Lighting/ lights question.

Slane420

Active Member
I read quite a bit on lighting and been trying to pick the best solution and bang for the buck.

So far from what I understand if you go with cfl 40 watt and up is okay, 65watt is best from what I understand. (not the equivalent watt). As far as lumens I am not sure? I seen how you have to have the bulb so close that is basically touching the plants. Question is if, say I use a hanging one say free floating right next to the plant would this be good?

What if I used 2 for 6 plants and had them hang down by them? I would think this is not enough lighting. So you could say go with 3 or even 4 of them but then this adds up price!

So by all this it never will equate to a HID light at all right? I would assume it would be a lot cheaper to just buy a 250 watt HID? Those have the best lumens for the small place I imagine.

I am using a small closet I dont even think its 2x2 more like 1x1 maybe.

My other question is whats better metal halide or high pressure sodium?

If you can lend me a hand also to maybe direct me to some good stores? I found these so far are they the average price or too expensive?

http://www.bulbman.com/index.php?main_page=product_bulb_info&cPath=4603_8876_8933&products_id=11506 This is the Halide

http://www.bulbman.com/index.php?main_page=product_bulb_info&products_id=10897 This is the HPS

Also what wattage or lumens of t5 fluorescent should I use for seedling/clones?

Thanks for you time. :-P
 

DeweY

Well-Known Member
Metal Halide Is For vegging (the growing Stage) Then Hps Is For Flowering, Budding

With Theese You Need A Ballast Witch Will Cost A Bit More Than That, But YOull Geta Better Yeild DEWEY:)
 

Slane420

Active Member
Metal Halide Is For vegging (the growing Stage) Then Hps Is For Flowering, Budding

With Theese You Need A Ballast Witch Will Cost A Bit More Than That, But YOull Geta Better Yeild DEWEY:)
Oh yeah I forgot to mention about that. Yeah I know of this, just seems like it would cheaper to go that route them buying packs and loads of cfl lighting for both veg and bloom.

Oh I found this at lowes.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=11620-3-67449&lpage=none

Its a HPS bulb wonder if this would do its 400watt and really cheap.
 

bkstylz

Well-Known Member
what will you use to run the 400w hps. Do you have a ballast??

In my experience you get what you pay for. If you are realy cheap then you can just use cfl's all the way through. I know people who veg and flower on cfls. Although I wouldn't do it if you are trying to get maximum weight.

You can use a MH and HPS in that space (maybe) if you have a good reflector that allows you to pull air through and you have a way to pump plenty of cool air in that space.

Depending on how long you veg, you might run into some serious space issues with those plants during flowering
 

Slane420

Active Member
what will you use to run the 400w hps. Do you have a ballast??

In my experience you get what you pay for. If you are realy cheap then you can just use cfl's all the way through. I know people who veg and flower on cfls. Although I wouldn't do it if you are trying to get maximum weight.

You can use a MH and HPS in that space (maybe) if you have a good reflector that allows you to pull air through and you have a way to pump plenty of cool air in that space.

Depending on how long you veg, you might run into some serious space issues with those plants during flowering
Thanks for the reply yeah I really should get the size town and get the diameter of the grow space. The closet happens to have a attic entrance that almost only a midget can get through. We plan on making another entry hole some place else and closing it. So might as well put a exhaust fan there and we were going to put another on the bottom too.

I would think or hope it would be enough air flow for such a small area. I am making sure the bloom area has the most room out of the other parts. Now that I think about it we could put the ballast in the attic and have the wires run through the roof.

What you guys think?
 

bkstylz

Well-Known Member
I would try and keep the ballast outside of where you are growing since it would give off additional heat , but if I am imagining this correctly (2x2 or 1x1), you could really have some heat issues issues. I have a tent that is 4x4x8.5 for flowering with a 400w hps inside pumping air in from the outside and using a can fan and filter to pull air out and directly outside. With that, my heat can go as high as 85 sometimes (though usually around 80). I can't imagine having half or a quarter of the space. If you must use this space, I would look into doing a SOG. That way your plants don't get too big.

Or get a cool tube.
 

Slane420

Active Member
Whats a SOG? I checked the area and as far as the width its about 21 inches then the length can be 2 or even 4 feet. I would be taking space from the veg and mini cloning area though. Unless I could combine the clone spot with the veg room I guess.. Now I am just confusing my self lol.

How come you do not see many people using high output t8 fluorescent tubes?? Could this be an option and it should lessen the heating I would hope. If this heating is a problem it would me 100 in there due to me living in florida! Well I do have a wall ac unit and the house ac unit. Would cost a lot on the bill though to keep it cool. I will be sure to check this cool tubes out, I might use a bunch of computer fans with the standard exaust fans that will be installed. I got tons of these suckers!
 

Slane420

Active Member
Ooo Sea of Green using small plants! OKAY yeah I was planing on doing that. I have a small 6 hub hydro+drip thing its not huge so might have to use only 4 plants.
 

Slane420

Active Member
So I was looking around and read that some people managed to grow with some t5's and or t8's florescent bulbs. Thats pretty interesting something like a 10 bulb line up. I would think this would remove a lot of hear problems in a small place.

I also wonder how hard it is to make a homemade cool tube I seen some here on this forum made.
 
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