UPDATED: Thought i’d make a thread just to show what CFL can do as I’m moving to LED after this:
Almost 10 weeks getting really close i think (some damned fine genetics here)
This plant is really making me happy.
Still even has some to go. I’ll update it once more (with real focus) when i harvest it.
I’m looking forward to seeing the finished result. A lot of new growers must get a little disheartened when they read about light types, it always used to be is you don’t have MH or HPS you are wasting your time, now there is LED too, the negativity certainly put me off 15 years ago. I’m about 5 weeks from finishing my first grow with T8’s and no regrets so far.
Better to grow with what you can put together than not grow at all.
This so much. I know this is a cliché line to say but dayum rite man that’s how it is!
I’ve grown with quite a bit of light types and all I can say is that I better grow with something rather not grow at all.
I hear that - i am still curious about HID but LED is obviously the way to go in 2018. For me it was sorta- i finally actually have a place to grow, lets see if these 5 year old seeds do anything… and once they popped i went to home depot and just bought whatever i could set up quickly without too much hvac - wife said no nails in the wall, so everything is taped, lmfao.
long story short im upgrading the space next grow and going full time i enjoy it so much
Nice to hear!
Upgrading = ?
Tell us the full story, whats the plan
i think you commented on it actually- the thread where im moving into a new house and thinking about solstrips:
I wish i could go full-remodel right now but family is finishing up a PT degree in grad school so im heading out of alaska for a couple of years
Alaska!
Wow man. That is trippy.
Hard work requires serious hobbies? 
welcome to the club, this hobby is addicting! It can even be the gateway to growing your own vegetables, has been for me.
I think the spectrum of fluoro lighting has always been good, it just doesn’t ramp up well for bigger grows and plants
Does for me man- worked IT-helpdesk for the federal government for 10 years and saved up some money but… never again. have to like what i’m doing these days.
@Muleskinner
Yes sir! my goal where im moving is to make garden salsa out of pure grow - it really is. and it shows in the final product when you have a true passion as does most things in life.
In an optimal learning environment, like the OG, you are oughta to become the next cannabis prodigy.
Lmfao- there is so much knowledge and generosity here it blows my mind. I hope it says that way, I know i will be giving back whenever i can once i hit the hall of fame like some of these guys here. I take a lot of inspiration from the people i have met through this website, that is for sure, and i barely even have my hands dirty.
Cheers man!
There is no hall of fame, no matter if some guys think there is. There is only love 
i know i know. just some of the guys have obviously been at it a long time … hope to one day grow like that is all =)
…how MUCH CFL? & what kind? & how close? & all that other crap we wanna know? 
i had no problem at all with the CFLs, maybe heat. switching to LED scrwins has been a learning experience for me. it seems like marginal or unhealthy/sensitive plants have less tolerance for the LED and finding the right distance/height has seemed much trickier. in short, never burned with CFLs, but did repeatedly with LED screwins. just ramblin again. 
I bought 3 packs of 4 phillips 23 watt / 1600 lumen bulbs from home depot and used every lamp/bulb adapter and extension cord i had in the house- I do have a grow log going called “CFL Closet - Round 2”
8 of the bulbs are 2700k and 4 of them are 6500k
Using FF big bloom / tea / molasses for flower.
Wow that’s interesting to hear… I thought the 1600s were a bit much on the heat as i want to literally touch them to the light because of the CFL penetration but i feel like i have to keep them just far enough away to not get good buds (not to mention the non-focused lumens going in all directions.
Did a lot of leaf gymnastics making sure as much surface area was being hit as possible to get those results…very happy with 3 of the plants… the others came in small due to not enough 3+ gal pots but i cloned them and will be flowering out the last 4 clones better.
Going to try solstrips for an LED solution next - I’ll have to look into LED heat buildup as i just sort of htought it wasn’t all that much… i know its not as bad as HID at least though.
the LED bulbs do put out less heat, but the intensity of the light isn’t felt as heat, from what i’m seeing. if i get closer than 18" i’m burning leaves. fwiw, i removed the lens covers. they definitely are intense enough for eye problems.
thanks for the thorough response! will check your log 
Updated picture- i think that plant is getting close at 10 weeks tomorrow
And here we are in 2024 - I’m finally starting my LED run 
