Luga973™

If you buy a 400w digital ballast, a lot of them are switchable from MH to HPS and if you order one from amazon, they usually come with both bulbs. You can get a smaller watt light but I don't recomend it.

Hello..this will be longer than it should be..sorry...

Good Luck by the way on your Venture. Self Reliance is A Good Thing. So too is the "Work" involved in growing and Harvesting a Plant. It is a Process and can be amazingly enjoyable.

For me? One "System" is all I Use.

I Utilize "Red Light" aka "HPS" for.."Everything".

Okay..false..that's not quite accurate I DO utilize a "Blue Light" for Clone Growth. Sorry..so used to the daily reality I just..forgot..but Unless you're going to do "SOG"; Sea Of Green, Grow "Clones For Others" etc..? Unless your doing that..then again.."HPS" will do all your work for you.

The bottom line with "VEG Cycle" which is the Precursor to "Flower" (V/F) is that you actually don't really Want a "Huge Plant" so here is the Simple Reality:

If you actually buy "MH" or "Blue Light" for a "Veg Growth Period" then you are basically buying an expensive Light/Ballast/Etc..for what amounts to (Typically) about "2-3 Weeks" of the Entire Cycle of again..typically a 2 1/2 month to 3 month "Grow".

So Why Bother?

The Plants Veg Just Fine under "Red Light".

I swear to you this is the case. Frankly..in "Reality".."Blue Light" is at this point for "Commercial Grows" and massive SOG Ops that require an actual "Veg Grow" with Plants always being under "Veg Light" aka "Blue Light".

HPS/Red Light will work just Fine for a 2-week/10 day/3 week max "Veg Cycle" for plants that are..and reiterating the key concept here; "Going To Spend 90% Of Their Lives IN 'Flower' or Under Red Light/Flower Light/HPS".

Simple as that.

While I'm here acting all "Experienced" and what-not..I will also "Pitch" Product because it really makes a massive difference. Through "Practice and Proof" aka "Yield" most eventually learn that "Expense" is Not a good indicator Nor is "marketing".

I use "General Hydroponics" (GH) (Note: "Officially" the "Lingo" is "Bloom" and "Grow" but I'm so used to using "Veg and Flower" that I'm gonna just use all the "Names" and make this as confusing as possible..sorry) "Pink/Brown/Green (Micro/Flower/Veg) + Flora Nectar(Sugar/Carbs) + Kool Bloom (Liquid)" In Straight-Up "Sunshine Mix" with a,little bit of Fox Farm "ocean Forest" sprinkled On Top..and "Flower weeks # 1&5&6" use "M.O.A.B" ("Mother Of All Blooms") while reducing nutes to 75% or more if your nervous of "Burn" and you WILL HAVE Awesome "Product". Period.

No Joke. This Basic Formula as "Inexpensive" as you're really going to get with "Real Products" (as opposed to "Hardware Store Nutes")..this will produce as good and of course yes even often times "Better" Yields and Product than all that fancy and..I admit..attractive and alluring "Product".

Also "Pink/Brown/Green" tips for you if his be the road you select.

From Experience and for what its' worth and "More Than Mere Superstition":

Always Put "Brown" in 1st. This is a Genuine.."Rule" It has to do with "Nute Lock" and maybe "Salts" I don't think most really know anymore but it actually "keeps You Sharp" and becomes a "reason" to wipe down measuring cups between measurements and in general experience all the satisfying AR/OC habits and practices that make any "Hobby" so gratifying.

Odd..I know..trust me.

Flora Nectar as a "Carbohydrate/Sugar additive" Works. But the way I was taught back in the day we literally used a "Pickle Barrel" full of..yup! Pepsi and other "Soda's" left layin around all summer (Hot Hot Hot on the S/W Slopes of the Eel River.) Plants LOVE Sugar and Carbs and it will SHOW..you really will be amazed at what the addition of "Carbs" can do for your Product.

Really Nice Feature: "Pink/Brown/Green" is also known as "1/2/3" this is a really nice system because it refers to the "Amounts" used. They are based literally on a "This Much Micro/Flower/Grow" basis like "1cup/2 cup/3 cup".

ALSO..What this Means/Indicates is a Universal System that allows you to, for example.."Simply Reverse" the "Number" for "Flower" or for "Veg" "Cycles". So for "Vegetative Cycle" you would do "1 cup (or a number of table/tea spoons depending on "Reservoir Size"..its all "Mils"..learn it you will young Jedi) of "Brown (Micro)" then "Pink(Bloom)" then "Green(Veg)" and then you can just "Reverse" for "Flower". Now your doing Literally the "Exact Reverse" aka:

"What Used To Be 3 Cups Of Grow/Veg(Green) During "Veg Cycle".....Is Now 3 Cups Of Flower/Bloom(Pink)" once you enter "Flower Cycle". And Nice Touch? "Brown" or "Micro"?..Always Stays The Same as its the "Middle Number". With Flower and Veg "Reversing".

Sounds complicated and then..suddenly..it isn't.

Its a Great System. Incredibly Easy and just.."Nice".

And..it..Works!

It really..actually..does. And with "Nutes" just going Through the Roof..sadly..well."GH" is still as cost effective as your gonna get and "Real" and...AND.."Available..Literally..Everywhere". if your local "Grow Store" doesn't have "GH"? ummm..find a new one.

Man I wish I could just fill you in on all of it..but..this is already "Too Long" but this stuff is surprisingly hard to find out "On Location" or at the "Store". It really is. Sadly.

Light and Nutes and your good to go.

Good Luck.

Thanx for the info it sure helps me out and one thing I know about this is you need patience but im still doing alot of research cause I had one die on me already so I back at the drawing board so I can get it right Thanx again

You can get a switchable which is the best. mh for tighternodes more potency less yield or hps which is not so tight in the nodes, little less potency and more yield or you can just use the mh for veg and in flowering switch to hps then when you hit the last 2 to 3 weeks of flowering put back in the mh and finish the grow with it. this way you will get the best of both worlds I have been doing this for quite some time and you cannot go wrong.