hps/mh
- Thread starter mwdtx
- Start date
mrCRC420
Well-Known Member
"Boneman" is right, that's your best and cheapest option if you're going to get just one ballast.
However, here's some info.
Growing under only HPS = taller, thinner plants which grow faster than MH alone but give you less yield
and
Growing under only MH = Gives you shorter, stalkier plants which take longer than HPS alone and offer a greater yield
It's up to you. I would suggest getting the 600HPS (so you have the option of buying an MH conversion bulb) and while you only have the HPS I would start them at 12/12 from seed so you'll have a quick turn around. There's not much point in vegging under an HPS b/c it's not the most efficient light spectrum to do so. Have fun
However, here's some info.
Growing under only HPS = taller, thinner plants which grow faster than MH alone but give you less yield
and
Growing under only MH = Gives you shorter, stalkier plants which take longer than HPS alone and offer a greater yield
It's up to you. I would suggest getting the 600HPS (so you have the option of buying an MH conversion bulb) and while you only have the HPS I would start them at 12/12 from seed so you'll have a quick turn around. There's not much point in vegging under an HPS b/c it's not the most efficient light spectrum to do so. Have fun
bobilu
Well-Known Member
Absolutely. I made the mistake of getting two 400 wt. For a few extra bucks I should have gotten the 600 wt.
mwdtx
Well-Known Member
where is the cheapest place to get one, cause im a broke ass college student
Johnnyorganic
Well-Known Member
I concur.
If I had it to do all over again, would definitely get the HPS and use MH conversion bulbs.
My first was a 400 watt MH. HPS conversion bulbs are available, but you lose wattage. 360 watt HPS is what I ended up with using a 400 watt MH ballast.
Then I invested in a decent CFL set up for seedlings, mothers, and clones.
Finally I just bought a 400 watt HPS.
Now my setup has all three: CFL, MH, and HPS.
http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=47981
If money is an issue, get the HPS now and get the conversion bulb later.
http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=47929
Good luck and good growing.
mwdtx
Well-Known Member
how hot will that make my room, and would i need a ventI concur.
If I had it to do all over again, would definitely get the HPS and use MH conversion bulbs.
My first was a 400 watt MH. HPS conversion bulbs are available, but you lose wattage. 360 watt HPS is what I ended up with using a 400 watt MH ballast.
Then I invested in a decent CFL set up for seedlings, mothers, and clones.
Finally I just bought a 400 watt HPS.
Now my setup has all three: CFL, MH, and HPS.
http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=47981
If money is an issue, get the HPS now and get the conversion bulb later.
http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=47929
Good luck and good growing.
Hairy Bob
Well-Known Member
How hot it will make your room depends on the size of the room and the ambient temps, you will need a vent no matter what lights you use, plants like fresh air! You will need a halfway decent fan to cool the room, work out your cubic footage, length x width x depth, and get a fan that moves 1-2x that amount of air a minute (the cfm rating = cubic feet per minute) and remember the better fan you get, the less worries you will have later on if you wanna add more light.
IslandGreenGuy
Well-Known Member
My veg room has two lights in it. One is a Hps and the othe is a MH. Although I always flower under HPS, I have no preference when it come to vegging.
I hear alot of people saying that plants vegged under HPS bulbs will grow stretched out and not thick enough to support weight later on.
This just isn't true. Infact the plants under my HPS grow better then the MH. Both lights are 1000 watts.
If you have to get only one light, make it the HPS. You wont be dissapointed.
I hear alot of people saying that plants vegged under HPS bulbs will grow stretched out and not thick enough to support weight later on.
This just isn't true. Infact the plants under my HPS grow better then the MH. Both lights are 1000 watts.
If you have to get only one light, make it the HPS. You wont be dissapointed.
mannurse801
Well-Known Member
If you are vegging and flowering in one room, HPS with conversion bulb is the best. I have one, and man, makes life easier!
IslandGreenGuy
Well-Known Member
The MH conversion bulb lacks on the lummens though. Your HPS bulb is a stronger light, even at the same wattage. Different Spectrum but, not worth the loss in Lummens. Beleive me, use the HPS.
mannurse801
Well-Known Member
The conversion bulb that I have has a 10% increase in lumen output than a standard 400 W MH ballast. It is the brightest 400W MH spectrum you can put on your plants...
From the manufacturer.... And from testing, I concur....
Hortilux 400 watt conversion HPS to MH
This bulb allows you to get the Spectrum of a metal halide but let you use an HPS ballast i your hydroponic garden.
This eliminates the need to purchase a metal halide ballast.
You can now do both veg and bloom on the same ballast.
It is the ultimate money saver aswell as an ultimate bulb.
This bulb will last you 3 times longer then a standard 400 watt MH bulb.
It wil laso put more then 10% output then a standard metal halide bulb.
From the manufacturer.... And from testing, I concur....
Hortilux 400 watt conversion HPS to MH
This bulb allows you to get the Spectrum of a metal halide but let you use an HPS ballast i your hydroponic garden.
This eliminates the need to purchase a metal halide ballast.
You can now do both veg and bloom on the same ballast.
It is the ultimate money saver aswell as an ultimate bulb.
This bulb will last you 3 times longer then a standard 400 watt MH bulb.
It wil laso put more then 10% output then a standard metal halide bulb.
Hairy Bob
Well-Known Member
Because manufacturers claims are always 100% accurate. I mean, they wouldn't just say something to get you to buy something, would they?
Why not dispense with all this and just get a switchable ballast? Aren't most digi ballasts nowadays switchable anyway? The only difference between the two ballasts is the ignitor, an HPS has one, MH doesn't, a switchable ballast just lets you turn the ignitor on or off as required.
Why not dispense with all this and just get a switchable ballast? Aren't most digi ballasts nowadays switchable anyway? The only difference between the two ballasts is the ignitor, an HPS has one, MH doesn't, a switchable ballast just lets you turn the ignitor on or off as required.
mannurse801
Well-Known Member
I guess I don't see the need to have a switchable ballast when a conversion bulb works fine and shines brighter than a standard MH ballast.... I am going by what I have seen, and I see a better MH spectrum l;amp using my HPS system.
laserbrn
Well-Known Member
If you can only afford one right now, just buy the HPS. LOTS of people veg under HPS (self included at times) and they work just fine.
Yeah, sometimes they can stretch a little, but it's really not noticeable if you keep the light down on them.
You can easily have a successful grow with just an HPS. I wouldn't expect much success with growing under JUST an MH.
MH is also hotter. If you choose later on to get a conversion bulb, that's fine, but I would just stick with the HPS so you don't lose the lumens on the MH.
mannurse801
Well-Known Member
True, I say if you can't get either a dual ballast or a conversion bulb, go straight HPS all the way....
I know I started under the HPS after the seedling were a little stronger. Once I switched over to the MH conversion bulb the plants really reasonded well!
I know I started under the HPS after the seedling were a little stronger. Once I switched over to the MH conversion bulb the plants really reasonded well!
mwdtx
Well-Known Member
cool, so hps for now, but get a conversion or dual ballast sometime in the future. is one 400 good for 4-6 plants, or should i get a 600
mannurse801
Well-Known Member
Always better to get more power. 4 medium plants will do fine with a 400, but 600, obviously, is better....
mwdtx
Well-Known Member
how cheap do u think i could get one, and from where