Like this? You can use those, they will work. But as for efficiency and low heat, those are just marketing hooks. These are less efficient than HID bulbs or simple shoplight fluorescents and they produce just as much heat as any other 125W lighting device. If you can use a four-foot shoplight (or a three foot but they and the tubes can be harder to find and relatively expensive) then I would suggest doing that, otherwise the compact will do fine. Note that it will not be powerful enough to properly light the whole 3'x3' area for starting most seeds, perhaps enough if you also have good natural light.

Cheap CFl light bulbs!!

Check this place out! http://www.electrical-supply.net/category.asp_Q_parentid_E_657_A_subcatid_E_670

I just bought a 85 watt 5,500 Lumens CFL for 12 bucks! They have a clearance section with awesome prices.

Here is a link that might be useful: electrical-supply.net

Hi verb71, how did that CFL work out? I'm thinking about buying a 105W for $9.99, seems TGTBT.

Thanks for posting the link, if the lamps are any good, it's an awesome find!

Get the high output one for 12.95

Here is a link that might be useful: 5500 lumen 85 watt CFL

these dont work good for seed area over 2x2 but you said for your house plants. the bulbs are not like tubes they do produce a nice amount of heat. but if your only covering a 3x3 area and it is just for supplementary light it should be fine.
i have a 125W.

I have a 125w cfl over my hydro. I like it, seems to make the plants grow pretty quick. They bend right up and over to the light. I add a few red led spotlights for my flowering stages.

I like the CFLs. For me they do just fine. I have very small DWC hydro which I made from tupperware like bowls and growing romaine lettuce and some herbs. Works great. Got a 250watt off eBay from a guy in Canada. I like it. Tried to find a 250 watt in US for decent price but could not. Takes a mogul base not a regular one. Very low heat and electric meter no more cost than my shop lights which I also have and love. I run 2 48in shop lights with 2 6500K daylight lamps in each one and I get good results from them also. Had I known I would get the good results from these 2 shop lights I might not have purchased the 250watt from Canada. I must add that I do have silver reflective film around the back and sides of my hydro area.

DL

Hi, I am currently growing with a 250w HPS bulb in one grow, and a 125watt CFL grow bulb in another. Both are in enclosed reflector hoods. Shrubs_n_bulbs is absolutely correct about the low heat... it's false. I haven't gone all scientific on it to compare the heat to my HPS, but the temp in the hood running the CFL was well over 100 degrees with a room temp of only 64 degrees so I added venting to the hood.

I like the CFL but will probably replace it with a metal halide setup after a while since it's cheaper to replace MH bulbs than 125w CFLs.

I've a GE Energy Smart  1600 lumen, 6500K, and geraniums are blooming wildly near and under it, better than in a south facing bay window. I am getting retail quality blooms.

I had to move it back a bit. It was burning leaves at 4-5 inches but no problem at 6-8 inches.

As to the claims that the CFLs produce as much heat as a HID I respectfully disagree. I am as cynical as anybody regarding advertising and the like but I know MH and HPS bulbs get extremely hot and will send you to the ER if you are unfortunate enough to touch one while it is on. In my experience the CFL gets slightly warm near the ballast but the bulb could be touched and it won't burn you or your plants. I can keep tops of plants about 3"-5" away from the CFL but about 15" from HID due to heat scorching the plants. The 125 watt Vitalume which emits approximately 10,500 lumens (this is not the equivalent to a 125 watt incandescent which is actually only 42 watts and emits about 1750 lumens) works excellent for plant growth but as others stated it only covers an area of about 2' x 2' effectively. They work great in the hobby greenhouses especially if you line the inside with mylar or something similar. But HID offers most lumens per dollar. For example, 400 watt HPS with hortilux bulb about $275.00 for 58,000 lumens or a budget MH 400 watt with std MH bulb about $200.00 for about 30,000 lumens.