whats a better light?

SmokeyTheBear · Jan 21, 2010

what's a better light for auto's MH or HPS? they flower automatically so does it even matter what light you use? i've been wondering about this for awhile. i'm in the process of buying a 250watt light and getting rid of the 150 watt hps light.

microgram · Jan 21, 2010

In terms of electrical efficiency, HPS is the best choice, but i believe that MH might be the best choice for gardeners. I've read in numerous places that MH causes less stretch (more compact buds) than HPS.

MH produces approximately 100 lumens per watt.
HPS produces approximately 150 lumens per watt.

UG! :joint:

SmokeyTheBear · Jan 21, 2010

i have a sun system 150 right now. do you think the ballast for the 150 will be able to support a 250 watt bulb?

etinarcadiaego · Jan 21, 2010

SmokeyTheBear said:
i have a sun system 150 right now. do you think the ballast for the 150 will be able to support a 250 watt bulb?

NO!!!!!

SmokeyTheBear · Jan 21, 2010

whats your opinion on the light thing

etinarcadiaego · Jan 21, 2010

SmokeyTheBear said:
why not

i dunno, you just can't. lol

No, seriously the internal components of the ballast are designed to send the correct voltage and current for the rated lamp.

Mixing lamps and ballasts will result in premature failure and can be dangerous

etinarcadiaego · Jan 21, 2010

Def get the HPS, you won't be sorry. If you can afford it though I'd say get a Ceramic Metal Halide, if I was gonna run one bulb start to finish and it was less than 400 watts, i'd run a CMH

Mr.Meds · Jan 21, 2010

250 CMH wider spectrum and more usable lumens that are maintained longer and more PAR watts. They also run cooler.

etinarcadiaego · Jan 21, 2010

Mr.Meds said:
250 CMH wider spectrum and more usable lumens that are maintained longer and more PAR watts. They also run cooler.

My thoughts exactly

streetvibes · Jan 21, 2010

hi smokey id go for the hps with the rated ballest nice and safe that way. Im sure you can get hps bulbs that have dual spectrums i know my mates 400 has dual spectrum and hes autos love that 400 but 250 good to if you are doin a smaller grow. Id rather mess around with hps its like the sun in a room

toohighmf · Jan 21, 2010

HPS does it all and you dont need an MH.

SmokeyTheBear · Jan 21, 2010

alright. so i have it down to two lights, 250 hps and 400 hps. i can get the 400 hps for 50 more $ u.s. do you guys think it will be too hot in a 2x2x4' box for a 400 watt light? if not i can't not see getting the 400 because it will greatly improve the weight of the buds.

ACBract · Jan 21, 2010

My auto area is 3foot by 3 foot and 5 feet tall. I have 2 lights in there, A 400mh AND a 400hps. The autos definitely like mixed spectrum. You just need to have good ventilation. And maybe a small air conditioner, I only use my $100 AC in the summer.
First pic is my current auto grow, next is dual spectrum and plants, next isdual lights, then some of my Auto Afghan Kush nuggets grown under these lights.

B. Friendly · Jan 21, 2010

why choose, have the best of both:
http://www.eyehortilux.com/superblue.html

ACBract · Jan 22, 2010

B. Friendly said:
why choose, have the best of both:
http://www.eyehortilux.com/superblue.html

That looks like a great bulb for any grow ,espicially autos!!!Thanks for the info, think I will get one of those to go in my other grow area - the non-autos.

Castelvetro · Jan 22, 2010

your not going to beat the yeild of the hps even with a cmh, growers on here have run the cmh that want yeild over quality and have gone back to an hps.. potency is larely genetic, blue light will help but it wont make any miracles happen beleive me.

B. Friendly · Jan 22, 2010

if want a quality increaser this is science based:
http://www.greenmanspage.com/guides/thc.html you can get light that produce this spectrum here:
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/compact_fluorescent_bulbs.php
And the new science for MJ is to have 2/3 hps and 1/3 mh in the first 3 weeks of flower and then all hps for the remainder of flower.
But as soon as you turn them introduce uvb light for more THC!!!!!!!!

Check this thread it's on CFL's:
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=152587

toohighmf · Jan 22, 2010

I don't think MH has any business anywhere but a baseball stadium. go with a 400 or 430 and rock a Son-T-agro bulb and dont look back. dual spectrum is some BS. its a gimick. show me one commercial op that runs 20 of them.. Back to halide.. MH=MINIMAL HARVEST. You are better off with an 8 bulb t5 than any MH.

Mr.Meds · Jan 22, 2010

CMH omits UVB...and it's not JUST blue that sets it aside from a standard HPS or a standard MH...CMH has over 20% efficiency across the whole PAR spectrum....I suppose you think green light is not absorbed by plants? If you're using greenlights in your room I suggest checking out the absorbability of that spectrum to a plant because it is not all reflected. Dual spectrum or growing with a wide spectrum is NOT a gimmick...

B. Friendly · Jan 22, 2010

I agree since using both hps and mh during flower has done quality increases for my plants. it is no coincidence that some of the best strains come from areas on the globe close the the equator where they receive lots of full spectrum lighting. Talking outdoors here people which is what we are trying to match indoors

whats a better light?

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