HPS/MH Question..

[SenorSanteria]

Im looking into getting an HPS. Im using nearly 600w of CFL light now, and I'm still not getting the coverage that a 400w hps could do. In my opinion, at least. I've found a cheap 400w metal halide setup. I know you can to HPS to MH conversion kids... but can it be done both ways? Can I use a MH ballast to run an HPS light?

 

[bfq]

i do not think so. HPS ballasts have an igniter, MH do not.

take a look at a supplier and see if they sell HPS conversion bulbs and that will tell you fast enough if my guess was accurate.

 

[bugjeter]

If you go with a MH... Sunmaster makes MH bulbs with emphasis in the red or blue spectrum. But yes there are conversion bulbs either way.
High Tech Garden Supply

 

[crackbaby]

If you go with a MH... Sunmaster makes MH bulbs with emphasis in the red or blue spectrum. But yes there are conversion bulbs either way.
High Tech Garden Supply

what he said!

 

[bfq]

If you go with a MH... Sunmaster makes MH bulbs with emphasis in the red or blue spectrum. But yes there are conversion bulbs either way.
High Tech Garden Supply

i do not see HPS conversion bulbs at HTG.

 

[bugjeter]

i do not think so. HPS ballasts have an igniter, MH do not.

take a look at a supplier and see if they sell HPS conversion bulbs and that will tell you fast enough if my guess was accurate.

There are bulbs available to convert HPS to MH
Confirmation: Metal Halide (MH) and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) Conversion Bulbs at Home Harvest Garden Supply

 

[SenorSanteria]

Holy crap 65 bucks just for a bulb!

Indoorsun.com has an entire 400w HPS setup for $99 with everything included. I think I'll just do that.

 

[SenorSanteria]

Ok, new question...

Metal Halide VS CFL's for FLOWERING. Which would you choose? A 400w metal halide or 580w of CFL's (warm and cool)?

 

[Torturedzen]

Here's your MH to HPS conversion bulb

EYE 360W HPS Conversion Bulb - Plantlighting Hydroponics

 

[bfq]

Ok, new question...

Metal Halide VS CFL's for FLOWERING. Which would you choose? A 400w metal halide or 580w of CFL's (warm and cool)?

there is NO comparison. MH.

 

[fiender]

HID lights always have more lumens per watt than flourescent, adn if you get the MH, then you can still use the cfl's for side lighting.

more light is always better.

 

[SenorSanteria]

there is NO comparison. MH.

Really? Even for flowering?

 

[SenorSanteria]

HID lights always have more lumens per watt than flourescent, adn if you get the MH, then you can still use the cfl's for side lighting.

more light is always better.

That would defeat the purpose, Im doing this to conserve on electricity. Id want to replace the 580w of CFL's with a 400w HPS/MH. I could easily just get more CFL's, but whats the point of running an 800watt CFL setup when you could get bigger yeilds from a much smaller wattage HPS? Even if I had 800w of cfl's, I still dont think they would be as effective as the 400 HPS. But I'm wondering how they'd compare to MH for flowering. I know MH works great for veg, but has anyone flowered under solely MH's before?

 

[BigBudBalls]

That would defeat the purpose, Im doing this to conserve on electricity. Id want to replace the 580w of CFL's with a 400w HPS/MH. I could easily just get more CFL's, but whats the point of running an 800watt CFL setup when you could get bigger yeilds from a much smaller wattage HPS? Even if I had 800w of cfl's, I still dont think they would be as effective as the 400 HPS. But I'm wondering how they'd compare to MH for flowering. I know MH works great for veg, but has anyone flowered under solely MH's before?

get your self a 400W HPS. Vegging under CFLs ain't all that bad.
How many plants ya talking?

 

[bfq]

get your self a 400W HPS. Vegging under CFLs ain't all that bad.
How many plants ya talking?

correct, CFL's work fine for vegging, a lot better than for flowering... however, the MH is mighty for veg so in a perfect world that is the tool to use for an indoor veg chamber.

 

[SenorSanteria]

But if I wanted to flower with the MH... would that be better or worse than just CFL's?

How many... lets say "under 20."

 

[bfq]

better.

HID just flat out SMOKES CFL.

 

[bfq]

CFL for 20 plants? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA you would have more of your grow taken by bulbs than buds

 

[BigBudBalls]

But if I wanted to flower with the MH... would that be better or worse than just CFL's?

How many... lets say "under 20."

If you are only going to get one lamp, go HPS.
If you have two rooms, HPS for flowering and CFLs for veg.
If you have one room, ponder a MH conversion bulb. Start with the MH then HPS for flowering.

And 20 plants? think about a few lamps.

 

[SenorSanteria]

If you are only going to get one lamp, go HPS.
If you have two rooms, HPS for flowering and CFLs for veg.
If you have one room, ponder a MH conversion bulb. Start with the MH then HPS for flowering.

And 20 plants? think about a few lamps.

My plants are already flowering under 600w of CFL's. Dont ask me how I somehow ended up with this many CFL's, but I did. Perhaps at some point i should have stopped to get a more economical and more effective 400w HPS, but I didnt and Im halfway through flowering and wishing I had more light. I mean, dont get me wrong... my plants look great, but I can tell theyd like a bit more light. I think im jus going to say fuck it, and do this whole grow with CFL's. Ill get an HPS when im at a better time... financially.