should I use a 150watt hps or a T5 light?

I am thinking of buying a new light for my small grow box. I am growing autos. I was wanting to know what light would be good. I can get a 150 watt hps or a 2ft x 4 bulb T5. I plan on growing 2 autos. any help would be great.

I did lots of research in the start ...

and I would for sure go for the T5HO (if you can get them ?)

but thats just me .. diffrent oppinion and diffrent rooms/space/temps aso.

I just like mine 6x49w T5HO fixture (tho I have a 600w hps for flowering aswell)

guess its more of a question about what your space is and what you like .. do you want to train them do you have problems with high heat or cold aso ...

Im new to indoor growing ..
but as fare as I understand a HPS do give nicer buts .. but T5 do runn less eletricity and less heat .. and schould do better in Veg.
and that is also why I would go that way .. specialy if your limitit to only one or the other ..

get 3 6500K bulbs and 3 2700K and runn 3-1 in veg and 1-3 in flower .. train them and keep the light with in 4 inches .. (agin if I schould choose)

a lot of pros and cons ..

i would say invest in digital ballast 250, u can pick one up for about $160 cheap ones i have one and it has been doing me fine for 2 grows now u can use MH and HPS what i do is run mh 2 weeks into flowering then run hps for 5 days and then 2 days mh and so on and so forth.

p.s.




my plants at day 39 before moveing them in to the room with the HPS ..







have only been under T5HO tubes .. 2 tubes the fist week or so then 4 and then I got one more fixture .. so last few weeks they have been under 6 tubes (=27,900K lumen)


this is around day 20 under my T5HO lamp/s



got 4x6500 kelvin and 2x 270 kelvin tubes in it ..

found out that with T5HO tubes 4 inches is best (for me atlest) keepd them with in 3-5 ..
at 1-2 they did`t look that helty and longer then 8 inches they began to stretch ..

Slipon said:

p.s.


View attachment 2198562

my plants at day 39 before moveing them in to the room with the HPS ..

View attachment 2198563


View attachment 2198564


have only been under T5HO tubes .. 2 tubes the fist week or so then 4 and then I got one more fixture .. so last few weeks they have been under 6 tubes (=27,900K lumen)


this is around day 20 under my T5HO lamp/s

View attachment 2198566

got 4x6500 kelvin and 2x 270 kelvin tubes in it ..

found out that with T5HO tubes 4 inches is best (for me atlest) keepd them with in 3-5 ..
at 1-2 they did`t look that helty and longer then 8 inches they began to stretch ..

Click to expand...

Works like a charm. Used t5's start to finish

How small is your grow box? I can tell you that you will definitely get more light from a 150 hps than 4 2ft tube t5 bulbs. You will get roughly 8000 lumens (initial) with the t5 setup and 15000 for the 150w hps. But the t5 is also only 96w total so less heat.

I would bypass all that and get a real light for your money to grow nice big dense buds. 400W hps from htgsupply for $119.95. Flo's should be used only for vegging. Flowering plants need much more than flo's can offer.

jpockets420 said:

I would bypass all that and get a real light for your money to grow nice big dense buds. 400W hps from htgsupply for $119.95. Flo's should be used only for vegging. Flowering plants need much more than flo's can offer.

Click to expand...

He said "small grow box". Could be way too much heat depending on the size of the space, plus, if too short, not enough space between light and canopy.

yea it all depense I guess .. ther is no "right" choise here ..

if it is a small space with low hight T5 is for sure best .. specialy if you also want to train em ..
you also safe money on elecresity and maybe dont need so much ventilation aso.

sure you get less lumen .. but if you cant keep the HPS close enough it wil be about the same or less ..
and with T5 you can atlest match the right kelvin for Veg/flowering ..

hps..............

ok everyone here is my box size. 28 1/2W x 31 1/2H x 11 1/2D. I made from an old book shelf. I have it lined with mylar and have 2x120mm computer fans going. I have 1 in the top of the box to take air out and 1 on the side of the box blowing fresh air in. I am using just CFLs now thats why I wanted to buy a new light. I know T5s wont put out that much heat like a hps would. I was just asking if a T5 would be worth the money for 2 autos that would be LSTed or can I get away with a 150watt hps in that size grow box, if so what would I need to do to keep it from getting to hot in the box?

brotherjericho said:

He said "small grow box". Could be way too much heat depending on the size of the space, plus, if too short, not enough space between light and canopy.

Click to expand...

my grow box is 28 1/2W x 31 1/2H x 11 1/2D. so I am guessing the 150 watt hps would be to hott. so I should use the 2ft x 4 bulb T5? should I mix the bulb color or just go all 4 bulbs of 3000k from start to finish? I am growing just 2 autos that will be LSTed.

what do you have for odour controle ?

if nothing you schould consider a small ventilation with a carbon filter .. if you have to buy it anyway get a cool tube for the HPS ..

but agin .. now we are talking like +300 $ .. for a 250W HPS that is .. and then you might aswell choose a ballast that can go with boath MH and HPS ..


but as I found out .. you either do it .. or you dont .. ther is no easy way out .. it do smell .. ther are heat ... you do need total darkness unless autos aso.

or you might aswell just grow outside ..

just my 2 €

but agin .. if the question is .. either 150 HPS or T5 (and Im talking T5HO) I personaly would choose the T5HO ..
fistly Bc. you can get just the right light (kelvin) for your plants in veg and flowering (6500K/2700K)
and secconly .. Bc they dont lead any heat out (witch would be a very nice thing in a small room)
and Th. Bc. they use less eletricity .. with no heat I could easily runn mine 24/7 in veg ..

well I guess I just like em .. did a pretty good job with my small kush girls ..

Slipon said:

p.s.


View attachment 2198562

my plants at day 39 before moveing them in to the room with the HPS ..

View attachment 2198563


View attachment 2198564


have only been under T5HO tubes .. 2 tubes the fist week or so then 4 and then I got one more fixture .. so last few weeks they have been under 6 tubes (=27,900K lumen)


this is around day 20 under my T5HO lamp/s

View attachment 2198566

got 4x6500 kelvin and 2x 270 kelvin tubes in it ..

found out that with T5HO tubes 4 inches is best (for me atlest) keepd them with in 3-5 ..
at 1-2 they did`t look that helty and longer then 8 inches they began to stretch ..

Click to expand...

so in my small grow box that is 28 1/2W x 31 1/2H x 11 1/2D. can I grow 2 autos that will be LSTed with a 2ft x 4 bulb T5? what color mix should I use 2 6500k and 2 3000k or just all 3000k from start to finish?

4 bulbs ..

I would buy 3x 6500K and 3x 2700K if possible .. use 3x 6500K and 1x 2700K in veg. and then switch to 3x 2700K and 1 6500K in flowering ..

unless autos .. then I would just get 2 of each I guess or 3x 2700K and 1x 6500K

just my oppinion tho .. I bet 4x3000K could work .. but why not 2700K then ?

I was thinking this light might ok for my grow box or would it get to hott? 150 watt Sodium GROW LIGHT Ballast Bulb w Hood 150w HPS

Slipon said:

4 bulbs ..

I would buy 3x 6500K and 3x 2700K if possible .. use 3x 6500K and 1x 2700K in veg. and then switch to 3x 2700K and 1 6500K in flowering ..

unless autos .. then I would just get 2 of each I guess or 3x 2700K and 1x 6500K

just my oppinion tho .. I bet 4x3000K could work .. but why not 2700K then ?

Click to expand...

well all the ones I have seen on ebay all come with 3000k for blooming. I know 2700k is better. they just dont come with setup.

the HPS do look nice enough for 1 plant .. maybe 2 small autos (move em around)

but Im sure it will produce some heat and in a small room you realy need some ventilation then .. more then just a door crack open Im sure .. and if you buy that you might aswell buy a carbon filter so you have no probems with smell what so ever ..

if I had a small closet and 300 $ and just wanted to grow autos .. I could see my self buy two of them HPS lights and a 100mm ventilation with carbon filter .. and keep one plant under each ..

but then agin .. many possibilitys and that is just my oppinion .. get some advices and read some guides .. but in the end make up your own mind and choose what you think is best for you .. your need and $

Slipon said:

the HPS do look nice enough for 1 plant .. maybe 2 small autos (move em around)

but Im sure it will produce some heat and in a small room you realy need some ventilation then .. more then just a door crack open Im sure .. and if you buy that you might aswell buy a carbon filter so you have no probems with smell what so ever ..

if I had a small closet and 300 $ and just wanted to grow autos .. I could see my self buy two of them HPS lights and a 100mm ventilation with carbon filter .. and keep one plant under each ..

but then agin .. many possibilitys and that is just my oppinion .. get some advices and read some guides .. but in the end make up your own mind and choose what you think is best for you .. your need and $

Click to expand...

ok thank you

All above are right, MH and HPS will throw a lot of heat for your small grow box also your electric bill will go up considerably. I use T5's HO for grow and flower and have good results. Personally I would stay with T5'sbut tha's just my opinion. By the way your plants look great using T5's.