Metal Halide ok for seedlings?

Or do I need to use fluorescent light then switch to MH in veg?

What watts?

MH has been good for my seedlings so long as I maintained good spacing. A 250W MH is not a bad choice for seedlings and early veg imo. That's what I had ... the only issue is wastefulness until your canopy gets larger. cn

400w MH but it is dimmable, can choose 75% and 50%. Would one of those settings be best for seedlings?

50% is plenty till you get more leaves - get it as close as you can ,use the top of your hand as a guide when it gets uncomforable then your too close
what are you growing?

imo its a waste of energy and useful bulb hours. your seedlings arent going to absorb even half that even with it dimmed.. but I mean if you have it and dont have a flouro laying around then use it but like moon said at an appropriate height.

Let me see.... put seeds in ground under the sun and they do fine. I use a 400 to start them than after 3 weeks move to a 1000w for veg. Works fine.

mh is a little much keep them far away compact flourecent are best

Id start with a cfl or fluorescent tubes. No point in frying them when they dont need that much light for at least a couple weeks.

Kiache said:

Or do I need to use fluorescent light then switch to MH in veg?

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The sun can afford to keep those intense lights on all day , with the bill to be paid later.


AND i cant stop looking at your profile picture. Something creepy about it, lol

woodsmaneh! said:

Let me see.... put seeds in ground under the sun and they do fine. I use a 400 to start them than after 3 weeks move to a 1000w for veg. Works fine.

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i always use a mh from the start with no problems.just be sensible with the distance.

sensibility with distance and knowing that these little guys are just babys! fluro's are usually the safest bet for those little guys, then moving them to an MH after they have gotten a little stronger.