What light to use, i have a few options 400w MH or 150hps - - flowering

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toolband420

Active Member
Hello, I have a little problem here, Im not sure what to use here. I have a 400w MH going on about 3 weeks into flower, I was given an 150hps. I know HPS is much better to use when flowering but im just not sure if 150w is enough to keep my plants happy. I have 3 plants that are fairly tall, and bushy, around 3 feet. Do you think im better off keeping the 400 due to the fact that it is a 400 and not a 150? Or should i replace it with the 150 and put some CFL's for the lower branchs. . .

any help would be awesome. . thanks alot
 
PussymOneyWeed

PussymOneyWeed

Well-Known Member
Definintly dont sacrafice wattagae for color spectrum, your plant will do just fine with the MH (granted not optimal). Why not add the 150 watter in the closet as supplemental lighting ? That would be the best of both worlds and guaranteed to make a difference.
 
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toolband420

Active Member
thats what i was thinking about, just a little concerned with heat and electric use. . . a 150 shouldn't take up too much juice right? Guess because its only on 12/12 it shouldn't be too bad. I have the temp sitting at about 81 which is perfect, but again it is only a 150 so i can't seeing making the temps rise too much. . .
 
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toolband420

Active Member
so how much more power do you think a 150hps will use on 12/12, do you think these will make the closet much hotter? Like i said we have a 400MH in there with a 4inch outlet fan. . .temp stays about 81 or 82. What do you guys think?
 
ratatoolie

ratatoolie

Active Member
if i were you what i would do is go on ebay and buy another 150 watt hps, the results will be well worth the $70 especially since you were give one for free. you will be paying 100 watts less on your bill with the right spectrum and just enough light, one plant should have about 100 watts hps on it to be happy.
 
ratatoolie

ratatoolie

Active Member
toolband420 said:
so how much more power do you think a 150hps will use on 12/12, do you think these will make the closet much hotter? Like i said we have a 400MH in there with a 4inch outlet fan. . .temp stays about 81 or 82. What do you guys think?
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im using one 150 hps in a 4 ft by 1 1/2 ft box with good ventilation my temps stay at 77 at the canopy at about six inches away and the light adds about $7 on my bill on 12/12
 
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toolband420

Active Member
ratatoolie said:
if i were you what i would do is go on ebay and buy another 150 watt hps, the results will be well worth the $70 especially since you were give one for free. you will be paying 100 watts less on your bill with the right spectrum and just enough light, one plant should have about 100 watts hps on it to be happy.
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I was also looking at maybe a conversion bulb, MH to HPS. . .. Im just not sure how well those work, any thoughts?
 
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toolband420

Active Member
ratatoolie said:
im using one 150 hps in a 4 ft by 1 1/2 ft box with good ventilation my temps stay at 77 at the canopy at about six inches away and the light adds about $7 on my bill on 12/12
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thanks for the info, that really isn't to bad per month. . . from what i read anything above 90 is not good for the babies, so im just a little concerned with the heat aspect of it. Guess the only way to truly find out is to throw it in and try it out. The plants look soo much better with the MH then when i was using CFL's, but that was to be expected. I'll have to get some pictures for you guys
 
ratatoolie

ratatoolie

Active Member
just buy the thing throw them both in there if it dont work for you your next grow you will have 2x150 hps to play with its all about the configuration of your room and how the air is circulating that determines the temps whats $70 you wont miss it??
 
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toolband420

Active Member
ratatoolie said:
just buy the thing throw them both in there if it dont work for you your next grow you will have 2x150 hps to play with its all about the configuration of your room and how the air is circulating that determines the temps whats $70 you wont miss it??
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true, might be a better option, im still curious about those conversion lamps, wonder if they are worth the cash.. . .if they do what they say they do then i'd think i'd be better off just buying a 400w MH to HPS coversion bulb. . . hmmmm
 
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shortshack13

Member
you will loose lumens comparied to normal 400hps but i wouldnt worry bout it. you want the budding spectrum of the hps. i ran a conversion from mh-hps with a 250w had bout the same results. little less but i think it would be better than strait mh. part of the issue you will have with a 400 is the depth of penetration. i personally would only do 2ft at finish flower for a 400w but you will still bud lower than 2ft just wont be dense and tends to take a little from the tops imo. little though for the next round. hope that helps a little
 
ratatoolie

ratatoolie

Active Member
wow those are some monster plants for indoor you ill definitely need a strong hps to get the results your looking for very nice
 
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toolband420

Active Member
ratatoolie said:
wow those are some monster plants for indoor you ill definitely need a strong hps to get the results your looking for very nice
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thanks. . but i know right. . they are huge...just a bit concerned with how much taller they will get :? , i've got 6 clones going right now, no way am i going to let them wait so long before I hit the switch
 
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findme

Well-Known Member
use the mh light for vegging and flowering. no need to use the 150w if you have something with more lumens.
 
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toolband420

Active Member
findme said:
use the mh light for vegging and flowering. no need to use the 150w if you have something with more lumens.
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I think thats what im going to do, the 150 just wont cut it for 3 plants. . . .Not sure if I should put the 150 in also, it can't hurt anything but little worried about the heat with the 400mh also. . . i will keep the thread updated
 
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toolband420

Active Member
shortshack13 said:
http://www.1000bulbs.com/category/360-watt-conversion-high-pressure-sodium-lamps/ 400 mh-hps conversion
http://www.1000bulbs.com/category/400-watt-tubular-metal-halide-lamps/ strait 400mh

you do the comparison on the conversion bulb lumens i would never use a strait mh unless i had to. invest in the 360w conversion and get 10000 more lumens with the propper budding spectrum.
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thanks for the links, that bulb is pretty cheat, and looks like it would deff be worth it
 
ratatoolie

ratatoolie

Active Member
toolband420 said:
thanks. . but i know right. . they are huge...just a bit concerned with how much taller they will get :? , i've got 6 clones going right now, no way am i going to let them wait so long before I hit the switch
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if height is a issue which it looks like it will be you should think about topping them, make clones out of the cutting if you have the space so nothing is wasted....
 
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