HPS lights for flowering about 4 plants or so.

[plainenglish07]

Well I started my first grow using 2 larger speaker boxes with 6, 100watt CFL's in each one. Everything has gone fairly smoothly so far. I was planning on training them and doing LSA, but my situation has changed now. I now can use the entire room without a problem, so I am thinking I want to get a HPS setup strong enough for 4 plants or so. This way I can use the HPS for flowering and veg new plants in the speaker boxes. My question is what kind of a HPS setup would I need for 4 plants or so and where could I get it locally(home depot, lowes, etc). I have noticed that there are HPS bulbs that appear to plug into a regular socket for 20 a bulb at lowes. Is this what I want or are there better solutions. I am trying to keep this somewhat inexpensive.

 

[joe cool]

400 watts for 4 plants, 1/2 lb every 60 days or 1/4 lb every 30 with rotation/perpetual harvest. Don't skimp $ on the light, you can pay for it with first harvest. Keep the first 1/4, get rid of the second 1/4 and the light is paid off.

 

[Levitikuz]

Those little HPS that look like they screw into reg. bulbs will NOT work in a regular lamp or light socet. If you want to keep it inexpensive and your only going to grow 4 plants i would go to a local grow shop and get a 250wHPS, should come with reflector an all for about $150.

later

 

[plainenglish07]

Those little HPS that look like they screw into reg. bulbs will NOT work in a regular lamp or light socet. If you want to keep it inexpensive and your only going to grow 4 plants i would go to a local grow shop and get a 250wHPS, should come with reflector an all for about $150.

later

\


150? Is this really worth it compared to just running another 12 CFL's which I can get running for 20 dollars? (I can get the CFL bulbs free)

 

[joe cool]

A 250 would work fine I am sure, but for good light penetration and pretty incredible yields a $300 investment for a 400 watt hps is gonna pay big in the long run.

Just my opinion, there's more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[Levitikuz]

Ya if you wanna go a little bigger you can get a 400hps for around 215 thahts how much they are here. But i guarantee a 250hps is better the cfls.....
No offense but its goin to be your 1st grow, basically you dont know shit yet.
Im not trying to be an ass but i remember my first grow...omg i dont even wanna talk about it. I tried to take the cheap way on everything...not a real smart thing to do.
Once i got my 1st 400wHID its was like i found jesus lol.
Lighting makes the difference...remember that.

later

 

[pookey]

There are cheaper 400 watt lights online. 120 will buy you a complete system (reflector and everything) and i bet you can get it even cheaper by wiring up a system yourself. Thats what i did.

 

[Dave_the_stoner]

Look in your yellow pages under "electrical supplier/ distributer". They seem to have the cheapest deals on MH/HPS systems. Just my 2 cents
peace

 

[plainenglish07]

I know my way around wiring, so I have no problem making one myself. I am just trying to get some specific brands and models recommended and a place to buy it(locally would be preferred, but I have no problem ordering online) so I don't have to fumble around and make it painfully obvious that I am trying to buy lights to go pot, lol.

2 question: Are the CFL's alright to use for vegetative growth then, or would it be significantly better to get the correct lights for that too? I'm almost done with my first grow using nothing but CFL's so I want to start getting ready for my second and looking for ways to improve. I figured a HPS for flowering would be my best investment right now.

 

[tty]

http://search.ebay.com/400-watt-hps_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQfromZR40

 

[Guest]

I know my way around wiring, so I have no problem making one myself. I am just trying to get some specific brands and models recommended and a place to buy it(locally would be preferred, but I have no problem ordering online) so I don't have to fumble around and make it painfully obvious that I am trying to buy lights to go pot, lol.

I think for flowering you will be much much better off with a 400 Watt light if you can ventilate your grow well enough to get rid of the heat. If not then a 250. Here is a link to the 400 I bought. I really believe you should look for 2 features on a 400 light, 1) heat absorbing glass is extremely helpful in keeping heat away from your plants, and 2) a reflector that has ports for air cooling (heat absorbing glass is necessary for this to work) Here is the one I got. There are many places to buy online. Shop around. This brand is sold at many of them.

http://www.bestgrowlights.com/site/403863/page/398466

That is the reflector I have although I didn't buy it there. If you can afford it, I would highly recommend a digital (electronic) ballast for you HPS. They are absolutely quiet, run cool, no worries about power glitches causing restart problems, can be used with metal halide and HPS(they "autosense" what kind of bulb they are driving). I am going to use a 430Watt Hortilux bulb for this grow I'm beginning in a few days. A digital ballast will handle any bulb in the wattage range it is designed for e.g. a 400 will drive any 400/430W light. Well worth the money IMO.

2 question: Are the CFL's alright to use for vegetative growth then, or would it be significantly better to get the correct lights for that too? I'm almost done with my first grow using nothing but CFL's so I want to start getting ready for my second and looking for ways to improve. I figured a HPS for flowering would be my best investment right now.

Yes they are OK for veggging. and Yes HPS is best for flowering...at least I believe so.

Good luck

Obli