lighting question

during the beginning of the plant i was using just 2 42w CFLs. Now that im going to start flowering i bought a 100w metal halide just wondering if this is sufficient lighting. its only one plant.

and as a fun little story when i was putting up the metal halide it slipped and fell on the plant messed it up a bit but i think she will recover lol

it will work if you like using garage lighting, an hps would be better.

what kind of light is it?

from what i was reading metal halide is better then hps as a main light but im new so ill take any suggestions

SnachWizard said:

from what i was reading metal halide is better then hps as a main light but im new so ill take any suggestions

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metal halide produces more blue spectrum for vegging, hps is red spectrum for flowering, you can use the mh.but,for an all purpose a hps would be better.

ya thats what i was reading will it make a large difference "Metal Halide - MH

Metal halide bulbs produce an abundance of light in the blue spectrum. This color of light promotes plant growth and is excellent for green leafy growth and keeping plants compact. It is the best type of light to be used as a primary light source (if no or little natural sunlight is available). The average lifespan is about 10,000 cumulative hours. The bulb will light up beyond this time but due to the gradual decline of light, it is not worth your while to wait for the bulb to finally burn out. If you compare their lumen (brightness) per unit of energy consumed, metal halides produce up to 125 lumens per watt compared to 39 lumens per watt with fluorescent lights and 18 lumens per watt for standard incandescent bulbs.
High Pressure Sodium - HPS

High pressure sodium bulbs emit an orange-red glow. This band of light triggers hormones in plants to increase flowering/budding in plants. They are the best lights available for secondary or supplemental lighting (used in conjunction with natural sunlight). This is ideal for greenhouse growing applications.

Not only is this a great flowering light, it has two features that make it a more economical choice. Their average lifespan is twice that of metal halides, but after 18,000 hours of use, they will start to draw more electricity than their rated watts while gradually producing less light. HPS bulbs are very efficient. They produce up to 140 lumens per watt. Their disadvantage is they are deficient in the blue spectrum. If a gardener were to start a young plant under a HPS bulb, she/he would see impressive vertical growth. In fact, probably too impressive. Most plants would grow up thin and lanky and in no time you will have to prune your plant back before it grows into the light fixture. The exception to this is using a HPS light in a greenhouse. Sunlight is high in the blue spectrum which would offset any stretching caused by HPS bulbs." sigh i knew i should have gotten the HPS

bulbs are cheap, just get one of each and swap them
http://1000bulbs.com/category/100-watt-high-pressure-sodium-lamps/

VICTORYGARDENSHYDRO said:

bulbs are cheap, just get one of each and swap them
http://1000bulbs.com/category/100-watt-high-pressure-sodium-lamps/

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will it work with the same fixture?

That is what I was waiting for!
not just 420!
but he said FIXTURE, not, is my ballast compatible.

my question is do you have a MH that was not designed for growing but for lighting.

Brokenneck said:

That is what I was waiting for!
not just 420!
but he said FIXTURE, not, is my ballast compatible.

my question is do you have a MH that was not designed for growing but for lighting.

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The FIXTURE shouldnt matter its the bulb thats in it. i was just asking if the FIXTURE i have that was made for MH bulb is compatible with a HPS bulb. im just asking

unless its a switchable ballast do not put a HPS in a MH...The ballast will not work correctly and is not safe.

I need to know what fixture you have, but it is only a 100 watt bulb,so I don't see why it wouldn't work.