400w HPS Phillips vs Sylvanna

So I went to a hydroponics store today and came across a phillips bulb and a sylvanna bulb, both HPS 400w. One was 50$ while the sylvanna (gro-lux) was 80$. Does it really make a difference? the guy at the store said the sylvanna has "more spectrum." I tried to search for some comparisons but had trouble finding any lumen charts or anything.

Edit: I guess it doesn't help that I dont know the exact name of either bulb... Basically all I'd like to know is there going to be a huge difference in lumens I mean isnt a HPS just an HPS it should be fine for flowering right?

I think the Gro-Lux has a little bit more of the blue spectrum of light. It helps to keep the streching down when they go into flower. I have an old Son Agro 430 watt that I use as a spare now and then when I want to run a variety that doesnt fit into my perpetual grow cycle. It is a good bulb. It is up to you if it is worth the extra money. Just make sure it will work with your ballast.

Why are you spending so much on bulbs.

Go to 1000bulbs.com and save your self some money.

You do not need to buy these bulbs that brag they are better than a standard 400 watt MH or HPS bulbs.

Remember these stores are just trying to rape us with there prices.

Most 400w MH/HPS lights arw basically the same. I went with the 430 Son Agro bulb because it does have an enhanced blue spectrum for slightly more vigorous vegetative growth. Yes, whatever 400 you go with, will flower your ladies... So long as you dont have too many to bud with just one light. If you've got multiple plants, you might have to go up to a 600w.

keico said:

Why are you spending so much on bulbs.

Go to 1000bulbs.com and save your self some money.

You do not need to buy these bulbs that brag they are better than a standard 400 watt MH or HPS bulbs.

Remember these stores are just trying to rape us with there prices.

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I agree that these bulbs are not all that special, But the advantage they have is that if you can only afford one type of light, these can get you all the way from veg to flower and still get good results. I started out with the Son Agro because at the time I was very limited in what I could do as far as grow space is concerned. Now, I have a seperate flower room so I have been able to go with the 1000W. HPS lights. These are the ones I use.

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/sunlight-budget-gro-1000w-hps-120v240v-econowing-grow-light-p-2463.html

I like the option of being able to run them at 240V. I use 2 of them now. They are not fancy, but they work fine.

txhomegrown said:

I agree that these bulbs are not all that special, But the advantage they have is that if you can only afford one type of light, these can get you all the way from veg to flower and still get good results. I started out with the Son Agro because at the time I was very limited in what I could do as far as grow space is concerned. Now, I have a seperate flower room so I have been able to go with the 1000W. HPS lights. These are the ones I use.

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/sunlight-budget-gro-1000w-hps-120v240v-econowing-grow-light-p-2463.html

I like the option of being able to run them at 240V. I use 2 of them now. They are not fancy, but they work fine.

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That sounds like a really good system. I Thought about going with a 1000w in my current grow, but I think a 1000w would be too intense for my 4 ladies. I then though about just using a 600w, but it wouldn't have been enough by itself.

What I ended up doing, I've never seen done before. I've got another 400w in the room. It wont be turned on till' I flip the photoperiod on them. I'm vegging them with a 430 son agro, and flowering them with 830 watts.

I think they will love it when it comes time to bud.

for 80 bucks I think you should look around and get a hortilux eye bulb

Subtlechaos said:

Most 400w MH/HPS lights arw basically the same. I went with the 430 Son Agro bulb because it does have an enhanced blue spectrum for slightly more vigorous vegetative growth. Yes, whatever 400 you go with, will flower your ladies... So long as you dont have too many to bud with just one light. If you've got multiple plants, you might have to go up to a 600w.

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The son agro 430hps is the BEST damn bulb for the 400 class bulbs.

If you dont get the son agro, your only cheating yourself out of the best growth possible.

Everytime I see a new user getting a 400 bulb, I think to myself..That dude should of got the son agro!!!!

Ive used em for years... They blow the doors off of a regular everyday 400... This is a fact. Tried em both.

Hey there, the grolux is rated at 58000 lumens, while the other bulbs are rated 53000 lumens. Ive used grolux for years and am very pleased. They used to b $50, sounds like price went up some. Good Growin

CLOSETGROWTH said:

The son agro 430hps is the BEST damn bulb for the 400 class bulbs.

If you dont get the son agro, your only cheating yourself out of the best growth possible.

Everytime I see a new user getting a 400 bulb, I think to myself..That dude should of got the son agro!!!!

Ive used em for years... They blow the doors off of a regular everyday 400... This is a fact. Tried em both.

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have you ever tried a cmh bulb compared to your son agro?

CLOSETGROWTH said:

The son agro 430hps is the BEST damn bulb for the 400 class bulbs.

If you dont get the son agro, your only cheating yourself out of the best growth possible.

Everytime I see a new user getting a 400 bulb, I think to myself..That dude should of got the son agro!!!!

Ive used em for years... They blow the doors off of a regular everyday 400... This is a fact. Tried em both.

Click to expand...

It HAS been proven to provide a more vigorous vegetative growth. I originally bought mine because Mr.Green used one. Haha. It wouldn't have been bad, except I didn't know shit, and went to Stealth Hydro, and paid over $400 for their Son Agro setup. I paid WAY too much, but Im still gettin my moneys worth as we speak. As I said earlier, it's my vegging light for my current grow.

Yeah I was gona say everytime I see some buy a 400 watter I think they should have gone CMH

400 watt CMH compares more to a 600 than 400 watt HPS

You know this subject of bulbs has been discussed so many times. Over and over and over

For the newbie - Start out simple. Don't dump a lot of money into things, just because someone says it is a better product.

With standard MH/HPS bulbs, your plant will grow.

Soil, light, ventilation, nutrients, genetics, temperature, all play an important part in the development of any plant.

Before you go out and spend a lot of money, on a product, just because someone says so, get a couple grows under your belt, and establish some experience.

When you have a technique down, then you can experiment with different equipment.

I just took a look at those CMH bulbs. They look pretty damn good. I wonder if they would work in my old ballast I am using for the Son Agro bulb. That bulb needs to be replaced soon anyway. I think the older ballasts were pretty wattage specific weren't they? Or, do these new bulbs run off a MH ballast?

ive seen 400w hps bulbs at home depot for 20 bucks. they didnt have them before. i paid 60 for mine than 2months later i saw them at home depot. they didnt carry them before they do now. at least the one i go to. its a phillips bulb

txhomegrown said:

I just took a look at those CMH bulbs. They look pretty damn good. I wonder if they would work in my old ballast I am using for the Son Agro bulb. That bulb needs to be replaced soon anyway. I think the older ballasts were pretty wattage specific weren't they? Or, do these new bulbs run off a MH ballast?

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one of the main reasons that folks don't like CMH is that HAS TO HAVE an old magnetic ballast, but it is an awesome light, less heat, full spectrum, has UVB works for both veg and flower

keico said:

You know this subject of bulbs has been discussed so many times. Over and over and over

For the newbie - Start out simple. Don't dump a lot of money into things, just because someone says it is a better product.

With standard MH/HPS bulbs, your plant will grow.

Soil, light, ventilation, nutrients, genetics, temperature, all play an important part in the development of any plant.

Before you go out and spend a lot of money, on a product, just because someone says so, get a couple grows under your belt, and establish some experience.

When you have a technique down, then you can experiment with different equipment.

Click to expand...

This is some of the best advise you could give a new grower. I have seen so many people on this site talk about spending thousands of dollars setting up the "perfect" grow room. Without first finding out if they have what it takes to really do this. They make every newbie mistake in the book(like I did), they get discouraged and give up. You WILL most likely fail at first. There are a lot of variables that come together to make this work. But, once you get it all tuned in, it becomes a matter of routine maintainance. Dirt or hydro, its just food, water and light.
After 2 years of growing indoors I still consider myself a newbie. There is always something new to try and experiment with. Just make sure you have a system that works in the first place so you have something to compare your trials to. Check out my ghetto grow.

http://www.texashomegrown.com/myhobby.html

Haven't updated for a while, but it will give you an idea what you can get by on.

Well thanks for all the input, however my friend is getting me a 400w ballast with a 400w Metal Halide for like $125 + Reflective hood. I did want to get the Son Argo because I heard it was basically the best for that wattage, however the 430w wont fit into the 400w ballast.