Lighting Question HPS +reps if your nice!

LadyKimi

LadyKimi

Well-Known Member
I have been reading and reading for weeks thinking I had weeks to make this decision but the hubby told me he wants me to order a new light system for our next grow this weekend. I think I have decided on HPS as I would really rather have the same light the whole way thru due to my back issues (sounds nuts but the less amount of stretching, bending and outright movement the better right now).

I KNOW its here somewhere buy my narcotic hazed brain doesn't remember anything and although I have taken tons of notes I do not have any notes on HPS yet and I can't seem to find what I am looking for now...

WoW I ramble sometimes... I need to know what size HPS I should get for optimum growth of 4 plants as I plan on having a 4 plant perpetual. I am going 2 be LSTing them if that changes anything.

Also is there a real difference in "FULL" and "BROAD" Spectrum?

Thanks All!!

~Lady
 
kronic1989

kronic1989

Well-Known Member
I would say get a 400 watt Ballast and light. Your best bet for one bulb the whole grow is the 430 watt son agro. It has all the power you need for flowering and the added blue spectrum for veg growth. I use it from seed to harvest, Its an amazing light. I would highly recommend it. European grows love these lights
 
woodsmaneh!

woodsmaneh!

Well-Known Member
you can go with ether 1000w or 430w HPS. I would say go with the smaller light as you only have 4 plants under it. The big difference in the light is heat output and depth of light penetration. Bigger light bigger plants. 3 feet vs 5 feet.


Spectrum info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grow_light

You will need to move your light up and down. With your bad back you should buy a small rope pulley system, Get one with 3 or 4 pulleys as it will make it effortless to move it. It's a small block and tackle. Home depot in the rope section.

Peace
 
bongmarley2009

bongmarley2009

Well-Known Member
For 4 plants, I would go with a 400w HPS with a hortilux bulb (adds 30% more blue violet spectrum than standard HPS bulbs). It really depends on what kind of grow space you will be working with. Can you efficiently keep the temperatures in the recommended range? I ran a 400w MH/HPS with hydrofarm remote ballast and reflector in a 3x3x6 secret jardin tent and heat wasn't even an issue because of the air coolable reflector and 6" fan I used to pull the heat out. HTG is a decent website to order from, but I would recommend you upgrade to an air-coolable reflector if your setup is compatible. Also, I would strongly recommend you check out plantlightinghydroponics. That's my go to webstore. Awesome prices with very reasonable shipping costs.

Edit: If you go digital, I would pick up a Lumatek ballast.
 
calismoke28

calismoke28

Active Member
hey ladyKimi! i would recommend a 400w with a 6 inch vented enclosed hood in a 4x4 area!! i would use an 6 inch inline fan on one side of the hood blowing all that hot air threw 6" ducting up into your attic or outside whatever is easiest!! i look at it as the less heat coming from the light the closer you can put the light to your plants! here is a link for something like what you need. http://www.bestgrowlights.com/product/FBGL5263 .keep in mind you will want a full spectrum HPS light bulb so your plants will receive some blue spectrum in there vegetation stage! good luck!
 
420BongRips

420BongRips

Well-Known Member
Hey there, for 4 plants I would recommend using a 400W HPS, and it also depends on your grow space and area you're working with. Choose a light with full spectrum so it receives some of the blue spectrum but I would recommend using a MH during vegetative stage because of the tremendous blue spectrum it produces which is vital for your plant in that stage. Good luck on your decisions :D you got any pics of your grow area or setup?
 
LadyKimi

LadyKimi

Well-Known Member
We own our home and have an entire spare bedroom we are using for my "Ghetto Grow" It is a 12x14 room so heat wont be an issue as I can have the hubby move around the reflective walling to what ever size works best. I guess I should figure out what size will be best I currently have my 7 bag seed plants in a 3 foot x 5 foot area.

Thanks for the pully idea. My husband will be able to help out with stuff like that but he works 12-15 hours a day to make up 4 my lost income so I don't like to ask him 4 help if I can help it.

Looking online and pricing them out I can go to a 600 if needed, I just want to make sure my girls are the best they can be! I havent smoked in 20 years and I plan on using my next grow to try and get off of some, if not all of my pain meds.

I'm going to hit the bed now, reps to everyone so far, will check back later since I cant sleep more than 3 hrs at a time and I am addicted to this site!

~Lady
 
purplecream

purplecream

Active Member
It depends what you're trying to achieve, tell us more about the space you're working with and what you hope to yield. If you have a good amount of space and can control the heat go with a 400 watt hps or maybe even a 600 watt hps. If you're doing a smaller grow go with a 250 watt hps.
 
bongmarley2009

bongmarley2009

Well-Known Member
I got into this hobby not too long ago and only have 2 grows under my belt, and I would recommend following the go big or go home approach especially if you have the
$$$$. I started out with one of the smallest tents at 1.9'x1.9'x3.9' with a 400w HPS. After my first grow and having to deal with such a small grow space and heat, I purchased a 3'x3'x6' tent because I wanted to grow more plants and not have to deal with heat issues anymore. I also had new living conditions that permitted me to fit the bigger tent in my living area. I was finally satisfied. Now circumstances are forcing me to revert back to my small tent and a 150w light. Soooo with that being said, buy a light that is most suitable for your room and ask yourself these questions. Are you going to want to grow more than 4 plants eventually? Do you want to invest in a higher wattage lamp to achieve the maximum potential yield? Do you see yourself trying to grow more plants in the future? So many possibilities. Could go with 1 400w, 600w, or 1000w. You could go with 2 600w, 3 400w, and so on.
 
woodsmaneh!

woodsmaneh!

Well-Known Member
Nice dog I have 3 big dogs.

OK you have all that room so go with 1000W with a gull wing or gull wing cool tube. less fuss with the gull wing, hang it and thats it. You will need at least a couple of fans one stays on all the time the other when the light is on. Get yourself an min. max temperature humidity reader from the source 25$.

Temps 80 to 85 lights on

78 to 80 lights off

humidity 65% ideal +- 5 OK

I hope your going organic? It is the easy way and far less work than any other way. Sounds like the less you all have to do the better right?

Peace and positive vibes your way

need to know anything just ask.
 
dadio161

dadio161

Well-Known Member
I got me a 400W/600W switchable ballest. I can run a 400W or 600W which ever suits me best at the time. I can also run either MH or HPS as needed. I just have to change a bulb. Takes about two minutes. Thats to open the enclosed hood.
 

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stumps

stumps

Well-Known Member
I use a bedroom with a 400w with a cooltube and about 300w of cfl. It can get warm real fast. I will soon dump the cfl's and use the 400 mh to veg and a 600w hps for flower. I tried the single grow and found I didn't grow enough to wait for another to start and finish. just my penny's worth of thought.
 
LadyKimi

LadyKimi

Well-Known Member
Wood, thats Ariel our boerboel. She is by far the sweetest yet most (untrained) protective dog we have ever had. I've always had Giant Breeds but she is by far my favorite dog. We will be breeding her 1 time before spay if your interested LoL

I am growing 4 personal use but my brother and my son both smoke regularly so I guess I'll have to do a yield per plant research before I make my final light choice. I guess if I end up with a giant yield if I grow more than 4 I can just take a season off and store it. Heck, this is way more work than I thought it would be LoL. I do enjoy it tho its the first thing I've found that I really enjoy since I got hurt and had to give up all my hobbies. I was really hoping ( in the start) not to kill my electric bill, so much for that!

~Lady

Reps awarded!
 
woodsmaneh!

woodsmaneh!

Well-Known Member
Don't know where you are but...

1000w uses just 1 kilowatt per hour so lets say your cost is 5 cents a kilowatt, thats 5 cents an hour to run. look at your bill it will tell you what you pay.

1000w x total hours on say 12 = 12 x 5 cents =60 cents a day x 30 days = $18.00 dollars a month to run the light.

may be 10$ for fans ect.

So your cost would be less that your window air conditioner.

If you have issues with dirty power, brown outs and power outs do not but a digital ballast.

I have a Alaunt 100 lbs, Am Staff 65 lbs and pitty 45 lbs. The am staff is the wifes.

peace

so you going organic?
 
LadyKimi

LadyKimi

Well-Known Member
I think I am having a Blonde moment, just how large are the HPS or the CMH bulbs? My CFLs are built into a 4 foot long fixture, Can these smaller bulbs really cover as much or more area? I do not usually have to have things explained to me like a 5 year old but................



Wood, those are small dogs! LoL Yes we will be going organic, my current girls were not grown organic, its 1 of the reasons I personally am not going to smoke it...allergies and 13 different subscribed drugs a day makes me very careful...

~Lady
 
woodsmaneh!

woodsmaneh!

Well-Known Member
The bulbs are larger 1000w looks like a big sub bun. Careful they will burn you bad if you touch them, I got a bald head and touched one, now I wear a hat. LOL

a 1000w will cover 4 x4 feet and will penetrate up to 4 feed deep. Remember you have to keep the light 12 to 18 inches away from the plants. That gives you 16 sq feet to grow in x 5 to 6 feet high. Each plant needs at the least 2 sq feet to grow in. so the number of plants I would grow is 4 to 6. I would veg them at least 4 weeks till they are about 2 feet high if they get longer cut the top off just above a node. than veg for 5 days than flower. You should get 2 to 4 top buds doing this vs just 1. You can make bud butter from the extra and bake with it the effects last from 6 to 8 hours, great for pain management. Sorry I am all over the place but not sure what you know.

Peace
 
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