easy answer to my lighting problem?

[absynth]

If anyone can give me some simple advice about my light choice I would really love you forever for it. And I just want to say that I did read the guide and the section on lights and I thought I was getting the jist of it but then it turned into math class with the lumens divided by this and that and now human lumens are different than plant lumens etc etc.. and now Im just totally confused. *sniffle*
so here goes.

Ok how is this for light? T5 fluor. fixture, 6500k bulb with reflector?
( I already bought this )

Do you think I could get a decent grow with that? Should I purchase an additional fixture? Should I get some CFL's to go with it?
I'm only trying to grow 2 or 3.... hell I'd actually be happy with one big one... but after what I've read i'm thinking it would be easier to grow 2 or 3 smaller ones.
This lighting issue is my only setback and it's killing me.

Heres my problem ...
I live in an apt, so whatever I choose MUST fit into a standard US 120v outlet.
I need enough light to get the dang plant to harvest nicely. I dont care what it costs, I just really really would LOVE to know what lights I should purchase. BTW my grow space is small 4X2 estimate.

If someone could help me out I would be so freakin greatful this has been driving me crazy!!!

 

[scotty196]

just use a green light you can get them at any store

 

[Runbyhemp]

Using a green light would be useless, I think, because plants cannot see green light.

Is your light one of the enivirolites. One of them would provide enough light for a couple of square feet.

Some people flower with CFL and get reasonable results but for higher yield you'd be better off with HPS.

If it were me, I'd probably forget the CFL and go HPS from start to finish

 

[absynth]

I would if i could but don't I have to do something to get an hps fixture to work? I mean I cant just plug it into my 120v outlet... can I?

 

[Runbyhemp]

A HPS will need a ballast,and that can be plugged directly into your mains.

 

[Growdude]

That T5 fixture will out produce any CFL, but a 400 watt HPS would be better yet.

 

[absynth]

Thank you for the info and the advice. It's much appreciated. Have you seen one of these lamps before? WHat do you think of it?

http://http://cgi.ebay.com/200-Watt-FLUORESCENT-PLANT-GROW-LIGHT-CFL-BULB-T5-w-mh_W0QQitemZ260099532187QQcategoryZ42225QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[ms4ms]

lighting is driving me crazy also. I will be interchanging lights from the germinating light of 50 watts(halogen) for several seeds in a grow area that is 2.5wx4lx5h. I am hanging reflective coating around it . My biggest ? about lite is when do you start the seedlings on them. Do you light them right away or wait until they break ground.

 

[Hick]

halogens are a pretty poor choice. It will produce more heat, than beneficial spectrum to plants.

 

[the_riz]

You cant go wrong with an HPS. Lots of people purely use HPS for every stage of there plants life, from veg to harvest, and you wont be disapointed, but you need to spend money to grow bud man. you can scrimp on some things but the light is something you cant

 

[GrandDaddyToke]

I am new @ indoor but giving it a try. I bought two separate lights with two ballast that handle 400 watt HPS or MH. 2-400 watt HPS & 2-400 watt MH with 2 Sun System reflector and light fixtures And 2 separate ballast cost $623.64. This covers a good size area from what I was told @ the store. They were very helpful in the sale (I HOPE). I live within driving distance but they do online orders. (727) 531-5355. They send you to a site that has everything they have. I think you would need 1 system for your space. GOOD LUCK I burnt mine up the first try put them under to young. Have a medical strain starting now. I will make sure they are mature before I start under the MH and than after time for flowering I was told to go with the HPS and cut back the lighting time for flowering. Hope this is somewhat helpful and if anyone can give me some advice it sure would be appreciated

 

[absynth]

Well I finally decided on a light system. I bought this:
400watt hps + mh conversion bulb. Comes with ballast, bulbs, reflector. Heres the actual item I think it will be perfect. I also have a 48" fluoro, which I may use as supplemental lighting or save it for when my space expands a little.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=016&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=260101185165&rd=1&rd=1

I think it was a good price too. Im going to try to grow some ww.

 

[the_riz]

Hey man nice one, glad you got yourself a good light.. hope your gonna start a journal man, its always good to journal your first grow

 

[ms4ms]

I made my final decision for my germinating lites. It was mentioned that halogen was not so good so I have 2 -36" fluros at 30w each. I have also read that this would be good all the way through but I think I will switch to something else for flowering. I am looking at 4 weeks for vegetation growth. I will start feeding in about a week. These babies have grown from nothing to 3 whole inches in 2 days with the fluro lite change. I am like a kid and want to look at them constantly. I just hope I get ladies.

 

[Hick]

Lol. I think we've all had that feeling, practically sitting there and watching them grow. I've heard that the time you start feeding them is not measured by their age, but rather, as soon as they sprout their second set of jagged leaves. You'll want to start off mixing up 1/4 of the strength recommended on the container. Also, when it comes time to flower, than provided you live in US or Canada, I know a website where you can get cheap HPS and MH lights.
On there, you can find 150w HPS and MH lights that will fit into a regular 120v light socket. They cost around 30 bucks a piece, and you don't have to buy a ballast. If your growing area is over 3 square feet, I'd recommend you get two 150w bulbs. The rule of thumb is to have 5000 lumens per square foot, and one 150w HPS will put out 14 400.
Best of luck, may your stockings be filled with buds.

I just looked at that site, as I suspected, they have bulbs that "fit" a regular household socket,but they still require a ballast.
Please go back and edit the posts you posted the mis-information in.
thanks..

"
Special Instructions:
Lamp must be operated with a suitable ballast."

 

[absynth]

Hey man nice one, glad you got yourself a good light.. hope your gonna start a journal man, its always good to journal your first grow

Thank you and I definately will! I'll post it somewhere appropriate labeled something like "little absynths".