cadlakmike1 (Feb 26, 2009)

Well pothead you and I are giving contradictory statements. Isn't that area roughly 12.07 square feet? And one 150w is roughly 12000 lumens so 

2.3mx1.6 = 3.68 meters square

3.68 x 3.28 = 12.07 feet squared.

12000(lumens) X 6(lamps) = 72000(lumens)/12(sq ft)=6000(lumens)

6000 lumens is pretty good, actually above average.:confused2:


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## team ris (Feb 26, 2009)

im planning to mount the ballasts under the trailer, an a few vents on top of the trailer. are hps lights a lot better than mh? I have read they give higher quality buds but less yield.


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## cadlakmike1 (Feb 26, 2009)

You know what, my math is wrong.

That's about 36 square feet, Pothead was right, you need more light.

You only have about 2000 lumens per square foot with your MH's, you want to shoot for 5000. 

Sorry for the misinformation, I need to stop doing math in the mornings.


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## GoNAVY (Feb 26, 2009)

Ha Ha, Math Lesson

I shure as anything am not the prof.

My calcs:

2.3 M = 7.55 ft
1.6 M = 5.25 ft 

Area = 39.6375 sq ft.


I would think more light is needed in order to optimize your yeild.


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## cadlakmike1 (Feb 26, 2009)

darn metric system!


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## Pothead420 (Feb 26, 2009)

team ris said:
			
		

> im planning to mount the ballasts under the trailer, an a few vents on top of the trailer. are hps lights a lot better than mh? I have read they give higher quality buds but less yield.


i think so a HPS give's more lumens per watt compared to a MH.
you can get bomb bud from both lights i flowered with both
as for higher quality and less yield never heard that. i think you get better results using a HPS for flower than a MH. i got way better yield with a HPS but the potency was around the same:hubba:


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## GoNAVY (Feb 26, 2009)

Pothead420 said:
			
		

> i think so a HPS give's more lumens per watt compared to a MH.
> you can get bomb bud from both lights i flowered with both
> as for higher quality and less yield never heard that. i think you get better results using a HPS for flower than a MH. i got way better yield with a HPS but the potency was around the same:hubba:





Hey Pothead,

What about flowering time?  Did you notice any difference in time between the two bulbs?


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## Pothead420 (Feb 26, 2009)

they were different strains so its hard to say but im guessing it would be the same time to flower


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## Lemmongrass (Feb 26, 2009)

unless you park it in a cave that sounds hot/big enough to attract accidental attention.


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## team ris (Feb 27, 2009)

its just a standard size box trailer, parked behind a roller door under the main house roof, with plenty of air flow, it cannot be seen from the road or by neighbours. Im not worried bout attention. As i rent my house i can park it at my friendly neighbours house on inspection day, allowing me to grow all year! sweet!


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## GoNAVY (Feb 27, 2009)

Hey buddy, check out the FLIR camera on youtube.  Hopefully this won't be an issue to you.


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## team ris (Feb 27, 2009)

ill be ok, i live in australia not america


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## dubblehue (Mar 1, 2009)

team ris said:
			
		

> im planning to mount the ballasts under the trailer, an a few vents on top of the trailer. are hps lights a lot better than mh? I have read they give higher quality buds but less yield.



build shelves inside the trailer up near the roof of it. If you mount them under the trailer you'll be taking a lot of chances on exposing them to the elements. You don't want a heavy rain washing out under there, or water leaking out the bottom of the trailer onto them Rule of thumb I play by is to always have the ballast mounted high on a shelf above all your electricity and water.


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## dubblehue (Mar 1, 2009)

team ris said:
			
		

> its just a standard size box trailer, parked behind a roller door under the main house roof, with plenty of air flow, it cannot be seen from the road or by neighbours. Im not worried bout attention. As i rent my house i can park it at my friendly neighbours house on inspection day, allowing me to grow all year! sweet!



So on inspection day you'll be killing the electric in the middle of your 12/12 period to schlep the trailer to your friends? What happens when you're bumping down the road and one of those ballasts you mounted under the trailer falls off when John Law is 3 cars behind you? What if it's pouring rain on Inspection day? Those ballasasts are wasted. All in all, this sounds like you've not given too much thought to what could go wrong in this. That's how people get caught...not taking precautions...


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## dubblehue (Mar 1, 2009)

team ris said:
			
		

> ill be ok, i live in australia not america




Think again friend 
hxxp://www.industrysearch.com.au/News/PRESS_RELEASE_-_FLIR_SYSTEMS_THE_GLOBAL_LEADER_IN_INFRARED_CAMERAS_IS_NOW_IN_AUSTRALIA-25650


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## dubblehue (Mar 1, 2009)

What if someone finds out you're growing in a trailer, backs up their truck to it while you're at work, and drives off? hmmm


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## team ris (Mar 1, 2009)

thanks dubblehue, but i have thought about this, i dont live n a large town so the flir wont be a prob an why would i kill the lights?? ill move it when they arent on, an i dont know about you but i can mount a ballast to hang on longer than it takes to push the trailer next door. Thanks for your concern but it is well protected


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## GoNAVY (Mar 1, 2009)

Seems like you've put alot of thought into this.  

Best of luck.


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## team ris (Mar 2, 2009)

yes i have thought about this quite a bit. the main reason to have it in the trailer is so friends an girlfriends will not find it. ill post photos soon, my seeds should be arriving this week, i have one small thai bagseed plant under a 130w cfl at the moment.


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