Help MH+HPS or Just an HPS!?

im very new to growing indoors >.< but anyways im doing a vertical barrel shaped scrog, so like a big cylander of wire lol, in a 3 feet, by 2 feet, by 3-4 feet high, just wondering if i really need to get the switchable ballast, but i see people using just hps through a whole grow? not sure, i want to veg 4 plants for a month, hopefully filling most of my 10 sqr feet of screen, and im looking to use 400 watt bulb, but i would appreciate the advice

It is best to have both MH and HPS but it isnt a must, i use HPS all the way through and are more than happy with results, if u have the money get a switchable with both bulbs, if not just get HPS

You can use one or the other for the entire grow, if you do use a HPS it will give you better results..
But the best way, for the best yield, run both.. My Magnetic ballast runs both MH and HPS. There is no switch or anything, just screw the bulb in and go..

thatoneguy1991 said:

im very new to growing indoors >.< but anyways im doing a vertical barrel shaped scrog, so like a big cylander of wire lol, in a 3 feet, by 2 feet, by 3-4 feet high, just wondering if i really need to get the switchable ballast, but i see people using just hps through a whole grow? not sure, i want to veg 4 plants for a month, hopefully filling most of my 10 sqr feet of screen, and im looking to use 400 watt bulb, but i would appreciate the advice

Click to expand...

Some people say MH makes a more stout strong plant in veg...this is becasue of the spectrum the MH gives off .......On the other hand some say HPS works just as good for stroutness on a veg plant ....this is because a same watt HPS bulb gives off more lumens then a MH bulb......this is to be debated.....Me i think that HPS does a pretty good job of vegging and flowering....

Another factor is MH gives off UVB rays which in studies have shown that UVB rays can increase potency in a flowering plant.....the down side is that MH dosent give off as much Lumens there for not making your yield has heavy........So what alot of people do( including me) is run the HPS all through flower then the last Two weeks i switch to MH for that UVB rays to increase potency......the reason i wait tell the last 2 weeks is becasue by then the plant is pretty much done packing on wieght and its not really going to get any bigger so theres no disadvantage to the MH giving off less lumens because its already done growing in weight and now the MH will help increase the potency.......

So recap : Some use HPS all the way throught....some use MH for veg then swith to HPS all the way thourgh flower......some use MH for veg then HPS for flower then back to MH last two weeks for added potency......some just use MH all the way from start to finish( these are usually old timers and only grow for personal smoke and only care about potency).....hope some of this helps......

im just wondering, for the space im using if a 400 watt will produce to much heat and burn my plants , but im thinking that i gotta run the mh for veg, and then run the hps for flowering, or can i run both at the same time from 1 ballast? idk this shit confuses me, i miss using the good ol sun lol

No you cant run them at the same time......If you want to run two bulbs you need two ballasts..... You can get a switchable ballast and run MH in veg and HPS in flower and that way you only need one ballast..... If you get two bulbs and a switchable ballast you should consider switching back to MH for last couple weeks for potency...I mean if you already have the MH buld WHY NOT?? \

also another thing to consider is that the UVB rays will be blocked if your bulb is inclosed with a class window...the glass will stop the UVB rays..... just keep that in mind.....

You asked if a 400w will be to hot for your grow......Id say no as long as your exhausting your old hot air outside and passivly bringing in cool resh air then your temps should be fine....If you are exhausting back into the same room your are growing then you have a big problem on your hands.....

Seems like the most noob mistake i read on here is peolpe thinking there ok by exhausting back in there own grow room.....im geting so tired of reading that shit......VENT YOUR AIR OUTSIDE this is simple basic stuff here that so many people fual up.....

Having tried it all in my grow I ended up wasting money on the MH (IMHO).

I only veg to 10-14 inches (after FIM & LSTing). For me CFLs are the way to go in a smaller seperate cab.
HPS in the veggie room though.

With this I can have 3 maturing, 3 started in flower. Along with 3 near flower, 3 seedling/sprouts and 6 cloning (2-b reduced to 3 again) in the CFL cab. I start clones from new entries into flower when harvesting a mature crop.
I use "3" because I prefer 3 different strains per monthly harvest.

For what I'm doing I just don't need the expense and heat of a MH in the veg box (it's not that big). Once I tried the MH I needed fans and had tons of heat / humidity / control issues. MH (IMO) are hot and unless you're growing tall or many plants it's just not needed to a well thoughtout personal grow.
From my little areas I get way more than I need of bud, BHO, hash, and Tinc.

well thank you , yea im trying to get a perpetual grow everymonth, i need a little for myself, and other patients around me, so im trying to get the highest yeild possible, and from what i have read you can get anywhere from 1oz-2.5oz per sqr foot? so im hoping that it goes that way haha, but i think i might just get the 400 watt hps ballast and bulb, it sounds like alot of people get very good results with that, cuz im only growing each plants about 2 feet high, and just trying to fill a vertical screen that is 10 sqr feet, so wish me luck

Thinking modestly......
10 Sq, ft.,, 1 plant per foot,,, one oz (+) per plant....
I can't see why you couldn't get 5 oz from that. With some trials and tuning you could easily be looking at 1/2 LB before long on a monthly basis with some reliable regularity.

The nice part about CFLs for veg is you don't need to suport a 400 with juice when it's not needed. Plus, positioning and adding CFLs as they grow is efficiency in a blistful sort of way. (LOL)
For me, I also prefer smaller (23 w?)multiple lights as opposed to a couple of biggies. Gives more control over spread.

My flower room is just a little smaller than your 10 sq. ft. and use a 250w. You should do fine with the 400 in that space.

well technicaly its going to be 5 plants for 2 feet of screen, cuz its going to be growing up and around, kinda idk, i need to make a picture or somhting lol