In need of a decent priced reliable grow light system.

Grow info:
2x blue mystic and 2x white widow plants all from nirvana
2x4x7 Grow Tent
4x 45W cfl lights for now
1x 6-inch 440 CFM Air Duct Inline Centrifugal Hydroponic Exhaust Fan

Hi Im currently on my first grow of blue mystic/white widow and I have the seedlings under 4x 45W CFL lights right now. I will use these lights for about 2 weeks and then transfer to most likely a 600w system if i feel like i can get the heat out. Does anyone know where I can find a complete 600w grow light system online, with pretty quick shipping times at a decent price? (around $250-280) im looking for one with an AC Reflector hood and a dimmable ballast. Thank you

Oh yeah i was also thinking about getting a cool tube, but i really want the biggest tightest buds possible so i went with an AC hood

ive used htgsupply.com. check it out.

Digital Greenhouse Dimmable 600 Watt Grow Light
Product Number: GL-VDG600







Click image for enlarged view

Includes: * Digital 600 Watt Dimmable Ballast, * Your choice of lamp (Choose Between Either HPS or MH) , * Reflector / Hood, * 15 foot Socket / Cord set

DIGITAL GREENHOUSE DIMMABLE 600 watt BALLAST

• Run at 50%, 75% or 100% FULL POWER
• Operates both Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium Bulbs
• UL LISTED for SAFETY & RELIABILITY!
• Accepts 120v (Household) to 240 voltages (120v cord included, 240v cord can be substituted at no extra cost)
• Allows 50 Hertz to 60 Hertz (US or EURO voltages)
• OPERATES well with GENERATORS!
• Runs 15% cooler than other digital ballasts on the market!
• High Power Factor of 99.9%
• The most stable output frequency of any ballast
• Higher lumen output and more efficient than magnetic ballasts
• Light weight and trouble free
• 5 year warranty

What is up with DIMMABLE Ballasts?
Dimmable Digital Electronic ballasts are the latest innovation in High Intensity Discharge (HID) Horticultural Lighting Technology. The Digital Greenhouse DIMMABLE Digital Ballasts allows you to operate your 600 watt lamp at 50%, 75% or 100% Full Power! This is especially useful when you have young plants that do not need and cannot withstand the full output of 600 watts. You can start your plants under 50% power, then as they grow move up to 75% and finish them off with 100% full power. This saves you money on your electric bill and more importantly fullfills the lighting needs your plants require at specific stages of growth. It's all about CONTROL! You control the output of the light your plants need when they need it!

Digital Greenhouse Digital Electronic ballasts have a proven track record of reliability and performance. Digital Greenhouse Digital ballasts are also one of the very few Digital Ballast to earn the U.L. Listing Seal of Approval that ensures the product is safe to use. Digital Greenhouse Digital ballasts offer a 5 YEAR WARRANTY (3 year full warranty, 2 year pro-rated) so you can rest assured this is a quality product that will give you many years of solid performance.

15' Universal Socket Set

• 15' Heavy Duty Cord
• Specialty Plug fits into ballast receptacle
• 5KV Pulse Rated Porcelain Mogul based socket fits all major brand High Intensity Discharge (HID) mogul based lamps!
• Universal design fits many types and brands of reflectors including High Yield Lighting, SunLight Supply and more!
• Allows you to remotely located ballast away from plants.
• Makes upgrading/changing reflector types simple, fast and easy!
• Top Quality, Steel Construction
• 15' Heavy Duty Cord length between receptacle plug and socket housing.

The recommended square foot coverage (area measure on the floor space of a garden) for a 1000 watt system is roughly 36-100 sq/ft.
Please note this is just a basic recommendation and depending on your particular garden or plants (and even reflector style) you may be able to use this light in a smaller or larger area than the suggested area of coverage. As a general rule, a garden cannot have "too much light". Meeting the plants demands for water, nutrients and CO2 must be met with increased light intensity to achieve optimium plant growth. Heat is often also a concern in any indoor garden and growers must be prepared to deal with ventilating the heat generated by a lighting system (and humidity produced by the plants). Different reflector styles also lend themselves to different sized gardens. Extra-Large reflectors like the SunSoaker or AiroFlow are designed to accomodate a large garden area while the MaxWing and others are best for modest, medium sized gardens. Using Air Cooled Reflectors is also suggested as they greatly facilitate containing and removing the heat generated by the lamp/bulb. Please visit our eBay store for other reflectors and bulb configurations available with this system.



Customize your product
Reflector:

Bulb:

Spare Bulb:

Add a Timer?:

Add Reflector Hangers?:

Select the Voltage:

Optional Extended Warranty:





http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-Digital-Greenhouse-Dimmable-600-Watt-Grow-Light.asp

I'd like to know why an AC hood produces more dense buds than a cool tube?

Illegal Smile said:

I'd like to know why an AC hood produces more dense buds than a cool tube?

Click to expand...

well with a lot of research ive read that the glass of a cool tube restricts some of the lumens output by the bulb. If this is not true then i will most likely lean towards a cooltube for space and heat purposes

One word AMAZON

Dude i have used most lights at some stage,leave the cool tube out of your grow on test we did at work a 600 hps once in the tube become the same has a 400 bat wing.go for a cool hood these lose very little but you get the loss back because of the closeness you can have the lights to the plant tops

ebay, your local craigslist, your local hydro shop may sell used hydro equip!

do some research

most people dont find a deal

if your not searching for one!

tyke1973 said:

Dude i have used most lights at some stage,leave the cool tube out of your grow on test we did at work a 600 hps once in the tube become the same has a 400 bat wing.go for a cool hood these lose very little but you get the loss back because of the closeness you can have the lights to the plant tops

Click to expand...

Thanks, this is more of the info i needed.. and at pphaze, ive been looking around for a month or so. #1. i dont live around hydro shops which is why i said "online", 2. im in a remote area with nothin around so theres nothing locally. and #3 i figured the people here could lend a hand since they are more experienced and have more knowledge

tyke1973 said:

Dude i have used most lights at some stage,leave the cool tube out of your grow on test we did at work a 600 hps once in the tube become the same has a 400 bat wing.go for a cool hood these lose very little but you get the loss back because of the closeness you can have the lights to the plant tops

Click to expand...

I asked because I am buying one or the other and I had not heard that cool tubes were less efficient.

I'm buying it precisely so I can maintain the same temps with the light closer to the canopy. It seems to me that accomplishing that would be the equivalent of moving up to a larger light in terms of lumens actually hitting the target.

Philips CMH 400w Retro White Bulb *(horizontal or vertical) 60.00
400w HPS ballast (i use Sun Systems Harvest Pro Elite for 150.00_
Sun Systems Econowing reflector 65.00

and a good Titan Timer 45.00

Illegal Smile said:

I asked because I am buying one or the other and I had not heard that cool tubes were less efficient.

I'm buying it precisely so I can maintain the same temps with the light closer to the canopy. It seems to me that accomplishing that would be the equivalent of moving up to a larger light in terms of lumens actually hitting the target.

Click to expand...

yeah almost everywhere the word is that cool tubes are less efficient and have a pretty bad light spread and lose light lumens because of the glass. The pros are that it takes up much less space. AC reflectors also lose lumens with glass, but the glass is removable (although i dont recommend doing so lol) and i also hear they cool better and direct light better

I have 2 lighting systems that both came from HTG Supply, 1 is a magnetic 400w system that has been running non stop for 2yrs and hasnt had a problem. I paid $165 for the ballast, hood, socket & hps mh bulbs. The next lighting system I got is a Digital Greenhouse 600w digital lighting system, I paid $250 an got the digital 600w ballast, mini sunsoaker hood, 15' socket & cord, 600w hps bulb, 600w mh conversion bulb and it gets alittle warm has its own fan , doesnt make noise, uses less electric to run and comed with a 5yr warranty on the ballast, 1yr on everything else. Ive had it for about a yr inhalf and havnt had any problems with it yet. So my 2cents is go to HTG Supply either 1of their 9 stores or their website and save your $ an go through them to get well made products at affordable prices.