When to switch to HPS from CFL?

My first crop was grown solely with hps and the results were excellent, but controlling the heat was a challenge.
For my 2nd grow, I'm using (2)125W CFLs for veg, planning to switch to 400W hps for flowering. So far, things are going very well. I like the lower temps, lower electric bill, and the plants are more compact.
Soon I'll switch to 12/12.
Should I fire up the hps immediately, or wait until flowering is well underway?

I use T5HO tubes in Veg and a 600W HPS in flowering, I did add a cool hood to my 600W HPS, really sumthing to consider if high temps is a problem for you, IMO a must as it also allows you to keep the light much closer and that make a hugh different top buds get more dense and even bottom buds are smokeable as they grow much closer, now I can keep it 12-15" away instead of +20" plus the temps in my grow room dropped about 5C from +30 to 24C with the hood on and a 6" ventilation/filter on it, best investment I made so fare since I got the 600W HPS

I usealy dont both switch light and light hours at the same time, I run 18/6 under my T5s and once I switch to the 600W HPS I continue to Veg a week more or so, tho I begin to turn down the light hours 1/2 a hour a day untill I reach 12/12, to stress em as little as possible, works for me and no biggy to do ..

As soon as you switch the lights to 12/12 is when myself and most switch to HPS from florescent's.

I don't know if keeping the florescent's on helps control the stretch by a couple inches or something but who has time
for these meaningless things anyway.

I wish i could afford to run my 400w for 18 hours a day.

dimebong said:

I don't know if keeping the florescent's on helps control the stretch by a couple inches or something but who has time
for these meaningless things anyway.

Click to expand...

That's exactly what I was thinking, but you're probably right, worrying about trivialities probably makes no difference in the end.