# AlienBait Tries Cold Cathode Lights



## AlienBait (Oct 6, 2007)

What are Cold Cathodes?  They are the lights that people put inside their computer cases to light up the components (though I really don't see the point). They are 1 foot long and use 3.5 watts each. I got 10 of them for a total of 35 watts of light, just to see if they would work for growing our favorite plants. I've never seen anyone grow with these types of lights before, so I'm doing a little experiment.

I chose to use mostly red lights because that is what the chlorophyl absorbs best, but it also absorbs blue, so I have a couple of those. I also added two white ones just to give the plants a little more variety. The white lights actually don't put out as many photons as the red or blue because (I was told) they are actually the same as the blue ones with a coating on them that absorbs some of the blue light and re-radiates in the lower spectrums. In doing so, some light energy is lost.

The lights cost about 3.00 each. With tax and shipping, the 10 lights cost $36.00.

Despite the name, they put out as much heat as a fluorescent tube. However they are much smaller and many of them can be crammed into a small space. Like fluorescent lights, they need a ballast. That is what those little blue boxes are on top of the grow box. Each ballast can control two lights. Everything is running off the computer power supply, which also made it easy to plug in the computer fan without any mods. The power supply and fan together use 15 watts for a total of 50 watts for this grow.

I am using the same 2-liter soda bottles that I used in previous experiments because I already had them and they seemed to work pretty well last time.

The plants are 1 White Satin and 1 White Widow which I grew from clones. The White Satin was vegged for 2 weeks longer than the Widow, which I vegged for 1 week after rooting. That is why it is a little bigger and thicker. By the way, the White Satin is a clone from the plant I used for my LED/16oz cup grow. I re-vegged that plant and took about 5 clones from it. The White Widow is a clone from last spring's closet grow.

Of course, one would get better results with a HPS, but for Micro-Growers, this may be a way to go. Even so, I think it's going pretty well. Buds and trichs are forming and the plants are healthy. The folowing pics are 3 weeks into flowering and were taken last week.

1) The lights glued to the top of the grow-box.
2) The ballasts.  Each one controls 2 lights
3) Modified PC power supply
4) The plants on day 1
5) The plants at the end of week 3
6) WS and WW side by side
7) Different angle
8) From the top
9) White Satin
10 White Widow


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## Mutt (Oct 6, 2007)

Bookmarked 
Lookin forward to another AlienBait experiment :aok:


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## HempMan (Oct 6, 2007)

AB & his experiments...


He could prolly try a grow using black lights...Styrofoam peanuts as a medium, and gasoline as a fertilizer & get it to work.


He has the greatest luck!


I always enjoy watching the mad "alien" scientist do his thing!:fly:


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## AlienBait (Oct 6, 2007)

HempMan said:
			
		

> AB & his experiments...
> 
> He could prolly try a grow using black lights...Styrofoam peanuts as a medium, and gasoline as a fertilizer & get it to work.


 
LOL! :smoke1:   I'll try that next growing season. :hubba: 


Here is an update on the Cold Cathode grow. These pics were taken this morning. This is the end of week 4:
1) White Satin on the left, White Widow on the right.
2) WS
3) WS
4) WW
5) WW


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## Pot Belly (Oct 6, 2007)

AB - Interesting concept again.......Nice lookin ladies ya got.

Since you are the mad scientist of light, have often wondered about a low pressure sodium light.  They are very yellow.  Wonder how that would do.......

PB


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## Sticky_Budz (Oct 6, 2007)

Hey alien great grow bro. never thought you could use those lights lol have some of them in my comp lol love the plants they are budding nice will be watching this grow bro peace and good luck


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## AlienBait (Oct 6, 2007)

Pot Belly said:
			
		

> Since you are the mad scientist of light, have often wondered about a low pressure sodium light. They are very yellow. Wonder how that would do.


 
Low Pressure Sodium lights are no good for growing because they only produce light in a very narrow band; around 600nm.  Like you said, they are yellow and plants do not absorb much light in that area.  You need more red and blue light.  

High Pressure Sodium lights produce a much broader spectrum.  Even though they look yellowish, they have the red and blue that the plants need.


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## Pot Belly (Oct 6, 2007)

AlienBait said:
			
		

> Low Pressure Sodium lights are no good for growing because they only produce light in a very narrow band; around 600nm. Like you said, they are yellow and plants do not absorb much light in that area. You need more red and blue light.


 
I get the picture. Thanks for the info..........

PB


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## BluntFullOfKush (Oct 6, 2007)

Whats up Ab i see ya got it goin. glad to see you back and up to ya same ol tricks. the ladies are looking good keep it up


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## allgrownup (Oct 6, 2007)

Nice man!  I like it.........i'm curious, stoned, and subscribed.  

this is a crazy azz experiment.  I may light up my box just for the effects.

a few of those lights and some of cheech's dingle balls and my lowrider box will be the shiznit!

:huh:


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## DLtoker (Oct 6, 2007)

:aok: :smoke1:


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## AlienBait (Oct 14, 2007)

Update time!

Things are going pretty good on this side of the lab. We are at the end of 5 weeks flowering. The buds on the White Satin are getting really thick. You can really see the difference a couple of extra weeks of veg makes (Then again, it could just be a difference in the strains).

The Pictures:

1) Both plants: White Satin on the left, White Widow on the right.
2) WS
3) WW
4) WS
5) WW


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## MrPuffAlot (Oct 15, 2007)

interesting..

Hows the Heat with the light and ballast??


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## AlienBait (Oct 15, 2007)

MrPuffAlot said:
			
		

> interesting..
> 
> Hows the Heat with the light and ballast??


 
The lights put out about as much heat as a 35Watt CFL.  The ballasts don't put out much, but they are warm to the touch, so I thought it best to put the outside the box.  Using 1 computer fan seems to keep the temps just right.


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## Sin inc (Oct 15, 2007)

wow just came in to see whats going on and bam nice we mmust have more


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## AlienBait (Oct 15, 2007)

Sin inc said:
			
		

> wow just came in to see whats going on and bam nice we mmust have more


 
Sorry, man.  You're going to have to wait until next week for updates.


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## THE BROTHER'S GRUNT (Oct 15, 2007)

*The ladies are looking great AB. :aok: *


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## killa-watt (Oct 19, 2007)

Cool experiment, glad to see someone is trying it. I thought Cold Cathode Florescent Lamps produced 1/2 the lumens that standard CFL's did. Do you know how many lumens those bulbs give off?


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## audix2359 (Oct 19, 2007)

This is my first post in one of your grow journals but I've been reading through them and learning a lot, so thanks for sharing your experience!

Your LED grow has me really considering an LED purchase, particularly after I discovered just how much heat my 400W HID is going to put out.

I assume the white covering over the soil of the plants is to retain moisture (?)  I've never seen than done, would you care to explain what it is and how it's beneficial?

Also, have you ever considered growing with red and blue Christmas lights?


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## Runbyhemp (Oct 19, 2007)

Can't believe I missed this, great stuff Alienbait !! Your plants were grown entirely with these ?


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## AlienBait (Oct 19, 2007)

killa-watt said:
			
		

> I thought Cold Cathode Florescent Lamps produced 1/2 the lumens that standard CFL's did. Do you know how many lumens those bulbs give off?


 
No, I don't know what the output is.  I really couldn't find much info on these particular lights since they are made to light up a computer case and not growing.  I'm suprised they are doing as well as they are.


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## AlienBait (Oct 19, 2007)

Runbyhemp said:
			
		

> Your plants were grown entirely with these ?


 
Well, they are clones, so when I was rooting them, I used 2-ft fluorescent tubes.  After they had roots, I kept them under the flos for 3 weeks for the WS and 1 week for the WW, then 1 week veg (24/0) under the CC lights, then, finally went to 12/12.


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## octobong007 (Oct 19, 2007)

ok, i'm a noobie but learning at a "high" rate of speed.  on this micro-grow, are the plants left in the growbox (computer) the entire time till harvest?  like, will they outgrow the box?  get in the fan?  this REALLY intrigues me...one more question, you can use ONLY red with one or two blue?  nothin else needed on lites?


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## AlienBait (Oct 19, 2007)

Well, octobong007, it's not a computer case.  It is just a box made out of particle board, but I am using a computer power supply to run the lights and the fan.

The plants will stay in the box the whole time except when I take them out for pictures.

At this point, I don't think they will out grow this box.  We are almost 6 weeks into flowering and they are pretty small, so I think we will be fine.

This grow is more of a "proof of concept."  I just wanted to see if I could flower under these lights.  Looks like I can.


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## mastersativa (Oct 19, 2007)

Hey AB, just wanted to say GREAT work with all these experiments you have. I was hooked with the led's and now this grow is grabbin me! Keep up the Great work bro! Also, i wonder if they will ever make colored screw in cfl's, that would be a good experiment. I use all cfl's, from start to finish, and am having great success, but just thinkin if i could get a better spec of red and blue in there they would be much better, just a thought. Keep the lab growin bro!


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## octobong007 (Oct 19, 2007)

totally understood on the growbox.  just wanted to say thanx for all your effort and experimentation with this and the l.e.d. grow...i've learned more from you about lighting in the last 3 days of reading than in the last 5 years bro, seriously.  i'll be combining your findings and TRYING to create a stealth that'll stay cool, discreet, and hydro.  again, thanx for all your doing...dam i love this site!
if i may ask, what soil and nutes r u using?


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## AlienBait (Oct 24, 2007)

octobong007 said:
			
		

> if i may ask, what soil and nutes r u using?


 
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you, but I've been out of town and just got back.

I'm growing hydro with these plants.  Hand-watering 2 liter soda bottles with a 50/50 mix of perlite/vermiculite.  The nutes I'm using are called Vita-Grow.  They are non-organic, but produce really nice plants.


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## bombbudpuffa (Oct 24, 2007)

Looks great AB!!!


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## allgrownup (Oct 25, 2007)

I'm finding this grow "mesmerizing".  i wasn't expecting them to live....let alone produce anything.   


AB's gunna have a "Pimp My Growroom/box" series pretty soon.


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## allgrownup (Oct 25, 2007)

oh....man.......a ceiling packed full of those lights   plants all around and in the center of the room............my recliner front and center of that BRASS POLE.


you all know what pole i'm talkin bout   :hubba:


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## AlienBait (Oct 25, 2007)

allgrownup said:
			
		

> oh....man.......a ceiling packed full of those lights plants all around and in the center of the room............my recliner front and center of that BRASS POLE.
> 
> 
> you all know what pole i'm talkin bout :hubba:


 
LOL!  You need help.


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## AlienBait (Oct 27, 2007)

Well it's time for an update.  We are at 7 weeks of flowering and it's looking nice and frosty. :hubba:   I'll be chopping next week.  

The Pictures:

1) White Satin on the left, White Widow on the right.
2) WS
3) WS
4) WW
5) WW
6) White Satin under the Cold Cathodes


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## BluntFullOfKush (Oct 27, 2007)

there both some frosty looking ladies there. dont know wich 1 look better


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## Stoney Bud (Oct 27, 2007)

AlienBait said:
			
		

> Well it's time for an update. We are at 7 weeks of flowering and it's looking nice and frosty. I'll be chopping next week.


 
How tall are they man? Can you put a size reference in the pic next time?

How about some closeups of the lights themselves.

Ballasts? Pics please?

I'm not sure I've ever seen these.

Thanks man.

I might have to try this...

You're like a...pot astronaut!

Pot...the final frontier...growing where no man has grown before...........


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## AlienBait (Oct 27, 2007)

Stoney Bud said:
			
		

> How tall are they man? Can you put a size reference in the pic next time?
> 
> How about some closeups of the lights themselves.
> 
> Ballasts? Pics please?


 
I have pictures of the setup in the first post of this thread.  I can take better pictures if you want.  I'll do that next time.  For now, here is a link to a company that sells them.  Not the one I bought from, but I'm sure they are the same.

http://www.xoxide.com/coldcathodes.html

As to the plant size, the White Satin is 15 inches tall and the White Widow is 13 inches tall.  I'll have a better reference picture on next weeks update.

Hope that helps.


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## tleaf jr. (Oct 27, 2007)

that fking amazing im in awe


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## jjsunderground (Oct 27, 2007)

thats neat.​


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## Stoney Bud (Oct 28, 2007)

AlienBait said:
			
		

> As to the plant size, the White Satin is 15 inches tall and the White Widow is 13 inches tall. I'll have a better reference picture on next weeks update.
> 
> Hope that helps.


 
Yes, thanks man. You've got my mind racing...

Hmmmm, I'll have to get some just to test them for what I'm thinking of...


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## jash (Oct 28, 2007)

amazing grow AB glad to see how great they came out  excellent work:aok:


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## ktownlegend (Nov 4, 2007)

update homie, ur slackin, im missing all the mind dazzling fun and info u put out. lol


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## Sticky_Budz (Nov 4, 2007)

Damn bro you got me drooling over here at those ladies great grow bro loving the pics cant wait to see some harvest shots


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## Growdude (Nov 4, 2007)

AB you are the man! I cant believe how nice they came out :holysheep:


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## AlienBait (Nov 4, 2007)

ktownlegend said:
			
		

> update homie, ur slackin, im missing all the mind dazzling fun and info u put out. lol


 
Slackin??? :holysheep:  It's only been a week.  LOL!

Anyway, I just finished harvesting these plants this morning.  I'll have the picures up a little later today (as soon as I can find my USB cable ).


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## 85cannabliss (Nov 4, 2007)

nice looking plants there AB, hope you enjoy them crystal covered buds  good goin man.


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## thestandard (Nov 4, 2007)

another amazing alienbait thread

I have lots of experience with pc cases and I'm familiar with the lights and never even thought this was possible. Would these work well alongside an hps or cfls or would it be cancelled out?? These would make some easypeasy no heat side lighting..


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## AlienBait (Nov 6, 2007)

O.K., so I am a day late.  

I chopped the plants yesterday.  Did not get much, but like I said earlier, this was just a test to see if Cold Cathode lights would even work.  I think with more lights, the harvest would have been even bigger.  They do look nice and frosty, though.  Anyway, on with the pics :hubba: :

1)  Right before the chop.  White Satin in the left, White Widow on the right.
2) White Satin
3) WS a little closer
4) WS even closer
5) White Widow
6) WW a little closer
7) After trimming the leaves
8) WS
9) WW
10) WS came out to 24 grams wet.
11) WW came out to 12 grams wet.

I'll get the final numbers in a few days after it is dried.


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## Mutt (Nov 6, 2007)

:aok: great grow man!!!
Looks like you can flower under those lights 
Do you know what the final hieght was of the plants?


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## audix2359 (Nov 6, 2007)

Good lord, it looks like you dumped a bag of sugar on top of those plants!  Awesome grow!


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## AlienBait (Nov 6, 2007)

Mutt said:
			
		

> Do you know what the final hieght was of the plants?


 
The White Satin was 14 inches tall and the White Widow was 11 inches tall (not counting the pots).


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## allgrownup (Nov 6, 2007)

That was a cool gro AlienBait,  you got some gears grindin on this site with that one.  very interesting.


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## AlienBait (Nov 11, 2007)

Well, I have the final numbers.

The White Satin was 5 grams dried and the White Widow was 2.5 grams dried for a total of 7.5 grams, which is just over a quarter oz.

The quantity was not much, but this grow has given me some interesting ideas.  The next time I use these lights it's going to be another fun little grow.

Hope you enjoyed the show.  

I have some pictures of the dried bud, but either my camera is not very good or I just cannot take a good picture.   Anyway here they are:

1) White Satin
2) WS Close up.
3) White Widow
4) WW Close up.


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## Mutt (Nov 11, 2007)

:aok: excellent thread bro. Enjoy your well earned bud.


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## bombbudpuffa (Nov 11, 2007)

Good job AB!!! I might give the cathodes a run in the future.


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## md.apothecary (Nov 12, 2007)

what is your FINAL conclusion on this setup? Do you think it's really worth it?  I mean compared to LED what do you think?? 

BTW, where did you find only a 50 watt power
rsupply?


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## md.apothecary (Nov 12, 2007)

btw... I AM SENDING YOU A LIGHT IDEA AB!!


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## AlienBait (Nov 12, 2007)

md.apothecary said:
			
		

> what is your FINAL conclusion on this setup? Do you think it's really worth it? I mean compared to LED what do you think??
> 
> BTW, where did you find only a 50 watt power
> rsupply?


 
Final Conclusion:  You can grow a small plant with Cold Cathodes, but it needs a little more research/trial and error.  Compared to LEDs....Can't really compare them yet, but I would say at this point they about the same as fluorescent tubes, just a lot smaller so can fit into micro-grows even better (computer case for example).

The power supply is a 150 W supply, meaning it can handle up to a 150 Watt draw.  The components I used only drew 50 watts, so I could have had run 3 times what I was running on that one power supply.


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## Mutt (Nov 12, 2007)

Was the heat negligable with the LED's compared to a compact flo? Or did the Power supply heat just make it the same?


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## AlienBait (Nov 12, 2007)

Mutt said:
			
		

> Was the heat negligable with the LED's compared to a compact flo? Or did the Power supply heat just make it the same?


 
The heat with the LEDs is negligable and there is no power supply.  The LEDs I have run off 120Volts.

The Cold Cathodes, however, put out as much heat as Fluorescent tubes so I had to run a computer-case fan to vent the box.  I kept the Ballasts and power supply outside of the growing box to keep the heat down.  If you look at the pictures on the first post of this thread, that is how I kept it throughout the grow.


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## THE BROTHER'S GRUNT (Nov 12, 2007)

*CONGRATS on a fine harvest AB. :aok: Looks like it's gonna be some great smoke once it's all dry and cured to perfection.   Great job mang. :aok: *


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## Runbyhemp (Nov 12, 2007)

Never a dull moment reading your threads Ab. Nice work.


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## zipflip (Aug 1, 2009)

:bump: diggin back into old threads again ....  
  has anyone else ever herd of doin this wit cold cathodes before.?
  i mean ya can get old flatbed scanners that have them in em but they more white in color tho.
 also curious of this if it is bout same in comparison to CFL's/flo tubes as dude said :confused2:  
 this would be neat if i could get bout dozen these buggers even if buyin em an tehy as cheap and suck as lil powwr as hesaid in first page..?
 hmmm
 wat you micro growers think?  this would be perfect for my veg cab tho for sure if it would be efficient enough tho..


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## Mutt (Aug 1, 2009)

Alien Bait was the only one i seen to try this. I think tho his bait worked becuase he has ben gone for a while.


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