True. The good news is once you acquire a magnetic ballast, they last forever, and repairs are cheap. I'm not sure I've ever seen a stand alone 150w ballast. But these guys do nicely. They go for seventy bucks or so. And it includes the reflector and bulb...
Pshhshshs! Ummm, that rocks! My wife and I hoover the meds like hungry locomotive boilers! As far as I'm concerned, as a couple, you smoke like a prius!
Your electricity circuits in your house speak german. CFL's speak german. HPS and MH speak japanese. In order for your 150w HPS to work, you need a translator. Enter the ballast. Mr. Ballast speaks German AND Japanese!
Get it?
Yes, a 600w CFL will out perform a 400w HPS. BUT, a 600w HPS will spank a 600w CFL. Watt for watt, HID lights are the MOST efficient. I'm not making this up. The universe does what it wants, regardless of weather or not we want it to.
Not that you're arguing or anything.
Any one who claims lumens stack must quantify how light interacts with light. Have fun! Seeing as how light can't interact with light directly (without a matter catalyst), please quantify how matter phases from the Higgs Boson, somehow boosts the lumens, and then phases back. Much obliged...
Based on the behavior of CFl's and HID, I would recommend CFL's for a small cab, HID if you plan on growing taller plants. Let's not forget, CFL ballasts last a while, but the bulb fails, so you toss it all. This is not earth friendly. :lol:
I started laughing hysterically when I thought of 7,200 lumens (Assuming you run VHO) behind glass, which snatches 15% out of the gate. Thank you for the HYSTERICAL VISUAL! +Rep. Enjoy your 5,000 lumen weed. Hey, if it's all you can do, GROW FOR IT! But at least be aware.
I would construct an LED "Jacket", and drap it over the buds. Then line the walls with glow in the dark soldiers! Oh shite. I grabbed the mescaline instead of the hash, didn't I?