When buying HPS does brand matter?

Tranceus

Active Member
damnit i still cant watch it on this thread for some reason. or any imbedded vids on riu threads, its weird, can i have the link to the youtube page if you dont mind poly?
brb? and watch the reflection on the hood at the top, they move the camera down later so you dont make as much a judgement i think they noticed that would make it a little biased but you can clearly see in the hoods reflection (dont listen to the brightness comparisons they dont really mean shit since Hort bulbs put out eh broadest spectrum of most bulbs) that the digi is much redder
 

DrGreener

New Member
WOW!! i have a 10 day old plant that is already 12 inches tall under 400w hps SERIOUSLY man wtfe as long as you have 50 watts per sq ft and you keep that 400 watter 18 inches above your tops it will do just fine. you were either growing bullshit genetics or something must have been wrong
no i just bin spoiled growing under 1000's for some time tryed 400 in a veg room and was disapointed i really feel T'5 Ho's out perform a 400 anyday of the week here look at this 136 watts T'5 ho's week 5 veg
 

Attachments

Tranceus

Active Member
dont get me wrong thats some nice growth and im not knocking you down by any means but i have plants that tall under a 400w hps that have only been vegged for 20 days. also one of the plants i have that was 20 days of veg under a 400 watter was only 9 inches tall with a notes spaced at 3/4th of an inch thats some really good results. check out my grow journal for the proof
no i just bin spoiled growing under 1000's for some time tryed 400 in a veg room and was disapointed i really feel T'5 Ho's out perform a 400 anyday of the week here look at this 136 watts T'5 ho's week 5 veg
 

polyarcturus

Well-Known Member
nvm i foound it on youtube
monstergarden vid right?

t5 can hold it own when a 6 bulb is compared to a 400w but really a 400w HPS in better but a 4 bulb t5 with the right bulbs and a 250w HPS would beat a 400w to a bloody pulp.

but in all honest t5 outvegs anything ive ever seen, with the right bulbs you will be seeing inches of real growth(not stretch) every day.
 

DrGreener

New Member
here is 5 plants which will give me 5 - 6 pounds Dry on day 27 flower 2 k all buds will be like the one on 5 gallon pot if i was op i would lose 400 and get min 600
 

Tranceus

Active Member
i understand 600w is better than 400 w but when working with limited height and space a 400 would be better not only for heat issues but for power usage as well. in his space a 400 is better because that 400 gives plenty of lumens to cover his area and still produce quality buds. remember that hes not growing in a huge room with huge plants like you are hes in a small area where heat could be an issue. i think the 400 is better suited. and also to say a 400 watter will only flower 2 plants is total bullshit. it may only flower 2 plants if they are gigantic but a 400 will flower as many plants as you can put in an 8 sq ft space and thats optimal growth, 30 watts per sq foot is minimal growth requirements so therefore a 400 will acutally cover up to 12 sq ft no problem.
here is 5 plants which will give me 5 - 6 pounds Dry on day 27 flower 2 k all buds will be like the one on 5 gallon pot if i was op i would lose 400 and get min 600
 

polyarcturus

Well-Known Member
damn tranceus youve done your research.

ill have to rep you again when i get the chance.


in 3 gal pots you could flower 6 plants and have a nice yeild from all of them so long as the height does not exceed about 3 ft. and all those pot will fit in a smaler space than 2x4(8 sqaureft)
 

ThE sAtIvA hIgH

Well-Known Member
Do more research.......there's a ton of difference i.e. lumen amount, light "color", price, magnetic vs. digital compatability, warranty, lumen reduction over time, resistance to bumbs and shocks, import vs. American made, etc. Also, expensive doesn't necessary mean better with bulbs.

400 watts suck........ They are barely enough to flower 1-2 plants tops. I own them and they are boxed up and put away. A total waste of money. But it all really depends on the grow room size. I imagine in a very small room they are perfect.
i take it you have never visited the 250w hps club on RIU ?
 

Tranceus

Active Member
@ DrGreener no a 400 is more effecient and this is why. if 50 watts per sq ft is OPTIMAL meaning the best. then anything above that gives deminishing returns. meaning that the power usage, heat, and tiny tiny and i mean tiny amount of extra growth for that space is not worth the extra light. a 400 watter will give him 44.45 watts per sq ft in a 9 sq ft space this is closer to optimal than the deminishing returns option is. any more is a waste of energy.
 

polyarcturus

Well-Known Member
he is talking a 3 x 3 so 600 would be more efficient right ??? 4 x 4 1000
hmm you also have to take in account distance light has to travel to lower leaves most would say 5x5 for a 1000 so you can have a little space between plants.

4x4 600w 3x3 400w
 

Tranceus

Active Member
exactly with a 400 you can keep it a bit closer remember that for every ft light travels it loses between 15 and 17% of its lumen output. if his space isnt tall then he should have plenty of penetration for optimal growth.
hmm you also have to take in account distance light has to travel to lower leaves most would say 5x5 for a 1000 so you can have a little space between plants.

4x4 600w 3x3 400w
 

sykk

Member
I just love this place! I have learned so much here... now if I could only remember simple math.
 

bratattack

Active Member
Alright so I WILL BE GOING WITH 400W BECAUSE OF ALL MY CONCLUSIONS MADE HERE. I ADDED WHAT I LEARNED TO COMMON SENSE AND RESEARCH AND IT DOES MAKE SENSE TO USE 400W IN MY SITUATION. lol
===
Alright to the QUESTIONS:

1) With a Dimmable 600w. If I ran it at 75% would that be about the same as a 400w (maybe a bit better)?
2) Can any HPS bulb be dimmed as long as the ballast dims, or do I need a SPECIAL DIMMABLE BULB?!
3) What do yall think of the HYDROFARM RADIANT 6 REFLECTOR?! IS THIS GOOD? I GOT IT I HOPE IT IS GOOD.
4) Will it be more efficient in more ways than one to just get a digital ballast for a 400w with a 400w bulb than to do this dimmable crap? I just figured maybe one day I could upgrade to a full fledged 600w if i got more space later on

...
OTHER QUESTIONS LESS RELEVANT TO LIGHT:
Carbon filters
1) Do I put the carbon filter IN THE GROW ROOM?
2) Does the order go CARBONFILTER>DUCT>REFLECTOR>DUCT>OUTSIDE OF ROOM>INLINE FAN?
3) I am just venting out to the room the closet is in, can't cut holes. Will this prevent odor if I leave it on all the time?
 

Tranceus

Active Member
ok here we go, im gonna have you do some work to get your answer. follow these steps.
Step 1: Room Volume
First the volume of the room needs to be calculated. To calculate multiply length x width x height of growing area e.g. A room that is 8' x 8' x 8' will have a volume of 512 cubic feet.
Step 2: CFM Required
Your extraction fan should be able to adequately exchange the air in an indoor garden once every three minutes. This will be the absolute minimum CFM for exchanging the air in an indoor garden.
Step 3: Additional factors
Unfortunately, the minimum CFM needed to ventilate a indoor garden is never quite that simple. Once the grower has calculated the minimum CFM required for their indoor garden the following additional factors need to be considered:
Number of HID lights — add 5% per air cooled light or 10-15% per non-air cooled light.
CO2: add 5% for rooms with CO2 enrichment
Filters: if a carbon filter is to be used with the exhaust system then add 20%
Ambient temperature: for hot climates (such as Southern California) add 25%, for hot and humid climates (such as Florida) add up to 40%.

1) Calculate the CFM required for room
2) Add 5% per air cooled light
3) Add 5% is using Co24) Add 20% of original CFM calculation for Carbon Filter.
 

Tranceus

Active Member
Also as far as carbon filter placement and cooling your light. i would put the filter outside of the grow room but i wouldnt be pulling air through, this isnt a conventional method but your working with a small space so were gonna improvise. first we will be pulling air from our light instead of pushing air through it. simply put lights are always cooled better bby pulling the heat. secondly were gonna run a vent from the push side of the fan through the wall of the grow space and out into the carbon filter that is sitting outside of the grow room. this is gonna be pushing all the stink into the filter and out comes clean air. if you pulled air through it you would in essence be buying a huge ass carbon filter and fan because you wouldent be scrubbing the odor in the tiny grow space but be scrubbing air from the room around it and that is why we chose this method of odor extraction.. if you put the carbon filter in your room that would limit your space. anyone else care to comment on this setup?
 

bratattack

Active Member
I have a big 6inch carbon filter, the fan is 4inch. Using a 6" to 4" adaptor to connect ducting to fan.
Fan has 171cfm. Plenty for my 100cubic foot room.

I question your method. Because the filter has a cotton filter wrapped around it for large particles, it is supposed to be the first layer of odor control. As far as I have been told, the filter should be in the room and the air should be pulled from it, since air would first go through cotton filter>then carbon charcoals.

I feel as though blowing into the carbon filter will not work as efficiently.

Also... ANY WORD ON QUESTION #4??
 

Tranceus

Active Member
that is called a pre filter and its there to collect dust particles. you would be putting a ducting on the other side of your light with some kind of pre filter on the end of it so as not to suck up anything into your filter, sorry i forgot that part, alot of typing and brain activity going on. it dosent matter how you get air through the carbon filter, as long as stinky air goes through it its comes out the other side clean. you could put the filter inside and hook it up in the conventional way but its gonna limit your precious grow space. if you choose to do this i would pit the intake up top so as to keep hot spots out of the top of the tent. also its best to have your passive intake hole on the exact furthest oppisite side of the tent. that that would be down bottom if fan is hooked up the conventional way. that way the air has to travel all the way across the room before entering into the carbon scrubber. your choice on hooking it up but i would go with my way so you get more grow space. As for question #4 i would just go with the 400 for now. when you harvest and get to a bigger area i would worry about getting the 600 then. itll be a long while before you need that and i dont know enough about dimmables to confidently answer your question about the lumen output of the lamps vs dimming.
I have a big 6inch carbon filter, the fan is 4inch. Using a 6" to 4" adaptor to connect ducting to fan.
Fan has 171cfm. Plenty for my 100cubic foot room.

I question your method. Because the filter has a cotton filter wrapped around it for large particles, it is supposed to be the first layer of odor control. As far as I have been told, the filter should be in the room and the air should be pulled from it, since air would first go through cotton filter>then carbon charcoals.

I feel as though blowing into the carbon filter will not work as efficiently.

Also... ANY WORD ON QUESTION #4??
 
Top