NEED help with this lighting

I'm coming from the CFL sub forum. I'm back with more cash, more space, and dreams. So..

I had enough w/ 42w CFLS. having 6-8 of those got me to thinking...HPS.

So i have a few questions. Guys,. please help..I'm ready to start asap..already got a baby in veggie stage under CFL's.

So after enough reading...HPS lights are the way to go..not MH..CorrecT?

I'm looking at SUN SYSTEMS 400 W HPS...it comes with a bulb and a built in ballast. So it's basically one big fixture and that's it. it's running just about 200 dollar bills.

Is this ONE 400w HPS SUN SYSTEM/ballast combo enough to maintain my 2-3 babieS from seed to bud? i know someone knows.

and also. What kind of electric bill increase am i looking at? I mean..6 x 42 watt CFL bulbs had a slight increase in the bill amount (not that bad) but now i have a realization that a jack up in my bill in inevitable.

i'm talking 400w!!!!! of pure HPS!! sounds like alot?

also.. would a 250 W version of the same SUN SYSTEM do a comparable job to the 400watter? and ...let me know about 600w and 1000w

For seedlings you want to use fluorescents but 400w hps should take you from veg to flowering.

CFL right? i figure itll be cheaper to. Running it under CFLs for the first 3 or so weeks. the hit with the HPS?

^ the digital ballast is still the same idea. Ballast plugs into lamp and lamp in socket? and this way i'll be able to put the ballast farther away.

check this out... the integrated all in one 400w HPS by SunSystems.
http://www.hidhut.com/catalog/sun-system-400-hps-enclosed-ballast-system-bulb-not-include-p-748.html

Is basically that same idea of the one you suggested but broken into pieces? and yes heat will be an issue.

I found both models on e-bay for cheaper. If it's the same product just different design i'll go with that digital.

BUmp. oh...and MH bulbs is what i should start the babies with right? then up it to the HPS.

Freedom Fighter said:

BUmp. oh...and MH bulbs is what i should start the babies with right? then up it to the HPS.

Click to expand...

Read demonic's post thoroughly. He states that sunsystem is an all in one ballast. With a 400w, especially a electromagnet all in one, it will get hotter than hades if you have that in an enclosed cab. No way to vent it because there's no hood and with summer bein in full swing... I can't even imagine. Get a REMOTE digital ballast like the one demonic suggested or buy one off of HTG supply. I got my 400w there for around $300 with a few extras. Without all that it probably woulda been about dollars cheaper or so. I'm running about four plants with this and a 150w and the girls look awesome one month into flower. I suggest you get about three of those 42w 6000k cfls and use them to start your seedlings. Then I would either get a t5 floroescent fixture or just use three more cfls to veg your plant instead of the MH. It'll be cheaper than buying a MH bulb and more cost effective. This way you can run vegging plants and seedlings while you flower with the hps. Just have to say that I love my 400w digital. You will need a hood and have to vent it but HTG has a whole package which I bought and is what I suggested. Go check it out. They have decent customer service and back up their product which you don't always see with ebay sellers.

i grow start to finish under 600's i even clone under them, yeah maybe there are some advantages to using halides for veg but its not nessasary, if your only using one light then an hps is the way to go, as far as the sunsystem goes i would stasy away if heat is an issue and get the air cooled kit for it regardless, i have a sunburst 250 mh that is the same design and that thing gets a small space cooking pretty good

honestly maybe it was just lucky but i have a 600w systems and my electiric bill went down lol..i run that bitch all the time and it made no difference on my bill..but i will tell you i know from experience that different ballasts will suck more electricity than others. and also you maybe be pulling that many watts but magnetic ballasts and digital ballasts are on a whole different playing field. digital ballasts are the way to go. They put out more to get more lumens, they are less loud easier to control. more of them have Mh conversion and use less engery. just my two cents ask if you have more questions