Hortilux Eye Worth the Price?

Can anyone confirm that the Hortilux Eye is the best super HPS bulb out there. Has anyone witnessed the difference between Hortilux Eye and cheap bulbs like IPower on Amazon?

Smootherpete said:

Can anyone confirm that the Hortilux Eye is the best super HPS bulb out there. Has anyone witnessed the difference between Hortilux Eye and cheap bulbs like IPower on Amazon?

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here is a great video on measuring bulbs

I like the OG HOOD they reflect a lot of light

chuck estevez said:

here is a great video on measuring bulbs

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Excellent video Chuck....he says there are three factors 1- the ballast, 2 the input voltage, 3 the reflector

So easy to believe a good ballast would produce more than a cheap one, but the voltage surprized me, does it produce more PAR if hooked up via 220 volts

As for the reflector, I'm surprized what a difference....I think I need to buy a better reflector

OK, then my question would be, are IPower ballasts good enough to run a Hortilux Eye to full capacity. Do we have to get a Hortilux ballast to get real "Hortilux" lighting?

Anyway, I was doing fine with my old cheap bulb. Can't see how this one could be worst.

Smootherpete said:

OK, then my question would be, are IPower ballasts good enough to run a Hortilux Eye to full capacity. Do we have to get a Hortilux ballast to get real "Hortilux" lighting?

Anyway, I was doing fine with my old cheap bulb. Can't see how this one could be worst.

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your ballast will work fine. look harder at your reflector more then ballast

http://www.plantitearth.com/whats-hot/hydrofarm-digital-phantom-ballast.aspx

They give you the phantom II which is newer obviously, a hydrofarm radiant hood and hortlux eye bulb..i got mine for 275$ cuz they gave me 8 in hood for free cuz they ran out of 6 in... call them I doubt ANYONE has better deal.

It says 5 year warranty, my box only says 3 I think...its the newer phantom though.

Smootherpete said:

Can anyone confirm that the Hortilux Eye is the best super HPS bulb out there. Has anyone witnessed the difference between Hortilux Eye and cheap bulbs like IPower on Amazon?

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Big difference between normal HPS bulb and the super HPS hortilux, it has a different spectrum that has more included in it that's why they are so expensive.

There not even that expensive 60 bucks on eBay 1000 watt super hps I rather spend double on an eye then sum shitty 30 dollar bulb

I hit home runs with the 30 dollar plant max bulbs from ebay. Usually only takes 1-2 runs for a bulb to lose 5% of its lumen output . I prefer to buy cheap bulbs and replace every 2 runs. I used to run eye hortilux , I argued the difference til I was blue in face. I did a run of the cheap bulbs to shut him up... That's when I hit my best yields haha. im not saying the cheap bulb is better.. I'm saying in my opinion a bulb is a bulb. Ballast and hood make a much bigger difference. I have quantoms and lumateks . Everyone hates on lumatek and it is the only ballast to go out on me, and Ive had 3 go out.. But the spectrum it throws off compared to the quantom, lumatek has my vote

Man sometimes it seems like the gardening industry spends all its time trying to up sell on everything. Can't blame em. I used to buy all the new stuff up until I kept track of the end result and cost/benefit. I use plantmax bulbs. 30 bucks good for two rounds.