Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Compact fluorescent light bulbs produce less heat (almost no heat is emitted from the bulb itself) and more light than full-size fluorescent grow lights. They are a popular choice for home gardeners because they are inexpensive, available in many common stores, and can be used in regular light sockets.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs offer the widest range of color spectrums of any type of lighting and are versatile due to their small size and low heat output. They are especially good for shelf gardening because their low heat allows you to place lights on shelves that are stacked on top of each other. Smaller plants and seedlings can thrive in a well-designed indoor garden lit with fluorescent grow lights.
Disadvantages of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
The major disadvantages of compact fluorescent light bulbs are their inefficiency and poor light penetration. A bank of several compact fluorescent light bulbs can use as much energy as one HPS bulb, but will not produce anywhere near as much usable light for your indoor garden.
Optimizing Fluorescent Grow Lights
Although they will never equal the efficiency or output of HID lights, there are several things you can do to counteract the inherent disadvantages of compact fluorescent light bulbs.